Airmen deliver 'Herk' to Little Rock 23 years later

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Steele C. G. Britton
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  Four retired Airmen of the Missouri Air National Guard flew as passengers of their final flight on the same C-130H Hercules they picked up from the production line in 1987.

Some of the original aircrew included retired Col. Carl Firkins, former Headquarters Missouri Air National Guard deputy commander; retired Chief Master Sgt. Gary McIntosh, former Missouri Air National Guard 180th Airlift Squadron chief flight engineer; retired Senior Master Sgt. Lloyd Nauman, former 180th AS chief loadmaster; and retired Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Howe, Missouri ANG 139th Maintenance Squadron dedicated crew chief.

Several C-130Hs from Rosecran National Guard Air Force Base in St. Joseph Mo. have already been delivered to Little Rock Air Force, Ark. and now another has made the trip with a few extra crew members to help deliver on board.

The crew picked up the C-130 Hercules from the Lockheed Martin factory with only five hours of flying time in March of 1987.

"It was the first time the Missouri Air National Guard ever got a brand-new airplane in the history of the unit," said Retired Chief Master Sgt. Gary McIntosh, 180th Airlift Squadron C-130H chief flight engineer.

"It was kind of sad to see it leave 'St. Joe,' it was a good airplane for us, and a good airplane for me," added the St. Joseph native.

The six-year old aircraft battled a flood in 1993 when it was buried in over 12 feet of water and had projected repairs of over several million dollars in an eight-month timeframe.

Retired Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Howe who was the dedicated crew chief of the aircraft from 1987 to 1994 said, "I talked to the base commander at the time of the devastation and said that if we could get together enough people to help, we could take care of it right here [at Rosecran ANGB]. We repaired it in four months and under one million dollars and began to fly the aircraft again."

The aircraft continued to fly and will continue to fly after 23 short years in Missouri. Now stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base alongside seven other St. Joseph 'Herks' , the C-130Hs are part of the Arkansas Air National Guard 189th Airlift Wing.

Past and present crew members returned to Missouri with high hopes for continued success of the aircraft the once prized as their own.

"I'm glad this aircraft will continue flying in the Air Force, it's still a good airframe. It's sad to see it leave St. Joes but I'm glad to see it's still doing the mission," expressed Sergeant Howe.