Gallant Eagle - Airdrop - 1982
“Bundle Bill” Hamilton
These are a series of pictures I took while flying as a C-141 airdrop loadmaster during GALLANT EAGLE 82.
We had 60 C-141’s and 30 C-130’s in formation.
The first 4 are on the run-in and actual drop from the back of the aircraft while the last 4 are post-drop photos taken from the jump seat up front on the egress. It looked like a scene out of “12 O’clock High” s as the sky was filled with aircraft. I was on number 17 as part of a 20-ship package from Charleston. McGuire also had 20 aircraft and as we flew in one-mile trail across the U.S. they formed up with us.
Somewhere over the South West another 20 C-141’s from Norton, McChord plus one of two from Altus joined the formation.
We penetrated at low-level near the Grand Canyon and did the drop near Ft Irwin, CA.
Last Updated: Monday, April 10, 2006 09:52 am