Flying with Mort - 1

The next few posts will be about my experiences flying out of Kelly AFB in San Antonio.  I was flying for USAF Security Service, which is basically the Air Force's branch of NSA.  It was a Major Air Command just like the Strategic Air Command and other major Commands of the Air Force, but we only had 5 old airplanes not hundreds. We hauled passengers (Generals down to enlisted) around the world.  The airplanes were old piston powered airplanes, with big old radial (round motors) engines that sounded absolutely great. These airplanes were immaculately maintained and impeccably decorated. On top of that they were highly polished.  For me and 7 other pilots it was a step back in time.

I will never forget my first day, I had done a little research and all I could find out about the unit is what kind of airplanes they were flying... C-118 and T-29 (DC-6 and Convair).  I had heard that that the T-29 was easy to fly.  

I reported in and was shown into the Commander's office and there I met Colonel Blackwell and two other Colonels.  I noticed a Baylor Bear flag on the Colonels desk and said Sic'em Bears!  I had never seen this many Colonels in one place, but I was put at ease by the cheerful  banter.  I mentioned I had heard the T-29 was easy to fly and they all laughed.  Col Blackwell asked me if I had an hour to spare and I said "sure". 

T-29A... not one of ours, not as shiny or painted as well.

So, we went out to fly... About 45 minutes later I was a qualified co-pilot on a T-29 !  I knew nothing of the systems of the airplane but I was qualified to haul folks around the country in it... I laughed all the way home that day.   Our two T-29's (Convair) held 19 passengers and at the time I think Texas International flew them with about 35 or 40 passengers.  

The C-118 was a 4 engine airplane and more complex so I had to go to a 2 week school to learn the systems and fly the simulator.  Commercial airlines were no longer flying the civilian version (DC-6) but they probably flew with around 80 passengers. Ours usually held no more than 29 passengers... Plush.  All of the airplanes had custom first class leather seats and they could be set up like conference rooms around custom teak tables.  They all had full galleys just like a kitchen in your house and the flight stewards were incredible cooks.  My favorite flight steward had previously been President Nixon's flight steward on Air Force One, consequently I have some Nixon memorabilia. 

C-118A... not one of ours, but equally shiny and paint is different.  This airplane may have been Air Force One at one time.

We flew the two engine aircraft to Andrews AFB (Washington DC) once or twice a week, we were hauling passengers back and forth to Ft Meade... NSA.  We called our passengers spooks or spies.  The would often be working on secrets in the back of the airplane so we were required to have the same very high level security clearance... "Top Secret + "... hard to get the clearance and required a very expensive investigation.  You were required to list every place you had ever lived... for me that was 31 different addresses... I was 27 years old.  The FBI interviewed friends and neighbors and checked up on you.

There were two cargo bins that ran the length of the cabin on the bottom of the aircraft. The front one for the crew and the aft bin for the passengers. We took our golf clubs everywhere in the world with us.    When we were flying international we would shop and fill the front bin with our treasures, occasionally we overflowed into the aft bin.  We had fun. 

We only had 8 pilots in our unit; 3 Colonels, 2 Majors and 3 Lieutenants.  All but one were good guys.  One of the Colonels was a big jerk... Nick-named "Big Foot"... He was my supervisor... he made my life miserable.  Thankfully I didn't have to fly with him very often.

About now you might be wondering why was this post titled "Flying with Mort - 1"?

Well, we had two Majors in our unit and their goal in life was to make it to 20 years and retire.  Retirement was close for them but they weren't sure they were going to make it before the Air Force rifted them... as Nam was winding down and guys were being sent home without jobs to go to.  

Major Wheeler was a good guy and a good pilot. He was going to retire to the family pig farm in Eppie, Minnesota.  Major Mort (not his real name) was a lost soul and not a very good pilot... but I liked him.  I flew with him a lot.  I became his instructor (unofficially) and tried my best to keep him out of trouble... that was hard to do... very hard to do.  He was hoping to retire to a Real Estate Sales job here in San Antonio.  The next several posts will be mostly Mort stories...