An airman with the 86th Airlift Wing salutes on Wednesday at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, as C-130E cargo aircraft "63-7865" taxis down the runway for its final flight before retirement. This summer, the wing will retire five of its aging C-130E aircraft. (Scott Schonauer / S&S)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — As the C-130E Hercules slowly rolled down the taxiway, fire trucks on both sides gave the big, gray aircraft a shower and dozens of airmen lining its path quickly saluted.
It was a final farewell for an old plane with more than 44 years of service and a heroic legacy.
The 86th Airlift Wing said goodbye to the plane, which earned an honorary Purple Heart during the Vietnam War. The aircraft, known only by its 63-7865 tail number, left Ramstein on Wednesday for its final resting place at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
Staff Sgt. Ryan Shallenburger, a crew chief with the 86th Maintenance Squadron, has worked on the aircraft and said it was an honor to witness the legendary plane retire.
Bidding adieu to the old plane, he said, was "a proud moment."
The aircraft is one of the oldest in the Air Force inventory. While Shallenburger said every plane has its share of ups and downs mechanically, it earned a reputation as being a reliable flier. During its most recent deployment to the Persian Gulf, it flew more hours than any of the wing’s other C-130 cargo aircraft.
"[The] 7865 was one of those planes, in my opinion, that was a good flier," Shallenburger said.
It is best known as the C-130 that earned an honorary Purple Heart for damage it sustained in Vietnam.
A plaque on the flight deck tells the story:
On June 1, 1972, the plane took a mortar round through the No. 3 engine while parked on the tarmac at Kontum Air Base. A maintenance team changed out the engine, but the new one failed to start. Pilots had to force the plane to take off with only three engines under "heavy mortar attack," the citation reads.
The aircraft was hit with several more mortar rounds during takeoff, puncturing the wings and damaging the other engines. The plane could climb to only 1,000 feet but made an emergency landing at Plieku Air Base, where mechanics determined it needed two new wings and four new engines.
After receiving the repairs, the plane continued to serve in the Pacific region. It later arrived at Ramstein Air Base, where it became an airlift workhorse. The wing last deployed 7865 to the Persian Gulf region last year. The aircraft flew its last combat mission on Nov. 13, ferrying cargo and troops around Iraq.
Lt. Col. Mark August, director of operations for the wing’s 37th Airlift Squadron, called the retirement "bittersweet."
"They’re kind of like old friends," he said.
The plane will be stored at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, also known as "The Boneyard."
By the end of this summer, the 86th will retire five of its agingC-130E aircraft. The wing is scheduled to receive it first new C-130J aircraft in April.
