Bill Peukert
blairscrk@aol.com
St. Louis, MO In 1963-65 I was with the 188th Trans. Hel. Co. attached to the 1st Air Cav.
Ft. Benning, Ga. The 37's were used primairly to train pilots in multi engine flight
in preperation for things to come. During the first test of the air mobile concept, in
Camden, SC. we haulled everything from troops and 105's to block ice. We also cheeted by
driving duce and a halfs at night to make up the shortage. This was a tight knit group, 13
of whom all went to 37 school in Ft. Rucker GA in 1962. Nothing came close to the weight
she would lift, but the price was 18 hrs of maitenance for each hour of flight and up to
15 gallons of oil/hr before an engine was scrapped. When George Wallace blocked the blacks
from the UA in Tuscalusca AL, Troops were sleeping next to the 37s on 24 hr alert. Had he
not backed down, the 37 would be 10 times as famous.
06/09/2000 @ 17:15