Sign of the times for C-130 crew members. Pictured are a pair of ubiquitous, small ceramic "Saigon Elephants" which were a popular purchase item at various off-base vendors in Vietnam. We had the luxury of C-130 cargo space to haul sometimes dozens of these back home. Most of these elephants were 4-5 times larger than the ones pictured. Today I still have a few of these large elephants outside in my garden over 50 years after purchase. I must say that the cans of beer were as ubiquitous as these elephants.

 ALCE (AirLift Control Element) headquarters at Tan Son Nhut Airbase in Saigon. This is where we went in the morning to get our C-130 flight itineray for the day. It also included weather briefing and intelligence reports concerning danger areas to avoid during sorties. Call sign for ALCE detachment was "Saigon Tea".

 A group non-military passengers walking across the tarmac in front of a C-123. Nha Trang 1972. One thing stands out to me ... obesity was not an issue with this particular group.

 How many workers does it take to harvest rice. At least nine according to this 1972 Vietnam photo. Often some of the remote airbases we landed at had adjacent farmland right next to runway.

 Loading up what may be some ARVN and civilian refugees at Nha Trang ... can't recall destination. Old smoke belching, oil-leaking C-123 taxiing past. In background may be a commercial DC-6.

 A couple of C-130 crew members enjoying burgers, dogs and beans at an impromptu post flight cookout outside barracks ... I think this may be at NKP Thailand right on the Mekong River across from Laos. Surprised the early 70's clothes don't include tie-dyes. Beer was flowing plentifully.

 1973 photo of Viet Cong and NVA POW's in purple prisoner garb getting out of transport truck and walking to rear cargo loading ramp of our C-130. Purpose was to release prisoners as part of newly signed "peace" treaty. This was at the notorious South Vietnam POW camp at Con Son Island off southern tip of Vietnam. Our destination was a remote dirt airfield near Hue just south of the DMZ. After landing the prisoners were released and quickly disappeared into thick jungle with no fanfare ... that after stripping themselves of the purple POW suits, head wraps and sandals leaving them in a pile on the dirt airstrip.

 Going home 1973. Pictured our some of our C-130 squadron pilots waiting in military air terminal to go back to USA after a year and a half of flying missions in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. This was the first time since we arrived that we were not dressed in our flight suits. Lots of memories to reflect upon for a lifetime.