Steve Rabb spent most of his15 month tour at CCK in the C-130 Engine Shop, 1968 -1969.
Today, he introduced a re-worked and updated video presentation of CCK as seen through his eyes, back in the late 1960s. |
| Steve Rabb circa 1969 |
From the video's introduction on Facebook, his remarks concerning this video:
A few years ago, I uploaded a couple of videos to You Tube
of my collection of 8mm movies and pictures of CCK. I was stationed
there in 68-69.
The videos had over 10,000 views and had been favored
by many.
Unfortunately, You Tube has started cracking down on the use
of copyrighted music and subsequently blocked my videos in many
countries including the U.S. because the songs I used are supposedly
copyrighted.
I took both videos down, re-edited them with new 'legal'
music from royalty free music sites plus a few licensed selections and
combined them into one 20 minute video.
I uploaded the new video which
includes editing revisions and enhanced video quality. The new music
gives it more of a nostalgic feel. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that
Youtube doesn't find another reason to block it.
Here is the link to
the new video: "Memories of CCK Air Base Taiwan 1969"
What a beautiful few minutes in time. If you were in CCK or Taiwan, you will appreciate this presentation of the way it was, in those years of our lives.
Thank you Steve Rabb.
14 comments:
Steve,
Thanks for the memories. I got to CCK in August '69 from Dover AFB. Assigned to the engine shop. So we must have crossed paths. I only had 12 months left when I got there. I always felt that I got screwed out of 3 months of fun. The typhoon was a big beer party. I remember the flag poles at base HQ being bent by the wind. I was there for the Hope show. I remember Bob Lavoie. As I recall we called him Frog, because of his French ancestry. What was the name of the big hotel in town...Hilton, Sheraton? There was a ball room on the 6th floor. The Hope crew stayed there. The night before the show Connie Stevens and The Gold Digger babes were there partying. A rock band from the Phillipines was a regular. Can't remember the band's name. So many memories. Thank you.
Thad Balmas
thadbalmas@yahoo.com
Hi Steve. I arrived at CCK in Sept 69 just before the typhoon. I was assigned to the Security Police.One of my main post was the Main Gate. Remember thats where the buses (clap wagons} and other vehicles entered & exited the base. You probably saw me at one point in time there. During the typhoon I was posted there and it was pretty hairy. The Bob Hope show was great. You must have left before Nixon Arrived at the base. That was a big deal. We also had one of the chinese fighter jets crash when I was there. I remember the bus rides downtown and taiwan beer. They had that great Filipino band on the 6th floor of the Sheraton. Fried rice with eggs was my favorite meal off base. Mid nite chow was my favorite on base. Thanks for the vidieo and so many memories. D Van Meir SGT
My knowledge of CCK is based on a very sad fact. But I want to share it because I just received more information than I had before and that information seem to come to me from out of heaven and I thought perhaps because of the craziness & unexpectedness of this letter I received & finding this blog by some small chance someone might know of what the event that brought CCK into my life.
My brother was a pilot in USAF he was on TDY at Kadena AFB, Okinawa in July 1968. He flew refuelers KC135's. On Oct 22, 1968 three mos later he was flying as co-pilot to CCK. That day they were listed as MIA. His plane crashed into the mountains near Sea Lake Moon , Okinawa. It took about 5 days for them to get to the area and verified he and all the crew (6 men) were killed. My parents and me & my 3 sisters were devastated to lose my 23 brother so tragically. My father had just retired 5 mos prior after 28 yr AF career. We had just moved from Dover AFB where my father Col. James J Hayes had been Base Commander as he had been at all of his assignments at the bases since my birth. My brother was named after my father. His buddies called him JJ. As I was only 7 yrs old when he died I did not know all the details. Both of my parents have passed away as of 2006. They are buried with my brother at Arlington National Cemetary. I have found letters that my brother had written months prior to his death saying many of the planes kc-135's had mechanical problems and a lot of the other fellows were leaving because of it and had reported the problems with the planes some which were old. The plane crash was just considered an accident due most likely to the mountainous terrain. Within the last 10 yrs or so my sister discovered a parent of one her children's friends had been living at CCK
at the time of my brothers plane crash and knew the pilot and knew of the crash. He told her that everyone who knew the pilot knew he was top notch and one of the best and thought there had to be other circumstances that were involved that occurred. The gentleman who told my sister this was named Vern Hiesel. Right now I don't have the name of the crew. It is not so much "about" the crash or its cause but rather if anyone perhaps was there then and had heard about the crash or perhaps knew my brother. The letter I received today was from the girl he was dating when he died at the time. We have not heard from her in 46 yrs right after he died. Since it was Memorial Day. It was beautiful and discounted the feeling that many families who lost somone in that war feel that their loved one has been forgotten. This kind woman reached out after 46 yrs throughout which she said she has thought of my brother visited his gravesite, the location of the crash, the places they visited while in Okinawa. Receiving this letter at this particular time in my life and the things she said had a huge impact on me. i have beennpraying for answers for a huge life decision that has been impacting me for years and i feelmher letter was a sign, a true communication tomguide me to the right choice. Thanks for those of you who may read this. and it would be so interesting if anyone out there might know anything of my brother or what I have mentioned. God bless you. Cathy Hayes Janis
My email address is cmhj83@aol.com
Not sure how this works. Perhaps I will be notified by google if anyone else posts here. Thanks.
As Bob Hope would say, Thanks for the memories! I wa stationed at CCK from March 68 til July 70. First tour was for 12 months, consecutive tor was for 15 months. It was my bas of choice for re-enlisting. I worked with MWR. Worked in the Service club, Gym, Tape library. Hobby Shop and Recreation Equip check out. I Also worked with Bob Hope when he came. Sort of a personal aide of sorts. Still have many memories of CCK. Always will. One of the not so memorable ones was waking up in the ditch by the Main Gate. "LOL" I spent 23 yrs in the Air Force and CCK is in my top two of best assignments. Enjoyed the video very much. Thank you!
PEOPLE SEARCH. During the CCK Air Base period I was attending the college behind the base. There was a young man (sergeant ranking then??? not sure), named Jim Emanuel, would come to the college to give us English Conversation classes. I wonder if anyone know of him and his where about??
My father Robert Griffis was there for 18 months in the prop shop with butler howery as his ncoic, butler and my father are still good friends to this day and see each other a few times a year.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial 'Photo Project' volunteers are searching for at least one photograph of Sgt. Alan Craig Martin (Canada), who served with the 314th TACTICAL AIRLIFT WING, 50th TACTICAL AIRLIFT SQUADRON. I don't know when he was at CCK Taiwan, but hope that someone has retained a photograph of him for the Virtual Wall site that is dedicated to him . His parents are deceased and, apparently, he was an only child. He's the last of the nine men who died on March 8, 1969, for whom we haven't found a photo. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated. -Mary
I was there when I crashed. Very foggy came in low. Below munchkins. Caught nose plane flipped over crashed upside down. do. g lifted from fog. We could see skid in approach ramp... For sure pilot error big fire.... We went to hospital. Donated good. I think 12 on board......Donated blood last one died 3 days later..hard to make pictures. Now. Swarming around.. I was in the 50 th tax back to jn. am. Changed orders. Helen 7 airborne sorry. Was bad time....never should have attempted landing...a2c erni e whaley....
Hey CCK Alums, SSgt J. Morris here stationed at CCK from Oct. 68 to Nov. 69 (my DOS was Dec. 69 and I wouldn't re-enlist to make the 15 month tour)!!! Remember all the events and places in the video, the typhoon especially! Wish I had known about the reunion in 2019 in Dayton. Really hate I missed it. If ever another would love to attend if possible. Thanks so much for the memories! Shared much of the video with my wife, she thanks you too!
Wow, so interesting to see this stuff. I was looking up the Bob Hope show (THE highlight of my tour at CCK) and stumbled on this site.
I was there for the Bob Hope show and also the hurricane. I remember also, an SR71 made an unscheduled landing.
The week before I got there, a C-130 full of guys just arriving, crashed. Squadron commander was flying it. They dug most of it up and reassembled it in a hanger. The planes were having some sort of prop trouble. A number of them crashed.
I was a C-130 crew chief. Used to spend a week or ten days at Camrahn Bay then back to CCK for a week or ten days. Twelve hour shifts, 7 to 7.
Back to Bob Hope, right after the show I went to the exchange. Who should be there browsing through record albums?? NIEL #$%&#!@ ARMSTRONG! I got to shake his hand. What a thrill.
I’d just as soon forget ‘other’ thrills. But at least I made it home.
Steve
Your video is a real service to CCK alums. I was there a little later, from August, 1972 to August, 1973, and worked in the Staff Judge Advocates office as a legal clerk. It was a great place to work because we got to meet a lot of the people on the base who came through our office for various reasons; most of those encounters were positive where we really got to help people but a few were negative. I have traveled a fair amount with my wife and have often thought of returning to Taiwan but can't bring myself to do it. Being at CCK (and in Taiwan) was kind of an idyllic time in my life and I can't bring myself to see how it has changed. I prefer to just keep the memories. During my time in the Air Force, I was in Texas, Mississippi, Rhode Island, again in Mississippi, Taiwan and Arkansas. I jokingly tell people that I was stationed in three "foreign" places in the Air Force - Mississippi, Arkansas and Taiwan but that by far the best place was Taiwan and CCK. If Sgt. Payne, Sgt Martin or Sgt. Knuckles happen to see this post, please post a follow-up comment so that we can get in touch.
Again, I thank you Steve for your video.
I came across this page while searching the internet for a couple of guys I knew that had served with my husband at CCK from 3/69-4/70 as a jet engine mechanic and was then honorable discharged after serving 4 yrs in the USAF. We got married in Feb '69 and he was shipped out a month later. We wrote each other every day. I heard all about the base, tdy to Cam Rah Bay, Thailand, Okinawa, the Bob Hope Show and am now reliving it all as I sit here re reading our letters that I have kept. Unfortunately he is no longer here. He was the love of my life, he passed away 6 months after our 50th wedding anniversary.
I was hoping to see the video you posted but it is gone. Possibly because I deactivated my facebook account. Wish I could have seen it.
Regarding my comments above: I just went back to the original page and the video did come up. Maybe it just took awhile to appear. Thank you Steve for the memories!
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