Sam McGowan, Author and Writer
Sam McGowan has
been writing since the 1980s when his first book, The C-130 Hercules,
Tactical Airlift Missions, 1956-1975, was published by TAB/Aero. He was
selected as a contributing editor of VIETNAM magazine, beginning with
the magazine's premier edition. He has authored ten published books,
including several revisions of his original work, which is currently
available as Trash Haulers, and three
novels. His articles have appeared in Air Force, Aviation History,
Canoe, World War II, WW II History and Vietnam. While some of his works
are military-related, he has also written a history of his home region
of West Tennessee and his most recent work about a dog. He is a veteran
of 12-years in the US Air Force and a decorated combat veteran. After
leaving the military in 1975, he became a professional pilot, a
profession from which he retired in 2010. He lives near Houston, Texas
with his wife Ronda, two dogs and a cat. To find out more and order
autographed copies of his books, go to Sam McGowan's Books.
Home Page
Last updated 2/25/2015
The Vietnam War firmly establised the role of enlistd aircrew members on combat support aircraft, some of which were in combat roles. Flight engineers and pararescue men were assigned to the huge HC-3 and HH-3 helicopters and the CH-53 and HH-53s that followed them. C-130 and C-123 loadmasters played a major role as the two transports were the lifeline of Army and Marine forward fields. When the Army transferred its CV-2 Caribous to the Air Force, where they became C-7As, crew chiefs initially flew with their airplanes but as the war continued, they were replaced by performance-qualified flight engineers from MAC C-141s and C-124s. Panel engineers were also required on EC-121 airborne radar control airplanes.
Return to Home Page
Published April 15, 2025
