de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou

The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou was built to serve the Canadian and US Army in the late 50's.  US military called it the C-7 Caribou.  We simply called it a Caribou.  I took this snapshot of the airplane at Bien Hoa AFB.

 Caribou's were used by the Air Force for transport when we needed a ride between FSB Buttons and Bien Hoa AFB.  I rode in one of these planes for the first time when I was taken to Buttons in February 1970 to meet up with my company, Ace High, 2/12th Battalion, First Cav Division.  Thereafter I flew in them when we had to go back to Bien Hoa for some reason.

The Airplane had two Pratt & Whitney engines that each generated 1,450 hp.  A large cargo door dropped down in the rear under the tail section.  It could carry 32 people, two jeeps or up to 4 tons of cargo.  the plane was designed to take off and land on short, dirt airstrips which made it perfect for most applications in the Vietnam War.  The larger C123's and C130's needed more runway.  In later years, Caribou's were used for dropping parachutists.

What I remember about them was the uncomfortable seats and the noise.  The folding seats were made of webbing and faced sideways like in a subway car instead of forward like most other airplanes .  When in flight, the noise from the engines would drown out conversation.  Other than that, they would get you where you needed to go.