In the early years of Ethiopia-U.S. Mapping Mission, air support was provided by the United States Air Force 1370th Photographic Mapping Wing and Atlantic Air Rescue Center-Air Rescue Service (MATS).

The following article and several of the photographs were provided by Stephen Moss of  "Pedro News". Additional photos provided by the respective authors.

 Here is a link to and a copy of the entire Pedro News article (Part One).  Link and article provided by Stephen Moss of Pedro News.     http://users.acninc.net/padipaul/pnl015_07_06/kingsransom.htm 

PEDRO NEWS - EDITOR’S NOTE:  In the past we’ve provided stories about rescues, firefighting and humanitarian aid. In this edition we’ll cover a unique mission; the support in the Aerial
Mapping of Ethiopia. This project had four major players, the Ethiopian Government under
Emperor Haile Selassie I, U.S. Army Map Service & Army Corps of Engineers, the USAF 1370th Photographic Mapping Wing (C-130As & CH-3Cs) and HH-43s from the Atlantic Air Rescue Center, Air Rescue Service (MATS).

CLICK HERE for a larger view.

Above is a map of the HIRAN Sites and major cities in Ethiopia. These radio sites were

essential for the C-130’s navigation while photographing the country and the location on

mountain tops necessitated the use of HH-43s to fly at altitude.

It seems that the "Jollys" just couldn’t get it up!!!!!

 

CH-3's

If you participated in “OPERATION KING’S RANSOM” and have interesting, exciting or funny experiences that you would like to share please email Steve at pedronews @ libby.org   Remove the spaces preceding and following the @ symbol in this e-mail address. These spaces are placed in the address so that "Spiders" (that collect email addresses from Web sites to use in SPAM operations) will not identify it as an email address. (I hope it works)

Steve will be back with PART II in October.

When AARC asked for a volunteer for a DetCO in Ethiopia I responded that my bags were
packed and time was wasting.  I guess no one else was interested in the job because they said: “Don't let the door hit you in the ass” or something like that. I spent one year there and still don't understand Amharic. 

All of the other personnel were assigned on 3 month TDYs except for Lt Nick Thornton who hung around with me for six months. I can't remember who was there with whom for the most part.  But there were some exciting times that I will not forget. The 15 pilots and the aircrew are those I remember best because of our time in the field. Let me preface my remarks by saying there was no backup (except in a few isolated instances), so when our two birds went out they were on their own almost all of the time. If you couldn't get to "civilization" on your
own you were in deep Ethiopian camel dung.

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I arrived at Hahn AB, Germany, in June 1965, then was on my way to Ethiopia in early September and returned to Germany right before Christmas.  I spent one night out in a shelter-half (had to put two together to make a pup-tent), it was a very miserable night sleeping. After one night out in the bush, and after hiking about a half mile to a stream to take a quick bath, we saw a lion chasing a buck in the brush near where we made camp--this was after we had taken off. From then on, I slept in the 43.

Dale Dunham (L) and John Christianson (R) set up camp

I set up the 43 landing spot with two holes for the front gear--this way the floor would be level.  The few inches drop it gave me worked out well.  I also set up a tarp right below the azimuth doors in the cabin and had it set to let out any water that dripped in through the rotor shaft/transmission housing when it rained.  We were there in the rainy season so this act was necessary too keep the inside of the aircraft dry.  It worked well and the water was funneled to the back step by the clamshell doors.  I also used a mosquito net with my air mattress and sleeping bag inside; all the comforts of home.  The rest of the guys wanted to sleep in tents or in a small building at Arba Minch, or wherever we were if one was available.  I did keep the rear cabin cargo net up in place in case a lion or leopard decided to see if I was a good meal or not.

 

Christianson checks for Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My!!!

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I was a volunteer.  And, aside of Dale Dunham, think I was the second longest tenured pilot of those that were down there.  It is a very complex story.  The true name of the project was the U.S. Ethiopian Mapping Mission.  The overall operation was I believe US Army with the assistance of National Geographic Society.  They had the land survey and physical identification side.  The USAF Photo Mapping Service controlled the C130 and H3 assets.  We with the H43s (3) were on Diplomatic status and assigned to the State Department.  Our local control was Reed Robinson the Deputy Chief of the US Consulate.  He was under the
Ambassador which headed up the Embassy.  The Embassy Air Attaché was always miffed that he was not in control as was the Army General in charge of the US Ethiopian Military Assistance Group (MAG).

Two other groups play into the matrix, the US Peace Corps which had the largest of all their assets in Ethiopia at the time I was there and Oklahoma State A&M (now Oklahoma State University).  We carried supplies and mail to both on our missions.  The OSU group operated a High School/Jr College Trade School in Jima.  We could always count on a great chicken fried dinner and fresh strawberry shortcake with home made ice cream on our arrival.

8mm film clip of H-43 Kaman Husky refueling and taking off in the field in Ethiopia.

8mm film clip from the collection of and courtesy of Ron Dolecki.

Don Van Meter at Bole Airport Addis Ababa

 1965

John Christianson,

(?),

Young,

Don Van Meter,

Dale Dunham. (Click photo to enlarge).

Kurmuk on the Ethiopian-Sudan Border at HIRAN Site 12A.

Don in H-43

Don and others refueling in the field.

 Don’s Birthday 1965

H-43 in hanger at Liddetta Air Field, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

H-43 maintenance on tarmac at Liddetta Field, Addis Ababa (Old Haile Selassie I airport).

H-43 on tarmac Liddetta Field.

A "short-cut" from the Hiran site near Dira Dawa back down to the central line of lakes formed along an ancient rift.  It was a solid 90 minutes of jungle, not a single place to land.  Both of us were slinging two 55 gal drums of JP4 to refuel with enroute.  Sweat time. 

We broke out into the high lands before the rift and landed on a saddle back.

We took ground fire coming down off the small mountain as we removed the HIRAN equipment and personnel.  A real adventure.

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After being assigned to Incirlik AB, Turkey (Det. 84 Tuslog) I got a TDY to Addis Ababa at Christmas time. My wife Judy and I still hadn't received our Household Goods from stateside.  

I flew down to Ethiopia in one of those nice noisy C130s.  All of the pilots lived in one house. We had a 'house boy' that kept us in food and laundry.

  One of the enjoyable parts of the TDY was eating Chinese food.  I really learned to like it there and brought that back to my family.

Capt Neil McCutchan in the boonies 1966.

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As I recall, I volunteered for the assignment.  We were in France (Laon AB) at the time. 

I went to Germany for a jump off  briefing and, while there, got a message that my Dad died, so I flew back to the states and then was sent to Ethiopia on the next rotation.

Dave Glick 2005

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