European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 12, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Page 8 the stars and stripes to Doy March 12. Grease monkeys9 take Over real work starts when passengers depart by Henry Marque staff writer Shakedown a c118 gets a top to Bottom Check by men of the 439th military Airlift up. Is photos by Jim Cole in touch the operational control room keeps an Eye on what s in and what s out at Rhein main. Aber by the plane Rolls to i  at base operations and the Pilot nods to passengers All in j a s h oink at left the Tail radio Antenna is checked. Tight m. Sgt. Paul till us logs a flight. _ in inv it k is. In ground Crew pulls the ramp st3 cry a ? Engineer starts pie engines and taxis the aircraft to a work area on ramp. Pic no sooner has the aircraft turned off its Landing lights and the propellers wind milled to a Stop than the ramp coordinator Rolls up in his truck stops loot at his watch noting it i s 5 jul in the evening and Waits for the Crew chief to bring in the 781a aircraft flight report and maintenance record. Control notified after pointing out what need immediate attention ramp coordinator t. Sgt. Wayne m. Bouzaki depresses the Button on his Mike and tells control what kind of specialists Are needed electronics radio and com Nav aids instrument or engine men. This particular aircraft has been on a trip to Spain Greece and Turkey and since it is u years old it has almost a boo full of writeup. These types of trips Are normally medical evacuation flights for patients in the Mediterranean area. Maintenance control the heart of any base maintenance com plex Calls Field maintenance and asks for the specialists. The 439th Matron Materiel Soin addition to maintaining the five c118s and five c131s be fore and after the air evacuation and passenger flights we be had them go into Moscow and the Cong also performs in route inspections and unscheduled maintenance of Mac and com Mercial contract aircraft. Systems men now the 439th has already sen tits a p g air plane in general mechanics to help the Crew chief aug mechanics must know All systems on an air plane. These Fellows with the soiled fatigues and busted up Knuckles Are the ones who must make sure that aircraft will be ready to Fly Assoon As possible whether it Means working round the clock in the cold of Germany or the teat of Africa. They sleep and eat air plane one sergeant pointed out. John p. Dougherty a Crew chief went 36 hours without sleep be cause his aircraft had to be b Imu Ider is it. Col. . The Squadron com i the 439th Mililli Airlift of commanded by col Sterr. It. Col. William 1. Co is the 439th Matron Lurf maintenance while i Springman is the i officer