"Hanoi Taxi" Retirement

Master Sgt. Henry Harlow says it was an emotional day as he rests his hand against the crew entry door of the "Hanoi Taxi" as he prepares to marshal the aircraft out for its final flight. Sergeant Harlow is an original member of "Team 177" (the aircraft's tail number is 60177) who discovered the aircraft's past and helped bring to light its historic role. This C-141 Starlifter ? the last remaining Starlifter in the Air Force fleet -- made its final landing Saturday May 6, 2006 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The C-141 "Hanoi Taxi" was the first aircraft to arrive in Hanoi in February 1973 to pick up the POWs held by the North Vietnamese.(U.S. Air Force photo/Tech Sgt. Rick Sforza, 4th Combat Camera)

Hanoi Taxi checks out its new home

A C-141 Starlifter aircraft, better known as the Hanoi Taxi, flies over its soon-to-be new home at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force adjacent to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, Dec. 13. This particular aircraft gained fame when it was used to return American prisoners of war back home at the end of the Viet Nam War. As the last operational C-141 in Air Force Reserve Command's 445 Airlift Wing, the historic aircraft is scheduled to retire and be dedicated at the museum May 5-6. The Reserve wing started replacing its C-141s with C-5 cargo aircraft in October and plan to have a total of 11 C-5s by April 2007. (Courtesy Photo by John Rossino)

Refuge from the storm

050902-F-5515J-002 Volunteers from Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga., shuttle a patient who arrived there on a C-141 assigned to Air Force Reserve Commands 445th Airlift Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. About 100 patients were airlifted to Dobbins for transportation to hospitals in Atlanta, one of 17 cities in the country taking 2,500 Hurricane Katrina victims. At Dobbins, the patients went to the 80th Aerial Port Squadron building where Veterans Administration medical people assessed their conditions before they were transported by ambulance to one of 38 Atlanta hospitals. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bo Joyner)

Hurricane Katrina

050901-F-0000T-003 A C-141 aircraft from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, taxies out early Sept. 1 on an aeromedical evacuation flight in support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Reservists from Air Force Reserve Commands 445th Airlift Wing provided inflight care for patients airlifted from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, La., to Dallas. From Dallas, the plane was to fly to Lackland AFB, Texas, before returning to Wright-Patterson. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Maj. Ted Theopolos)