Check Six: The Spirit of Aloha

The Hawaii Air National Guard flew a Douglas C-54 Skymaster from October 2, 1965 to 1972. It replaced the VC-47 Gooney Bird that the HIANG flew for 14 years.

The Douglas C-54 Skymaster is a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and the Korean War. Like the Douglas C-47 Skytrain derived from the DC-3, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilian airliner, the Douglas DC-4. 

Then-TSgts James Davis, Samuel Saffery, Edward Uyeda and SSgt Abraham Hiapo were the first aircrew members trained. Then-Brig. Gen. Valentine Siefermann was. the first HIANG pilot to check out. (HANG 25 Booklet)

During 1967, there was a contest to name the C-54. TSgt Wayne Soma won with his suggestion “Spirit of Aloha“. after going through the approval process, then-TSgt Rex Koga painted the name on the C-54 later that year. (HANG 25 Booklet)

The Winter 1972 – Spring 1973 issue of the Hawaii Guardsman has an article covers the last flight of the C-54 in December 1974.

More on the C-54 Skymaster