When it comes to eerie stories from the military, few tales rival those surrounding two U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, dubbed BOO and BOB. These KC-130F refuelers played crucial roles during the Vietnam War, transporting soldiers and supplies.
However, their ghostly reputations have persisted over the years, with accounts of unsettling experiences from Marines who worked on or flew these planes.
The KC-130F: Backbone of Marine Corps Refueling
Designed in 1962, the KC-130F was initially crafted for air-to-air refueling, enabling helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to extend their missions. These versatile planes also transported troops, supplies, and even wounded soldiers.
With tail numbers 149800 and 149808, the two KC-130Fs developed chilling nicknames—BOO and BOB—based on their numbers’ resemblance to letters, with the numeral 8 resembling a “B.”
KC-130F Quick Facts:
Feature |
Details |
|---|---|
| Year Introduced | 1962 |
| Primary Role | Aerial refueling |
| Notable Service | Vietnam War troop transport |
| Nicknames | BOO (149800) and BOB (149808) |
Despite their essential role in military operations, BOO and BOB earned a unique place in Marine lore as haunted aircraft, especially due to their Vietnam-era duties involving the transport of soldiers who had fallen or been wounded in battle.
Haunted Legends: Tales from the Marines
Many Marines who worked with these aircraft reported a chilling atmosphere around BOO and BOB.
According to Delbert H. Cogswell Jr., who served in Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron-152 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa,
“There were many stories of feeling uneasy or feeling watched while working on those two aircraft during the night shift, which for us was all night long on most nights.”
Cogswell noted that many Marines felt an “uneasy” presence and even saw shadows or figures that shouldn’t have been there.
In addition to Cogswell’s experience, other Marines reported similar sightings and strange sensations:
- Hank Gerace described seeing an eerie figure in the pilot’s seat, adding that he once heard footsteps on the plane when he was certain he was alone.
- Jason J. Casanova recounted a story of a Marine who saw a figure in old fatigues staring out the window, only for the figure to disappear moments later.
This aura of mystery and fear surrounding BOO and BOB became part of Marine culture, with some servicemen refusing to work on the aircraft alone at night.
Eerie Sightings and Marine Folklore
Many of these ghostly encounters share similar details, with Marines claiming to see glowing red lights inside the planes or hearing footsteps in empty aircraft.
One story, retold by a flight mechanic, involved a Marine who claimed to see someone sitting right next to him only for the figure to vanish when he looked away.
Some of these old KC-130Fs still bear the marks of their wartime experiences, including bullet hole patches from small arms fire they took during the Vietnam War, adding to the planes’ haunted legacy.
Such experiences have cemented BOO and BOB’s reputations as more than mere machines. To this day, their stories captivate Marine veterans, with these ghostly encounters serving as a reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers during wartime.
Final Resting Places of BOO and BOB
Today, these aircraft continue to hold symbolic value. BOO is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, where it’s used as a fuselage trainer, while BOB rests in “The Boneyard”—the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, near Tucson, Arizona.
Here, surrounded by other retired aircraft, BOB is a prominent piece in a resting place for countless military planes.
The Legacy of BOO and BOB:
- Both planes are celebrated as legendary artifacts, representing Marine history and the Vietnam era.
- Their ghostly tales have endured, especially among veterans, with these stories often shared among younger Marines and aviation enthusiasts.
These haunted aircraft remain preserved in military history, embodying the mystery and honor of their service.
While newer KC-130Js have since replaced them, BOO and BOB’s ghostly tales continue to fuel Marine Corps folklore, linking past sacrifices with today’s respect for their story.
Sources: THX News & US Department of Defense.
