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More so than any other airline, World played a major role during the Vietnam conflict by moving military personnel and materiel across the Pacific. By the late 60s, World had a fleet of six newly acquired Boeing 727-100s, five 707-373Cs, and had broken ground on the World Air Center at Oakland International Airport. The early 1970s were profitable years for World, buoyed by the military airlift to Vietnam.
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In March 1971, World bought three Douglas DC-8-63CF convertible freighters and would add three more in 1973. And, in 1973, World added a single Boeing 747 passenger aircraft to its fleet. In March 1975, Ed Daly brought two 727s to Saigon to make 20 evacuation flights from Da Nang under government charter. When the U.S. Embassy canceled the contract after only three flights, Daly, on his own, flew two 727s to Da Nang to rescue women and children. The "Last Flight From Da Nang" garnered worldwide media attention as Daly and the World crew fought off thousands of would-be passengers seeking refuge on the aircraft, dodged bullets and grenades, and ultimately carried more than 300 people to safety in Saigon. |
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Pioneer Low-Fare Scheduled Carrier
Following deregulation of the airline industry in 1978, World became one of the first scheduled low-fare airlines, which it operated for six years from its headquarters and hub in Oakland, California, before returning to charter-only service. The Company subsequently added the first nose-loading Boeing 747 freighter and ordered six McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 aircraft.
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McDonnell Douglas DC-10
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McDonnell Douglas MD-11
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As World returned to its charter roots in the late 1980s, it operated a single aircraft type, the DC-10-30, and concentrated on serving the military as well as tour operators and other airlines requiring short-term supplemental lift. This strategy proved successful and World expanded its fleet again in the early 1990s with the addition of new McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft. The MD-11s in both passenger and cargo configuration complemented the existing DC-10 fleet and allowed World to offer even greater capability to it customers. |
| Moving its headquarters to Herndon, Virginia, in 1988, World continued to play a key role around the globe from the 1990s to the present, providing humanitarian flights to Bosnia and Somalia, and flying troops and materiel during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. World continues to be a leading provider of passenger and cargo support for the U.S. military, not only during peacetime, but also during major conflicts such as the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. |
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