- Joined
- Apr 21, 2021
- Messages
- 5,166
- Reaction score
- 8,956
Perhaps the only reason I would go back is to go back to Vung Tau, bet its really nice. Wonder what happened to the huge round ASA antennas?????
Sgt. Mike Viet Nam Humor
- Thread starter AJ
- Start date
Flew from Clark AB, PI to Bien Hoa in a C-130. When approaching Bien Hoa the pilot came over the intercom, and said prepare for a sudden drop to the airstrip, as we often get enemy fire shot at us. Sure enough, the plane dropped like a rock and landed. No enemy fire.
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2021
- Messages
- 5,166
- Reaction score
- 8,956
OP
AJ
US Veteran
Back in the day..........
My hanger (VMA(AW)-225 "The Vikings") about 2000 or so. A typhoon has taken it down sometime after that.
The squadron patch. Yes, we had permission from the Minnesota Vikings to use that likeness.
My hanger (VMA(AW)-225 "The Vikings") about 2000 or so. A typhoon has taken it down sometime after that.
The squadron patch. Yes, we had permission from the Minnesota Vikings to use that likeness.
OP
AJ
US Veteran
Had the same at Da Nang. One night had a 122 hit on the grass between the taxi way and the runway. A 707 was sitting in the long position for take off and a F-4 was on the taxi way. The 707 went immediately to full throttle & took off and the F-4 spun around and took off down the taxi way. The 707 beat the F-4 to altitude!
Last edited:
i flew back from nam in the back and cockpit of various c-130s island hopping to travis in mid 1965
OP
AJ
US Veteran
In 1972 there was a Marine Air Group stationed there.........
OP
AJ
US Veteran
"But Sir, the mud and dirt adds camo!"
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2021
- Messages
- 5,166
- Reaction score
- 8,956
Watched the "blue streaks" headed to BH many many times. Had to work there quite a lot and first thing was to find closest bunker.
Yea, bunkers. Early one spring morning (1970) the VC decided to give us a wake up call. Several 122's hit right in the middle of our ramp, destroying several and damaging many of our helicopters. In the stranger than fiction category, the cyclic from one direct hit came back down to earth and was impaled in the main rotor blade of another ship. When the dust settled and we came out to survey the damage, there was that cyclic, protruding above the blade. Too weird. I wish I had my camera with me that morning.
This was taken around the same time frame. My platoon, pilots, crew chiefs and gunners. My crew chief, Coons is on the roof, far right and my gunner, Harmon is in front of the cockpit door. I'm sitting on the skid making an obscene gesture. It's hard to tell because there are a few more with the same hand signal.
This was taken around the same time frame. My platoon, pilots, crew chiefs and gunners. My crew chief, Coons is on the roof, far right and my gunner, Harmon is in front of the cockpit door. I'm sitting on the skid making an obscene gesture. It's hard to tell because there are a few more with the same hand signal.
F4phantom
US Veteran
Chu Lai was nothing but sand from the ocean to the mountains. Very few if any mosquitoes but lots of scorpions. They seemed to live under the hooches in the cooler shade. Attached is the airfield and when a sand storm blew through. We had a couple of these and they tended to ruin everything.
Oh the fun we had
Attachments
F4phantom
US Veteran
When I left we had to fly from Chu Lai to Da Nang. It was on a C-123 and the pilot thought he was a fighter jock. He took off and did a steep climb and banked to the right. The door was open and it was a good thing I was buckled in the jump seat. Next to me on the plane was a Vietnamese woman hanging on to a small cage with chickens. I guess she was going to visit relatives in Da Nang.
When we got to Da Nang we were put into receiving hooches for processing. We were told that the big bird would arrive around 1700 and we would be on our way. Over Armed Forces radio we heard that RFK was shot and killed, June 6, 1968. We heard about al the other stuff that was happening and wondered if it was safe to go home. At the time it was safer in VN than the States.
Well 1700 came and went and they told us to be ready at any time. Around 2300 they put us in the cattle pens and told us what to do in case of a mortar attack. Sometime around 2330 the 707 landed and taxied to where we were at the end of the tarmac. We were instructed to file into the aircraft and that if there was an attack to proceed through the plane and exit through the back door. We all got loaded and the the plane took off. The lights on the ground went from blue to white, we were on the runway. There was complete silence. When we climb out and began to level off the whole plane erupted in cheers. Next stop was Okinawa.
Oh the fun we had.
OP
AJ
US Veteran
We called those "Freedom Birds". Watched them take off every day heading for home after bringing "Fresh Meat" to replace the transferred, dead and wounded........... Worst was about once a week a cargo bird would land at night and park. Then a line of ambulances would start from the Army Mortuary off the north end of the runway. After unloading their cargo, they would make a return trip. Sad, very sad...........
OP
AJ
US Veteran
Lots of friends that spent a lot of time at Chu Lai. The other two Marine A6 squadrons were there (VMA(AW)-533 & VMA(AW)-242). Quite a few extended for a second tour in country.
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2021
- Messages
- 5,166
- Reaction score
- 8,956
OP
AJ
US Veteran
Need I say more??
F4phantom
US Veteran
My best friend in Ohio was a Navy Corpsman. He did 6 months in the field with the Marines then they pulled him out. He did the rest of his tour on those evac planes going to Japan and the world. Not sure which 6 months was worse. I guess I could ask him. He had just gotten out of the Navy when I was on leave before heading out, June, 1969.
OP
AJ
US Veteran
I can imagine that this has hapened somewhere. I consider myself very lucky that I was never assigned to the "Head Detail" anywhere.
