Crashed Air Vietnam DC-6, resting in the fuel pits at MAG 36, Phu Bai..Mar-69

I was with the 101st Airborne unit stationed at the end of the MAG-36 compound. I was also there that day. The Vietnamese pilots had the aircraft completely shut down by the time it stopped skidding - no fire. Even if it had lit up, there must have been 50 Marines and soldiers standing by with fire extinguishers in their hands ready to spray. The marine manning the feuling station had clamped off the fuel hose, which had been pulled up right under one of the engines, before any fire could get going. The wreckage was towed to the boneyard behind our compound on the east end of the runway. Later, a hooker set up shop in the fuselage. Co B, 5th Trans Bn, 101st 68-69 -Submitted by: Frank Jacquette [fxjthird@msn.com] 2006-03-23

Looking behind the crashed plane you see the control tower. In the same building, on the second floor, on the left, was the Base Operations office which was under MABS-36, a squadron of MAG-36, 1st MAW. That is the office I worked out of. On the day of the crash, I was the person driving the ramp, or Follow Me vehicle. Memory is hazy (probably due to the generous supply of VA meds I take), but I do remember that accident well. Everyone was amazed that half the base wasn't blown up as a result. -Submitted by: Alfred A. Brissette, Sr. [USMCNamVet17@verizon.net] 2008-01-25

I was an SP/5 tech inspector with the 220th RAC when this crash occurred. I happened to be watching the planes approach from in front of our hangar which was beside the terminal behind the plane in the photo. It was very slow, nose high, and the engines were turning so slowly one could almost count the blades. To me, it appeared like it was attempting a full stall landing! The left main gear collapsed as it touched down, and the left wing dropped, and I can still see the prop blades as they bent back and the plane slid along. Fortunately there was no fire. -Submitted by: Charles Fitts [cfitts@snet.net] 2008-09-21