Aerial Shots
 | Da Nang Flight Line September 1962
Aerial view of Marine helicopter flight line at Da Nang
shortly after SHUFLY's relocation to I Corps in September 1962. (Official
USMC Photo).
Source: U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Advisory & Combat Assistance
Era, 1954-1964
Posted by Admin on 2010-07-28 |  | United States Air Force "Getting Some!" B52 Ark Light
This was a beautiful sight if you were at Khe Sanh for the siege in 68. Marines smiled their biggest smiles when this took place within sight of the base. A loud cheer could be heard every time they got an "ARK LIGHT FLIGHT" (USAF file photo)
Comment by: George Lovell on Oct 29, 2008 05:41 PM
We flew escort for a RECON ladder inset. Got them in OK but was called back about 5 hours later to get them out. Too many bad guys. They put an ARCH LIGHT on the area later that day. When we went back and put the RECON team in the next day the area was laid to waste. Awesome display of ordnance. Sure was glad we were on the delivery end. Being on the ground would have made for a real bad day. Semper FI - George Lovell VMO-2 Ordnance 68-69
Comment by: James W. Robbins on Jan 26, 2010 09:19 AM
You are right. This was a great sight when I was sitting on the base and looking out to see the bombs hit
Posted by Admin on 2010-07-25 |  | LZ Ross
LZ Ross the day after the night ground assault by the NVA. Photo by William Godlewski
was this the night the sappers were on base at 10 and didnt start attack till about midnight? I was at LZ Baldy then SIMPER FI, Robert Kirkland
I was in hole 20 that night, this was January 1970 ,I was with C-Co first combat Engineers walking the road sweeps. I think there were 69 WIA and 16 KIA Marines . It was the 409th VC Battalion that hit us that night. Kenneth M. Carter vn0013@adelphia.net
From: Francis E. Wehr Sr. , Date: Dec 20, 2005 11:39 PM
My name is Shorty Wehr I was with Nay Seabees 7. I was on L Z Ross that night that it was attacked. We were on line of camp facing the road. The sapper came through our area to get to the gun behind our are. We had 7 person injured and taken out the next day. We were on Ross for 4 months building hut chowhall and showers,gun pads and landing zone for the coppers.
From: TP , Jan 1, 2006 11:34 AM
I am writing a book about the 3NVA RGT/2 NVA Division's attack on LZ Ross on 3 Jan 1968. It would be interesting to compare the NVA tactics and plans during these two night attacks. Based on what I know (date, time and location of attack), I would bet the NVA plans were similar.
VR, Thomas Pike, MAJ US ARMY
Comment by: Steven A. Pierce on Jun 9, 2006 03:38 PM
I believe the unit I was assigned to at that time was Alpha Co. 1/7; 1ST Mar Div. assuming this is the Sapper attack I witnessed. It was a 50-man Sapper unit attack that was planned to act as a diversion for a battalion-sized NVA infantry assault to follow.
Two days prior to the attack a number of our higher ranking NCOs’ & officer platoon commanders left for 3-days of Vietnamese language school in Da Nang. Normally I would've been with my squad standing lines that night, but this time I filled-in for the platoon commander and slept in a tent w/corpsmen while maintaining radio watch monitoring line bunker positions. My shift was the 3rd one and I was sound asleep on this nice-soft cot in a tent. I was awakened around midnight by a huge explosion that scared the hell out of me. Sappers had managed to penetrate the lines on our side of the compound. As it was later learned they were to set explosions and lay down automatic weapon fire to draw reinforcements away from the opposite side of the compound where the main NVA body would attack. The Sappers set a couple of satchel charges around two tents next to mine that killed and wounded everyone in both tents. When the first explosion went off I rolled off my cot instinctively to the muddy ground and took off sprinting in the opposite direction as fast as I could run. Tracer rounds were flying around me and in all directions as I raced for cover. I recognized a buddy from another platoon, Sgt. Roth, who was also running in the same direction as I was apparently reacting similarly. Together Sgt. Roth and I ran about 50 yards and then ducked down for cover behind the first protective cover we could find, a U-shaped sandbag emplacement adjacent to the steps of hooch.
Sgt. Roth and I spent the better part of the night at the ready position behind sand bags watching firing of tracer’s rounds, explosions, helicopter fire and medivacs. The next morning I walked toward the center of the compound and counted 17 bodies of Americans lying on stretchers covered with ponchos. The wounded were treated at the command triage before being helicoptered out in the night. A 3-man detail/work crew drove a 6X around the LZ loading collecting dead Sapper bodies and taking them to a pit outside the perimeter where they were covered with diesel fuel, cremated and then burned in a mass grave.
As the details of the attack unfolded it was discovered that a battalion-sized NVA attack was planned for that night. However, as the NVA attack force moved into position several clicks outside the perimeter of the LZ, they were spotted by an ARVN night patrol. The ARVN patrol called in the position of the massed NVA unit to their commanding colonel who effectively called in artillery on their position. The artillery successfully stalled the approaching attack force until puff and hewie gun ships forced them to retreat.
While in the bush we grunts frequently heard stories of how chicken the Arvin’s were when the shit hit the fan. That night t he Arvin’s saved our bacon and many Americans from certain death and annihilation.
Comment by: edward steltzer on Jun 30, 2006 02:54 PM
I was a Hospital Corpsman on LZ Baldy. The night LZ Ross was over run I made three trips into LZ Ross on a CH46. We took each load of casualities to a hospital ship off shore. The next day we received the KIA's at LZ Baldy.
Comment by: Mike Ferguson on Sep 3, 2006 11:57 AM
I was there that night, Jan 1, 1970. 0030 hrs. on a 106 between arty and the wire on a real big rock. I remember you seabees..........had been there awhile and just got the hooches built and the gooks blew them down......I thought what a shame........but you guys didn't build me one........I did hear a gook shout, "Die Seabess Die" just before they blew my position.........one long night.......I remember thinking when it all started.......no big deal.......just a few mortars....then I heard the ak's and a shiver ran through my whole body........I knew they were coming for us.......and as you know when the NVA came for you they brought their lunch.........Alpha was strung out all around my position and a little of Bravo came in after dark.
Comment by: William V. Brown on Sep 28, 2007 04:36 PM
I was a LCpl with Bravo 1/7. We had come in off of an operation to resupply our squad. I recall tha we only send a fire team to get supplies because the rules of the base was that we had to turn in our ammo while on the base. It was true. We rat-holed all of our ammo and turned in enough to keep the BS to a minimum. We ate chow got our mail and took supplies to our guy set-up in the vicinity of the front gate of Ross. I also recall that ABC or one of the big networks camera crews were there when we came abord the base in the afternoon of the night of hell. We watched a movie at the outside theater next to Bravo Company Admin hooch. I also recall that there was a whit 40-60 foot gleaming white PX trailer that was haul out by a gleaming whit tractor rig. As we were grunts and been on patrols and ops between LZ Baldy and Ross we saw this frigging target from miles away several days prior to our arriving at Ross for resupply. We we wondering why it hadn't been blwn on the road from Danang. Funny thing , here were in the middle of a war, in the middle of no where and they were sell Sansui 5000 amps and Akai M-10 reel to reel tape recorders, equalizers and tuntables. It was surreal. When the attack began the counter mortor radar unit the the first thing blown away by 122s. The 2nd thing to go was the PX trailer from where was situated. I could go on and talk about the attack , the night the killing, the arty battery marines dead in their positions,the sappers, gooks overrunning the base passing us as we tried to get to the LZ and BAS, the chaplain and his smoking .45, hundreds of gooks in cammies running and some shooting. Many as I recall did not have rifles but carried satchel charges. Myself and my fire team sent a few dozen to hell that night. I still carried the outlawed M-14 and an equally sawed-off 12 guage pump shot gun.The deep sucking mud was anorher issue that night. I do remember!!!!!.
Comment by: Dane Williams on Nov 3, 2007 10:41 PM
Fox 2/7 marines,rear was in one of houses
Posted by Allyn Hinton on 2010-07-17 |  | Crashed H-34s by the DMZ
Another shot of the two H-34s down near the Z.
Comment by: Raymond Lukeski on Aug 15, 2006 03:21 PM
I was the crew chief of the the chopper on the right YZ82. We hit a radio tower at night on a resupply and evac mission March 1967. No one was hurt in either planes. We spent 3 day out there. Plane 2 was crewed by larry sullivan.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-07-16 |  | An Hoa Airfield, late 1969-early 1970
An Hoa Airfield, late 1969-early 1970 Submitted by:Dick Dickerson -
Relocated from COMBAT PHOTOS by George T. Curtis / NOV 2002
Comment by: paul graniello on Jan 2, 2009 01:43 PM
i was in an hoa in 1969 comm co hdqts 5th reg.lots of rockets and lots of mortors and a ton of mud.still better than being out in the bush.(which i was not)thank god for all of the grunts.semper fi my nick name was granny
Posted by Admin on 2010-07-15 |  | Unknown HML-167 Crew Chief in action
This photo of a HML-167 crew chief laying down cover fire was taken sometime in early 1970. Photo by Allen Hartwig.
Posted by Allyn Hinton on 2010-07-14 |  | Dong Ha
Just a shot here of the buildings and parking area at Dong Ha only a few months before it being levelled.
Comment by: BONI LUNA on Mar 13, 2006 01:49 PM
Very good photo, I can where I lived next to mess hall
sep. 66 to sep. 67
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-07-14 |  | Razorback
Adjacent to the Rockpile was another pleasant feature known sometimes as the Razorback for obvious reasons. Some extremely complex medevacs/hoists and the like occurred here, always good for a wakeup. Mutter Ridge showing in shadow at the far right.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-06-23 |  | Bomb crater
Yellow smoke just showing at the top of the picture where a medevac waits pickup; taken during Operation Prairie II out of Dong Ha.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-06-18 |  | Heading to Khe Sahn
West bound, up the river valley to Khe Sanh. Khe Sanh can be seen at the end of the river in the center of the picture. 1967. Picture taken by Bob Houston, posted by John Dullighan
Posted by John Dullighan on 2010-06-14 |  | Flying north along highway 1 just south of Phu Bai.
Flying north along highway 1 just south of Phu Bai. Phu Bai can be seen in the center right of the picture (dust bowl) fall 1967.
Posted by John Dullighan on 2010-06-14 |  | Marble Mountain from the sea. 1969
Posted by John Dullighan on 2010-06-07 |  | Marble Mountains
Posted by Terry Basham on 2010-06-06 |  | Yankee Romeo 9, very shortly before it's destruction
Taken August 6, 1966, 2 or so miles southwest of Cam Lo. YR-9 was third of a flight of four H-34s on a recon team insert by HMM-161. Due to major power loss, the aircraft wound up in a treeline just downhill from this position and was destroyed by fire, fortunately with no loss of life.
A big favor request here: this was taken by a Marine photographer and the original copy is labeled on the back:
Official U.S.Marine Corps Photograph
Informational Services Office
1st. Marine Aircraft Wing/Marine Unit Vietnam
FPO San Francisco, Calif 96601
And on the front: Cleared for Release by MACOI
If anyone, preferably the person who took the picture, has any feedback I would be amazingly grateful; there are several more shots of the actual crash and resulting fire that I would dearly love to have copies of, as I am the one in the left seat in the picture and would like to know if it looked as bad as I remember.
Comment by: Bud Dean on Dec 17, 2006 07:17 PM
remember me?
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-06-06 |  | Ashau Outpost-1963
Aerial Shot of Ashau Outpost, early 1963. HMM-162
Posted by Kelly Lea on 2010-06-01 |  | Landing approach at Khe Sanh
View from helicopter before landing. by Fred Herrin of CBMU301
Comment by: David Bushlow on Sep 3, 2006 02:13 PM
Yep, that's how it looked alright. I remember making spiraling IFR apporaches into Khe Sanh so often with GCA talking us through the clouds it became routine, mundane, almost boring. Couldn't see sierra. Then came the day we broke out on the bottom just as an F-4 roared beneath our Huey. We got a little of that pendulum action, and I swear I could see the F-4 driver writing on his knee board. Just a quick flash, but the picture is still in my head almost 40 years later. After that I still couldn't see sierra, but it was never mundane or boring again!
Posted by fred herrin on 2010-05-30 |  | Troops delivered
Delivering a full load of troops somewhere in Arizona territory
Posted by Larry South on 2010-05-26 |  | Aerial of Razorback and Rockpile
Prominent geological features near Cam Lo that we all came to know like our backyard
Posted by Al Barbour on 2010-05-23 |  | The bridge at DaNang
this bridge going to Camp Tinsha? I was in 1st Bridge Company, 7th Engineers USMC back in April of 1966 and we built a pontoon bridge across this river but it didn't last long because the monson's took it out.
Semper Fi,
Jim Hyland // JH112747@aol.com
Comment by: Ken Bruno on Feb 24, 2008 03:18 PM
this picture is of the Namo bridge, just north of Danang on the way to hai van pass. i was stationed at hai van pass with 1st LAAM btn, USMC from 10/66-11/67 and passed this bridge many times. ken bruno
Comment by: Chuck "IGOR" Burin on Feb 24, 2008 04:09 PM
This is the "Twin Bridges" between Da Nang and Marble not NAMO. This was the check point for Bronco's going into Da Nang. You called "twin Bridges" for landing and turned right or left depending on the landing runway (17 or 35). Not the LST landing area to the left of the photo.
Comment by: Dave Barry on Sep 5, 2009 04:43 PM
Those are the North bridges. The south bridge, that bordered the southern end of the fast mover runway at DaNang was a single bridge at a much narrow part of the river, guarded with one or two Marines that shot everything floating. This southern bridge was also the \"marker\" for for a north approach to Marble Mountain. MACS-6 Marine 67-69.
Posted by Curtis T King on 2010-05-20 |  | Combat Base VANDERGRIF/STUD 1968
USMC PHOTO (Leatherneck JAN 69). We all remember LZ Vandergrif/Stud in 68 , hot, dusty, it always seemed to have an ODOR of all to its own.
Posted by Admin on 2010-05-16 |  | HML-367 SOG NVA TRUCKS in LAOS
This is a SOG photo of NVA trucks in Loas. HML-367 worked very closely with CNNs SOG (MLT-2 and MLT-3) out of Khe Sanh and Phu Bai in 67 & 68 while flying UH-1E "HUEY" Gunships. HML-367 continued to work with SOG after moving to MMAF and converting to AH-1G and AH-1J ( twin engine) "COBRA" attack Gunships. Many Marine Helicopter Squadrons participated in SOG over the years in Vietnam. This included all types of helicopters, UH-34Ds, UH-1Es, AH-1Gs & Js, CH-46s, and CH-53s as well as others begining in the early 60s. The Squadron doing most of the SOG work in "I Corps" was the RVNAF-219th "KINGBEE" Squadron flying UH-34Ds out of Da Nang. I recieved this photo from a KINGBEE Pilot in 1968 while crewing a SOG mission with HML-367.
Posted by Admin on 2010-05-11 |  | Oh Yeah! Climbing the Rockpile
In March 1967, this Lt. Climbed around the Rockpile perimeter to determine how much of what areas needed to be cleared
Posted by Admin on 2010-05-05 |  | QuangTri 1968
Comment by: Bill Hall on Mar 20, 2008 08:32 PM
Looks pretty much as I remember from '70-'71.
Posted by Ed Alexander on 2010-05-03 |  | John Bouley as my Gunner
Posted by William Blair on 2010-04-25 |  | Arizona Territory
I think this was in the Arizona territory 1970
Comment by: mike alden on Oct 25, 2008 03:26 AM
Picture taken from south east of liberty bridge viewing to the north west. Chopper is over or close to what was called Go-Noi island. Definately taken in the 70 period."M" co 3/5 1st Mar.Div.68-69
Posted by Larry South on 2010-04-15 |  | Coast of Vietnam
This photo was taken from an HMM 363 "old dog 34" in the spring of 1968, somewhere between Phu Bai and the DMZ. We often flew off the coast when traveling north or south because it was less likely we"d take fire. But we did lose one 34 into the sea doing just that. Don"t remember who the pilot of crew members were.
This photo is of Da Nang Bay. It appears to have been taken just south of Hai Van Pass looking southwest toward Red Beach. I was an Air Force forward air controller based in Hue ’68-’69 with MACV Team 3 supporting the 1st ARVN Division. We flew the O-2A Super Skymaster from Hue Citadel until Sep 68, then moved our operation to Phu Bai. I flew from Da Nang (our maintenance base) to Hue many times, so this shot looked familiar. I worked a lot of Marine air during my tour, from Hai Van to the DMZ and west to the A Shau Valley. They did some fine work, and it was always a pleasure to hear those callsigns check in: Hellborne, Ringneck, Lovebug are some I remember. Thanks for the great work keeping these photos available on this site.
My Air Operations Vietnam site at http://www.cc.gatech.edu/fac/Thomas.Pilsch/AirOps/
has a lot on Hue and Northern I Corps.
Tom Pilsch Trail 32
[huefac_trail32@yahoo.com]
Comment by: John Keating on Jan 7, 2009 11:50 PM
Great shot! Looks so familiar...I was on the other side of the wire at MAG16 in DaNang at Camp Carter 80th Grp.
Comment by: bill currie on Oct 30, 2009 01:20 PM
worked on resurfacing the road winding up the mountainside (hai van pass) while with mcb 8 in 1969
very beautiful but you didn't want to be galking!
Comment by: larry webb on Apr 10, 2010 11:10 AM
who am i to question any of these people on here, but i don't think this is danang harbor. i was stationed on hill 724 where hai van pass was located north of danang in 67-68, there are some similarities but i think this is another coastal location. semper fi
Posted by Granville Schultz on 2010-04-11 |  | C-47 at Phu Bai
Here's one for the Phu Bai oldtimers; a VNAF C-47 sat by the terminal in the mud from at least summer of 1966 through most of 1967, right wing chewed up by contact (rumour/fact) with a VNAF DC-6/C-54. Was towed to the dirt northeast of the runway sometime during that period and further deteriorated. A good landmark.
Comment by: Roger Stearns on May 14, 2006 10:46 PM
On the first night of TET 68 I spent a few hours in this plane to catch some Z's. It was more comfortable than sleeping in a hole in the ground. By that time it was full of bullet holes and pretty much gutted out.
Comment by: Jimmy Grosteffon on Oct 22, 2006 06:37 PM
I was in this plane on January 30th 1968! Not very long though. Then to thee grave yard close by to dig in. Can't remember how long but it seemed like forever. The nights were DARK DARK and scary.
Comment by: Dave Garred on Apr 3, 2008 06:21 PM
I was working a the RADAR site next to the runway and the ramp. We were assigned the job of guarding the beer unloaded from the aircraft. We spent many a night in the C 47 drinking the beer to make sure it was not stolen.
Dave
Comment by: Dave Garred on Apr 3, 2008 06:21 PM
I was working a the RADAR site next to the runway and the ramp. We were assigned the job of guarding the beer unloaded from the aircraft. We spent many a night in the C 47 drinking the beer to make sure it was not stolen.
Dave
Comment by: Robert W Chambers msg USA ret on Feb 19, 2009 01:46 PM
Belive this to be the plane that hit a marine general C47 in mid air, i saw this happen from the 8th RRU compound, we were working on our trenches when the air port sent up a flare to warn the two planes that they were going to collide
Comment by: Bob Falkner on Jul 5, 2009 08:53 AM
Was gone by around spring 1969 when USNMCB-10 made the runway asphalt. It's was rumored (but how would I know) a load of asphalt could be traded for a 5th of Crowne with the Air Force guys to keep the dust down. Probably just scuttlebutt like that one about that army jeep the Chief needed to ride around in and it's to this day still buried about 5 miles away. How would I know. How did it go again..nothing you hear happened, no more than a fourth of what you read happened, and never more than half of what you just saw happen.
Comment by: Niel OBrien on Oct 30, 2009 04:19 PM
I\\\'m pretty sure this is the plane that ran off the runway one evening in \\\'67. It had taken some ground fire and lost its hydraulics and one engine. I hustled up some hydraulic lines for the Crew Chief in trade for a case of beer but it was a lost cause.
The plane was still there when I left in August \\\'67.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-04-06 |  | Crew replacement flight
Taken while dead-heading Phu Bai to Dong Ha in an HMM-163 H-34; another type down low in the picture, wasn't one of our squad though.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-04-06 |  | Cua Viet River
Taken during the winter 1967; halfway between Dong Han and the sea. Some sampan activity below.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-04-06 |  | Phu Bai
About the only shot I have of the airfield at Phu Bai; taken in May of 1967, showing the terminal builcings and the living area for HMM-163 at the time.
Comment by: Brian Robert Harding on Oct 25, 2006 12:32 AM
This picture brought back a flood of memories. I was a sp/5 Ground Controlled Radar Repair Specialist at this airport from around April 1972 (right after the Easter Sunday invasion by the NVA through the DMZ) t1ll October 1972. The sand road at the lower right of the photo led to our revetment that myself and 15 other guys lived and operated the RADAR. This area was between the flight line (in the picture) and the main runway (not shown). To get to the PX and Mess Hall at the Main Phu Bai Base on the other side of Highway 1 you had to drive between the tower and the big building to the right of it in the Photo which was being used by the Vietnamese to build coffins and prepare the dead ARVN soldiers for their final trip home. I will never forget the sickening stench of dead bodies and embalming fluid every time we passed by there.
Comment by: Tom Salter on Oct 13, 2007 02:43 PM
wow. I was at Phu Bai in april 1965 with India 3-12 and the base and the airport was just a speck. 1 small tower and our 6 105 Howitzers and a few tents.!!!!
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-04-02 |  | Soc Trang Airfield 1962
The abandoned Soc Trang Airfield , located 80 miles SSW of Saigon with a 3000 ft concrete runway built in WWII by the Japanese was the first USMC Helicopter duty station ashore in Vietnam, April 1962, "OPERATION "SHUFLY" HMM-362 with twenty four UH-34Ds, three OV-1Bs from VMO-2 and USMC one C-117.
Comment by: Ron Legendre on Nov 18, 2006 11:34 PM
This photo appears to be taken after the Marines went to Da Nang and Soc Trang had been turned over to the US Army. The camp was little more then a tent camp while the Marines were there. The trees in the photo show that they have been cut back from the runway and surrounding area. The runway looks totality different as well.
Comment by: Joseph W. Eke on May 14, 2007 02:15 PM
With all due respect, I must correct Ron Legendre's comment of Nov 18, 2006, that this picture appears to have been taken after the Army took over the field. This picture was taken during the period of time that HMM-362 occupied the field in 1962. I was the senior enlisted man in the squardon's S-2 office and I brought home with me the original print of this picture in 1962 - which I still have. The original print has much cleaner detail. The five aircraft on the bottom left of the runway are all H34's. I believe this picture is a copy from one of the many copies that I distributed among the Archie's Angels at the 2002 Popasmoke reunion which honored our squardron on the 40th anniversary of our arrival in South Vietnam on April 15, 1962. If any member would like a much cleaner copy of this picture, please let me know.
Posted by Admin on 2010-03-29 |  | An Hoa Airfield, late 1969-early 1970
An Hoa Airfield, late 1969-early 1970 Submitted by:Dick Dickerson -
Relocated from COMBAT PHOTOS by George T. Curtis / NOV 2002
Comment by: Charles O'Donnell on Jun 6, 2006 12:37 PM
When we were in An hoa, I would rather be in the bush then in the rear. That place was the pits. Saw a couple choppers shot down right outside the perimeter.
Posted by Admin on 2010-03-27 |  | Gio Linh, June 1967
By the time this was taken there were Army 175 mmn arty at Gil Linh, all four of them shown firing in this shot, probably attempting to find NVA artillery sights in north V.N. Many convoy ambushes had taken place on Route 1 to Gio Linh by this time; the border and north Vietnam itself showing on the horizon.
The Army 175 battery at Gio Linh in June 1967 was C Battery, 2nd Battalion 94th Artillery.
I was there then. I was the Fire Direction Officer for C Battery. Also, the Marine commander of the Gio Linh combat base then was MAJ Al Gray who later became GEN Gray and Commandant of the Marine Corps during Desert Storm.
For this photo to be taken when the command to fire was given suggests that the people in the aircraft were in communication with our FDC and knew it was coming. Since the target appears to be about 20 miles to the NW of Gio Linh and the photographer is to the south, that's a little puzzling. Normally we would have been shooting for Navy or Air Force FACs circling north of the DMZ in bird dogs.
With four guns, the target most likely was an NVA troop concentration although sometimes we used a four gun FFE against NVA artillery, rocket and SAM anti-air craft positions.
(1LT) Greg Smith
FDO, C Btry 2/94 FA (1966-67)
Wheaton, IL
// GTS [gts@gtsresearch.net]
Comment by: j.mike green [gus] on Nov 30, 2007 07:22 PM
i was lt.smith fdc section chief gio linh was a hell of a place to be at that time. gus green c/btryX
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-03-27 |  | Hai Van Pass 1966
Leaving A Btry 1st. LAAM Bn. Hai Van Pass 1966. Between Phu Bai and DaNang.
Comment by: larry webb on Feb 19, 2010 07:26 AM
was stationed in this btry. in 67-68, remember this very well, hill 724 overlooking da nang harbor.
Posted by Bob Milby on 2010-03-23 |  | KHE SANH 1968
KHE SANH 1968
Comment by: Bob Craft on Apr 27, 2006 06:23 PM
I was there 27 Feb. 1968. Two airdrops. USAF
Comment by: Derek Chadderton on May 15, 2006 08:45 AM
visited whats left of the base 9 may 06 hard to imagine how it was at the time. lots of villlages close up. a museum has been built and a couple of choppers been dropped off for effect. said a prayer for your mates. DC (ex british army 74)
Comment by: Bill Hall on Mar 20, 2008 08:23 PM
I was there in \'71 (Lam Son 719) from early Feb into Apr, off and on with HHC 1/5 Inf (Mech) - I was in the 86th Chem Det (only 5 men) along with the Brigade Chem Sec (3 men). Though it doesn\'t say, I\'d say this picture is from \'68. In \'71 we didn\'t use the continuous trenches as appear here. We had separate machine gun emplacements - at least at the position where I was. The old trenches and emplacements were still quite evident though. We burned them out as best we could with flamethrowers and diesel and filled them in any time a bulldozer was near by, they were full of booby traps \'n stuff left over. Been trying to figure out exactly where I spent my time here and I have an idea - but I\'m not positive.
Posted by Admin on 2010-03-15 |  | A Beautiful UH-34D
This picture was taken by Faustin Wirkus sometime in August 1962 over the Mekong Delta (Operation Shufly) at sunrise, and was sent to me by Joe D"Arcangelo.
Comment by: Mike Layman on Aug 15, 2006 12:53 AM
This picture was used on Cristmas cards sold in Danang in 1964-I bought some to use that year aand made a large copy for my office wall.
Comment by: Eric Coady on Nov 12, 2006 08:01 PM
This photo was taken by 1st Lt. Faustin Wirkus in August 1962 while flying out of Soc Trang RVN. The helo is one of HMM-163's, the second Marine Corps Squadron in RVN, and part of "ShuFly". The squadron moved north to Da Nang in September 1962 and operated in the entire I-Corps area.
Comment by: Gerd R. Naydock on Jul 31, 2007 06:53 PM
1st Lt Faustin Wirkus eventually became Lt. Col Faustin Wirkus and was my Commanding Officer at Marine Corps Air Station, New River, Jacksonville NC in the late 70s - early 80s. He was a very fine gentleman and his father by the same name was a sergeant in the Marine Corps in the 20s and went on to become a \"King\". Colonel Wirkus went on to fly Boeing CH-46 Sea Knights when he wasn\'t flying his desk. I believe he eventually retired from the USMC to live in Hawaii with his lovely wife, Debbie. This photograph serves as a fine tribute to \"Fausty\". Semper Fi!!!
Comment by: MARIAN PAYNE DICKSON on Dec 6, 2009 05:06 PM
WHILE SURFING THE WEB FOUND MY OLD BOSS'S NAME. AT THE TIME HE WAS PERSONNEL OFFICER AT MCAS(H) NEW RIVER, N.C. AND I WORKED FOR HIM AS A CIVIL SERVICE WORKER, ISSUING TDY AND PCS ORDERS. HE WAS A MAJOR AT THE TIME AND AS A BOSS WAS NUMBER ONE. HIS WIFE WAS FROM HAWAII AND HE RETIRED AND MOVED THERE WITH HIS FAMILY. GREAT PICTURE BY THE WAY.
Comment by: Moniq on Jan 29, 2010 01:52 PM
Welcome
I search ancestor who is mentioned on this internet part / web side...
Colonel Faustin Wirkus was been son Sergeant Faustyn Wirkus vel King of Gonava on Haiti.
I write from Poland
I am family, search roots, ancestor root ...
Futher Colonel Faustin Wirkus , Sergeant Faustyn Wirkus was been brother my grand- grandmother...from Poland
Grand-grandmother was born in Poland...
I search contact Colonel
Help me...
andaluzja0@op.pl
Witam
Poszukuje przodka ktory wymieniony jest na tej stronie internetowej
Pulkownik Faustin Wirkus syn sierzanta Faustyna Wirkusa Krola Gonavy
Pisze z Polski
Jestem rodzin± ktora szuka korzeni, korzeni przodka Faustyna Wirkusa.
Ojciec pulkownika Faustina Wirkusa , sierzant Faustyn Wirkus byl bratem mojej prababci z Polski
Szukam kontaktu do Pulkownika
Pomozcie mi
andaluzja0@op.pl
Posted by Roger Herman on 2010-03-11 |  | Helicopter Valley
Looking west into the valley itself, Mutter Ridge up at the top of the picture; some smoke from a downed aircraft (fixed wing, I believe) showing faintly. HMM-163, 1967.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-03-05 |  | Repose
In flight passing the hospital ship USS Repose in Da Nang harbor. 1967 "Picture by Bob Houston"
Found your website by . Scrolling through the pictures when I came to this one it was like getting hit with I don't know what. 7Jun04 ceased to exist. Suddenly, it was shortly after Tet of 68 and the Repose was riding at anchor in DaNang Harbor just as she is in the picture. I'd just been medevaced to the Repose with Malaria and Dysentery. Almost a month later I left the Repose and returned to my unit. I still haven't fully gotten it back together after seeing that picture. I printed a copy of it. It's gonna be framed and put up on the bulkhead with some other things I have. Semper Fi, Frank Walker (USMC - 3/62-11/82, RVN - 6/67-7/68) //Frank Walker [fwalker1@tampabay.rr.com]
had eye surgery on the Repose in 1965 while the ship cruised up & down the coast about 25/30 miles out...was transferred to Oakland, CA to recooperate,,,,couldn't see well enough to sight my weapon...so they sent me home.... Dick Kindelspire MCB#3 US NAVY SeaBee // Dick [dick@gohighspeed.com]
Before the repose, there was the HOPE. sister ship to the Repose. this was during 1964 and 1965. I left viet nam for the last time in july of 1966. left many friends there to finish telling the story. great pics. navy from 1963 to 1966. U.S.S. WINSTON AKA94. felipe salazar [felipeyana@sbcglobal.net]
From: , Tuesday, December 13, 2005 2:10 PM
July of 1967, HMM 363, Capt. Rat fell off the side of the USS Repose. I was the Corpsman on the medivac. Our wheels touched the ocean. Capt Rat over boosted and slammed on to the helo deck. We had 6 wounded marines from Delta Med , we pulled out the IV's and put life jackets on all the stretchers. We flew back to Dong Ha with the chip light on. Would like to know the Crew Chief and Capt Rat's name. Was a hairy ride that night. -Doc Mac
Comment by: jaime brown on Jul 7, 2007 10:08 PM
that is a great pic of the repose. My grandfather was on the repose in 1945 to 1947 I have lots of pics of the inside of the ship as was as the outside that he took, jaime brown
Posted by John Dullighan on 2010-02-25 |  | Rockpile No. 4
Don't think this one has been submitted already; at any rate, a good shot of the fixture.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-02-23 |  | Aerial view of Phu Bai 69
Aerial view of Phu Bai 69
This photo was sent by Capt. Perry Unruh, USMC, Retired, and taken in RVN in 1969 with HML-367, MAG-36, Perry Unruh Scarface 45 Relocated from COMBAT PHOTOS by George T. Curtis / NOV 2002
Posted by Admin on 2010-02-16 |  | Rockpile
Couldn't resist sending in this one; a good shot of the newer, larger platform on the Rockpile which would allow for up to an H-34 to land on. The older and smaller platform was capable of trapping a Huey skid under the edge of the boards which happened on at least one occasion, creating an undesirable situation. Rumor had it that the new arrangement also provided shelter for the people stationed on the rock. Anyone who spent some time there would certainly know more than I do about the living conditions there.
View is looking roughly east towards the artillery plateau and Dong Ha.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-02-12 |  | The Rockpile
Hated, despised, loathed, feared and any other number of negative emotions applied to the Rockpile. About ten minutes west of Dong Ha, anyone who ever went on it will never forget it, and anyone who says they enjoyed doing it was never there. There was a larger platform built when this picture was taken in Summer 1967 big enough to land an H-34 on, but it was still an eye-opener.
Comment by: Msgt Rod Consalvo 1965-2001 on Jan 2, 2010 09:18 AM
I was on top of it June 1967 and enjoyed it good sleep and plenty of chow, it was good,,,why? Safest place in Nam....:>}
0311 India Co 3/3 3rd plt
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-02-12 |  | USS Sanctuary.
Big white boat with a little place on the back where you were supposed to try and land, delivering the wounded. This ship rotated with the USS Repose. In addition to medical help, women and ice cream were also reported to be aboard.
Comment by: Van Scheurich on Apr 10, 2007 02:07 PM
I was a patient aboard this fine ship in Feb to Mar 1968. Served with the 3rd.Bn.,1st. Marines, machine gunner and these Naval Corpsman and Officers saved my life. I don't know about the ice cream being aboard the ship but the Naval Commander who saved my life was a female officer and a damn good one. Thank you Navy.
Posted by HMM-362 History Project on 2010-02-10 |  | Rough Rider Ambush
Taken in the fall of 67, along Hiway 1 south of Phu Bai, during Rough Rider convoy escort. A pressure-detonated mine had been set off in the middle of the road, causing delay and other unpleasant events. HMM-161, shot from the H-34.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-02-10 |  | Phu Bai, River, 4/67
Posted by A.R. Tafoya on 2010-02-08 |  | NVA Trenches & Fighting holes outside of Khe Sanh 1968
Photo taken (from a UH-34D) and submitted by the "LUCKY RED LIONS" ,HMM-363s (67-68) youngest pilot, LT Rich "The Kid" English // rke1432@yahoo.com
Posted by Admin on 2010-02-08 |  | HMM-365 YM-8 enroute between Danang and Quang Tri Oct. 1964
Posted by User Deleted on 2010-02-03 |  | The Repose 1968
Posted by Granville Schultz on 2010-01-18 |  | An Hoa Airfield, late 1969-early 1970
An Hoa Airfield, late 1969-early 1970 Submitted by:Dick Dickerson -
Relocated from COMBAT PHOTOS by George T. Curtis / NOV 2002
Posted by Admin on 2010-01-07 |  | Dong Ha
An aerial shot of the country Dong Ha is to the right. Nothing to the left but north V.N. as we all know, showing the artillery plateau, Rockpile, Razorback, other pleasantries.
Posted by hugh smith on 2010-01-01 |
|
