I stumbled on this and I wish the video was longer. I was in DBT from Jan to Dec 68 in the 183rd Recon Airplane (Bird dog) Co, at the south end, next to the 608th Trans and 243rd Chinooks, across the street (Hwy 1) from B51 and "Dodge City" of the 10th Aviation Bn and 192nd? Assault Heli Co. 99% boring, except for a night in late January 68, when all hell broke loose..TET.
At 0:46 to 0:50 secs. The cluster of buildings at the bottom of the Vid and the area scanned at 0:53 to 1:10 was the 92nd Assault Heli Co. Huey gunships..Also our Army Medical/Dental, (had a root canal there)base PX, officers club, Red Cross reps and a HQ for Engineers I believe. Speaker said it was a ROK base , but the ROKs formed a perimeter further out. Cam Rahn being a strategic base, lotsa protection. Me,Aviation .Electrician, 620 Trans Det assigned to 243rd ASH Co. June'68-Feb'70
At the start of the Vid you can see the old runway right next to the road. The next thin line to the right of that was a taxi way. The long rectangular patch to the rt of the taxiway was our flight line/maint area for 16 Chinooks. 243rd ASH Co. And then our company grounds to the rt of that. Further to the right and at 1:26 to 1:30 secs , the cluster of buildings was 1st Aviaton Brigade HQs sitting on the bay. Hey Trackside1234, Wrong Info DBT/243rd/92nd all still there when I ETS'd Feb '70
At the start of the Vid you can see the old runway right next to the road. The next thin line to the right of that was a taxi way. The long rectangular patch to the rt of the taxiway was our flight line/maint area for 16 Chinooks. 243rd ASH Co. And then our company grounds to the rt of that. Further to the right and at 1:26 to 1:30 secs , the cluster of buildings was 1st Aviaton Brigade HQs sitting on the bay.
The brief narrative, which is the following message to this comment, of the Sapper Attack on the 183rd Recon Airplane Company occurred the night of 30 Nov 69. On orders EM surrendered rifles to arms room. Ammo was padlocked in foot lockers in orderly room, 200' from perimeter wire. EM were forced to run from supply rm w/empty weapons to orderly rm for ammo. Lockers were lock & no key. We busted the lockers open, grabbed ammo & spread out along perimeter. VC REPELLED, all planes safe.
@183RAC Mitchel: I an intrigued by your and below's comments. I was in the 183rd in all of 1968 when we got sappered during TET and we all had M14s in our hoochs from before I got there. It sounds like your TOP never heard of Basic Training and that ALL GIs were Infantry first and MOS second. Even our TOP, Fenno wasn't that stupid. f the sappers got through to blow up the shower, what are you supposed to do, fight hand to hand or hand to their gun?
Dong Ba Thin, Oct 69-April 70. I was assigned to the 183rd Recon Airpl.Co., 'SEAHORSE'. Sappers penetrated our south perimeter & began assault @ 2330 hrs. Our CO by advice from CO 1st Sgt, a ' FNG' all EM to surrender all weapons to arms room. 'Top' told the gullible CO we were nothing but boys & weren't mature enough to have weapons & ammo in our hootches. As Co. Clerk, I heard it all. 'THE BOYS' rallied & saved th 183RD~! Final score,US 4 WIA, VC 1 KIA many WIA. CO & TOP rlvd of DUTY.
Spent 13mths and week there. Feb. '70 thru Mar of '71 at HHC 18th Engr. Bde. It closed in Sep. of '70. Our hdqtrs. were right along the water where it now looks like there are rice paddies
Just the opposite. Dong Ba Thin was closed by 1969 and all I could do was look across the pontoon bridge from the Cam Ranh side. Why the hell did the Communists let the airfield go to hell? I thought that I had read that it was an important airfield for them after 1975?
I stumbled on this and I wish the video was longer. I was in DBT from Jan to Dec 68 in the 183rd Recon Airplane (Bird dog) Co, at the south end, next to the 608th Trans and 243rd Chinooks, across the street (Hwy 1) from B51 and "Dodge City" of the 10th Aviation Bn and 192nd? Assault Heli Co. 99% boring, except for a night in late January 68, when all hell broke loose..TET.
MrSchlah 1 month ago
At 0:46 to 0:50 secs. The cluster of buildings at the bottom of the Vid and the area scanned at 0:53 to 1:10 was the 92nd Assault Heli Co. Huey gunships..Also our Army Medical/Dental, (had a root canal there)base PX, officers club, Red Cross reps and a HQ for Engineers I believe. Speaker said it was a ROK base , but the ROKs formed a perimeter further out. Cam Rahn being a strategic base, lotsa protection. Me,Aviation .Electrician, 620 Trans Det assigned to 243rd ASH Co. June'68-Feb'70
mytwoteeze 11 months ago
At the start of the Vid you can see the old runway right next to the road. The next thin line to the right of that was a taxi way. The long rectangular patch to the rt of the taxiway was our flight line/maint area for 16 Chinooks. 243rd ASH Co. And then our company grounds to the rt of that. Further to the right and at 1:26 to 1:30 secs , the cluster of buildings was 1st Aviaton Brigade HQs sitting on the bay. Hey Trackside1234, Wrong Info DBT/243rd/92nd all still there when I ETS'd Feb '70
mytwoteeze 11 months ago
At the start of the Vid you can see the old runway right next to the road. The next thin line to the right of that was a taxi way. The long rectangular patch to the rt of the taxiway was our flight line/maint area for 16 Chinooks. 243rd ASH Co. And then our company grounds to the rt of that. Further to the right and at 1:26 to 1:30 secs , the cluster of buildings was 1st Aviaton Brigade HQs sitting on the bay.
mytwoteeze 11 months ago
The brief narrative, which is the following message to this comment, of the Sapper Attack on the 183rd Recon Airplane Company occurred the night of 30 Nov 69. On orders EM surrendered rifles to arms room. Ammo was padlocked in foot lockers in orderly room, 200' from perimeter wire. EM were forced to run from supply rm w/empty weapons to orderly rm for ammo. Lockers were lock & no key. We busted the lockers open, grabbed ammo & spread out along perimeter. VC REPELLED, all planes safe.
M.Mitchel
183RAC 11 months ago
@183RAC Mitchel: I an intrigued by your and below's comments. I was in the 183rd in all of 1968 when we got sappered during TET and we all had M14s in our hoochs from before I got there. It sounds like your TOP never heard of Basic Training and that ALL GIs were Infantry first and MOS second. Even our TOP, Fenno wasn't that stupid. f the sappers got through to blow up the shower, what are you supposed to do, fight hand to hand or hand to their gun?
MrSchlah 1 month ago
Dong Ba Thin, Oct 69-April 70. I was assigned to the 183rd Recon Airpl.Co., 'SEAHORSE'. Sappers penetrated our south perimeter & began assault @ 2330 hrs. Our CO by advice from CO 1st Sgt, a ' FNG' all EM to surrender all weapons to arms room. 'Top' told the gullible CO we were nothing but boys & weren't mature enough to have weapons & ammo in our hootches. As Co. Clerk, I heard it all. 'THE BOYS' rallied & saved th 183RD~! Final score,US 4 WIA, VC 1 KIA many WIA. CO & TOP rlvd of DUTY.
183RAC 11 months ago
I was with the 92 AHC at Dong Ba Thin,1969-1970. Thanks for the flash back
rickintxs 2 years ago
Mistake, it closed in the fall of '71 not '70
678arlaz123 2 years ago
Spent 13mths and week there. Feb. '70 thru Mar of '71 at HHC 18th Engr. Bde. It closed in Sep. of '70. Our hdqtrs. were right along the water where it now looks like there are rice paddies
678arlaz123 2 years ago
Dong Ba Thin closed in December 1971, I was in HQ 10th CAB and had CQ duty with others on the last night any American was there.
DaMongNiu 3 years ago
I served with the 608th TC(ADS) at Dong Ba Thin, RVN from March of 68 to 69. The old barracks I lived in is still standing in the video
g24gordo 3 years ago
@g24gordo I was the machinist that year................Macdonald
oktday 4 months ago
Just the opposite. Dong Ba Thin was closed by 1969 and all I could do was look across the pontoon bridge from the Cam Ranh side. Why the hell did the Communists let the airfield go to hell? I thought that I had read that it was an important airfield for them after 1975?
Trackside1234 3 years ago
My Dad was based at Dong Ba Thin. He said the closest he got to Cam Rahn Bay proper was the Pontoon Bridge(?).
azdalin2000 3 years ago
Very good!
BillMorris2008 4 years ago