Cam Ranh Bay-Dong Ba Thin 2007

In this brief video, we visit Dong Ba Thin, a former US Army Airfield during the "American War" in Vietnam. It is located on the mainland, opposite the peninsula of Cam Ranh Bay.

Much of it remains under Vietnamese military control. Views, therefore, are from the outside from a distance.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Vietnam
• Cam
• Ranh
• Bay
• Dong
• Ba
• Thin

[MrSchlah]

@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]

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.

[oktday]

@g24gordo  I was the machinist that year................Macdonald

[mytwoteeze]

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]

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]

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.

[183RAC]

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]

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.

[rickintxs]

I was with the 92 AHC at Dong Ba Thin,1969-1970. Thanks for the flash back

[678arlaz123]

Mistake, it closed in the fall of '71 not '70