As he cut them off he threw them in the corner beside the shelf and I can remember how strange they looked leaning against the wall! I'm at camp Tien Sha at Da Nang now. In March 1965 when United States Marine Corps combat troops landed at Danang, the support establishment was rudimentary. When I got to the gate it was a little past curfew and the guard started to give me some shit and wanted my travel chit. She was especially friendly with our hooch mama-son. I experienced rocket attacks, an ammunition dump explosion, total boredom, drug busts, police raids, China Beach, and the birth of my daughter, Rebecca. I was at Camp Tien Sha from June '69 until Feb '70. MST1 and thought it would be a good time to go back and see It was what those She is always with me ! Nice history lesson for me. $10 of that came from me. As such a small group we couldn't do the standard Navy 4 hour watch. Our mess hall, about 70 yards from my hootch took a direct hit on the serving line and kitchen area. The port of Danang contained only three small piers, three Landing Ship, Tank (LST) ramps and a stone quay that were inaccessible to oceangoing vessels; even smaller craft had trouble approaching. My Vietnamese workers were hunkered down by the lumber pile about 30 ft from me.Then I noticed little puffs of dirt kicking up several feet away from me towards the north. The memory of that little girl is as strong now as then and I can not think about her without getting choked up and teary eyed ! Probable a pissed of old farmer getting off a couple round while drinking his morning coffee. Yes that's me smiling up from the 122mm rocket crater. Significant Events 19-31 August 1970 19-28 October 1970 5 November 1970 13 November 1970 15 November 1970 The other time was that day in boot He said that if they could ship her to the hospital in Japan or back in the states they could probably save her. Different kinds of flairs, the different mortar sounds and small arms fire. It had been built the end of April so was brand new. She promised not to eat Puppy. Some of the materials for rebuilding came from my civic action salvage yard. Chapel? Browse millions of high-quality stock photos, illustrations, and videos. I could feel the rasping of that bone saw through the stick in the farmers mouth! The Navy Doc cleared off the big desk and the MPs deposited the farmer onto the desk. heads" but they were always stolen Some times a lot of shit happened . Craig Taylor was pulled from the job to go work another project.He had also gotten cement poisoning in a cut on his foot so would not be able to help on any more concrete work. Our generators were not even running yet so I heard the rocket coming in. June 29, 2022; creative careers quiz; ken thompson net worth unix This is my Poem about the farmer who stepped on the mine. Then walk the length of pier re-installing any buffer pads that might have come out. Our boat and one other transported the With Coate gone Judy would still sleep in his hooch and she would ride around on the stake truck, hang around the office or the hooch s. Judy hated Marines, and Vietnamese men but she was alright with Vietnamese women as long as they treated her nice. area or any of the DaNang area, I will continue ACTOV addition Admiral Army assets assistance attack August base Beach beds began boats Bridge buildings Camp Tien Sha cargo Center changes Class closed combat Commander Communications. Da Nang Cluster. At Freedom Hill you'll see some panoramic shots of the base and buildings (USO Club, ), likewise at Tien Sha (Snoopy's Chicken Hut, Acey Ducey Club). I suppose we had a good conversation but don't have a clue of what. At first it was because every thing was so knew and exciting. It was to late to get him settled in because we were so incredibly busy with rocket attack damage. I was aguard for Tien Sha Peninsula Security division. Drawing List of battleships of the United States Navy, http://www.worldcat.org/title/southeast-asia-building-the-bases-the-history-of-construction-in-southeast-asia/oclc/952642951&referer=brief_results, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/b/by-sea-air-land-marolda/chapter-4-winding-down-the-war-1968-1973.html, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, United States military bases of the Vietnam War. I turned 20 years old and of coarse it went un- noticed although I had gotten a care package from Annett Burrel, a couple surfing magazines from my brother Jay and a birthday card from my girl friend Linda! Camp Haskins, Da Nang, Vietnam, served as headquarters of the 30th Naval Construction Regiment, who exercised operational control of Seabee units deployed to Vietnam. Suddenly the helicopter went nose high and stopped going forward. My work hours were 0600 to 1800 which made it impossible to use any of the base services! Camp Horn is a former United States Marine Corps and United States Army base located in Danang, Vietnam. One night I was in the office with LT Branch . large canvas covering over the rear area that protected bench His name was Coate and he was a 3rd class yeoman. If your lost and want Just keep on working in the rain. I went to the "motor pool" at least This exhibit is now closed. Every tree trunk was painted white, every rock was neatly lined up along the seating along the sides of the rear area. Stephen was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving state side and in Vietnam at Camp Tien Sha, Danang. I'm sorry my last letter to you was so abruptly ended, but I figured I'd best get it sent, otherwise you'd still be waiting. Now I know where Barbee is but where is Babyson? Funny thing about the base exchange was I only went there once my whole tour. I believe we also tied him around the waist. distributed to ships coming in. Actually there wasn't a shop or office there yet, They had just divided off a corner of a large warehouse and were building a shop and office. I surveyed This is a 122mm rocket crater in the road in front of our shop. on the National Geographic Magazine [3]:8, In April 1972 all US Navy facilities in Danang were transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Navy.[4]. Military personnel learn some of the basics in other training, but this is the course for the big boys. I had to make a quick exit when the patients got excited when I walked towards the main ward! Tracers were bouncing all over in front of the truck. Us transit guys were on two section duty (port and starboard was the Navy term for that). )The Doc gave me a large stick like a tongue depressor ,except bigger. - Alan, Drawing about culture clash!) I have no significant memories As I recall Taylor dropped out when we got to the ocean diving but Pat Brown stuck it out and we became dive buddies. This is Judy and her puppy ( named Puppy) Judy was Coate s dog and was named after his girl friend. The flares were often still burning when they hit the ground. In other words, if you could drive a Corvair fast and survive you Alan on Haircuts The doc had no idea but it was a sure thing she was going to die. When I asked the Priest what happened to the kid he said he didn't know, the kid was at the orphanage when he took over. It was good for our working relation ship to do them favors so that I could count on them to perform for me when I really needed them. the "enlisted head" identified in couple of Corvairs (ok, stop laughing!) Anniversary story of his trip back This is the first Poem that I wrote in Vietnam and is about the two marines killed in the skivvy house. Then a voice came from inside the Quonset hut." African Americans perceived racial issuesrace relations, prejudice, and discriminationin Vietnam through a lens heavily influenced by their earlier experiences in the United States. Great Discounts & More! Mostly I would just build and they would watch and fallow what I did. It was no problem during the day because either the XO or Chief were there or the secretary,interpreter (miss Nguyen). I was Danang. There are 186 crew members registered for the Naval Support Activity Danang. I would sit at the desk and drink coffee, write letters or poetry. After I let them go I was sitting on my tool box waiting for the crew truck to come pick me up. and Captain David A . The doc asked if I could baby sit the little girl while he and the nurse did a surgery. It had 4 windows so I went to the window for H. I handed the clerk my records pack. There was an indoor movie theater, snack bar, hobby shop, NCO club and EM club, basket ball courts and tennis courts. Luxury. Yes, everyone called him soccer ball head ! There were other things to screw up the nights. 1966 and assumed I would spend two years on a submarine in WesPac. morning. Those care packages and her letters help keep me going when ever times got really tough! Drinking black coffee trying to stay alert. Travis, Hawaii, Subic Bay (and shore patrol in Olongapo), then to When Puppy was big enough our secretary, interpreter Miss Nguyen took Puppy home with her to Danang. All of the workers that worked for us were dislocated Vietnamese and us putting them to work was an attempt to keep their economy rolling. Coate would send dog food care packages to Judy. So off to Camp Tien Sha to get my gear and check out. technical and supply stuff. The guys loaded up my tool box and gave me an M-16 so I would be able to walk back to the base later. Well Beerworth didn't show up until 1845 and he dragged me off to the mess hall that would close a 1900 hr. Then when I went back to the shop that night I would have Bettencourt cut me a bunch of rebar stakes 2 ft long. I have nothing but respect for those that were. Another interesting point is the H&S Co. U.S. A sad day because we were no longer a Seabee Team ! I needed to know which of the sound meant danger! [2] Some times she would get so drunk that she couldn't walk anymore, was really funny watch her four legs going in different directions! He was honorably discharged in 1968 after completing his tour in Vietnam, as Petty . of the DaNang Military Complex, One of The causeway was a floating pier that extended about a 100 yards into Da Nang bay and was used to off load ammunition and bombs. I did a phone call to the Marine Duty officer and he calmly told me the incoming fire had already been reported by the outposts. The three strong backs that I was to build for 7th motors was put on hold. There was the real possibility of hitting a mine or being ambushed by the VC (it happened more often then I would like to think about) . and the LT moved to the Da. little early to get back in school and finish my degree. I tried one other time a few months later but didn't have the appropriate paper work. I just haven't had time for any more. During the day of May 21 or May 22 Bettencourt took our flat bed truck to covered storage in Danang to pick up supplies while he was there a bunch of Navy trucks were lined up to load beds and lockers to furnish some barracks at Camp Tien Sha . Most of them would be dead by now as most of the men were in their mid forties then . person who was awake had access to the keys to the jeep. the evening to wonder about and check out what Camp Tien Sha had to offer. Well we So I would start the mornings dancing around the job site until the sniper was done and then we would get to work. Within a hundred feet of the generators. The iStock design is a trademark of iStockphoto LP. The Brief. Then there were the incoming Rockets, we had three big generators and fuel tank and we were a bulls eye. A couple of our guys , Craig Taylor and Pat Brown were interested in learning to Scuba dive so I took it upon my self to teach them. Long , long ago, far, far away on the other side of the I don't know what the building On 1 April 1966 Naval Forces Vietnam was established in Saigon and assumed control of NSA Danang from III MAF. say I rarely ventured onto the left YFUs and LCUs such as the 62 were assigned to Lighterage Div of the Naval Support Activity, DaNang, and were based at Camp Tien Sha Annex. February 1969. There were at least 500 RVN Sailors, 6 American Sailors, and two Koreans who worked for Philco Ford. map to the right is intended to be used as a a shower enclosure that wasn't New customers can download this image at no cost with a risk-free trial. bgmarshall@aol.com. Level the frames and tie them to the stakes and I would have my concrete forms complete. a small cargo plane in the middle of the night, all I training), ands a week at Whidby Island (E&E, and SERE. Over the months as I got to know my Vietnamese and they opened up to me the most asked question they had for me. to return to Every month she would send a large box of candy, cookies and other goodies. airlines circling the DaNang airbase over the Country of South Vietnam. ALL work centers report in : AWC # 1 reports everything is quite ! It was just after 1700 so I was good. a lot in Vietnam. I held that little girl until it started to get dark and I had no choice but to give her to the nurse and walk back to the base. Marine damage reports were never very accurate and it is hard for me to remember what was damage when. and went on Between 1969 and 1971 hundreds, if not thousands, of incidents of racial violence occurred in and around American military bases pissed me off the most about the There were 6 area work centers in the Da Nang AO . Before we destroyed their lives they all had jobs and skills that worked in their culture! Some of the women were in their early twenties, so there is still hope. They made runs north to Cua Viet at the mouth of the river (80 miles north of DaNang and 6 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone) and then upriver eight miles to Dong Ha to haul cannon ammunition to the marines. Only 364 more days to go! CONTACT: VETERANS CENTER OF NORTH TEXAS. It took six and one half days to finish that hooch (later with a full crew it would usually take us four days to build a hooch). I had orders in September 1966 to go to Camp Tien Sha Vietnam 1968, viewed from Monkey Mountain. Both of his legs had been pretty much blown off. The Docs loved coming to Hoa Kahn Clinic. Da Nang, Vietnam, Camp Tien Sha, 351 Days in Da Nang Ray Norton Me, age 23, sitting on my bunk drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette. That's danger close to the shop! To add your photos, please email them to webmaster@ccvva.org. Was I scared ? I stood there wondering how I was going to drive wood stakes into that hard ground. MAY 10, 1967 FOR COLLEGES State-Related Status Unique By WILLIAM E. DEIBLER HARRISBURG (AP) How would yo I donated money several times while at Camp Books. I can still hear the snip of the scissors as the Doc cut away the flesh. The rocket attacks after that the would be on target! head" screwed onto the pipe. Closer and closer, the engine starting to whine! I am searching for anyone who may recall serving with me in the Seabees at Camp Tien Sha, Da Nang between 1969-1971. Everyone was busy as hell and I didn't have any idea as to what was going on. course. Maybe it's just me. probably had some car handling skills. by the time they got to us AWC# 5 we would be awake (hopefully) and report in. [6], In April 1972 all US Navy facilities in Danang were transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Navy.[1]. From 1800 hours until 0600 we had to have some one stand watch. "Honcho come", he pulls me around the Quonset hut, his eyes were as big as saucers! to my new cubicle and dressed in my slightly used green utility working The map I sent you is how I remember that We were not part of the Marine Civil Affair but worked independent of them. At the base of Monkey mountain was Camp Tien Sha, the main Navy base. Nights in Vietnam were uncomfortable at best. The little girl was fusing and didn't want to leave the nurse so it took a little effort to hand her off to me . OK, Im new here, the rooky, [3] NSA Danang originally operated from a commercial pier on the city side of the Hn River and this "Museum Ramp" (160300N 1081328E / 16.05N 108.2245E / 16.05; 108.2245) near the Cham Museum began operation in November 1965 off-loading LCU's and LST's. I asked if the prostitutes had been shot ,he didn't know but thought they were probably the ones who came to the gate and reported the incident! She would pull out handfuls of her hair and pound herself with clenched fists! loading the LSTs and loading onto trucks. said hours 1700 to 2100. When we arrived at Red Beach the Seabee team shop was a mad house. I suppose that I needed that time alone to recover from the amputation! So after the 2400 check in I would jump in the truck with M-16 and ammo. We weren't expecting any new men and we don't have the time to train you. On the left The doctors at the Hoa Kahn Clinic were all Navy I think mostly off the hospital ships, they would volunteer for the clinic and rotate out every week. Then we saw a little dot far up Elephant Valley. I dropped the log book on the microphone button and yelled AWC#5 -INCOMING ROCKETS! In November 1965 500 men moved into the old French Army camp, Camp Tien Sha (Tin Sa) at the foot of Monkey Mountain. Friday was an interesting day. They were all in alignment with our generators. There were Seabees, Korean Philco Ford, Vietnamese all working like mad . [4]:33, Logistic vessels under the control of NSA Danang included Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM 3 & LCM 6) and LCU landing craft; harbor utility craft (YFU); small harbor tugs (YTL); open lighters (YC); refrigerated barges (YFRN); Army craft; and a refrigerator ship. I served until 1970. care of the base. Fay, although it must have happened. [1], The logistic establishment at Danang functioned with growing efficiency by mid-1968 as it built new port and shore facilities. An electrician CN (E-3). There was a young mother with several kid and grandma and grandpa. Danang had become the largest fuel complex in South Vietnam capable of holding over 500,000 barrels. He's shooting from a long way out and hasn't hit anyone yet. I am sure had I not done that , the Chief, when he came down to the hootch, would have solved the problem by sending me back to China Beach. Inside of that trailer, face down were 2 dead Marines. The green building upper right is the hooch that I built for our Vietnamese workers. When that needle went in that poor farmer screamed and jerked up headed for the ceiling! Quite the contrary, African Americans frequently complained that they were disproportionately assigned menial duties, not promoted to the level they deserved, unfairly targeted for punishment, disproportionately drafted, assigned to combat units, and killed in Vietnam. Mark Harms reporting for duty! get a mailing address via email from Chip and I thought the clinic was for children. changes to : She would throw dirt into the air and scratch at her face until it was bleeding , rubbing dirt into the cuts. perceived attacks. Report an offensive or inappropriate entry. I was hugely This was a real live human! Gallons of Herbicides Sprayed. It was kind of like the work orders I got. Learn more about royalty-free images or view FAQs related to stock photos. the duty jeep normally delivered the crew to the base in the one of authority noticed. right out of there. Everyone had his turf marked out and nobody was willing to give any for me. The guy on the right had black hair, he had been shot with a small caliber pistol right where the skull meets the spine. On Friday May 17 I was sent out on another job. We are the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1122, based in Collin County, Texas. We had to give Puppy away as we were not even supposed to have a dog. Sunday late afternoons we were able to get over to the Red Beach causeway and get in some water sessions. couldn't resist testing it's limits! in Subic and got a pro hair cut. Da Nang Air Base (1957-1975) was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) facility. Had tied their hands behind their backs and executed them. What was done was done! Our group that was sent to MST1 landed in They did hit the fuel bladders at truck company several time so I knew there would be a nice warm fire if our fuel tank got hit. Camp Tien Sha Vietnam 1968 from Monkey Mountain nstar48 Media item Jan 30, 2008 camp tien sha monkey mountain united states navy seabees vietnam war year 1968 Comments: 2 Category: Images of Vietnam China Beach from Monkey Mountain 1968 China Beach and Marble Mountain from Monkey Mountain Vietnam 1968 nstar48 Media item Jan 30, 2008 Nobody even knowing where from or if they had families. Download this Camp Tien Sha photo now. This is the poem I wrote about the little girl who died from gangrene. In 1997 I drove my motor bike through the gate while the guard was taking a nap at lunch time and was able to get to the main office and talk to a doctor. The after noon of May 14, I had a work order to make escape doors out of the back of FLC (Force Logistics Command) administration building. The sound was very loud so at first we thought it was close but couldn't see it. We had devastated their economy and destroyed their infrastructure. Select the period (starting by the reporting year): precomm - 1967 | 1968 | 1969 - now Register and add yourself to the Crew List of the Naval Support Activity Danang. I held the door open for them. Don't go to Dog Patch at night and stay way from the prostitutes. Every morning I was stripping floors and then in the afternoon waxing and buffing and cleaning the showers, normal Navy grunt work. I spent 1968-72 in the US Navy, as a Corpsman (Medic). Work started at 0700 hr and we got off at 1700 hr. The main US Navy Fleet Post Office that processed all mail to every American in I . This is surely just something I've We were supposed to protect our base generators and fuel tank from sappers. The Marines broke out in laughter. That was the LTs first rocket attack and he didn't react fast enough. In DaNang we had what was called the "duty jeep". Phu Loi Airbase Information by: Daniel Hanley, Phu Loi Airbase is 30 mile North of Saigon.I was with A Company, 1st Aviation Battalion, Infantry Division, October 1965-1966. Maybe 6 on a side. It took until 2000 hours to finish that first slab. [4]:2, By 1969 NSA Danang was the Navy's largest overseas shore command and third largest supply depot after Norfolk and Oakland Naval Supply Depot and Camp Tien Sha had grown to accommodate over 6000 personnel. click here or click "back" until you We got danger close rockets in that area often. Whenever there were 122 rocket attacks there would be casualties and being as how I was a first responder and did the damage clean up and repair and being as how medivaced Marines did not need their uniforms any more I would just help myself to what ever would fit me. from Danang, Republic of Vietnam.