Clark AB and the 1st Mob was the beginning of five years of my involvement in the Vietnam War. The stories I tell here will cover events in the PI and Vietnam. The order of entries will be Clark, Phan Rang, Vietnam and Dong Ha, Vietnam. A short break from here in '67 and then back to Clark and Vietnam.
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My first awareness of a shooting war occurred early one evening in Oct or Nov. An emergency call came in from Clark hospital. They needed stretcher bearers to report to the flightline ASAP. A small group of us heard the request and responded. Upon arrival the first of many C130 aircraft was taxiing to the ramp. As the loadmaster opened the doors we viewed a cargo of very wounded troops coming in from Vietnam. We began unloading the wounded and dead into waiting transportation for the hospital. I don't remember how many 130's came in that night. I do remember finishing up about five am. In time to go to work. I heard later that elements of the 1st Air Cav, recently deployed to Vietnam had been decimated. I was especially shocked by the number of casualties that was badly burned......Hello Vietnam.
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Not really a war story, 13TH Air Force Commander General "Whip" Wilson, tough but fair. Right man for the job.
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My shop was responsible for approximately six hundred generators that was deployed with teams over all Southeast Asia, primarily Vietnam .Maintenance and turnarounds was a continuous battle. All of the units required water. We had one hose bib located outside the bay for water needs. On many occasions I had to wait my turn as the ladies of a nearby Negrito village bathe their babies using said hose bib.
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Adding to the already congestion around our shop a treasure hunting group received permission to dig a huge hole in search of a buried treasure. Rumor had it that Japanese Gen Yamashita had his spoils of war buried on Clark before the Americans retook the base. No treasure was found and us folks in the shop had to cover the hole.
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Remembering the Presidential election in the PI. The night of, gun shots could be heard at various voting locations around Angeles City. Ferdinand Marcos won.
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The NCO Club was robbed. The perpetrators climbed the perimeter fence and made off with $300,000. Not sure of the exact amount, that's the number passed around.
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Notified to prepare for first deployment to Vietnam. Bringing in GCA and generators. Bare base located at Phan Rang, Vietnam. Loaded C130, drew weapons and gear and departed Clark. Jan. '66.
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Made a combat assault landing, off loaded, setup, and begin working traffic. Army put us up in one of their tents. Very crude, but dry.
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Took the doors off of vehicle, necessary because of mines. Rapidly learning to stay alive. Generators doing what they are on payroll to do.
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Outdoor latrine, folks on road could watch you do your business. My co-worker could not do his business with an audience . Really miserable trying to hold out until dark, had to whistle dixie when you go at night.
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Trips to the beach was necessary to fill sandbags. on one occasion a lit cigarette fell between the empty bags in the deuce and a half on way to beach. Upon arrival decided to take a quick dip in the South China Sea. Moments later the bed of truck was burning. Luckily we stacked weapons on the beach. Sustained some minor burns dragging burning bags from truck.
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Resting in the tent one evening ,Army Sgt of the guard came by to visit. Shortly one of his people entered the tent and Sarge ask him if he had cleared his weapon. The guard looked at us and proceeded to empty his AR15 into the floor of the tent. We ducked.
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On occasion the Army would show a movie on the side of an inflatable storage bldg. I enjoyed going with my can of Carling Black Label (the good stuff was in Saigon). Not to watch the movie but to watch a GI with a monkey proceed to get drunk together. Every once in a while a laugh.
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Begin to feel more secure. I found out the ROK(Republic of Korea) TIGER DIVISION was in the area. Rumor had it Charlie didn't want to mess with this group.
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Went on convoy to Cam Ranh Bay to pick up metros (bread trucks) for flightline. Problems going down and back. Took some sniper fire from rubber tree plantation, M16 ammo stacked in middle of road, while stopped a young man started running toward me screaming something in Vietnamese, prepared to kill him if necessary. He turned at last moment and ran other way.
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Completed assignment, returned back to Clark. Reassigned Courier duty for deployed teams.
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Escorting two PU286 generator sets to NKP (Naked Fannie) Thailand. Many stops along the way. During a short stop at UDORN AB,THAILAND, I had to leave aircraft because of refueling. Looking across the ramp I noticed Army 2 1/2 ton truck backed up to door of aircraft. They were stealing my generators. I set a PR running across the tarmac with my hand on my 38 cal side arm. They apologized said they were expecting generators......RIGHT
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Following a short R&R I was tasked with my next deployment to Vietnam. Dong Ha,Vietnam, six miles below the DMZ in I corp. The Marines were engaged in Operation Hastings. NVA regulars were coming across the DMZ. On a beautiful Sunday morning my team loaded a MRN12 Mobile Control Tower and two MB5 generators into the cargo hold of a C130. On approach into Dong Ha ground fire could be heard, the aircraft went into a combat assault landing and slammed into the dirt of a 3900 foot strip. No taxiways, the aircraft left two engines running while a rapid off loading took place. Very shortly the airplane assumed a takeoff mode and departed.
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While we were busy positioning and setting up the tower I looked across the dirt runway and saw approximately 300 body bags stacked along side . Waiting for a Marine GV (C130)to land and take out KIA's. Shortly, we were working fixed wing and choppers.
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I pitched my tent with a couple of Radio Maintenance techs and with the help of a Marine built a bunker for protection. On one occasion, sitting on the bunker, B52's was saturate bombing in the DMZ and the noise was deafening, my Marine friend said "Bob, you know what I do when I feel sad and unsure?" I told him no. He said, " I hum the Marine Corp hymn to myself.'" When the noise from the bombing subsided I could hear him humming.
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Our tower was supporting the Marines. There was always a Marine controller in the Tower with AF. I was standing inside the tower (it was air conditioned because of equipment). A voice broke the silence and I could hear the AF controller give a copy. Static was there but understandable. The voice on the radio was asking for landing instructions with casualties. The AF controller kept asking for a repeat. The Marine took the Mic and instructed the pilot to land anywhere he could. Soon a H34 helicopter appeared on the horizon. It maneuvered to the tower and set down. The pilot was a Marine E4, The pilot and co-pilot had received wounds over an LZ. Eight Marines in back was either dead or wounded. The E4 was the crew chief. I told my commander the E4 should be written up for a Congressional. Don't know what happened. I held the co pilot's head in my lap as we took them to the Battalion Aid Station.
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Looking at the approach end of the runway I saw a F4 Phantom Jet on approach with his gear down. There is no way a 3900 ft. dirt strip can accommodate such a landing. The jet touchdown ,continued off the end of the runway and came to rest in a Vietnamese cemetery....After the commotion and such, I asked Andy, the AF on duty controller, what he did when he saw the airplane on the approach with gear down. Lighting a cigarette Andy said, "Bob, I gave him a GREEN LIGHT!"
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Shortly before the Air Force took over all fixed wing aircraft the Army was flying the C7 caribous. These are medium size cargo aircraft capable of landing almost anywhere. There was one approach into Dong Ha. Otherwise, you could get hit with rounds from the USS New Jersey, the ARVN 155 batteries scattered about and B52s dropping bombs from high altitude. Apparently one aircrew didn't get the memo. They took a round through the tail while landing. The crew looked at the damage and not wanting to RON (Remain Over Night) off loaded and departed as if nothing had happened.
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A very long convoy of fresh combat troops arrived and bivouacked next to the runway. Most of these young Marines were Draftees. Many did not return.
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Our perimeter was getting smaller, Puff the magic dragon(AC47 Gun ship) flew up to Dong Ha, parked outside my tent. I put the crew up for the night. Not for long though. They scrambled around eleven and put a solid wall of fire to the ground. Threw fear into anyone.. Enough ramblings about this place.
I enjoyed this as I myself had a similar experience in 1966 with 1st MOB - I wrote a book about how I got to 1st MOB and Vietnam/Laos/Thailand check out website at
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