. The camp was quickly expanded to include 25 new barracks able to accommodate an additional 1700 men, together with a . Just as I was putting on the spring door closer a ARVN military police jeep pulled up in front (they were halling ass through the loose sand) Two White mice jumped out, went to the back of the jeep and carried an old farmer from the jeep into the clinic. Wittig, a seaman aboard the USS Pocono LCC 16 who . 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. DS CS: Jan 1968: 6 Oct 1972: NSGDet - at 8th RRFS, PhuBai, Vietnam. Older Vietnam veteran who served in the US Navy at Camp Tien Sha, Da Nang, 1968-1969. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. His name was Coate and he was a 3rd class yeoman. Some times I would bend the rules and just let them go and I would take care of checking them out. At that time the base fir truck showed up. There was an indoor movie theater, snack bar, hobby shop, NCO club and EM club, basket ball courts and tennis courts. I was going to start building my own hooch so I would have a place to sleep ! The other important thing we had to do was to check the Red Beach causeway at 2400 hr. Our generators were not even running yet so I heard the rocket coming in. I am not sure what possessed me to write poems there. (The Doc had a black medical bag that was exactly like the one Doc Holiday on Gunsmoke carried around. There were Seabees, Korean Philco Ford, Vietnamese all working like mad . Coate was not there to know about Puppy. while we were starting the wall framing we heard the sound of a UH-1 helicopter. : . Inside of that trailer, face down were 2 dead Marines. One of them used to take me to the MACV Club located by the USS Repose. The Sargent in charge told him we would have to get gear from NSA Danang because the Seabee team was turned over to NSA. The hooch in back is the doctors office and residents. Some guys were able to go through their whole tour in Vietnam in John Wayne mode. While I was building the door the Doc and nurse moved in medical supplies to the shelf unit. 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 ! Naval Support Activity (NSA) Danang was officially established on 15 October 1965. There was a permanent concrete hospital being built close to my building and by the beginning of June 1968 had all the walls built up and was waiting for materials for roof trusses and the roof. I was given our 2 new carpenters to help with the concrete pour, 3rd class builder Calabresy and builder CN Craig Taylor. Ya, we continued our work and started building my hooch. The second floor office was just being framed up . His home of record is Carteret, NJ. After he was medivaced one young labor worker(Baby son) would ask me every morning If I had heard how Barbee was and if I got a letter from him. You FNGs the fresh meat so what do I know about it. Well Beerworth didn't show up until 1845 and he dragged me off to the mess hall that would close a 1900 hr. The pain they suffered was of our making and they just wanted us to go home! And search more of iStock's library of royalty-free stock images that features Vietnam photos available for quick and easy download. painting rocks. uniform. Yes, we would help them build new huts and we would patch up their children and pay compensation for the damages done. We started pouring concrete Wednesday June 5, 1968. It was kind of a taste of what we would get when the monsoons came in September. Camp Tien Sha, Da Nang Camp Tieu Khu, Binh Duong Province Camp John R. Tine, Kien Phong Province Torello . One rocket struck this barracks, but the man in this room survived by . . Get those Fucking Gooks away from that Damn trailer". The plane started to drop, going in steep and fast. It was a strange way for a job to start. History is not a fixed set of facts. )The Doc gave me a large stick like a tongue depressor ,except bigger. It was a Saturday, perhaps we were finishing up the cook shed. I was new in country and still in John Wayne mode. Different kinds of flairs, the different mortar sounds and small arms fire. I hated that phone, radio, air conditioning and black coffee! I was driving on the perimeter road with the dry storage ASM wall on my right. paths and painted white and there were white picket fences around almost every From 1800 hours until 0600 we had to have some one stand watch. Relations outside of combat were typified by racial tension and violence. First came the steps and as soon as that was finished I helped the Navy doctor and Vietnamese nurse move in a big grey office desk and an open book shelf unit. H e had white hair and a white beard and very much looked like Santa Clause. Do you have CAMP TIENSHA, DANANG,VIETNAM Reunion information you'd like to share. Everyone had his turf marked out and nobody was willing to give any for me. I was probably in as much in shock as the farmer. I never really realized the high level of tension we lived under until I left Vietnam ! The wounded man was the Mess Sargent who was the only one at the mess hall at the time. LCM is up to port side of barracks craft. U.S. We also had a land line (telephone) installed for communication with the Marines. She would throw dirt into the air and scratch at her face until it was bleeding , rubbing dirt into the cuts. Even then every time the Doc cut through a nerve that farmer would try to fly through the roof! Camp Tien Sha is a former United States Navy base located in Danang, Vietnam. Guest 31-Aug-2016 02:35: . When that needle went in that poor farmer screamed and jerked up headed for the ceiling! meal in Vietnam was roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, green peas, 2 large So as May 1968 ended I had been in Vietnam for 1 month! The village it refers to was just north of Camp Books. If there was any heavy weather and to many buffer pads were jumping out I would have to go back to the hooch and roust out a work crew. In Feb 1973, evacuated Danang to San Miguel . Friday was an interesting day. A very nice book. The huge fuel tank was just being build on the left out of the picture. 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 . What that means is we stood a four hour night watch every other night. On Sunday May 19 I was dropped off alone ( The Vietnamese got Sundays off) and my job was to build steps and a door for the building. T are sections in the book about Camp Tien Sha, Cua Viet, Dong Ha, Tan My, Hue, Phu Bai, Chu Lai, and Sa Huynh. I got in the habit of sleeping with my right foot hanging off the edge of my cot so I would always be pointing towards the bunker. I went back to my cubicle crawled into bed, ending my Re: Vietnam Nam vet wants to see war sites. The rocket attacks after that the would be on target! 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. Some time that day the Catholic Priest who was in charge of the clinic and also the Da Nang orphanage showed up . On the left The shop door are between the 2 telephone poles. At NSA Camp Tien Sha, an enlisted men's club was constructed. would be thinking about that meal a lot! The nurse laid across the farmers upper thighs to hold him in place. This 800-page book provides a meticulous catalogue of American facilities during the Vietnam War -- bases large and small, BOQs, BEQs and memorials -- which were named for individuals who had fallen in battle in this war of our youth. Don't go to Dog Patch at night and stay way from the prostitutes. Work started at 0700 hr and we got off at 1700 hr. This is the Hoa Kahn clinic at the time I started working there. Some where along the line the nurse had done an IV drip. NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIBITY DANANG, VIETNAM" patch on the front cover with gold embossed Naval Support Activity Da Nang 1966-67. Recent photo of Cheryl and me. Hard at work in the Investigations Office, Camp Tien Sha annex, Da Nang area, 8/69 to 7/70, Ray Norton. Before we destroyed their lives they all had jobs and skills that worked in their culture! FLC took twenty one 122mm rocket rounds and on May 22,1968 at 0200 hr FLC took 12 122mm rocket rounds. I also came down with a mild case of the flew so was feeling rather worn out. In November 1965 500 men moved into the old French Army camp, Camp Tien Sha at the foot of Monkey Mountain. I suppose we had a good conversation but don't have a clue of what. Great Discounts & More! (my home base). En savoir plus. That's danger close to the shop! Coate introduced me to a Chief Boatswain Mate who was our executive officer.The Commanding officer wasn't there( a lieutenant Junior Grade.) Chief then showed me the mess hall and walked me down to the Seabee hooch's. Download this Camp Tien Sha photo now. line. I suppose I am a genuine hero of the Vietnam conflict. Late in the day we had built them a nice hootch and had them moved in. Naval Support Activity (NSA) Danang was officially established on 15 October 1965. Some time during the night the VC entered the Skivvy house, capturing them without a fight. To save them from Communism was not the right answer because most of them did not feel that Communism was a threat ! APL-30 and dock at Da Nang harbor. Then we saw a little dot far up Elephant Valley. Both of his legs had been pretty much blown off. Here they surfed, sunbathed, and tried to forget the war they would soon return to. We had an air conditioner in the office and because I worked out side all day I was not used to air conditioning! The Gunny Sargent assured me that the cost of the 782 gear would come out of their final pay check! As good as we were trying to do for the Vietnamese we sure as hell were not winning their hearts and minds! She was wearing light blue pajamas with little lambs printed on it. It was kind of like the work orders I got. 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. Technicaly they were out side the perimeter so were not recorded, I guess. Some of the rocket attacks were on Camp Books (FLC) . There were so many sound at night and for my own safety I had to learn them all. I was not prepared and he totally over powered me! To know all the different sounds was to be able to read what was happening at night and how safe I was. 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. We all thought that everyone on this earth was doing the highest and best possible all the time for each situation. Detachment Nha Trang - 1965 - 1971. The 53rd had five (5) CO's from 1942 through 1946. . I asked where she was now and he said the Priest had taken her to Da Nang to be burried! He praised me for staying calm and I had done good then he said I should go outside and sit down as I was looking a little green around the gills! The building site was about 150 yards outside of the north perimeter and the perimeter had not been opened up yet. The next weekend I asked about the farmer ? Donald is buried at Holy Trinity Church Cemetery, Hopelawn, NJ. The rest of my tour I did what every good Seabee team would do, I stole them ! The saw he used was a miniature version of the bone saw we used when we cut up cows or pigs at butchering time on the farm! We had fox holes around the generators and fuel tank and I would sit there looking up at that big ass fuel tank thinking that if the VC hit that with a RPG (rocket propelled grenade) I was going to be turned into a crispy critter. When Puppy was big enough our secretary, interpreter Miss Nguyen took Puppy home with her to Danang. The truck dropped us at the work sight. The cot had a broken leg so I had to prop it up with a sand bag and it was missing one end piece so it just wanted to fold up on me when I laid on it. It was really to late to save the helicopter but at least nobody was killed or hurt! It was the Spring 1967 and I had a choice to make, get drafted into the Army and go to Viet Nam or join the Navy Reserve. If you served in Camp Tien Sha, Headquarters, Join TWS for free to reconnect with service friends. We had to give Puppy away as we were not even supposed to have a dog. Jan 30, 2008. camp tien sha monkey mountain united states navy seabees vietnam war year 1968. I dreaded standing that watch but ever 5 and then 7 days I was going to get it! When the Doc was finished he told me I could remove the stick. the evening to wonder about and check out what Camp Tien Sha had to offer. I would share it with my team mates but a lot of it I gave to the Vietnamese children at the Clinic or whenever I worked off base. [1][3]:2, In August 1967, the headquarters of NSA Danang was moved from downtown Danang to Camp Tien Sha. I don't remember when I stopped doing work at the Children's clinic, Maybe the end of June or early July. Well I don't know how much of an impression that left on me but these guys getting killed in the Skivvy house got my attention ! I noticed an old gray hair lady,just a skeleton in the hospital bed and asked the doctor about that. Color home movie footage filmed by a serviceman at Camp Tien Sha and Da Nang during 1969, including footage of Freedom Hill, Dogpatch, the April 27th Da Nang ammo dump explosion & aftermath, and more. Indianapolis, IN 46203. It is long gone. Well I had 2 sets that were issued to me when I went threw weapons training at Coronado and Camp Pendleton. If I wanted something I had to have Bet or Ski pick it up. The Priest took the kid around with him and often left him at the clinic with the nurses as the other children at the orphanage would pick on him. My day was done!! May 27 was my birthday. As I recall Taylor dropped out when we got to the ocean diving but Pat Brown stuck it out and we became dive buddies. I have 'issues' from that crap hole as well.I don't want to put my email address in here publicly so how can I get in touch with you?Ernie Hodge, is this the Ernie hodge that was with the fuel crew in 1966-1967. my name is larry Kirby and my twin brother is gary Kirby if this is the same Earnie Hoge please email me at lwk472000@yahoo.vom. Book cover type. This was a Sunday afternoon BBQ about 1800 hr. I even passed an enlisted sailor with a can of white paint and he was Drinking black coffee trying to stay alert. Electrician CN (E-3) Pat Brown, Builder CN (E-3) Craig Taylor, Builder 3Rd Class Calabresi. and to listen to music. Danang, VN _ _ DS CS: 1964: Feb 1973: Detachment Bravo, FLTSUPDET, Navcomsta, PI. John Wayne mode is when you still think you are invincible, nothing can hurt you because you are the good guy with the white hat and shit only happens to some one else. Very close now and it was clear that they weren't going to make it over the hurricane fence at the perimeter. Funny thing about the base exchange was I only went there once my whole tour. It was at maximum power and flying very fast. It was creepy doing that trip to the causeway. $10 of that came from me. When I started working on this clinic project I was full of good feelings as to how we were helping these poor Vietnamese people. This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Very often our flares would land in Hoa Kahn or Dog Patch burning down many Vietnamese huts providing more damaged children for the clinic. James L Chambers (cause of death,misadventure). I pretty much walked the whole base then back to the EM club for a cold beer It was losing altitude and we were wondering if they would make it. It seems incredible that a thirsty, decorated . It was an opportunity to get off the Hospital ships and see a little bit of the real Vietnam. That was my first time seeing dead Marines. There were at least 500 RVN Sailors, 6 American Sailors, and two Koreans who worked for Philco Ford. This book is the capstone volume of the entire series in that 1968, as the title indicates, was the defining year of the war. I thought they were trying to lighten their load. By July 1968 NSA Danang handled 350,000 tons of cargo each month for the . [2] The camp was quickly expanded to include 25 new barracks able to accommodate an additional 1700 men, together with a barber shop, post exchange and milk plant. Soon we arrived at our destination, Camp Tien Sha Vietnam, an old French encampment that had been converted by the Sea Bees into our base camp. Made a very good impression on me, I didn't even consider it my whole time in Vietnam ! This is a 122mm rocket crater in the road in front of our shop. Hard bound with blue cover and full color replica of the U.S. He always seemed happy and smiling and the whole time he was around the clinic I never heard him speak a single work. Now I know where Barbee is but where is Babyson? My head carpenter ,Pham Ba told me about her during the week. We are the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1122, based in Collin County, Texas. Donald F. Hovanec was born on December 10, 1949. Necessarily, more is lost to time than is remembered. You will use the chain of command ,don't come to me. 1968 - Harold Goldman's Cobra Gunship Hue 1970, submitted by Roger Carver Hue 1970, submitted by Roger Carver . She promised not to eat Puppy. The were riding shotgun on truck convoys to and from Danang to Quang Tri Province. Mostly I would just build and they would watch and fallow what I did. Les nouveaux clients peuvent tlcharger cette image en profitant de notre offre dessai gratuit sans engagement. Trouvez d'autres images libres de droits dans la collection d'iStock, qui contient des photos de Vietnam facilement tlchargeables. Some times a lot of shit happened . Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Beddoe. The green building upper right is the hooch that I built for our Vietnamese workers. In the future I There wasn't much blood ,just a small whelp where the bullet went in. After I let them go I was sitting on my tool box waiting for the crew truck to come pick me up. The new wood frame building that I did was behind the camera. I got used to the nights but was never comfortable enough to sleep well. 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. I was shocked when he told me she was only 15 years old! These places had many different names, abbreviations, acronyms, terms, and phrases.These places were essential for the completion of the overall mission and are important for understanding the assignments and accomplishments of personnel who served with the U.S. Boy life was improving a lot. Yes, everyone called him soccer ball head ! The Marines slept 12 to 14 men in a hootch. I dropped the log book on the microphone button and yelled AWC#5 -INCOMING ROCKETS! Well it scared the crap out of me and probably took a few months off my life ! Pham Ba went around back to take a pee. So my hooch would now have 5 of us. Issues related to race and race relations helped to define the African American experience in the United States, and these same issues defined the experiences of black soldiers in Vietnam.Race relations in combat were typified by cooperation, shared sacrifice, and a sense of brotherhood. List of aircraft of the Malaysian Armed Forces, 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. Them moved in medical supplies to the nights but was never comfortable enough to well... To write poems there naval Support Activity Da Nang to be burried Doc cut through a nerve that farmer try..., rubbing dirt into the cuts America Chapter 1122, based in County! Me off to the ocean diving but Pat Brown stuck it out and we would have get! 0200 hr FLC took twenty one 122mm rocket crater in the us Navy at Camp Tien annex! Far up Elephant Valley Province Camp John R. Tine, Kien Phong Province Torello the future there... 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