Visit to the Chu Lai air field, Vietnam (Bert Kinyon)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- 4 Marines who served with the 1st Marine Air Wing in Danang Vietnam in 1968 and 1969 fly back for a one week tour of the Danang area in March of 2015. Mike (Rocketman) Dolan, Ed (Smittay)Schmidt, James (Rauman) Anderson and Albert (Bert) Kinyon.
![[UA] NAVI vs MOUZ | BO5 | IEM Rio 2024](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/CMBYk0cbGoA/mqdefault.jpg)
3rd Batt. 7th Marines ChuLai,RVN 10/65-11/66
I was travelling south along Highway 1 back in April of 2005 and the old Chu Lai sign was over the front gate.
I served with 4th inf. div. centrail highlands Dak-Tko , pleiku, ankhe, LZ x-ray , lz oasis. FB Action. FB Blackhawk, Fb Mederith 10th ARMORED calvery RECON. 1969.
I was in Chu Lai July and August 1971, With 23rd infantry division, Aviation unit, door gunner on UH-1H Helicopter. Called Rattlers, my unit had a rattlesnake painted on the front of the Helicopters. The 23rd division stood down and returned to USA, if you had 6 months in country, you could leave with them, I was only there 2 months and had to transfer South to Bear Cat fire base with First Cavalry Division. Here's a sad story, just before I left Chu Lai, my company 1st Sargent was getting ready to leave Vietnam and Retire from the Army on returning to the States. He had about a week before leaving. He was on the beach taking it easy and choked on a hotdog and died right there on the beach of the South China Sea. What a terrible time and place for your life to end.
I was in Chu Lai June 67-March 69. I hope we took our arms and ammo with us when we left. Unit armory had 350 m14s, 90mm recoiless rifles, 3-4 footlockers w/loaded mags, m60s.
Digging for a new mess hall i found an m1 grand in cosmoline the first shirt took home. 1st shirt retired from First Air Cav, and returned at $1100.00 per month. Good guy.
Was at Chu Lai 1970-71 Americal Div. 196th light Inf. 2or3 stand downs, swam in the South China sea, got some pics of the coast line,which were stolen along with my Purple heart numerous rolls of film personal belongings when I was WIA. spent over 3 weeks at the 91st Evac. Hosp. Never did see the Chu Lai airport. Seriously plan to return one last time before it's to late. Thought it then still do today it is a beautiful country. A present tinge of sadness will always remain for those 58,000+ no matter what.🙏🇺🇸
we used to sit at the end of the runway and watch the jets take off. great video and thanks for sharing......also welcome home!
I did the exact same thing while on stand down. Our stand down base was the 723rd Maintenance battalion which was directly west of MAG 13, back in 69/70. Beautiful country over there.
I was in Chu Lai 68-69 1st MAW MAG 12. But the only place I went to, was when I walked to the Americal PX. I never went to MAG 13 either. I did walk south to the sign, saying not to passed it. It was near the Sea Bees area, I was told.
VMA-311 1968-69. The area shown around 6:50 is exactly where we were located. Our jets used that taxiway they drove on.
I know what you mean, however, could be Mag 13 area for F4s.
Was in VMA-311 1968/69 also. Your right that's our old flightline.
@@Bobbygale121 Yes I knew it was. I walked up and down that flight line 100s of times.
@@robertmc48 I was in the VMA-311 avionics shop from Early February 69 till Early October 69. I'm sure we passed each other many times. Everybody called me by my last name "Higgins." Semper Fi my Brother.
@@Bobbygale121 I'm sure we must have seen each other from time to time. I didn't get to know too many people in VMA-311. Things were very busy working on the flight line with the heavy flight schedule and long hours. Unless it was raining we were busy. I pretty much just knew the guys in my shop and a few others.
Thanks for the "memory" tour. I was stationed at Chu Lai '69/'70. While on the air strip I thought I saw "rocket valley" in the background.
Chu Lai 69/70.
523rd Signal Battalion.
Combat Photographer.
I remember the air field got
Shelled pretty often.
I guess the VC didn't like those
Marine F4's.
quite a ways south of DaNang and Marble Mountain actually I was at KyHa USMC helicopter base close to Chu Lai, and also way north at Phu Bai...1966-7
I was in 2nd LAAM Btn- just over those sand dunes from a MAG. 1966-67. Weapons System Maintenance for the Hawk AA Missile.
First landed at Chu Lai 1966 on a " marston mat runway that rolled up in front of our prop (EA1F SKYRAIDER).. Second time in 1967 it was 10,000 concrete LOL. Both deverts for fuel..115/145 avgas.
Thanks for posting. Chu Lai 70-71 Army Dtrp 1/1
I was there in 67. I flew F4’s with VMFA323. I guess you guys thought that there might still be something there. NYET!
From satellite many landmarks are hard to spot or gone. The peninsula has been lined with concrete erosion revetments. And they filled in that nice bay.
So sad. Nothing left of what I can remember. I was in MAG12 and lived in 4 man hooches right on the beach beyond the dunes and steel matted runway that the A4s would use. MAG13 used the main, concrete runway that the F14s, C130s and other aircraft. used.
Just want to add this little ditty: "Chu Lai, Chu Lai is a wonderful place, The organization's a fucking disgrace, The Captains and Majors and Light Colonels too, stand around on the runways with nothing to do. They piss and they moan and shout all about, just how in the hell can they ever get out".The song goes on farther, but I can't remember all of it.
Yes, the removal of anything and everything the Americans used was done with vengeance. They did like the rebutmants for the aircraft so they were spared. Everything else is gone. The quarry near Freedom Hill (Danang) has almost completely devoured Freedom Hill. Seeing most of Freedom hill gone was probably the most shocking thing I saw. That and a 4 lane freeway tunnel going under Hi Van Pass...
No F 14’s in 68, only F-4 Phantoms.
I was in 2nd LAAM Btn- just over those same dunes from your MAG. 1966-67. Weapons System Maintenance for the Hawk AA Missile.
I visited Chu Lai in 2010 to see what was left of where my Dad was once stationed in 1965-66 with a small group of guys in Spot Teams for Naval gunfire attached to 11th Marines. I remember seeing those revetments and saw the terminal which was closed and dusty at the time. Doesn’t seem to have changed much in ten years time.
Don't run out of gas!!
Me and a friend of mine went there about 10 years ago on assignment for Frontline News to collect data on the Ho Chi Mein
trail. I served in Chu Lai in 68/69 as a corpsmen in and out. we drove up to the airport and the hangers were still in somewhat good condition. We did some recording there without the permission of the airport they had there. The wall was still around with broke glass bottles cemented on top. Security came after us and we hightailed it out of there, thanks to our cab driver .
Same thing happened to us but I didn't put that part in the video.
Thanks a ton! I was VMA-211 MAG 12 69-70. SF.
Wish you had taken a left turn to the site of the 91st Evacuation Hospital where so many wounded were treated. That is a story.
I agree Robert. I was one of the many who was treated there. November 1970. From what I can see on maps, it's all trees and vegetation now. I think there is a resort now close by the hospital.
The 91st Evac had been the 312th Evac from Oct. '68-July '69. Prior, it had been the 2nd Surg. The 2nd Surg moved up to Phu Bai in Oct. '68. The 312th was a reserve unit out of Winston-Salem, NC. In June, '69, a nurse at the 312th (Sharon Lane) was killed by a 122 that hit her ward.
And you're right, the casualties were an endless river of misery.
(I was at the 2nd surg/312th/91st Evac from Sept. '68-august '69).
Anybody work in surgery at the 91st in 1971?
Thanks for sharing. VMFA 121 was stationed there too. A-4's.
Hey Norman, me too 1966/67 VMA121 worked in supply.
good video thank you marines vietnam veterans my brother was there 1968 69 the 23rd americal division rest in peace 2012
My dad was attached to the 23rd ID from
September 67 to February 69.
Was there in 68,69 123 aviation battalion on north end of base
was with E co 123 aviation 70/71
John Wright
Was in 335 trans. Co. Next to 123 aviation . went over to watch a floor show .70/71
A Co., 123rd Avn. Bn. Dec 1969 to Dec 1970. Hootch was next to the island in the big lagoon. There was a village on the small island.
I was there with the 39th in 68? Things have changed? I lost so many brothers there
I was in chu lai 1966-1967 with the navy Seabees
John, I was there Oct.1966-May 1968 NSAD Rosemary PT., Seabee in Public Works...you?
@@bachstetz I was in Charlie company MCB 40
Vietnam era Seabees are true heroes!
Dad landed there a couple of times on weather diverts. He broke up a little when he saw the old Craig AFB, so I'm sort of glad he didn't see this.
Thanks for sharing. Things sure have changed. Stationed with the 198th LIB Aviation Section from 1967-1968. I wonder what happened to all the equipment that was left after the fall of Vietnam?
Great video, even though it doesn’t look much the same. I was there 69-70 198th LIB, wonder what LZ Stinson looks like now.
I was in the Rattlers as well and that 1st Sgts replacement came early and he was drinking 2 qts aday. Died on the beach of a heart attack was an asshole.
Was he Sgt. MOORE? 69 to 70.
I was there march 67 to april 68 Mag 12 h&ms
I was in Chu Lai during the TET Offensive in 1968. I recognnize nothothing in this video
Jeez, I'm getting old.
Oh wait! I recognoize the Quansit huts. they used to house F-4 Fantom jets. We had an ammom dump there in 1968. It was destroyed by 'sappers' im March of 68. I thought we had been nuked.
In 1970, our Army company moved to where the Marines were. The Fox-4s stayed. I stayed back un the old company area by the lagoon and Navy port. I went home in Dec 1970.
The highway is empty, the dream of every driver!!!.
While driving past the beach, was that a hammer and sickle monument on the beach? It sure did look like it.
Yep. You saw correctly!! A bit of a shock. There is another huge communist monument on top of Hill 55 west of Danang....
@@Noynik It is what it is, get over it. We never should have been backing the Frenchies, the RVN's, that whole country was not ever worth the life of one, ONE, Marine.
Commies for sure.
We won the war, the politicians gave away the peace we won with our blood and sweat. We also fought the Chinese and Russians. They lied and said they were not in Vietnam. The Russians preached continuous revolution since the 1930s so we were destined to fight them after we helped them survive the Nazis in WW2.
I was there Mag 13 H&MS supply from August 68 to May 70. Nature has a way to reclaim the land and never forget all the sand and rice patties
Was this also called the fire base buff? I have a picture of my dads with that written on the back that also says chu lai on it.
nope
If nature calls are you still allowed to take a dump on the side of the road ???
Loved it! But captions were too small and too quick for my tired eyes, took away from your great footage. Thanks, I can imagine what you were feeling, feel that way about some stuff, myself.
You should be able to pause the video by tapping the space bar then you can read the captions.
My grandpa brother fought at chu lai
It's looks nice on video but the heat & humidity gets to you in real life
Naval Support Detachment 1969-70.
I offered my dad wouldn’t go.
23rd ID September 67-February 69’
It's crazy to think Chu Lai was destroyed by a typhoon when the US pulled out. It's basically all been destroyed since 1971. Like the world said, "Okay that's it for Chu Lai, time to move on".
I was there during typhoon Hester and it destroyed most of the base.
I was there in 1970 when a typhoon tore roofs off some hootches. A bunch of us soldiers stood in a door way and watched it happen. We weren't scared. Naive.
A stupid war fought over nothing my respect to both side's dead disabled ex service man .
All wars are about wasting the enemy. During that period, Russia considered itself to be a stronger nation than the USA and they believed in revolution around the world. The Russians helped the Chinese turn Communist and they were set to do the same with Vietnam. Unlike WW2, Washington leaders were wimps in the 60s and 70s.
All I want to know is why in the hell would anybody want to go back to HELL?
To see what they fought for and give props to the fallen.
I can think of better things to do with my money.
@@johnpelszynski6646 Well he probably boom boom many girl there too
You should have driven out to artillery hill. The new owners have built a giant concrete middle finger on it.
3:31 water has nothing to do, those ar used to exploit minerals
Was it all worth it? Who won?