My father passed away a year ago - served 366th. He didn’t talk much about his time there but was proud to be a crew chief there. I’ve some drink glasses - brings a smile to me. Thanks for all that served
I was stationed at DaNang AB 1967-68 as a combat cameraman with the 600th Photo Squadron. I flew several missions in the back seat of the F4, shooting air to air 16mm motion pictures. It was a an experience I will never forget. Sgt. Mike Lyons
I was there , 480 tfs. Feb.16, 1967 to feb 15, 1968. I worked on f-4s in the phase dock. Worked on tech orders library, updates . Tet was hell, rockets came in every night. thank god we got home. Got station at McDill AFB. Barracks were hit.I lived on bottom floor, 3 rd. Barracks from the end. Went to the snake pit around 6 pm. Sometimes I got a cold beer. Sat and talked to Robert Stack one time. I recall the music, I would love to visit dancing sometime.
Wow!! This was my dads squadron and taken while he was there. I have a cool photo of one of these beauties in flight along with officers club cards and squadron patches. One of these F-4s is on display at the Boeing museum of flight in Seattle. I wish my father was here to watch this!!!
Great photos, I’m saluting as a vet 1972 Comm Sq and Detachments, 1964 Comm Group, Feb 67-68 Arrived and left on my birthday- Danang was busiest air traffic exceeding ORD
Incredibly valuable historic photos that look as though they were taken on a high quality digital camera! Make no mistake... people who strapped themselves into 1960s era equipment and pointed themselves into hostile territory in the service of nation is a HERO. And that includes people who worked on the equipment in hostile environments. Thank you for your service. Ps. Being born in 1954 left me a bit young for Vietnam service but the perfect age to meet a wonderful person from Vietnam in NYC in 1976. We are now married over 45 years and living the last 30 of those years in Saigon where we are now. Ironically... Vietnam went from one of the most dangerous places to be to now the safest. I have been very lucky.
I served in Da Nang AB in may to July of 72, Base supply TDY from Kadena AFB Okinawa,our barracks was across from the BX gunfighter village my name is Andy Sanchez I was A1C at the time photos bring back memories.
I was at Danang from Nov 71 -72, Danang West, Camp Swampy, Gunfighter village, worked Air Base Ground Defense. Stayed when the 366th moved to Thailand and became the 6498ABG
Kool. I was an aircraft maintenance officer in the 366th FMS (Fabrication and Avionics) from May 1969 to May 1970. Great photos and music. Brings back memories. Our F-4s had Tiger Teeth when I was there. It was an amazing base due to the large numbers of different aircraft.
Pat, I was at Korat RTAFB in 1973-1974, I skipped a grade and enlisted at 17, but that was as soon as I could get there. The memories are all good, now. Actually ended up flying for the Army as a CWO for years after the war, and the Border as a Federal Officer after that. Thank you for outing this up! Hammer
I was there. Loved my job! I did almost 3 years. There were scary times! I hated flying missions at night because when they opened fire I could see all the tracers coming at me! I heard the clink clank of the rounds hitting my plane. But if we were saving soldiers, this was my primary concern and fear went away! Hard to tell who were the good and bad guys at night so I would radio for a flare! It was great to serve! I only went down once an some gook shot me in the forearm but I went down near our troops and they got me! Most sad part was when I had to grenade my plane. The troops helped me with this! I never made it past Captain! I loved serving and Hello to anyone who served with 366th, whatever your job was! We were family!
14 July 1967 Rocket attack on DaNang with 176 WIA and KIA 12. Was my Purple Heart night. All KIA were Air Force. The mountains in the backyard to the North was my home for 13 months. USMC Hill 724.
Sir, iam a brother of a man you may have served with during this time. To all of yall that served I say "Thank you ! " with respect and humility. May brother loaded F4's during this time and his name is Steve Jones and I have pictures of him driving a "jammer". He spoke of the Tet offensive which was on his twentieth bday. Of course his rank at that time with airman. he also told me of a NCO club called "The snake pit " I could be wrong of the name but something like that. for me yalls dedication and service will not be forgotten.
Thanks for the video, great pics and music. Also, thanks for your service. I live in Danang and drive by the old helicopter area (Marble Mountain). You wouldn’t recognize the place now very few surviving landmarks. Beach is much different now too. The coastline is line with huge hotels, villas and golf courses.
My late husband was a flight crew chief there in the Air Force, in Danang, and he was good! I gave his plaque of the Machine Gunner to the American Legion Post 28, in Ephrata, WA, but I kept his drink glass! LOL!! I lost him in Aug. 2016, and I miss him ever since, He was my absolute best friend, ...after Jesus, that is. I miss him to this day.
Me and my Pop pop watched this, thank you for this video as he served in the 366th as a munitions specialist and he was telling me of all the stories he had in those places and spots in the photos. Have a wonderful day and god bless you!
Thanks for posting. Great pictures and music. I was with the 15th Aerial Port on the flightline at Danang from March thru June of 1967 when I was assigned to a Mobility team at Duc Pho. I stayed there until rotating to McGuire in March of 1968. Lots of memories in your photos. Thanks again.
Hi Pat, or I might of called you Patrick. First of all thanks for making this wonderful video and music was great. You might remember me A1c Ron Lazarus from Mountain Home, Idaho . we were in same field 301x0 aircraft comm. I got to Vietnam a little before you 15mar1967 to 15mar 1968. I remember talking to you when you arrived. about dec 67 some time. I even remember the air conditioner sitting above . work bench for the RT-546 uhf xcvr.. I worked at the bench for 10 months. I reconized you right away I think you were from Portland and then I was from Tacoma,wa . I got some nice pics of Da Nang and ill try and get them posted . let talk more and tnx for video. first one ive seen of AEMS folks.
Just found this gem of a video! Was part of 366 AEMS in 1967, and loved seeing the old pics! Where's Sgt. Hundley, and Airman Rodriquez from Del Rio, TX? Carl Nygard sadly passed away, but he was a special airman too! Thank you Patrick!
Assigned to 366 .I also had barracks directly across from NCO club Worked in Supply withdirect access r To flight line Thanks for posting this stirred the old brain
Loved the pictures, Brought back some memories. Was there in 68 in the 480TFS and in 72 in the 20TASS. Put one F4 in the South China Sea (Gunfighter 02). Wrote up a good bar story of that event. Lost most of my pictures in a move but still have some of damaged F4's. Would like pictures of the O-2 since lost mine. Bill Vasser
I was stationed at Udorn AFB in N.E. Thailand, across from Vientiane, Laos. I was a radar and inertial nav tech and worked mainly on RF4Cs. Looks like our barracks.
my tour was from may 70-71. my first base was a little AB on the south china sea. it was Tuy Hoa . i was a crew chief (43151c) on F-100s. after about six months they closed the base, sent the F-100s back home and sent me to Danang to finish my tour. they assigned me to the 366th TFW, 421st TFS, the black widows. i stayed in gunfighter village, i remember my hootch was right across from the NCO club. some of the scenes looked familiar. it seems like it happened another lifetime ago.
I'm sure the Base had changed a lot by 1970. When I first arrived in Aug 1967 the revetments and aircraft were on the East end of the runway across from the Field Maintenance Hanger. My shop was in that hanger. My understanding was there was also a Vietnamese Orphanage near that end of the base. During one of the rocket attacks, I believe it was the big one in July 1967, rockets hit the Orphanage and killed several children. Rather than move the Orphanage, the Vietnamese Base Commander ordered the Aircraft be moved to the West end of the runway which put them right across from Gunfighter Village. One of the pictures shows the revetment construction taking place. I does seem like a life time ago. Last Aug was the 50th anniversary of my arrival at Danang and this Aug the 50th anniversary of my return. Have a Great Day.
@@patrickmccraw8177 the revetments were covered when i got there, also they had F4-Es not the D model shown in the pics. the E model had the 20mm canon gatling gun in the nose. i remember the Quonset style latrines between the barracks. remember one night a 122mm rocket came thru the roof of the latrine. it was a dud. i also remember a steam and cream being between the barracks. the things we remember.
@@polycarphunter2257 Hi, When I arrived in August of 1967 all the revetments were on the East end of the runways across from the big Field Maintenance Hanger where my shop was located. They were starting to build them on the West end across from Camp DaNang. My understanding is that during the big attack in July just before I arrived several rockets hit an Orphanage located near the East end of the runway. Because of this, the Vietnamese Base Commander ordered the planes moved to the West end of the runway. If that was true, why didn’t they just move the Orphanage? Whatever the reason, they moved all the revetments to the West end which greatly increased the probability of rockets landing in Camp DaNang. By the time I left in August of 1968 only a few of the revetments had been covered. Lots of memories. Have a Great Day Patrick
I was there the same time as you. I was with the 390th, assigned to the PE shop. Do you remember Steve Atkinson? He was also assigned to the PE shop. I also lived right behind the NCO club. I remember the 421st and the 390th, but I can not remember the third sq. that made up the 366th. Can you help me out? 50 years ago! my email is "richmcmann@hotmail.com" thanks
Amazing absolutely amazing, this shows what can happen when people higher up listen to the people doing the job. I know this has been talked about in history documentaries , but to be able to read the first hand story and see the people involved was awesome. You can only imagian what would have happened if LBJ would have listened to the people doing the fighting, that war would have ended in 1966. I was at Phan Rang 68 and 69 and I see you had a photo of one of our b57s w tail damage also. Thanks for the wonderfup photos and posting the news clippings.
My grandfather, Gene Stowers (pilot) and his front seater Pete Hesford (pilot) were killed in Laos during a night strike mission March 21, 1968. RIP. 23mm Golden BB to the canopy during their roll in.
F4D tail #66-8767 out of Da Nang was in a flight of two Phantoms on a night strike mission over southern Laos along Route 918 near Ban Kapay. They spotted three trucks and rolled into the attack when 8767 was hit by 37mm AAA and crashed into the side of a mountain. No ejections were seen and nothing was seen or heard by the FAC aircraft, which stayed for two hours. The crew...1Lt Peter Dean Hesford, and 1Lt Aubrey Eugene Stowers, were presumed to have died in the aircraft. Peter Hesford's brother spent time in Laos trying to find out more about the incident and was told by a high ranking Pathet Lao that Peter survived the crash and was alive. No evidence has ever been obtained to back this account. Neither crewman have been recovered according to my source and both were still considered KIA. Another F4...this one a 'C' (Tag #64-0830)out of Cam Ranh Bay, was shot down on 22 March in the same general area and that pilot (Lt. Col. Theodore William Guy) was captured. He has blamed his aircraft loss to a premature bomb detonation while still attached to the aircraft or shortly thereafter. His back seater, Maj. Donavan Loren Lyon, died in the incident and is listed as KIA. Such losses over such minimal value targets were not unusual and weighed on the minds of many, both those on the ground and those flying overhead.
The bomb fuse (or more likely an arming system) defect due to a minor modification, was taboo to even mention in private at that time. Even though radar controlled AAA was becoming more common, a direct hit (called a 'golden BB') was highly unusual. Even guided missiles (SAMS) generally killed with close detonation, not direct hits. When golden BB's started happening to both AF and Navy F4 and Air Force F105 aircraft in larger numbers after those changes, it was very suspicious to say the least.
My pops was there 366 TFW, 389 TFS Dec 1966 - Aug 1967. F-4C/D pilot. Helluva a group of patriots from a time long gone by...but certainly not forgotten.
Thanks for this video, I was assigned to the Electric shop Aug 68 to Aug 69. Worked on tons of different aircraft and helicopters. Remember bunker with sign: Rocket Alley Inn, no minimum lots of cover. Thanks again
I was a Gunfighter in the 80s. Some of the equipment we had was left over F-4 stuff. Sometimes it worked on the 111, and once it didn't to funny results. This brought a lot of that history they taught us to life.
A friend of mine flew Spooky, but I think he shipped home in 69. I attended the 1972 Spooky reunion in Colorado Springs with him. You guys did an incredible job.
My grandad was the XO of the MAC part of the airbase, got a medal for rescuing a burning plane on the runway according to my mom... now I live in Danang (I am adding this comment as I sit about 2 miles from the airport) so seeing these pics is definitely surreal. Thank you!
Landed at the 15th Ariel Port on 4 July 69, left on 4 July 1979 almost to minute from arrival to departure. Will never forget the heat and humidity I never really got used to it. I was NSA Da Nang. I got back in 2017 , landed at the same airport. Wow what changes have been made. China Beach is a very nice resort now...people seemed friendly.
I was the younger sister and all my brother would send me was pictures of his little dog. I could tell he was at a firebase near da nang..he sent me pictures of him in the red cross tents. 😭 I could see the sand bags stacked up and his best friend died when a truck backed over him..I don't know how he met up with his friend in the 1st Cav I love that guy still.
In 72 we had to kill all the hooch pets that were deemed strays due to a rabies outbreak. If I recall correctly only one military working dog was allowed to return to the states from Vietnam.
My father was a Marine aviation technician in Vietnam serving with the A-4 Skyhawks VMA-311 Tomcats at Da-Nang. This video brought him a lot of joy seeing his old base. Are there any pictures you might have that involve them? I know it would bring back a lot of good memories for him. Thank you for your service and the sacrifices you made during the war.
I'm sorry I don't. When I was there (Aug 67 to Aug 68) the Marines were flying the Navy version of the F-4. They were on the opposite side of the Base and we seldom interacted. Thank your Father for his service and I'm glad he enjoyed the pictures. Have a Great Day
Next to you in the Nav shop. They call it avionics now. We used to go to your shop and listen to the MARS calls back to the US. We must have interacted at one time or another. My last name is Blake. I worked evenings mostly. Some other names in our shop was Thalman, Ayers, Hagan, Brucato. The squadron commander was Major Burch. .
I don't recall any of those names, but I can't recall a lot of the names from my shop either. I remember Major Burch. The night the 120 mm rocket exploded next to the base flight C-47 that was parked in front of the hanger and made Swiss Cheese out of it, we went out after the attack and found the tail end of the rocket with the fins still on it. To our amazement the Serial Number stamped on the rocket was the same as the C-47's tail number. We didn't know what to do with it so we gave it to Major Burch for a souvenir. In the picture of me working at the bench there's a refrigerator next to me. It contained the only food on that end of the flightline. May have run into you there. Twice a day we sent guys over to the Marine Bakery in our flightline truck to pick up sandwiches and cinnamon rolls that we sold for 5 cents more than the Marines charged us, which I think was 25 cents each. Business was good and eventually we bought a second refrigerator with the money we were making. I worked 6pm to 6am until we went to 8 hour shifts in March(?). Since there wasn't any midnight chow, I'm sure you eat C-rations at night just like we did. We always sent 2 guys to pick them up. Can't remember if you guys had a flightline truck so we may have picked up yours also. While one guy was getting them, the other would steal a coupe fresh loafs of bed which they were baking for the next day. Sorry this is so long. Haven't had someone to share these memories with. Lost track of my "cubie" and all the guys from the shop. The main reason I posted the video was in hopes some of them might see it and re-connect. I'm in Rhododendron Oregon which is about 40 miles west of Portland at the base of Mount Hood. Have a great day.
I remember the rocket and the swiss cheese C47. I picked up a piece of shrapnel and still have it. I was down at Nha Trang part of Jan/Feb 68 during TET. I remember the flight line truck didn't have first gear and it took awhile to get going. I was driving it down the edge of the flight line near the ditch loaded with personnel and gear when a rocket landed down at the end of the runway in front of us. We all jumped out of the truck into the ditch and the truck continued on by itself. This was Dec 67. We had a refrigerator in our shop and sold soft drinks. Somebody in our shop "found" a window air conditioner and we made a room between the shop wall and the hanger wall and air conditioned it. I remember every so often the chow hall was open at midnight and we would go over there for a midnight meal.. Mostly C-rations like you said. Around July 68 there was an F4 brought into the hanger right in front of our shops. It was shot up and ground fire came thru the belly and was stopped under the back seat. I think it was a UHF radio that stopped it. Anyway we had a coax cable that was hit and I spliced it together with solder and tape. Not a good way to fix it but that's what they wanted. Do you remember when George Romney was running for president and landed it front of our hanger. They knew in advance that he was coming and wanted everyone from Michigan to form a line up front so he could greet them since he was governor of Michigan at the time. I am from Indiana but I got in the front with those from Michigan and someone that knew I was not from Michigan asked what I would do if he asked where I was from. He came down the line shaking hands but never asked me where i was from. The latrine behind my barracks had a motorcycle parked next to it. I never saw it move the whole time I was there. I really like your pictures and I have some of the same scenes. I have pictures of our shop and some of the guys that I would like to share with you and see if any faces ring a bell. I'm like you it is hard to remember some names from that long ago. I live in Bloomington, IN.
I just stumbled across this video,, Hello Pat McCraw. I don’t know if you remember me, we worked together in Portland Oregon when we had The F-4c models there. Now F-15 models since 1989. I work with your son Cory who is in the engine shop. I am a crew chief out there. Mike Long
Thanks for this compilation. I just started making a map for the game Rising Storm 2: Vietnam (there is currently a dearth in maps where the US side defends) and these images are extremely helpful.
Hi Keith - All the same stuff except we didn't have the HF Radio. Prior to DaNang, I was stationed at Mount Home AB in Idaho. We had RF-4C there. Glad you enjoyed the video.
I lived right on the Da Nang Air Force Base. My dad was the Vietnamese commander of the base, 1st Air Force Division of RSVNAF, Nguyen Duc Khanh. Some of these pilots might have even been to my house for dinner. Cheers USAF.
How old would you have in 1966? There used to be a Vietnamese boy who hung out at our barracks. His name was Duc Khanh. Earl McDaniel 366th Security Police 1966/67
@@earlmcdanieljr7055 Hello Earl, I was born later a few years later. My father was Khanh and he would have been in his late 30s by then. I have older brothers but I don't think they were allowed to go very far from our house. At the North entrance of the base, I don't know if there's another entrance, right after the military police gate, you turn left, go to the East and we had the first house on that street. There were only Vietnamese air force officers on that street. Glad to know you and thank you. I went back to visit and all the hangars and bunkers were still there. There was a new control tower. The American hospital was still there.
I went back in 2006 and some things had changed but others had not. It was great to revisit a time that will stay with me the remainder of my life. China beach is now filled with resort hotels . Dog town still looks like it did many years ago. The American bridge is still in use today and the old water tower near the runway is still standing. I got special permission to go inside Marble mountain and the surrounding area. This was truly a great trip. I would return again but probably won’t due to my age. Send me an email address and I will send you pictures from 1966 and 2006.
@@patrickmccraw8177 Patrick, I re-started WINDOWS 10 and it came right up. I was with the 366th a bit in '68 and then again in '71 and '72 Mainly base operations and airfield management and a few things I was tasked with that I had to sign a "no talk about" document.... The photos were like "perfect" the music was "spot on" Thanks! Robbie Clark
I love this. My uncle was there as well, however I don't know what squadron (is that the correct term?) he was in. I believe he was a courier in the Air Force. Thank you so much for sharing.
