Chu lai was a united states marine corps military base from 1965 to 1970, and a united states army military base from 1970 to 1971 during the vietnam war. Chu lai, vietnam this photo was taken at the marine air base, chu lai, vietnam in 1967. It was chu lai, south vietnam, at the 3rd battalion 7th marine lz. Their work had not only assisted the military but also improved the lives of south vietnamese civilians. This article was originally published on, march 27, 2015. Helix facs flew with the 20th tactical air support squadrontass, operating from a main base, chu lai,and eleven forward operating locations in military region 1 or i corps.
Pigdog this next story is from a pilot who was in vmfa 314 at chu lai in 69. We will view the old chu lai airbase, which is currently a commercial and military airfield. After supplies and weapons were found in a viet cong tunnel network, a soldier burns a nearby hut used for rice storage by the viet cong. Chu lai, south vietnam, at the 3rd battalion 7th marine lz i do not really know if this is the right thing to do, but i was asked to write about how i received the bronze star by my kids. Ambush at calu by fred dupont april 20, 2011 in november of 1967, delta company, 9th engineers, 1st mardiv, iii maf, stationed in chu lai and led by capt j.
Air force forward air controller fac pilot, using the callsign bilk 34, broadcast an urgent radio plea over the emergencyonly guard frequency that was routinely monitored by all pilots flying in the southeast asian theater. The vietnam war lasted from 1 november 1955 to 30 april 1975, officially between north vietnam north vietnam and south vietnam south vietnam. The air force association the air force in the vietnam war. In this, the first major battle of the vietnam war, the united states scores a resounding victory. The presence of the 50th anniversary group of pilots and rios who served in chu lai in 19691970 was an added bonus for the vietnam veterans in attendance as they were able to get reacquainted with some of the aircrews with whom they were counterparts with all those years ago. We had to turn around chu lai air strip, but we did go out and do front line, top post. Abandoned after the end of the vietnam war, it was reopened as chu lai international airport in 2005 first squadron to land at chu lai was vma 225 prearranged 1 june 1965 along with vma. Graves registration, jeffrey harris from utah vietnam. Bombing in the hills just west of chu lai july 1965. The ally and the gi underground press during the vietnam war, published in the collection protest on the page.
It makes for a nice day trip in combination with visiting other war sites or cham temples along the road. Oct 25, 2017 the anti vietnam war movement in 39 photos. Two viet cong prisoners are led to an arvn command outpost at ha tien. The vietnam war first began in 1959, five years after the division of the country by the geneva accords. A vietnam war era helix fac patch air force usaaf is. A navy journalists memoir of his 14 months with mcb 71, 196667, david h. In 1959, ho commenced a guerilla campaign in south vietnam, led by viet cong units, with the goal of reuniting the country under a communist. On june 23, 1970, the last units of seabees left vietnam from chu lais camp shields, a site that had been renamed in september 1965 to honor the medal of honor recipient. Chu lai, vietnam 1969 vietnam war, vietnam, brown water navy.
In the late summer of 1970, the secret war in southern laos had taken a turn for the worse. Ac cording to the latest available intelligeqce, however the main body of the 1st viet cong regiment was stih 30. Susan oneill vietnam veteran and army nurse doylestown. Army and army of the republic of vietnam arvn base in chu lai in central vietnam. Chu lai air base was a military airport in chu lai, vietnam, operated by the united states marine corps between 1965 and 1970. The homecoming vietnam helicopter pilots association.
Abandoned after the end of the vietnam war, it was reopened as chu lai international airport in 2005. Marines in vietnam the landing and the building 1965 pcn. Marine unit near chu lai for the national observer when a mine seriously wounded her and. Theyre not supermen, meeting the nva in operation utah. Though you likely never heard of it, chu lai was much much more.
Chu lai, and qui nhon, releasing south vietnamese soldiers for combat. Chu lai, headquarters, headquarters company 198 light infantry brigade was my unit. Roush homecoming, experiences flying loaches with americals div arty air section in chu lai. Just eighteen years old, dave died in a dustoff chopper on his way to the hospital in chu lai. Symon wrote this article based on his interview with a former viet cong soldier, nguyen hoa giai, during the vietnam war.
This photo was taken at the marine air base, chu lai, vietnam in 1967. I thought about it, and i told them that i would be too embarrassed to do that, as it would sound like bragging, but one day i started typing and this is my. Casualties were flown in by helicopter, stabilized, then shipped out to hospitals in chu lai or. Theyre not supermen, meeting the nva in operation utah, march 196 6. Scout pilot his story is about what he observed flying over fsb gela may 1969. The chosen few who did were landbased at da nang or chu lai or later in the war at the rose garden in nam phong, thailand. We lived in these plywood hooches as best we could, and just hoped the flimsy structures wouldnt be hit with incoming rocket or mortar. We lived in these plywood hooches as best we could, and just hoped the flimsy structures wouldnt be hit with incoming rocket or mortar fire. With media focus on the 50th anniversary of the vietnam wars my lai massacre, colin powells role as a military adviser has continued to elude scrutiny, so were.
Navy seabees built and fought in vietnam historynet. Marine, beach, equipment, machinery, crane, tank, jeep, sign, vietnamese. So, as fate would have it, because of time and flight in country, swires and i were forced to do da nang and chu lai without chu. The us army campaigns of the vietnam war army center of. Nope, these guys were pogues, in the rear with the gear, part of the 90% of vietnam era dudes that never saw combat. They were taking a lieutenant colonel home to duc pho. In reality, it was an international war between the french at first and then the united states and its allies on the side of south vietnam, and the communist bloc on the side of north vietnam. The secret history of a vietnam war airstrike gone. With media focus on the 50th anniversary of the vietnam war s my lai massacre, colin powells role as a military adviser has continued to elude scrutiny, so were. Hurriedly, schmidt and sergeant first class jim brevelle laid a demolition charge in each of the 20 bunkers, linking them all together with det cord, and dual priming with timedelay detonators. In all, at least 45,000 vietnamese men and women are said to have died defending the cu chi tunnels over the course of the vietnam war. James murdock, a westfield wisconsin veteran, discusses his vietnam war service. Navy medicine in vietnam naval history and heritage navy.
Roush homecoming, experiences flying loaches with americals div arty air section in chu lai, rvn written by a. Essays on print and the culture of dissent since 1865. The vietnam war began in earnest in march 1965 with operation rolling thunder, which sent us aircraft on strikes against targets in north vietnam. Chu lai was my home for months january 1967 through february 1968.
This is where we stayed when we started our processing to leave vietnam for home. Air force assistance in south vietnam during the war was principally of two kinds. Marines were also deployed to chu lai, about 50 miles south of. The firebase was named lz west and was manned by the troopers of the 196th light infantry brigade forming part of the american division. At the time, there was only the expeditionary field of 4,000 feet of shifting metal.
Eight years would pass before us forces withdrew from the war, which had by then claimed 47,378 american lives. They had built bridges, docks, schools and hospitals. Opinion what i saw during the tet offensive the new. While doing some research about this unit i discovered an interesting side story. It was not named for any local geographic feature, but rather was a chinese name remembered by. And, to quote anthony swofford author of jarhead about the first gulf war when asked whether his book was fact or fiction, he responded.
Vietnam had been divided into two, with a communist regime in the north under ho chi minh and a democratic government in the south under ngo dinh diem. On june 23, 1970, the last units of seabees left vietnam from chu lai s camp shields, a site that had been renamed in september 1965 to honor the medal of honor recipient. Big shots from saigon inspecting vma 225 flight line at chu lai aug. The tactics for close air support in the vietnam war had jet pilots flying several hundred miles an hour trying to put unguided dumb bombs beside maneuver units in the jungle. On 31 july 1970, at 0245 hours, a balmy night at the chu lai replacement center was shattered by the sound of three large explosions from the refit area bt 546 043 nearby on the vast americal division base camp at chu lai, vietnam. He is currently writing a book about soldier protest during the vietnam war. War stories chinook crash at fsb keene 21 november 1968 written by gary b. In memory of jeff harris, one of the vets featured in our sept. T e d s ta es o e t n am w f n i v i a r a m major marine. Mar 07, 2011 some great marine fighterpilot war stories from vietnam 1966. It was the early days of the united states involvement in the war in vietnam. Each had a grip on the controls when they recovered from a death spiral.
Ha air facility was part of the installation and was located in the northern half, chu lai air base was part of the installation and. Inadvertently, they climbed into clouds, got vertigo and nearly crashed into the sea. Cheryl feala of rural north bend remembers her days as a nurse during the vietnam war. Chu lai is located along the main road ql1 around 110 kilometers south of da nang and less than 80 kilometers south of hoi an. Us marines assault viet cong hamlet near chu lai youtube. Apr 22, 2006 the tree line tom posted on april 22, 2006 posted in vietnam war stories in november 1966, 3rd platoon was assigned to an outpost in front of the main lines of chu lai. We were part of the americal division, made up of the 11 th, 196 th and the 198 th light infantry brigades. The 128 had fought off a large ground attack with dinks charred in the concertina. Chu lai was my home away from home during the vietnam war. This radical objects post draws from an essay he wrote called paper soldiers. Showing pontoon causeway and the beaching area, 24 june 1965. What happened in and around chu lai turned out to be emblematic of the misery and tragedy of the entire war. Brilliant hotel bld on your own sanh, with side visits to lang vei special forces camp, a view of the lao border and co roc.
D company was led by capt reno rizzo, stationed in the northern part of. Bombing in the hills at chu lai, viet nam june 1965. It was the steamy morning of june 8, 1969, and she was in her bed at chu lai base at the. Perea, stationed in the southern part of quang tin providence at chu lai. See more ideas about vietnam war, vietnam and vietnam veterans. Chu lai base area also known as chu lai combat base or simply chu lai or k. A vietnam story by mike austin on april 2, 1972, near the demilitarized zone dmz of vietnam, a u. One of them is chu lai, a prolific author who has not only won the peoples respect for his famous stories about war and the postwar era, but also for his dramatic stage and movie work. As if war wasnt brutal enough, fred and dave had somehow become entangled in deaths ruthless and pitiless grip and made to suffer one more inhumanity for its private enjoyment. Minutes before 6am, army nurse martha green woke with a jolt to a thunderous explosion half a mile away. In some respects, chu lai is where the vietnam war began and ended for the united states. War and literature the war in vietnam has been over for nearly 40 years and many soldiers have returned home with unforgettable memories. Commando raid at chu lai, 1st battalion 6th infantry, us army. Map of vietnam, danang, chu lai, hue fu bai and i corps bases pointed out, booby traps, trip wire, captured viet cong, checking paperwork, gunfire, howitzer.
Nighthawks of vma aw 533 in vietnam background many will read this, but only a few of us had the privilege and unique experience of flying combat missions at night in an a6a intruder in vietnam. Happy friday all, here from my collection is an incountry made 20th tass forward air control fac helix piece. Lz baldy, also known as landing zone baldy and hill 63, was a fire support base located northwest of chu lai, qu. Us marines in vietnam an expanding war 1966 pcn 19000308600. In the summer of 1968, i was sent with a 12 ton, rubber tire, mobile crane to assist 3rd platoon in building a bridge across the ba ren river. Vietnam war nurse describes life in the medical ward. We were located in i corps, 56 miles south of da nang. This page is dedicated to anyone who has a connection or interest in chu lai or vietnam. Lyman recounts his time serving with the seabees in chu lai. Chu lai vietnam 1969 was really special for neil armstrong to show up i grew up about 50 miles from where he was from in ohio and neil had just become the first human to walk on the moon several months ealier while i was in nam. Letters of soldier dissent from the vietnam war history. Lai the infamous massacre of the vietnam war bringing the. This place is situated in binh son, quang ngai, vietnam, its geographical coordinates are 15 24 0 north, 108 42 0 east and its original name with diacritics is chu lai. Chu was called back to seoul, korea on business and would miss the first six days of our trip.
She was reassigned to chu lai, the 27th surgical unit which, on the face of it, looked like a plush assignment, a short walk to the white beaches of the south china sea. There had been battles and already 21 americans had earned medals of honor. The 1968 my lai massacre was one of the most horrific incidents of violence committed against unarmed civilians during the vietnam war. See more ideas about vietnam, vietnam war and vietnam veterans. The army sent scott from cam ranh bay up to chu lai and assigned him to a. D uring the vietnam war, lz baldy hill 63 was a military fire support base for the u. Even if your knowledge of the vietnam war comes exclusively from hollywood films and texan textbooks that only refer to. The north vietnamese army had seized the regions most critical terrain the bolovens plateau.
In 1967 a naval support activity base was established at chu lai to provide logistics support for allied operations in southern i corps 232. All takeoffs were with jato bottles lots of things went wrong with these especially at night and all landings were arrested. Nov 16, 2017 chu lai 1969 marines remember the hooches. That is julius c moody taking a wak at the ping pong ball. Ground forces, artillery from chu lai, ships and air support combine to kill nearly 700 vietcong. It was drizzling, and it was cold to the bone as most vietnam mornings were. This site is for those who served in the chu lai area during the vietnam war for the 26th engineers. Platt returned to his cp at chu lai following opera. It was a senseless death, the consequence of careless play.