73rd SAC -
Jim Cole's Photo Album - No. 1

Thanks,

• Incoming rocket hits at 6AM
  October 16, 1969. Incoming 100# rocket hit about 6AM. What a wakeup call! That's the 73rd hangar in the background. Melvin Dillman (on the left) and Mike Lisching (on the right) inspect the crater. Two other rockets were fired. One fell way short of the airfield and the other made it to the South China Sea.
  
  
  
  

• Same rocket crater
  Same rocket crater. Soldier is possibly Mark Spedden. The rocket hit next to a guard bunker that was out by the gate.
  
  
  
  

• Back Beach - Vung Tau
  The island off the back beach.
  
  
  
  

• Does anyone care for fresh pineapples?
  Vietnamese girls selling fresh pineapples at the back beach.
  
  
  
  

• Main PX - Long Bien, RVN
  Long Bien main PX. I stopped there as often as possible while stationed at Long Thanh North.
  
  
  
  

• Long Thanh North - 73d Hanger (center); Company Area (center left)
  Long Thanh North from the right seat of the company Otter. I was on the way to Ton Son Nhut to inspect an aircraft for a flight home. The company hangar is on the left with the double opening. The company area is in the top center of the photo.
  
  
  
  

• Long Thanh North - 73d Hanger (center left)
  Another view of the maintenance hangar at Long Thanh North. Our flight line is out of the picture to the right.
  
  
  
  

• 73d Hanger - Long Thanh North
  Hawk #12 in for routine maintenance at Long Thanh North.
  
  
  
  

• Long Thanh North - Hooches
  Long Thanh Hooches. Quite a change from Vung Tau. Wooden floors and wooden walkways - and the toilet facilities were sparse!! Next album will have pics of officers building their own shower.
  
  
  
  

• Long Thanh North - Outhouse
  Here I am sprinting back to the hooch after a visit to the out house. Primitive, but once you adjust to it, it was okay. Such memories.... Who can forget the smokey haze that rose into the air every morning?
  
  
  
  

• Long Thanh North - Party
  This picture was taken at a party in the maintenance hangar. I have absolutely no idea what we were celebrating. That is Major Holt on the left and 1SGT Vern Martin on the right. Center???
  
  
  
  

• Party time!
  Major Holt did enjoy a good party!!
  
  
  
  

• Smashed up Mohawk... time to call State Farm, "like a good neighbor"
  This picture is in Vung Tau. The Hawk was to be a replacement, but we never took possession of it. It was hit when a civilian aircraft skidded off the short runway. This hawk provided many parts to keep the others flying.
  
  
  
  

• A plaque presentation...
  This is a plaque presented to Major Holt at the party in Long Thanh North. Again, the significance escapes me.
  
  
  
  

• Cool toolbox carrier!
  This toolbox carrier I built out of an old high stage compressor that was being scrapped. Sure helped to move my toolbox from the hangar to the flight line and back.
  
  
  
  

• ...more toolbox carrier
  Another shot of the toolbox. I must have had plenty of extra time on my hands.
  
  
  
  

• 73d Company Area - Vung Tau
  73rd company street in Vung Tau. The mess hall is on the right. The hangar in rear of pic is not ours.
  
  
  
  

• Main maintenance hanger - Vung Tau
  Side view of main maintenance hangar in Vung Tau. Late 1969.
  
  
  
  

• Home Sweet Home...
  Inside view of hootch in Vung Tau. Must have been a secure area as the bunks are stacked. Not so when we moved to Long Thanh.
  
  
  
  

• POL fire...
  Vung Tau. Don't know the date. I was on guard duty downtown when we had a POL fire. We lost a 5000 gallon tanker and a 1200 tanker. No one was hurt that I recall. Yep, that's the breezeway by the club.
  
  
  
  

• Mike Lisching - Driving tug
  Don't remember the circumstances, but I was riding in the cockpit of a Hawk while Mike Lisching was driving the tug. Vung Tau.
  
  
  
  

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Last update: January 27, 2002