Duty at Phan Rang 1972/73

The base was the largest in Vietnam I was told. 10 Square miles of perimiter. We hunted snakes with CO2 fire extinguishers on old abandonded runways covered with high grass. There were guard towers every 300 yards around the perimiter with VNAF camping out in the weeds every 50 yards. The base was very well protected. I'm sure things were very different when you were there.

When I arrived in Sept. 72, there was only 25 of us Americans on the base as advisors as you probably were when you were there. We all were Air Force under the the command of the Army as our unit was called AFAT2, Det.2 (Air Force Advisory Team 2, Detachment 2).

I got to mingle with the local people in town a few times as I was there. I visited an old Budda temple and took some pictures. Most of those were lost in the mail as we were pulling out. They were getting developed in Japan at the time.

Looking back, I wish we would have won that war! I met and became friends with alot of those Viet's. They are not any different than the people of the Gulf or Afganistan today. War is hell. It's definately better being on the winning side..

We should go back and kick Ass!!