The Ghost of Cam Ranh Bay AB
The Hand
(Part II)

by Steve Gattis
1968-1969

The Ghost of Cam Ranh Bay Air Base:

The version of The Hand that I heard was slightly different from Ken Boyer's story....

When they were building the base at Cam Ranh Bay AB, the engineers had to excavate what had been an old burial area.  I heard that it was for the Vietnamese because Cam Ranh was supposed to mean "No Return."  It could have been for any body that had to be buried because when they dug up the body, a
hand was missing.  If you believed the legend, the hand would protect you.
       The hand would wake you if someone approached your post and the save you from a sapper attack.  If you did not believe the legend, the hand would torment you by moving things in your bunker.  If you dozed, the hand might move your M16 or knock it over.  Your helmet might be missing or your food
would be tampered with.
       A lot of guys really got spooked over this in the middle of the night when there was no moon.  It got so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.  Many guys swore that they hand had messed with them and that they were true believers.  There were some shots fired and there were some
really bad jokes played on guys who were gullible.  One SAT Team left a rubber glove filled with sand in the bunker between two sand bags while the airman was having a cup of coffee.  They left the area and within a minute he opened up with his M16.  Just about AP/SP I knew at Cam Ranh Bay AB had heard the legend.

Brian Thorne and Glenn Wilson ( our sergeant) all know the story.

Steve

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