Đông Hà
USAF Security Police

1966-68
Photos by Dennis Vaudell ,
MCB 5 (5th. Mobile Construction Battalion (SeaBee's)
attached to the 3rd Marine Division

I Spent 65' and part of 66' at Đà Nàng Air Base. 66'-68' in around Đông Hà Air Field.


1) Late 1966, a mortar hit on the aircraft parking area on the north side of runway.
The Seabees of my detachment performed the repairs to Đông Hà Air Field's
aluminum / magnesium runway matting and the PSP parking area.


2) When a mortar hits in the runway, the magnesium in the matting burns, so the
effected planks have to be removed before the fire spreads to adjacent planks.
An F4 tried to land here during an emergency but still had flying speed and left the
end of the runway and flew another 1000 feet before ending up in a gully to the west.


3) A US Army twin 40 MM gun located near the southeast end of the runway near the POL farm.


4) (Close up)


5) This is my Cow Palace card. My friend Paul Sullivan helped a USAF FAC
pilot (Capt. Clark ?), so he arranged this card. On X-mas Eve the base was
attacked. The Capt. took off to spot what he could. He was at a party and was
rather loaded at the time. He landed with minor wounds and Sully and I was
there to help him from his O1 Bird dog. We thought that he was badly
injured, but merely drunk and with only slight wounds.


6) The Ration dump located between mid-runway and the Air Force compound. You can see the mortar damage.

Music and © 1998, by J. Eshleman, ll BMI
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