From: Mike Douglas - ASRX
Subject: VSPA: Detachment Sites, USAF, SPS
Photos courtesy of U. S. Coast Guard - WARFARE BEHIND THE SCENES.
Have you heard of a detachment called, Det. 1, 366th SPS? It was a
small detachment NE of Hue, at a place called Tân Mỹ. I was an SP (81150)
and served there approximately 6 months. I believe at the time, it was
the northernmost Air Force operation. The site was actually run the
the US Coast Guard, and was home to a '600'? LORAN tower used to guide
our B-52's. The Coast Guard manned the electronics of the tower, while
the Security Police provided security for the small base. It was very
small, approximately 1-1.5 mile perimeter, with three towers, two bunkers
and a main gate.
Let me know if you've heard of it.
Thank you,
Michael Douglas
Photos & captions, courtesy: https://www.aug.edu/~libwrw/vwar/loran/loran.htm
The road toward Hue.
U. S. Air Force personnel provided security for the Tân Mỹ LORAN station up to 1975.
"Hey... YOU wanna eat that camera?"
This guard post, mounting a .50 caliber machine gun, is in the antenna
field -- a very lonely and isolated position.
This
is a very large target. The guard tower in any compound in Vietnam was
a good point of reference for enemy mortar, rocket or artillery fire.
The
commissioning of Tân Mỹ Loran Station, RVN, August 1969. In the forground
is the Coast Guard detachment, and in the rear is the U. S. Air Force
detachment assigned to protect the site.
Construction of the warehouse. Notice workers under Air Force guard.
Also note watertanks in back of ware house.
Air Force security at Station front gate. In the background is the
villa of the former South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem.
366th Weapons Systems Security, Đà Nàng, c.1968, (W1273) (Erik Newpher
reports this was an Air Force unit that provided security at the Tân Mỹ Loran Station).
