Vietnam Diary

Dick Acott's got orders to Iwakuni to fly the C-54 - Will miss him - One of the best liked senior officers in the squadron.

VMA 121 is in the process of moving to the northern end of Chu Lai East Making room for an army unit coming Sounds like there coming on in full force- like a Division maybe. One of the Advanced Party is a Dartmouth ’64 grad, Ron Alexander Capt. Another TPQ tonight- 0950. Should get some sleep for a change.

Brief fight in the club. A Gruman tech got flattened by a GySgt he took by surprise- good reactions! He’s personna non grata in the Club & expected to leave for the States soon. If we have as much trouble with the Army as we do with the civilians it ought to be a lively summer.

11 APR- 67

C-117 down in ubon for “engine change.” God knows when we’ll get to Danang.

121 busy moving to 214’s area- rumor has Army is moving into our spaces- c Copter squadron- also take over the TAOR.

Got O-club pretty well cleaned up & ready to assume duties.

Another TPQ tonight- 2045- getting earlier - Last nite's was uneventful.

Mac left for R&R in Hawaii- tough! Bill Darnell- escort for entertainers.

12 APR - 67 TPQ uneventFul - Except that compass was off 60º after Y.O. - was headed for Thailand when Moonman straightend me out. -- a1.5 due to delays on IFR APPROACH. - usual F-4 on Guard & AIRFORCE C-130 Shelling troops icy.

Something going on around here. Army Types are coming in by the plane load - marines heading North by touch.

Mortar attack at 12:30. Ken was still awake so we made it to our bunker in Record. [Woke] Sammy Vaugn up by picking the foot of his bed up 3 ft + dropping it. - that got results - U.C. Lobbed in Quite a few shell - but all landed near 533 area - South [?] of west Reg. Killed two AirForce C-130 Crew wonded 30 others - Damaged the C-130. Evidently aiming for A-6's but missed

VMA-211 Lost an aircraft & Pilot - SNAKEYE [?] & PLANE caught - fire, wing came off - At first thought it was a fin separation but FAC Reported very heavy fire. - Pilot not recovered.

I Spent From 11:00 (slept late) till 16:00 building shelves in storeroom. - Got in pretty well squared. - now [?] can only get some supplies !

Slow nite at the bar + Lousy movie. No Hope - Forgot to put my name on the Dolo Board.

Informal Squadron Party Going on Next Door CO, to in attendance.

Scrounged some stuff from old 121 Quarters - all I could carry. Beginning to think the marine corps doesn't have anything because we abuse, it, leave it Behind, Waste it, throw it away.

12 APR -67

Spent most of the day scrounging around- info- materials, etc-

C-117 still - upon so trying to hook a ride to wing with copter -

Army copters now moving into our old area. - God knows where they're going to put their troops.

TPQ [?] with a daylight take off! Wonders never cease. Banged on toe still prevents P.T. rateful uncomfortable to walk on.

Come over inventory set for Saturday - got out of being pay officer because of it- what a headache - 1100 people [illegible] - 12

Jay left for R&R in Hong KongFixing up [hask?] to allow for taking flights airborne - should be ready to go in a couple of days.

Must get some more [illegible] also - Got first one's back - strafing shots in Laos - & o/s [?][?][?]

Ox mask fixed for recording - uneventful TBQ -

14 Apr '67

Day started [early?] with a 9:00 wake up. Stumbled over to the Comm wondering what I'd do all day - found Hank Castle sitting there. He's Wing Comm open treasurer - more or less my boss. Spent the morning [illegible] & asking quite a few. He was [illegible] principly to sign contract to contract Patio Roof for o-club - going to be bamboo & thatch- with a plastic sheeting under the thatch to make doubling sure it's waterproof during the monsoon season. - local U. C. Constuction company - should take a month to build.

Afternoon Hank borrowed the warehouse jeep & we toured the local clubs - got a [cooler?] at mag-13's - same construction - veryl nice.

Major Mackey - May 13 club Capt McKinley - his relieve - SSGT Yeager - his adjutant.

Hope to buy up 1st Div warehouse of booze as they're moving out. - could use it.

Dick Bishop - blew up an engine

this afternoon. switched to manual fuel at 85% and it wouldn't go back to [?] soon had soft flame shooting out the rear. Wingman told him to shut it down- Delayed - statror blades coming out the back- engine totaled- my aircraft!

TPQ tonite- 2250- not bad after a day's work

Heard Barry Pappas was killed as FAC when platoon overrun up by DMZ they got company CO, XO, det cmd & 1st sarg also. wasn't too much left of any of them.

12 APRIL 1967

Early start with a 0610 brief - HE near Dong Ha. - UX was 8012 0 3H canc on target time.

Hence to second breakfast. - group to pick up some stationary supplies - MABS motor T - 2/LT Ed Keane looks like a good contact for transportation.

1000 inventory will Major Boles took only 1 hr & the O-club is al mine also got contract signed to built patio roof - Mr Duong. - with the help of a viet [?] Dictionary we hand out the contested points.

Simulated a test from 121 in the P.M. took some movies & on shot an away run - lousy high performance takeoff - out of shape.

Squadron (121) party in the P.M. also did not attend due to Flying

Sully & Jim Pollock left for var trips - Sent 311 Jet [?] back with Jim - finally - Moyer Evans - assistant Group S-1 LTCOL U. P. Brown - CO [?]([?)] 533 LCPL Guy Rindge - Prospective Bartender SSGT Linsen biegler - MABS Motor T Doatchr

16 Apr - 67 Got up for a 0620 [?] only to cave at 0800 because of tot UX - seems like TRQ's are the only sure hops - shitty hours but sure hops.

Spent day on club matters - Visited S & E club & rounded up some supplies 6YCST Hedmel at [?] Carpentry shop will be a good contact.

Spoke to chaplain about employee's - [?] about plans

CHH6 - Army - going to Danang in the morning So I hope to catch the early shuttle after a late TPQ and get some booze for the clubs.

Al Larson picked up a round in the [?] cell at ashou valley - good thing it wasn't a tracer. [?ooled] away - 0100 TPQ Major Butler - H & Hs Maintenance officer

17 APR '67

Got TPQ's are getting old. - All the way to Poteu Bai to drop 3 bombs - then then gear went down so I scronged around and finally dropped several there with Des "D" - 1.5 and [?] timed. Fiddled with the APR-23 would seem to [?] well would like to get some tapes of the chirps -

Slept from 0600-0800 - then hopped an H-3Y for Danang. Ponture Burns did ordered 6,000 # of booze hoping Army Chinook would come up - no whow. Did get 2 pallets back aboard C-130. Dang frustrating, wet day.

Sniveling another midnight special upon my return - 0120 Brief. Dick ? UNO-6 LT Morgan - Wing warehouse GY SGT Ioseu " "

Top Hardy accompained me on Vup & managed to fulfill all expectations of incompetent dunderheaded idiocy. I haven't got my thesaurus handy to [?] out the real description.

Brought back Capotes "In Cold Blood" - Looks very good if first couple of chapters is any indication. An also