Steve Brackins Gio Linh. Photo Courtesy Ron Zaczek |
Kyle Townsend, VMO-3's Commanding Officer, in Vic
Martinez' bird "Patches".
Dutch Holland is in flak vest. (Dick Musante) |
Phu Bai, 1967. VMO-3 flight line left of center. (Dick
Musante) |
|
Cpl. Ron Phelps
A photo of Ron Phelps, killed in action over the Co
Bi-Tan Thanh 14 November 1967. Ron died with VMO-3
pilots Milton Kelsey and Thomas Carter, flying
Maj. General Bruno Hochmuth.
This photo was taken in September, 1967 after his
aircraft was hit in a rocket and mortar attack at
Dong Ha. The incoming fell between his aircraft and
mine in the parking area. His took all the hits and mine escaped. You
can see he is pointing to a hole. Photo: Courtesy
Ron Zaczek
|
|
VMO-3 Crew Chief Ron Phelps at Phu Bai in
October/November 1967. Ron was KIA 14 November
1967. Courtesy Dick Musante, VMO-3
|
|
"SNIFFER" Just
prior to the TET in January of 1968, we flew our only slick sometimes
rigged with the "sniffer" with two of our Gunships at 6
o'clock high to cover the inevitable fire the sniffer would draw. The
sniffer's probe can be seen taped to the skid. We were still VMO-3 at
the time, soon to change to HML-367.
Harry M. Lynch, Sgt. 1967-68
|
First hooches. Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
The "Mouse" Photo courtesy Mike
Kujawa |
In early 1967, VMO-3 constructed tent "shops" near the
southern end of the runway at Phu Bai, very near
the perimeter. It was a desolate area and a long,
cold walk from the living quarters, especially before dawn or late in
the evening during the monsoon. The arched tent (only a
portion is visible at the extreme right of this
photograph) was VMO-3's first "hangar," barely large
enough for one aircraft. The entrance was too low to permit entry of
a Huey with it's mast and blades attached; VMO-3's
mechanics persuaded a nearby Seabee battalion to
run a bulldozer through the tent and scoop a trench
through the sand floor. Although this enabled us to drag an aircraft
through the door, it flooded easily. Crawling under the
aircraft was a soaking, miserable task.
Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
"Our house , is a very, very
fine house"....This is the house we built
at the south end of the runway by our first shops (tents). We stole, or
I should I say cumshawed/appropriated the wood from the Seabees,
during the monsoon season when there wasn't much flying. I lived
in it with Harry Leonard until we moved into the shop area on the west
side of the runway. Not to many guys built there own pad
in-country. Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
VMO-3 assembly waiting for the birds coming in from the USS
Crotan. How many can you name?
Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
From left to right crew chief Dave Scott, Joe Perez
and crew chief George Augustus Finch III wait to
greet VMO-3's 2nd increment in May, 1967. George is
dressed as an Arab sheik in a bed sheet-burnoose, and handed a bullet
and a band aid to each new squadron member. An
eager VC in the poster completes the picture.
(Dick Musante)
|
VMO-3 at Camp Pendleton prior
to departing CONUS Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
Hail to the Chief
VMO-3 Line chief (standing) awaiting to go
aboard the Crotan with ????....Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
|
This is a picture of yours truly Mike Kujawa , Harry,
Dutch, Woody and Bostich (who is no longer with us) at the Monument at
Wake Island. Dick Embree is behind me( he was our
field electrician.)
Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
JUNGLE TRAINING... In the
finest spirit of Marine Corps (SEMPER GUMBY) and making due with
the resources at hand, the warriors of VMO-TU practice Cover and
Concealment prior to their departure for the Republic of Viet Nam at the
Jungle Warfare Training Center in Arizona. Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
|
"GQ"
Take a look at these stateside boys in their pretty orange flight
suits, that they had to dye green. Good old
VMO-TU. Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com]
|
|
El Toro... VMO-3
off to war. Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
| One short thing about
equipment;
In Late April or May, 5 or 6 of us (all enlisted) arrived in Phu Bai
bringing to the fray 3 UH1Es from aboard the USS Tripoli,
LPH 10. We sailed out of San Diego and brought
quite a few pallets of goods and those 3 birds. I was senior man and an
E4, there was James Planck, Bob Osker (?) and 2 or
3 other men.
We did stop in Hawaii and enjoyed a brief
taste of fun before the 'run' to DaNang. We sighted Russian Bear Bombers
who 'buzzed' us at extremely low altitudes outside of the Philippines.
We then pulled into Viet Nam waters where we cruised along the
coast, never to set still and risk attack either from above or below.
The goods were off-loaded at DaNang and we then had to find our own
way to Phu Bai. After a day or so I found an old
Navy LSD that would give us passage (for a few
pallets of boots, jungle jackets) and we were taken
to Hue.
During our night trip up the river, we were to see
fire-fights of unknown origin, and H
& I fire into the nether lands. The Navy guys on the LSD were OK and
served us ice cream, saying; "you won't get this
where you're going".
The equipment (dwindling in quantity) was taken by motor pool to Phu
Bai and we set out to get something to eat. The 5
(6?) of us walked across a bridge near our
off-loading and into a small restaurant where we ate some
rice and had a beer; on our way back across the bridge we were advised
we were in very hostile territory on that side of the river (??).
We found our way to the base at Phu Bai later that day (or was it
night?) and that's the story of the 'other 3' birds that
made up the complete squadron.
Ted Elkins
Sgt. 2112574
VMO-TU, VMO-3
|
|
Hello check this one out. These
guys are getting ready to go aboard ship with the birds.
I can name most of them how about you? Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com]
|
|
VMO-3... First
Squadron Headquarters, Camp Pendleton, California. Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
|
"What the F*** are you looking at
Kujawa"...This is Sgt. James in S1 who most
of us met for the first time when we checked into
the outfit in Pendleton. Not me ...He was one of my DI's in
Diego, "What a surprise" .Photo Courtesy: Mike Kujawa [mikekujawa@hotmail.com] |
