RTAF Base Ubon Ratchathani

[loongdavid]

If you are reading this and were a USAF (8th TFW) or RAAF (79SQN) Vietnam era veteran based at RTAF Ubon Ratchathani on or about 3 January 1968, I would like to hear from you.

[Martyjustice]

How about early 70s? AMS/ECM.

[retiredaamt]

At Ubon 1966-1967. Returned

1968-1970. worked the 497TFS as a Crew Chief, In 69 went to Maintenance Control in the DCM building.

[loongdavid]

Thanks guys for your responses. I am specifically interested in anyone who may have witnessed or been involved in some way with the crash of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Sabre aircraft on 3 January 1968. The crash occurred 1.2nm from the threshold of runway 05. Many USAF personnel were involved with many being from Fire & Rescue Services and ATC. Some were witnesses at the subsequent Court of Enquiry.

My interest stems from my long and frustrating attempt to have the death of the pilot, Pilot Officer Mark McGrath RAAF, recognised in Thailand. He was the only Australian to die whilst on active service in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Although his name appears on the National War Memorial in Canberra he goes unrecognised in Thailand. When last I spoke with a senior officer at the RTAF Base Ubon, he and his staff were totally unaware that Australia even had aircraft at Ubon (ugh!). I guess they weren't born then.

If all else fails, the memorial plaque will most likely hang in the new (yet to be built) Australian Embassy in Bangkok.

Many thanks again.

[MeMock]

Hello Uncle David

Not sure if this will help or not but a while ago I wrote a few blogs about the Vietnam war in Ubon. Since then I have had heaps of people who were active on the base at that time leaving messages. One blog in particular got a lot of response in the comments section. Have a look through it and the replies and see what you can find out. Hope it helps!

http://www.memock.com/2011/11/25/life-in-ubon-ratchathani-as-a-soldier-during-the-vietnam-war/

Regards

MM

[loongdavid]

G'day MeMock

Great reading all the material you sent through and thanks. Regrettably, I couldn't find anything reference RAAF Sabre as most contributions were post 1968. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the VC sappers infiltrating RTAF base Ubon, something that I, and I guess a lot of folk, did not know about. By way of a brief explanation as to why Australian aircraft were based at Ubon I supply the following...

In 1962 and in response to a threat to Thailand from across the border with Laos, four member nations of the South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO), the United States; Britain; New Zealand and Australia sent armed units to defend Thailand’s land and air sovereignty.

Australia’s principal contribution was 79 Squadron RAAF equipped with eight CA-27 Avon Sabres (Sidewinder equipped) that were to be based at the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) Base Ubon Ratchathani, then a small airfield close to the border with Laos. The airfield had very little in the way of facilities except a runway and control tower, some RTAF T-28s operated there and the United States Air Force (USAF) had set up an air defence radar unit, known as ‘Lion’. Ground support equipment and squadron supplies were flown in from Australia by RAAF C130A Hercules and Ubon was established as a fully operational base.

Sabre aircraft of the RAAF flew in on 1 June 1962 and were operational four days later; they would remain so 24/7 for the next six years. The base support personnel were posted from units in Australia but the Sabres, aircrew and maintenance crews were drawn from 78 Fighter Wing based at Butterworth in Malaysia. 78 Fighter Wing consisted of 3 and 77 Fighter Squadrons together with 478 Maintenance Squadron.

The mission of 79 Squadron was to assist the Thai and Laotian governments in actions against communist insurgents during the early years of the war in Vietnam. Later, the threat of invasion from communist North Vietnam also became an influencing factor in the squadron’s presence at Ubon.

With the deployment of fighters from the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing USAF to Ubon, the unit also performed joint exercises and provided "top cover" air defence for the USAF attack aircraft and bombers that were based at Ubon and were flying round-the-clock missions over North Vietnam. So as not to contravene Thailand's neutrality status 79 Squadron did not, however, fly any operations over North Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos or South Vietnam.

At 1043 hours on January 3, 1968 79 Squadron suffered a major loss when Sabre A94-986 crashed into a village 1.2 nautical miles from the threshold to runway 05. Engine flame-out was the cause and the aircraft was too low to affect a safe ejection. The pilot, Pilot Officer Mark McGrath was killed. Pilot Officer McGrath’s aircraft was one of a section of four Sabres that had been conducting an air intercept mission and were returning to base. Although Mark's name appears on the Wall of Remembrance at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Mark is totally forgotten in Thailand. Two years ago a plaque was manufactured to his memory but is still waiting to find a final resting place. Perhaps in the new Australian Embassy.

Regrettably, there were Thai casualties from the incident and a three year old girl named Prataisre Sangdang died later from extensive burns sustained in the accident. The homes of Mr Nuan, Mr Krasam, Mr Thongkam and Mr Tue were totally destroyed. The home of Mr Sok was partly destroyed. Ten pigs belonging to Mr Sok were killed as were 15 belonging to Mr Oh. Outbuildings belonging to Mr Wiruch and to Mrs Sim were also damaged.

The Squadron subsequently re-deployed to Butterworth air base, Malaysia on August 31, 1968.In 1962 and in response to a threat to Thailand from across the border with Laos, four member nations of the South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO), the United States; Britain; New Zealand and Australia sent armed units to defend Thailand’s land and air sovereignty.

[Farma]

You might have some success with the Oz Gunnies as they tend to keep in regular touch with each other. They have a web site gunnies dot com dot au with a page dedicated to 79 Sqn Ubon including photos.

I can also remember posts in this TVF Issan forum remembering Mark McGrath in the not too distant past.

I'm ex 79 but from a later era when the Sqn reformed in Butterworth. The old Ubon crew room fridge was located, refurbed and took pride of place during the ceremony.

[loongdavid]

G'day Farma

Thanks for the info. I was in 35SQN in SVN when Mark lost his life and I have been shaking the DVA bureaucracy up for not recognising him here in Thailand. Seems they are quite prepared to expend resources on the Hell Fire Pass museum and memorial but not at Ubon for one man. So much for Lest We Forget!

Thanks mate