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Stationed in Thailand or Vietnam during the War?


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Posted

Not saying anything was good about it. But, one had to make the best of a bad situation. The music from home helped with that. But, if I have to explain it, you wouldn't understand.

Posted

Good Morning Vietnam ?? what was good about Vietnam please tell

At the height of the war in 1969, there were roughly 540,000 troops in Vietnam. Of that total, only perhaps 60,000 were-rifle carrying, front-line soldiers. At any given point, perhaps less than 40,000 of that 60,000 were actually in the field, at risk and seeking contact with the enemy.
Posted (edited)

Good Morning Vietnam ?? what was good about Vietnam please tell

At the height of the war in 1969, there were roughly 540,000 troops in Vietnam. Of that total, only perhaps 60,000 were-rifle carrying, front-line soldiers. At any given point, perhaps less than 40,000 of that 60,000 were actually in the field, at risk and seeking contact with the enemy.

That was combat arms but all troops carried a weapon and those in the rear got attacked and had to defend themselves. I was there from Oct67 to Jun69 in the field and in a base camp. Also combat arms troops spent down time in the base camps. I'm not sure you were there. But maybe some stationed in Saigon never carried a weapon.

Edited by pmarlin
Posted

Plus about 50,000 U.S. military in Thailand at the high point, primarily USAF but a goodly number of U.S. Army, mostly Engineer units and troops supporting them, in construction projects.

Mac

A god number of US Army in Thailand were logistics types who ran the port at Sattihip and the transportation units that supplied those Air bases. Mostly to deliver the fuel and munitions. The engineers where mostly gone from Thailand during the summer of 1971 when Camp Friendship in Korat closed. Also had a large Army Security Agency unit up in Udorn and up to early 71 in Bangkok. And a Special forces unit in Lopburie.

Posted (edited)

Good Morning Vietnam ?? what was good about Vietnam please tell

At the height of the war in 1969, there were roughly 540,000 troops in Vietnam. Of that total, only perhaps 60,000 were-rifle carrying, front-line soldiers. At any given point, perhaps less than 40,000 of that 60,000 were actually in the field, at risk and seeking contact with the enemy.

That was combat arms but all troops carried a weapon and those in the rear got attacked and had to defend themselves. I was there from Oct67 to Jun69 in the field and in a base camp. Also combat arms troops spent down time in the base camps. I'm not sure you were there. But maybe some stationed in Saigon never carried a weapon.

The largest military base in Vietnam was Long Binh; staffed by 100,000 troops and none of them carried a weapon. I'm not sure you were there either.biggrin.png

Exceptions, people guarding the base and some MP's and of course the Ruff Puffs.wai2.gif

Edited by lostoday
Posted

pmarlin

The ASA camp 12 km south of Udorn, Ramasun, didn't shut down until spring 1976. Both USAF and Army linguists were there listening to Chinese, Vietnamese, and Lao radio transmissions.

Thought Camp Friendship, at Korat, stayed open longer than 1971, the 31st Field Hospital was there and also served the USAF guys. Attached a photo of Camp Friendship from early 1964. That large empty area between the camp and the runway is where the USAF guys moved into starting August '64.

Mac

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Posted

Don't Forget Before The yanks discovered the road northeast out of Bangkok, there were NZAF Stationed at Camp Friendship, from the end of 1962 there were odd 1000 commonwealth troops building roads ,bridges and airfields in Thailand, 16 and 18 commonwealth brigade Australian and kiwi troops went on to serve in Vietnam, only brits I knew in cluding yours truly who set foot in Vietnam ,were sappers on their way from Singapore and Malacca via the milkrun to Ubon which stopped off in Tan Son Hut to pick up mail and fresh milk for the Australian airforce base in Ubon ,at that time USAAF were just estabalishing them selves in Ubon

Posted

I can't imagine what it must have been like in Thailand then, but I'm jealous of anyone who was enjoying the unspoiled Thailand i.e. before the 90's

Some of the old pics in another section of thaivisa are magical

Posted

I remember that every time our ship got close to Saigon we could pick up a radio station that played music like this. I recorded a few hours of it on my cassette player / recorder.

I used to play it every once in a while. Too bad it got lost over the times.

Thanks for the link!

Posted

pmarlin

The ASA camp 12 km south of Udorn, Ramasun, didn't shut down until spring 1976. Both USAF and Army linguists were there listening to Chinese, Vietnamese, and Lao radio transmissions.

Thought Camp Friendship, at Korat, stayed open longer than 1971, the 31st Field Hospital was there and also served the USAF guys. Attached a photo of Camp Friendship from early 1964. That large empty area between the camp and the runway is where the USAF guys moved into starting August '64.

Mac

I know I was with the 83rd RRSOU until is was deactivated and after that spent a year with the 7th RRFS and after that two years with USARSUPTHAI in Bangkok.

Posted

Good Morning Vietnam ?? what was good about Vietnam please tell

At the height of the war in 1969, there were roughly 540,000 troops in Vietnam. Of that total, only perhaps 60,000 were-rifle carrying, front-line soldiers. At any given point, perhaps less than 40,000 of that 60,000 were actually in the field, at risk and seeking contact with the enemy.

That was combat arms but all troops carried a weapon and those in the rear got attacked and had to defend themselves. I was there from Oct67 to Jun69 in the field and in a base camp. Also combat arms troops spent down time in the base camps. I'm not sure you were there. But maybe some stationed in Saigon never carried a weapon.

The largest military base in Vietnam was Long Binh; staffed by 100,000 troops and none of them carried a weapon. I'm not sure you were there either.biggrin.png

Exceptions, people guarding the base and some MP's and of course the Ruff Puffs.wai2.gif

Kind of high so I looked it up. More like 60,000 during its peak in 1969. https://www.flickr.com/photos/13476480@N07/5162989087/ Also looking at the Army units there I doubt none of them carried a weapon. Also remember the place was a target during TeT 68 and 69.

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