180th

All photos provided by 1st Lt. Jim Nolan of the 180th

The in-processing center at Camp Alpha in Saigon. On my first tour I had gone through Cam Rahn Bay.

CAMP ALPHA

I was assigned to the 180th Assault Support Helicopter Company at Lane Army Heliport, flying the CH-47C Helicopters. The 180th was known as "Big Windy".

Lane Heliport 1972

Me in 1972

Pure Enthusiasm

My "hootch" (extreme right side of picture). Hot and muggy all the time, the crooked light pole by the entrance door provided light that attracted bugs by the millions which in turn attracted toads by the trillions. I couldn't walk outside at night without "squishing" dozens.

180th "Time Share"

I often wondered where those stones to build the Chapel came from. I also wonder what happened to it when we left.

Stone Chapel

Typical 180th helicopter, the "Horny Hooker" gets checked over by her crew. Behind the aircraft is a typical external load enclosed in a cargo net. The black material on the ground is "Pena-Prime". It was a tar like substance used to keep the blowing dust down around where helicopters flew. Note the M-60 Machine Gun sticking out the cabin door.

"Horny Hooker"

Crewmembers take a split second break while doing an inspection of the forward rotor system.

Taking a break

Maintenance folks doing some minor work on the aft rotor head. Note the "missing" window in the rear of the aircraft. This was so a crewmember could stick his head outside and clear the aircraft into confined areas.

.....and check the tires too!

"Mission birds" for the day. Lined up and ready to go.

You go first!

Looking for Missiles

At this phase of the war, the NVA had the Soviet shoulder launched SA-7 missile. This crewmember is hanging over the ramp of the aircraft in flight looking for a missile launch. The gray box to the left is a flare pod "borrowed" from the Navy. The observer on the ramp or the two gunners on each side of the cabin or the two pilots could fire the flares if any were sighted. When the missiles first showed up in South Vietnam, all we had for defense was the observer with two loaded flare pistols! A classmate of mine in the Fixed Wing Qualification course, Ron Vanlandingham, was killed on 31 Oct 1972 when his Chinook helicopter was shot down by a SA-7 near Saigon.

On the hilltop, in the center of the photo, is a typical Korean firebase that we supported with our Chinooks. We would haul up water, fuel, food and ammo. They were always glad to see us coming!

Penthouse Suite

180th CH-47 Chinook carries a "sick" Cobra to the helicopter hospital.

Hitchhiker

Take the first dike to the left to get to town!

Typical low land Vietnamese living

Tuy Hoa Air Base

At this stage of the war, the big American Air force base at Tuy Hoa was turned over to the South Vietnamese. We landed there sometimes to pick up external loads in support of South Vietnamese and Korean troops.

Sign My Guestbook! View my Guestbook