10 Comments on “John’s Photos from Vietnam Circa 1964”

1. Bill Shaw July 25, 2013 at 6:11 am

   Very interesting – that 1st photo is a M38! I have heard M38A1s made it to Vietnam, but that is the 1st M38 I have seen. It is only marked B7E and up on the windshield frame at that – not correct US military markings. John – what unit was this?

   I have a M38 and I wanted to mark it with my unit markings (46th Eng (construction), A Co) – I was in Vietnam in ’69 we had M151s then. I marked it as it would have been (if they had M38s) in 1955, at that time they were in the states and under 4th Army command. The reason I say “if” is in 1955 they could of had old, running their last cylinder rebuilt MB/GPWs, M38s or M38A1s – usually combat units got the newest and best and stateside construction engineer would have been issued what was left.

   I saw lots of CJ3Bs and licensed military versions from Japan and India with the ARVNs and the Ausses and CJ5s with civilian contractors.
2. Dan B. July 25, 2013 at 7:32 am

   Maybe a French or other country’s unit?
3. John July 25, 2013 at 7:57 am

   Bill,
   I don’t know what unit that was. B-7E. I was based out of Danang in Nov-Dec 63 (18th Aviation)and the SF camp was about a mile or so from the runway at Khe Sahn. One of the more primitive ones at that time. The B-team was in Danang, C team, Nha Trang. I later took the C-team CO, to Khe Sahn, but due to the monsoons wasn’t able to get in. 5th Special Forces at the time was Provisional
   Regards,
   John
4. John July 25, 2013 at 7:59 am

   What Dan points out could be correct. The 3/4 T ammo carrier we had, bullet hole thru the driver’s window included, was not one of our units vehicles.
5. Dan B. July 25, 2013 at 8:23 am

   Aside: last week I read a good book about this time in SE Asia: SOG: America’s Commandos in Vietnam by John Plaster (who was there). It talks a lot about Khe Sang and Nha Trang.
6. Bruce Golder July 25, 2013 at 10:03 am

   Anybody know what kind of plane that is?
7. FLYINGFISH July 25, 2013 at 11:07 am

   This should help Bruce:

   http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA—Army/De-Havilland-Canada/2271475/M/

   https://www.google.co.za/search?q=De+Havilland+Canada+U-1A+Otter&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=EWjxUbKCA4XfPaOPgfAH&ved=0CFYQsAQ&biw=1440&bih=799&sei=LGjxUejNF4G2PYbSgcgB
8. John July 25, 2013 at 12:01 pm

   Bruce,
   The aircraft is a U1A Otter, mfg by DeHavilland of Canada, with one in the museum at Pensacola & Ft Rucker. One on active duty at the Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxant River.
   Anything you could put in it we hauled, medivac, ammo/gas airdrops, SF combat jumps, regular passengers, chicken, pigs, rice, etc.
9. John July 25, 2013 at 12:11 pm

   As far as books go try the one on Floyd James Thompson, the followup CO of the A team at Khe Sanh. He got shot down on 3/26/64 and stayed a POW for 9 years. A heart rending story!!! Glory Denied: The Saga of Jim Thompson, America’s Longest-Held Prisoner of War
10. Dan B. July 25, 2013 at 9:05 pm

    Thanks for the book rec John. I added it to my list. Much appreciated.