-Aviation Units-
Page 2

A Tour of Dong Tam
 by Robert Fisher

        
1 - A CH-47 Chinook from the 14th Assault Support Helicopter Company crosses over the new north berm. At the time of this photo, the 147th was part of the 214th Combat Aviation Battalion (CAB) and operated out of Vung Tau Army Airfield and not Dong Tam. Looking NW. 4/69
2 - A stick of Huey "Slicks" coming in to board troops heading out on a mission. The view is SW and shows the old north berm. It appears the 15th Engineers were doing some construction along the west end of the old north berm - hard to see in the photo. 4/69
3 - A closer view of the "Slicks" shown in photo 2. The heads and shoulders of troops waiting to board the "Slicks" can just be seen above the berm as they wait in Deuce-and-a-halves. The elevated structure at the far right of the photo is the heliport control tower. Looking SW. 4/69
4 - The maintenance and aircraft parking area along the fixed wing airstrip. The 1,000 foot long and 100 foot wide airstrip was made from interlocking PSP (Perforated Steel Plate) that was coated with sand impregnated paint. The fixed wing airstrip was located in the SW of Dong Tam and was near the Kinh Xang (canal) that bordered the west side of Dong Tam. Looking west. 2/24/69

        
1 - Entranceway to one of the rotary wing company taxiways leading to the Heliport. Looking N. 3/69
2 - Similar to the preceding photo. The center left helo displays the tail-boom designator of the Jayhawks, Company A, 9th Aviation Battalion. Looking N. 3/69
3 - Same area as shown in the preceding two photos. Looking N. 3/69
4 - A USAF C-7A Caribou unloads an Army Jeep at the fixed wing airfield. Effective 1 January 1969 all Army Caribous were to be turned over to the USAF. The one shown in the photo (#402) was from the 535th Tactical Air Squadron operating out of Vung Tau. Caribou #402 was originally assigned to the Army's 57th Aviation Company and, other than the USAF style "Stars and Bars", it still retains the overall Army olive drab paint scheme. Looking west. 2/24/69

  
1 - Another general view of the helo taxiways. Looking N. 3/69
2 - The chopper on the far left with the inverted triangle painted on it's tail-boom is from the 3/17th Air Cavalry Squadron, probably B Troop, which operated out of Dong Tam during 1969. Looking N. 3/69 

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