|
|
Commander Arthur R. Lee Recalls a Sapper Attack at Cam Ranh Bay During the Vietnam WarVietnam | 14 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post
After two weeks in-country, I began to relax in my job as the Naval Air Facility assistant aircraft intermediate maintenance officer. We supported Navy Lockheed P-3 aircraft of patrol squadrons flying in Operation Market Time, which involved joint operations between the U.S. Navy and the South Vietnamese navy — chiefly coastal surveillance and anti-infiltration patrols. These planes patrolled the coasts of North and South Vietnam, tracking enemy shipping. Our facility had recently received six Vertol CH-46 helicopters, which had flown in from a carrier one evening and were supposed to move to the South to support the Swift boats and other naval units in the delta region south of Saigon. Subscribe Today
On the night of June 12, 1970, I was standing an indoctrination watch as command duty officer. A day earlier, as I was unfamiliar with the security layout of the base, I had asked the operations officer, Lt. Cmdr. Bob Kehoe, about his thoughts on possible future enemy attacks. ‘Our weak point,’ he had said, as he pointed out features on a map of the base, ‘is sappers getting through our wire and running down the taxi strip to our flight line and hangars.’ With his finger, he had traced the probable infiltration route, parallel to our main gate.
Fascinated, I had asked him what plans we had to repel the enemy. ‘Basically, none,’ he replied. ‘The probability of an attack is slight on a base of this size. That’s my best guess.’
His ‘best guess’ had left me with an uneasy feeling. Bob, a quiet officer not given to heroics, had been at the Naval Air Facility for a year. I respected his opinion.
While I was in my room, I kept my security radio on. At about midnight that night I went to bed and cut the volume down on the receiver. I had just closed my eyes when a loud explosion shook the bachelor officers’ quarters. This was followed by several more close at hand. In a rush, I pulled on my shirt and trousers, slid into my heavy flak jacket and helmet, and began to lace up my boots. The next sound I heard was unnerving — the ‘pop, pop, pop’ of an AK-47 being fired on our base! What I feared and dreaded most was happening. ‘Pop, pop, pop!’ again. Rapid fire! There followed more explosions in our hangar area, and then more rapid small-arms fire. My heart was pounding as I grabbed my M-16 and strapped on my pistol. Someone was screaming over the radio from the command post as I jumped into my jeep and headed toward the firing.
By that time, there was so much small-arms fire that I could not determine who was firing at whom. Reaching the command post, I was aghast to see that it had been overrun. The gate guard post had been blown up, along with a security jeep. Sappers had blasted through our main gate and run past the command post, throwing satchel charges into the sandbagged doorway as they passed. Smoke and the strong smell of cordite hung in the air, as more firing came from my left and right. But where was the enemy?
A satchel charge had knocked out our generators, and we were in darkness. I ran to the gate and found only one man defending the base — and he was unarmed. He crouched behind a low wall. Next to him was a box of hand-held’slap flares.’ He had fired several, illuminating the gate area. He slapped the base of another, which shot up into the air.
‘We need more light, sir!’ he yelled.
I grabbed a flare and slapped at its base. The hot gasses of the flare shot up into my face, and the ball of fire bounced off the low wall. Burning powder fragments stung my face and eye.
Over my radio, I heard the cries of a wounded man in the guard tower above. It had been hit by the very first round from a B-40 rocket launcher. The round had exploded, instantly killing one of the two men on watch. Our defenses had been knocked out before the firefight had even begun.
‘We need help!’ the caller screamed. ‘We’re bleeding to death.’ I grabbed my radio and yelled back, ‘Hang on, we’re doing everything we can!’ Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
            Tags: 20th - 21st Century, Historical Conflicts, Historical Figures, Vietnam War
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||
What is HistoryNet?The HistoryNet.com is brought to you by the Weider History Group, the world's largest publisher of history magazines. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 5,000 articles originally published in our various magazines. If you are interested in a specific history subject, try searching our archives, you are bound to find something to pique your interest. |
From Our Magazines
|
Weider History Group |
Weider History Network: HistoryNet | Armchair General | Great History | Achtung Panzer! Terms of Use | Copyright © 2009 Weider History Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. |
||
Loading ...
14 Comments to “Commander Arthur R. Lee Recalls a Sapper Attack at Cam Ranh Bay During the Vietnam War”
I was stationed in Dong Ba Thin with the 18th Engineers Headquaters company. I was in the commo section. After reading the story. It reminded me of what happend one night in DongBaThin. The generators took a hit in the Helicopter Battalion which their call sign was Stallion Control. They were based across QL1 from our post direcly across the highway. Also down the road was Charlie Battery the Artillary and also on our base was the ROK Army . Well they got hit over at the choopers site and lost all power. Myself Sp4 Iacovelli and SP4 Bogel hooked up two trailers to our jeep and filled one with gas cans and the other with a generator and while still under fire we drove across to Stallion Control and got the lights up with our generator. We were both put in for Bronze star for this effort but I was a short timer and would not be there long enough for them to get that medal. I was given an Arcom with an oak leaf cluster. I guess it was a nutty thing to do but hell we wanted the choppers up and running to protect us . It was a scary night. We had several scary nights in Dong Ba Thin. But that one sticks out in my mind the most. Spent 11 months in DongBaThin in 1979 and was pulled out in president Nixons first troop withdrawl . I was an o5c20 which was a radio teletype operator. When I arrived in Dong Ba Thin and they found out I was a radio teletype operator they were happy as they were command net for the entire Cam Rahn Sector and their RATT never was operating. I set it up with the doublet antennas cut to freq and got it up and running . I taught several people how to use the Ratt I didnt want to be on the edge of the perimeter in that little green box. I ended up in the T.O.C. on the radios there doing nights 10:30 till 6:30AM each evening . I loved it because in the evenings was generally the only time we got hit. I had the panic button as I called it to alert the base when we got hit. Our guard towers did not have the panic button but they did have direct communication with OIC . We also had a general on our base who used to love to come in and do a radio check once in a while . His name was Brigadeer General Hank Shrader. Good man like my father he was an older guy but one hell of a soldier not afraid to talk to the ranks . He started his career as an RTO also . So this is my story . I thought it seemed quite close to what I read above here.
By Matt Iacovelli on Jun 29, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I was stationed in Dong Ba Thin from 1966 to 1967, in headquarters of the 18th Engineer Bde.
I had origionally worked as a Nike Hercules Missile crewman in Germany for three years but wound up in the Mess Hall and in Viet Nam. I made Mess sergeant in two years but got out of the Army after my Viet Nam tour.I’m really glad I served, but I would’nt want to do it again.
By Ken Maxwell on Jul 31, 2008 at 6:01 pm
My father, Boyd E. Brim, was stationed in Dong Ba Thin in 1970-1971. He never talked about any of it, but after he died in 2003, I inherited his photo album and am trying to find out more about his time over there. He saved two letters that state that he was a Staff Sergeant at HHC, 18th Engineer Brigade and then Staff Sergeant at HHC, 10th Combat Aviation Battalion. If anyone can tell me anything about him, good or bad, please send me an email at julieg@hughes.net. Thanks.
By Julie Gammons on Aug 24, 2008 at 9:47 am
Being under fire for the 1st time can change your life forever.Been there done that!!
By C4Steve on Nov 9, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Cdr. Wilkerson’s report is a little lacking in detail. I was there. I climbed up Tango 2 to save a buddy Chuck Kilpatrick. I was the first up the tower, and discovered Chuck had swapped duty. The two guys that were there were hurt bad. I called in the CB’s and a cherry picker. The guys were loaded in the cherry picker and taken to sick bay. One will die. The other will live.
For heriosm, what did I get? Not a stinking thing. Suppose when you do stuff for a buddy, you reward is you know in your heart that you saved a life.
Nuff said. I want from being a QM3 to being a lawyer. Tom O’Boyle (base JAG Officer) was a tremendous influence on me. I miss him. Tom died of cancer in 1975.
By Bob Donald on Feb 25, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I was in cam ranh bay from Oct 05, 1970-1971
By roger anderson on Apr 11, 2009 at 11:43 am
iwas at cam rahn bay sept677-sept68. i worked at the ammo revon. line ran by 174 ar
By jimhovious on Apr 14, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Got to cam rahn bay mar 7 1970 work at depot and was a gunner on convoy’s
By miller lindsay jr on May 6, 2009 at 5:15 pm
looking for my good buddies in 36 transportation bn.1966-1967 aloha.
By john pineapple logan on May 15, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I was there that night! I was at the Operations Building when we got hit. M16’s and flak jackets were slid on the floor towads us as the explosions and small arm’s fire were going off around us. I took cover under our “Follow Me” truck. I earned my Combat Action Award that night.
By Frank Taxiera ABH3 on Jun 19, 2009 at 9:12 pm
First I would like to correct something in my story it says 1979 it should say 1970 As I was in Dong Ba Thin from January 1970 to November 1970. The other thing I would like to say there are several of my buds who served in DongBaThin I am in touch with now. Mike Coffey who is now a district court judge in Omaha . Blaine Foss who is retired federal employee in North Dakota,Alan Toy who is in Florida,Danny Bess, Fangman,Swannie Swanson we were all in Headquarters Company 18th Engineer Bde. If you know us or want to contact us my email is Miacove@aol.com I am Matt Iacovelli. I would be happy to put you on to anyone of us that you know. To all Welcome home and to all may your veterans day be peaceful this year 2009. Today is October 30th 2009 . Peace brothers and may you feel good today..
By Matthew Iacovelli on Oct 30, 2009 at 10:48 am
i was there that night..it was sheer terror…few weapons…some great luck by a few walking to security with a automatic weapon.. a long night of searching the base for the enemy,I.. have some photos from the next morning. i will never forget it. I usualy am on guard duty at the main gate..but i was off that night,,but I saw it all and lived to tell about it.
By john hoellerich on Nov 11, 2009 at 12:58 am
had some trouble tracking this artical..it was originally under “google” cam rahn bay naf 1970. somehow i found it… john hoellerich
By john hoellerich on Nov 11, 2009 at 1:01 am
I was there from May 68-May 69 There was mention of the sapper attach on the Army Hospital a year earlier, and the casualties being high, I distinctly remember the attack you army guys correct me if i am wrong i believe it was the 52nd conv. Hospital close to the 14 th aerial port , i visited a friend there once when i learned he was there, anyway i have searched everywhere i could think of to find information on it and have come up empty there seems to be no record that i could find about this attack and this is the first bit of information i have come across, since my memory is not as good as it use to be lol i think the casualties were somewhere around 30-50 not sure , the reason i am for this is the attack took place like two weeks before i left in country and the news in the states was like two to three weeks behind a few days after returning state side i picked up a Charlotte NC observer and our government was reporting something like 12 killed and say 10 wounded i told a friend thats not right i just left there and it was way higher than that, because the war was so unpopular they reported less casualties than there actually were any assist would be much appreciated God Bless & Welcome home !!
By Larry Evans, HTCS (ESWS) USN RET> on Nov 20, 2009 at 6:37 am