[TCTAAmembers] flare drops on Battle of Dong Ha, 29 Apr 1968

[Sam McGowan]

I'd have to check to make sure, but I believe the airplane that was lost at 
Tonle Cham had an engine problem and was left there, then before they could 
fix it and fly it out it was hit by the NVA and destroyed. The airplane that 
ground-looped was flown out the next day or maybe even later the same day. A 
Stan/Eval pilot went in and brought it out with the flight engineer and 
loadmaster from the original crew. They took off all of the extra equipment 
to make it as light as possible before they brought it out. The crew was 
from the 346th. The airplane could have been assigned to any squadron 
because squadrons didn't mean a thing except at home base when it came to 
airplanes.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Rodriguez" <RodrigF at ah.org>
To: <tctaamembers at troopcarrier.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 10:04 AM
Subject: Re: [TCTAAmembers] flare drops on Battle of Dong Ha, 29 Apr 1968


> Sorry, no info on that particular battle on that date (my birthday 
> 4/29/47). I was in-country TDY from Tachikawa, Japan, jn Feb., 1969. But I 
> am looking for anyone in our group who went with me from Tachikawa. We 
> ended up in a place about 3 miles south of Cambodian border called Tong Le 
> Chong (LZ Jake), combined Army camp, LZ, artillery encampment, and 
> Vietnamese village. Our job was to salvage parts from a C-130 that had 
> crash landed on the makeshift runway. I would appreciate any contact if 
> you have any info about this time and place. Thanks.  rodrigf at ah.org.
>
> Fred Rodriguez
> Linen Coordinator
> Hanford Community Medical Center
> Kerr Outpatient Center
> (559) 585-5423
> Pager 506-0507
> Fax (559) 584-7401
>
>
>
>>>> <DickSell at aol.com> 4/12/2010 8:26 PM >>>
> Hi; I am corresponding with an author writing an article about the "Battle
> of Dong Ha, Apr 29, 1968", for VIETNAM MAGAZINE. He says a  C-130 saved
> their bacon one night by dropping a lot of aerial flares.
>
> Anyone out there have any information on the plane, unit or crew? Send me
> an e-mail at _dicksell at aol.com_ (mailto:dicksell at aol.com) .
>
> This was after my tour at Nha Trang in Blackbird MC-130's in Sep 66-Aug 
> 67.
> I don't know if it was ours, or a Brown Betty -130.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Richard H  Sell
> Scottsdale, AZ
>
>
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