Radschool Association Newsletter

Radschool Association Newsletter - Vol 8

28 Feb 2001

Page 11

Vietnam

9/35Sqn hanger and tarmac area at Vung Tau. Surface was nearly all psp matting, which was hard on tyres. Hill in background was known as Radar Hill.

This issue we continue our memoires of the experiences enjoyed by RAAF blokes who were posted to Vung Tau in the mid to late 60’s, and as mentioned last issue, we’re only concerned with the lighter issues as there’s already been enough written about the terrible times.

Transport Flight Vietnam, later renamed 35 Sqn, was formed on the 21 July, 1964, and by the end of August, a total of 7 Caribou aircraft were deployed at Vung Tau. 9 Sqn, with their 8 x B model Iroquois had arrived a bit earlier-on the 6 June.

In its "heyday" Vung Tau had been a seaside resort town for wealthy French and Vietnamese families, and was a bit like our Gold Coast. It had plenty of sun, beautiful beaches and some lovely old buildings. Originally, the RAAF were billeted in US Army tents set up on the airfield at Vung Tau, but conditions were not to their liking with noisy machinery operating 24 hours a day, and an open sewer at the back door, so they set up shop in town and bunked down in a hired villa, much to the annoyance of the US Army Base Commander. A lot of blokes who went through Vung Tau in the early days will have fond memories of Villa Anna.

RAAF compound Vung Tau

5 ACS arrived at Vung Tau in May 1966 and commenced erecting a maintenance hanger, 4 Kingstrand huts, 3 admin buildings, chopper landing pads and tarmac areas. The old open ended hanger from which 9 and 35 Sqn’s operated was brought from an old WW2 airfield near Parkes, NSW and then re-assembled. In late 1966 suitable accommodation was completed, although it was built right on the wire, and the RAAF moved back to the air field.

The RAAF living quarters were some distance from the tarmac area, and the normal form of transport for airman to and from "work" was in the back of a diesel, 6 wheel drive, Studebaker truck (Old Smokie) on loan from the US Army. This old bus, which like all other vehicles, apart from the odd Landy, was left hand drive, and this one had done about a million miles and was close to the end of its service life. It would leave a large black cloud in its wake, and blokes with a heavy vehicle license would line up to drive it, rather than sit in the back.

View from the "front door" of one of the RAAF huts-showing the proximity to the "outside" . All that separated the blokes’ huts from outside was the 6ft tangled wire fence. Main gate to the base was just to the left.

A favourite form of amusement was to get the old Studey up to speed, then back off until passing a bunch of Yanks who were walking, then floor the accelerator. This pumped a heap of dieseline into the tired old engine, producing a huge black cloud from the exhaust which was strategically placed so it pointed directly towards the right hand side of the vehicle, straight at the pedestrians. This pungent black cloud would completely smother the yanks and send them spluttering and cursing "you bastard Australians".

35 Sqn's wash girl

Despite being in the middle of a war zone, conditions at Vung Tau could only be described as "pretty good". Food in the mess was excellent and plentiful and the RAAF even provided the blokes with a "wash girl" who’s job it was to wash all the bloke’s clothes, linen etc. (A lot felt this practice should have been continued "back home"). The Navy might think they’re the Senior Service, and the Army might think they’ve got The Edge, but of course we know better. After all, who every heard of a RAAF bloke wanting to eat in an Army mess…..

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