Last additions - Special Forces Photos

Last additions

20230426_A421_SSH323 viewsSky Crane helicopter ("Super Shit Hook") lifting out well-drilling rig, A421, Ba Xoai. The well drilling rig was part of a Civic Action program aimed at drilling water wells for local communities.Apr 26, 2023

20230426_A421_CH47255 viewsRoutine re-supply mission by CH47 Chinook. Palletized ammo being dropped into a 5 ton dump truck. The camp got regularly resupplied with ammo, chow, and beer via CH47. This 5t dump truck later struck a hastily employed AT mine in a road after inserting a US SF/CIDG patrol at a nearby village; two US SF personnel were in the crew cab - neither was injured in the explosion, as only the rear wheels initiated the mine.Apr 26, 2023

A421 Ba Xoai Buddist Temple182 viewsBuddist temple (Wat) located behind (west of) Hill 58/A421 camp proper. Temple was surrounded by CIDG family "hooches" but within the overall camp perimeter. An NVA sapper penetrated the perimeter and took refuge in the temple; CIDG forces killed him by gun fire on the balcony (white balustrade in photo). He was the only on of his 48 man company to penetrate the perimeter.Apr 26, 2023

20230426_A421_Wat 01169 viewsBuddist Temple "Wat" within the Ba Xoai perimeter on the East side of Hill 58 amidst the CIDG family "hooches". An NVA sapper penetrated the perimeter and took refuge in the temple; He was KIA on the temple balcony (white railing) by CIDG troops the morning of 1 April 1970 after a 48 man NVA Sapper company assaulted the camp.Apr 26, 2023

20230426_A421_North Wall172 viewsThe "North Wall" position was actually on the NW perimeter of the camp, 50m to the right and slightly behind the Team House. It was composed of large, house-sized limestone boulders which were an outcrop of Hill 58. There was a small single lane cleft running between the Team House and the North Wall (NW) position; about 25m past the NW was the Medical bunker/dispensary. Visible atop the large central boulder was a sandbagged-roof limestone block bunker. Two U.S. SF personnel manned it every night.Apr 26, 2023

20230426_A421_ARCLIGHT179 viewsB52 ARCLIGHT bomb strike on Nui Cam, about 1.5-2km southeast of A421/Hill 58. Concussions from the strike blew fluorescent bulbs out of the lights in the medical bunker.Apr 26, 2023

20230426_A421_FDC_Nui Cam154 viewsView overlooking Team House on left (limestone block construction with PSP/sandbag roof; the 105mm howitzer and 4.2" mortar pits were straight out from the FDC (just out of the photo); 400gal water tank on roof of Team House for the kitchen, and a 400gal water trailer between Team House and berm; FDC bunker built into berm. Main entrances to FDC bunker and Team House immediately opposite on another. Far mountain to NE is Nui Cam; smoke to extreme left of photo is from initial bombs from a B52 ARCLIGHT missiApr 26, 2023

20230426_A421_John Aerts167 viewsSGT John Aerts (Weapons SGT) overlooking crater after an obsolete ordnance disposal operation which took place outside the camp perimeter.Apr 26, 2023

20230426_A421_John Meyer_John Aerts189 viewsSGTs John Meyer (Operations) and John Aerts (Weapons), prior to a mine sweep (note mine detector held by SGT Aerts) of the main approach road into Ba Xoai. Note Tiger fatigues - standard duty uniform; we never wore issue jungle fatigues while at camp.Apr 26, 2023

20230426_A421_SSG Ron Owles187 viewsSSG Ron Owles, Weapons Sgt. Typical team uniform of Tiger fatigues; standing in front of chicken coop (team had 100 chickens as a Civic Action program - we ended up eating them; no eggs as the coop was 25 yards from the 105mm/4.2" mortar pits). SSG Owles was career SF - retired as CSM.Apr 26, 2023

20230426_A421_Showers_Nui Cam158 viewsLooking NE from roof of Team House; mountain in distance is Nui Cam; smoke in center is start of a B52 ARCLIGHT bombing mission; structure at lower left is the shower building, right of it are wash basins, behind is the generator shed; lower right is cinder block corrugated roof warehouse; cutting through center from left to right is the camp's main berm - structures in berm are bunkers and CIDG "hooches".Apr 26, 2023

20230426_A421_Hill 58 Looking W to E166 viewsCamp Ba Xoai in shadow of Hill 58, looking from west to east at sunrise; Nui Cam mountain to right of Hill 58Apr 26, 2023

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Special Forces Photos

Photos from SF in SE Asia by Detachment