January 14th, Random unedited samples

While I am still busy editing and organizing the hundreds of photos I took while at Da Nang AB, I thought I would just post a few as a show of "good faith", so to speak.

Here is something I suspect is probably quite rare, if it even exists anywhere else on the Internet:

 "Welcome to Da Nang Air Base" orientation booklet, 1965 edition - PDF format. No additional software required to read: Click here to view.

Here we have a shot of the "massive" base library. All kidding aside, compared to what the troops out in the jungles and rice paddies had, this was like the Library of Congress! I found several good reads in this little refuge.

Whimsical direction post. Although I never checked out its accuracy, I can confirm that the distance to Da Nang AB is 100% correct.

We had several visiting dignitaries during the 1965-66 time frame. Here is a horrible quality shot (Minolta 16II camera) of Senator Ted Kennedy just stepping out of the C-123 "White Whale" for a visit.

Da Nang Cyclos (taxis) lined up, waiting for customers in downtown Da Nang, not unlike what one might encounter at the terminal of a major airport. 

Street scene, downtown Da Nang.

Trimming sugar cane stalks, downtown Da Nang.

Here we have the gate to the main USAF HQ and living areas on Da Nang AB - "The Cantonment Area". I resided on the ground floor of Building 4222B, closest to the gate.  

Church in Da Nang city. Probably constructed in the 19th Century during the years of France's Catholic missionary presence in Da Nang, then called, "Tourane".

USAF Grumman HU-16 Albatross assigned to Da Nang AB for search and rescue missions. 

C-124 "Globemaster II"

Clip from Stars and Stripes newspaper.

Thanksgiving 1965 chow hall menu. Although there were hot meals prepared for Thanksgiving and Christmas, our normal fare consisted of C-Rations, for each meal. We usually heated the cans over Sterno.

Chow hall menu for Christmas, 1965.

In 1965 things hadn't really become extremely hostile in the Da Nang vicinity, as depicted by the smiles of these young Vietnamese girls. 1966, however, proved to be somewhat different. After VC orchestrated grenade incidents in downtown Da Nang, the Base Commander restricted all USAF personnel to the base.    

F-104 "Starfighter"