Phan Rang Air Base, Vietnam
315th Special Operations Wing

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I am happy to report that I finally have this site as a paid web
site (9-19-09). So you should now be able to view the following
pages without ads and without interruptions. ---- Mike Vogel

           

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History note: The city of Phan Rang's original name, in the Cham language, is: 'Paduranga'.
The "twin city" of Phan Rang is: 'Thap Cham'.

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Web Host: Mike Vogel    c 1995
35th Combat Support Group
315th Special Operations Wing
315 CAMS, Phan Rang, RVN (68-69)
APO San Francisco, 96321
(PACAF)

"usage permission - Flightline Fabrications 2011"

                   

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BEFORE EARLY AUGUST 1968<<<>>>AFTER EARLY AUGUST 1968     

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315 Wing History

Note: Red Text designates when Wing was assigned to PRAB.

Established as:
315 Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 23 May 1952.
Activated on 10 Jun 1952.
Inactivated on 18 Jan 1955.
Redesignated:
315 Air Commando Wing, Troop Carrier,
and activated, on 21 Feb 1966.
Organized on 8 Mar 1966.

Redesignated:
315 Military Airlift Wing (Associate) on 29 Jan 1973.
Activated in the Reserve on 1 Jul 1973.
Redesignated:
315 Airlift Wing (Associate) on 1 Feb 1992;
315 Airlift Wing on 1 Oct 1994.

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USS New Jersey, last battleship of the US Navy to see action,
fires her huge 16" (406 mm) guns. I remember witnessing her
rounds flying over head, at PRAB, and hitting her target, but
just don't recall the date when this was....sometime in 1969.
Do any of you vets recall the day she fired her guns over PRAB?

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The Following detailed update note provided by: Robert Davison

"My brief notes record that the USS New Jersey supported us with 10 rounds
sometime on March 22, 1969. My notes also show that the cong hit us at
2300 hrs on the 21st and we went back to condition yellow at 0005 hrs on the 22nd.
I do not remember how that info on the USS New Jersey came to me at the time."

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Thanks for the information Robert.---Mike

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Below article from from: Wikipedia.

For the remainder of February of 1969, and into March, New Jersey shelled targets
along the DMZ. On 13 March the battleship departed the gunline bound for Subic
Bay. She returned to action on 20 March, operating near Cam Ranh Bay in support
of the Korean 9th Infantry Division. For the next week New Jersey patrolled the
waters between Phan Thiet and Tuy Hoa, shelling targets of opportunity along the
coast. On 28 March New Jersey took up station south of the DMZ to aid the 3rd
Marine Division, remaining there until 1 April, whereupon New Jersey departed
for Japan. During the battleship's tour of duty along the gunline in Vietnam, New
Jersey had fired 5,688 rounds of 16-inch shells, and 14,891 rounds of 5-inch shells.

Her first Vietnam combat tour completed, New Jersey departed Subic Bay 3 April
1969 for Japan. She arrived at Yokosuka for a two-day visit, sailing for the United
States 9 April. Her homecoming, however, was to be delayed. On the 15th, while
New Jersey was still at sea, North Korean jet fighters shot down an unarmed EC-121
Constellation electronic surveillance plane over the Sea of Japan, killing its entire crew.
A carrier task force was formed and sent to the Sea of Japan, while New Jersey was
ordered to come about and steam toward Japan. On the 22nd she arrived once more at
Yokosuka, and immediately put to sea in readiness for what might befall. As the
crisis eased, New Jersey was released to continue her interrupted voyage. She
anchored at Long Beach 5 May 1969, her first visit to her home port in eight months.

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Flight line at Phan Rang AB (photo taken shortly after take off on C-123).

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Zoomed-in shot of above showing my squadron area.

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The four aerial shots of PRAB, shown below, were provided by
Jim Alvis who was with the 71st SOS (AC-119G) at PRAB 2/69-6/69.

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A Phan Rang C123 (54-603) shown at a local aircraft museum (Anoka, MN).

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A few panorama shots of the inside of a C123.

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This web site is not only a tribute to the great officers and
enlisted men who served with our proud 315 ACW/SOW (C-123K)
but also to all the troops who served at Phan Rang Air Force Base.
Without their scans and comments, shown below, this site would not
exist. Thanks all for your service and sharing your memories of our
old stomping grounds at Phan Rang AFB.      Regards---Mike Vogel

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"Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm Unit Citation"

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Press to read information on the award.

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"PRAB articles"

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Press to view the 'PRAB articles' page.

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"Other Vietnam related articles"

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Press to view the 'Vietnam articles' page.

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---Phan Rang AFB Reunions---
I've wanted to have a web page that we could show pics
and comments of some of our more recent reunions we've
now made with friend and co-workers we knew at PRAB.

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Press to view the start of our 'PRAB Reunion' page.

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"PRAB memories"
At this site are a series of pages provided by vets
from PRAB giving their description and sharing
their scans and memories of their tour there.

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Press to view the 'PRAB memories' pages.

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Here are scans of early PRAB construction
and of the initial 1st Tour personnel on base.
Scans were provide by:
1LT Donald Taylor
Base Munitions Accountable Officer
435 MMS (65-66)

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Press to open Don's images

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Here is an interesting site on the initial
fighter squadron at PRAB in 1966.
Scans and comments provided by:
Alan Goodin
who was with the 389th TFS
(Tactical Fighter Squadron).

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Press to open Alan's images

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Here are scans and comments from a PRAB SP
from the early days of the bases construction.
Scans were provide by:
A1C Dave Marks
Security Police
35th Air Police Sq.
Panther Flight (66-67)

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Press to open Dave's images

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Scans and comments provided by:
Sgt Roger Wahl
HQ Personnel
35th Combat Support Group (12/66-2/68)

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Press to open Roger's images

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NEWLY MODIFIED (8/4/22)

Here are some interesting scans and comments
with a US civilian's point of view from:
John Hosking
who lived and worked out at
Phan Rang's beach during the war with the
'Alaska Barge & Transport Company' (2/67-9/68)

The Bomb Dump at PRAB
A series of photos taken by:
A1C Gene Bonham
PRAB, 435 MMS (1967)

Here are scans of some shields/emblems/patches
from the C-123 aircrew squadrons at PRAB.

A few photo scans from Phanrang'ers from PRAB.

A series of photos taken by:
Sgt John Mack
who was a Loadmaster with the 311th ACS (68-69)

Here are a few scans of "The Colorado Air National Guard" at PRAB.
Scans and comments were provide by:
A1C Jim Alexander
PRAB, 35th AEMS
Comm/Nav shop (5/68-4/69)

A series of photos taken by:
A1C Jim (Mouse) Hogan
PRAB, 315 CAMS
AGE shop (68-69)

A series of photos taken by:
A1C James Johnson
PRAB, 315 CAMS
AGE shop (68-69)

A series of photos taken by:
A1C Bruce Quinlan
PRAB, 315 CAMS
Comm shop (8/68-8/69)

A series of photos taken by:
Sgt Frank Carpenter
PRAB, 8th TBS
B-57 crew chief (10/68-10/69)

A series of photos taken by:
Sgt Stephen Tyler [Ty] Hart
PRAB, 315 CAMS
R&R shop (68-69)

A series of photos taken by:
Rich Keniston
PRAB, 315 CAMS
Prop shop (68-69)

A series of photos taken by:
Richard (Rick) Markel
PRAB, 315 CAMS
COMM shop (69-70)

A series of photos taken by:
Henry (Hank) Fields
PRAB, 315 CAMS
Fuel Cell shop (69-70)

A series of photos taken by:
Mike Fodale
PRAB, 35th Headquarters Squadron
3/69-3/70

A few PRAB memories by:
Capt Jon Didleau
PRAB, 315 CAMS
315th Special Operations Wing
Material Control Officer (69-70)

Here is a web page from one of my longer PRAB contacts
I've been in contact with for the past 15 years.
Lt/Col Phil Garey was a Commander of the
35th Headquarters Squadron at PRAB (8/1/69-5/1/70).
Phil has had a very full military career from his
enlisted days during WWII to his officer days serving
until shortly before the end of the Vietnam War.

A series of photos taken by:
Ken Houck
PRAB, 315 CAMS
Jet/Reciprocal Engine Shops (10/69-10/70)

A series of photos taken by:
Sgt Reggie Burr
PRAB, Jet Engine Shop
35th FMS (F-100)
10/69-10/70

A series of photos taken by:
Steve Curry
PRAB, 35th Aerospace Medicine Sqn
12/69-12/70

A series of photos taken by:
John Alexander
PRAB, 315 CAMS
A/C Environmental Systems (2/70-11/70)

A series of photos taken by:
Richard (Rick) Reinke
PRAB, 315 CAMS
Hydraulic shop (70-70)

A series of photos taken by:
Jerry Jones
Dustoff crew chief
247th Dustoff Medevac Unit...Army
PRAB, (6/70-10/71)

A series of photos taken by:
Lt/Col Chuck Bailey
PRAB, 35th AMS Commander (9/70-2/71)
35th TFW Chief of Maintenance (2/71-7/71)
315 CAMS Chief of Maintenance (7/71-9/71)

A series of photos taken by:
Ray Ingersoll
PRAB, 35th AMS (70-71)

A series of photos taken by:
Ed Giannotti
Electrician
315 CAMS
PRAB, (11/70-10/71)

Here is a list of aircraft and locations at PRAB

Three comparison pan scans of PRAB
were provided courtesy of John Elliott,
Dave Gilliam, and myself.

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Press to open 3-PRAB

Here are scans of the recent Phan Rang area provided
by Dave Landis (35th CSG, 2/71-2/72) who has recently
returned to the Phan Rang area for the second time
(August 31, 2001). Here are a series of scans of
photos he took including some interesting views
of 'Ninh Chu Beach' and 'Po Klong Garai Temple'.

A few images of our Minnesota
Vietnam Veterans Memorial (MVVM)

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Press to open MVVM images

Photo scans of 2010 through 2018 Minnesota Vietnam
Veterans services added at bottom of MVVM page.

A few images of our newly constructed
Minnesota Korean Memorial (MKM)

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Press to open MKM images

Here are a few Tributes to PRAB friends we've lost lately

Donations to this site are Welcomed

This web site is sponsored by donations
from the following veterans:

John Mack XXXXXX
Jerry Jones X
Ron Ward X
Dave Landis XXX
John Alexander X
John Hosking XX

Below are a few of my
favorite PRAB web sites.

I had the privilege to get to know David Foote
during the time he and I were first designing
our web sites. David was stationed at PRAB with
the 2 Sqd of the Royal Australian Air Force
[RAAF] (69-70). David has since passed away
on 4/24/98. He had a great PRAB website but his
website provider discontinued their free service.
Rest in peace buddy.

Don Taylor is another friend I got in touch with through
David Foote's guest book site. Don was stationed at PRAB
during the early 'Gray Eagle period' days (65-66). Don has
a few pages showing scans and comments of his tour here at
my site but he also has a great web site telling more about
the early PRAB days with lots of narration, scans, and
comments, I think you will enjoy seeing at:
http://www.members.tripod.com/donstaylor1/index.htm

Jim Alvis was with the 71st SOS (AC-119G) at
PRAB 2/69-6/69. Jim allowed me to use his
four, excellent, aerial, scans, you see of
PRAB above. Thanks Jim! The 71st flew and
maintained the AC-119G "Shadow". Most of
us recall viewing her strong light and
tracers scanning beyond the base perimeter
nightly, which gave us quite a protective
feeling. Jim's informative 71st site is at:
http://www.71stsos.com/

The Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Wall Page

God Bless America!!