My time with the US Navy's Mobile Construction Battalion 4 (MCB-4) and my deployments to Vietnam - Chu Lai, 1966 and Da Nang in 1967. There are no war photos, just photos I took with my first camera of the things and people that I saw. This album is my 1st tour of duty, 1966 - Chu Lai,RVN. We replaced MCB-10 in Chu Lai, completed the construction of the Chu Lai airfield, PLO (fuel) dump and work on Highway 1.
Date(s): 1966 - 1968. Album by Artistic Concepts Photography. Photos by Bob Thickman. 1 - 38 of 38 Total. 1802 Visits.
enlarge 64KB, 441x640 1 Boot Camp - Great Lakes The officers and staff of Boot Camp Company 648... I was the Education Petty Officer (with the glasses) of the Company and was awarded the "I" for education excellence at graduation.
enlarge 100KB, 640x457 2 Heading to Davisville A School Don't really know which was better.. a Convair 440, or a C-130 transport.. both were uncomfortable.
enlarge 111KB, 640x636 3 My 1st tour, Chu Lai - 1966 Camp Shields, named for the 1st Seabee to earn the Medal Of Honor in RVN. Here is the center of camp, known as Wymola Park, placed by MCB10, added to by MCB4. 1st from the East, soon to be a West Coast Battalion
enlarge 99KB, 640x632 4 Camp Shields Camp Shields was right on the Gulf. From here the 1000 Seabees put in airfields, worked on roads and worked with the villagers.
enlarge 83KB, 604x640 5 Main street The main barrack and office area at Camp Shields.
enlarge 72KB, 640x426 6 Beach Front with a Penthouse Yes, we generally slept on top... to many things crawled arpound inside.
enlarge 96KB, 624x640 7 Camp Shields on the ocean front The water was great...
enlarge 64KB, 640x624 8 Ocean Front Condo Another bunker on the beach..
enlarge 86KB, 640x426 9 Speed Limit 15 mph This was the entrance to the PLO dump.. that is where they kept the fuel storage.. it was a regular target for the Viet Cong.. and it bordered our base.
enlarge 119KB, 640x626 10 repairs required Looks like sand bag detail, in 110 degrees...
enlarge 58KB, 560x576 11 Sand Storm This is a sand storm, at high noon, in Chu Lai.. we would get these every once in a while, and they would last a couple of days.. lots of cleaning of everything following this.
enlarge 127KB, 640x633 12 the Bee Hive The BEE HIVE... the cooling off spot for the enlisted.. a neat little club..
enlarge 137KB, 640x630 13 Chu Lai Playboy Club This was, I believe, the Acey Ducey club.. for the 1st and 2nd class PO's
enlarge 81KB, 640x625 14 The Village of Chu Lai Main Street, down town Vietnam
enlarge 115KB, 640x632 15 Another view Scenes from the local villages. It was not much, but it was all they had.
enlarge 107KB, 640x633 16 local bus service Seat belts anyone? This bus is not full yet, there is no one on the roof.
enlarge 127KB, 640x630 17 fire fight The site of my first enemy contact.. I am in one piece, so I guess I won.
enlarge 146KB, 640x622 18 Keeping watch Yup, the only controlled area is where you are standing.
enlarge 117KB, 640x633 19 yup thats me Me in my normal attire... only thing missing is the beer (that is out of the picture).
enlarge 59KB, 576x396 20 Marine 1 - waters edge Chu Lia.. 1st Marines on the beach next to our camp.
enlarge 75KB, 640x426 21 An A-4 Sky Hawk laying fire on the enemy Victor Charlie was always close...
enlarge 76KB, 640x426 22 Chu Lai Air Field Under construction...
enlarge 43KB, 560x576 23 Chu Lia AB Chu Lia air base, which we were working on.. 1966, 1st tour. A Warning Star Constellation shares the field with a MATS C-130
enlarge 63KB, 640x426 24 Sunrise at Camp Shields On out LAST day of the deployment... we are packed and ready to go.
enlarge 64KB, 426x640 25 Sun up over Chu Lai We are on our way to the field for departure to CONUS!
enlarge 86KB, 519x640 26 Chu Lai airfield waking up Our C-130 is being readied. Homeward bound.
enlarge 70KB, 640x640 27 Mount Pinatubo Philippines Over the Philippines.. on to Japan.
enlarge 193KB, 638x640 28 Japan under our wing Our return flight took us to Japan, Nome Alaska, Travis Air Force Base in California... then on to Point Magu Naval Air Station.. home.
enlarge 136KB, 620x640 29 The long flight home I am so excited I can not keep my eyes open.. yes, that is a 1st class meal in my hand. Coffee was plentiful.. 28 hours of flight from Vietnam to California.
enlarge 148KB, 640x614 30 Traveling 1st class The heaters in the rear of the C-130 did not work, so the back was cold, and the front was hot and humid and everywhere was uncomfortable.
enlarge 90KB, 426x640 31 Home after my first tour Arriving at home... A 15 day leave prior to heading to Camp Pendleton for advanced combat training with the battalion.
enlarge 100KB, 640x542 32 Calif Home - 66 -0019 2 Cal66 web
enlarge 116KB, 640x426 33 Calif Home - 66 -0020 2 Cal66 web
enlarge 96KB, 640x426 34 Calif Home - 66 -0021 2 Cal66 web
enlarge 99KB, 426x640 35 Calif Home - the enlisted mans club
enlarge 96KB, 640x409 36 Training area This is where we went through POW, escape and evasion training.. it was also used to rrain for finding bad guys in a ville situation. Not exactly the most fun we experienced.
enlarge 117KB, 640x438 37 Seabee Museum
enlarge 100KB, 640x426 38 Calif Home - This is where we went through POW, escape and evasion training.. not exactly the most fun we experienced.
