Welcome to the WD7F Cam Ranh Bay, RVN66 site.

-WARNING-
This page is graphically intent, e.g., lots of pictures.
 A fast connection or patience is required.  If you see
something you can identify, please let me know.  I hope
the guys at the www.12tfw.org don't mind that I snagged
their background.

As an official member of the 12th TFW Association, I invite
all past members of the 12th as well as tenant organizations
to join the association in order to promote the memories and
continue the camaraderie.

This page is most certainly a work in progress !

John P Slusser, SMSgt, USAF Ret
www.wd7f.com
jslusser@wd7f.com

In January 1966, the 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 366th Tactical
Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, New Mexico set off with a squadron of F-4C
Phantoms along with the support personnel required and, of course, included
me, a twenty-five year old know-it-all by the name of Airman First Class
John P Slusser, AF16618253.  The original plan of the deployment was to
deploy to  Phan Rang, RVN.  The 390th and 480th had already deployed in
November 1965 and  eventually ended up at Da Nang in October 66.  The
389th was TDY to Alaska at the time and deployed later.  

Somewhere along the way, plans were changed. The 391st TFS arrived at
CamRanh Bay, Republic of Viet Nam for an over night stay in-route to
Phan Rang. Well, the RON turned into the rest of the war.  The 391st TFS
was soon adopted by the 12 Tactical Fighter Wing out of McDill AFB,
Florida.  Support personnel were divided up and I was one of the
"left behind" individuals while the rest of the 366th went to Phan Rang
and later on to Da Nang. 

We got off of the C-130 that day, arriving from Clark AFB, after a puddle jump
across the Pacific.  I remember walking in to Central Processing & Billeting
Office and they looked at our orders and said "You ain't suppose to be here."
 Well hell, the destination and pertinent information was starred out on the
orders.  I don't remember who actually said to the effect that after fourty-some
hours in a C-130, we were draggin-ass tired and let them know in no uncertain
terms that we ARE here. Now,  where do we go to eat and sleep?  You can
sort it all out later.

We, the stubborn members of the 391st, managed to stay affiliated with the
391st for about eight months before the 12th were able to corral our motley
crew.  The above sign was probably made by our hooch resident carpenter,
Bud Meyers.  It's been too long ago for me to remember.   I think that we felt
like bastard step-children since our main unit had left us in the lurch.  When
all was said and done it turns out that Cam Ranh was the proverbial briar
patch that we got "throwed" into after considering some of the war stories
we heard.  Those guys were almost prisoners on their own base.  At least
we could take a weekend trip to Na Trang once in a while.

Some of the guys in the 12th were from the 45th TFS out of Ubon and were
integrated into the 12th as well.  There is a picture of  a group of WCS troops
from that bunch provided by Ed Phillips.

I have tried to make contact with some of these guys over the years, among
others, however, I can say that I have contacted only a few of these guys.
Steve Arch, OK Spencer, Fred Frickman and Dale Lindeau.  Sadly, I have to
tell you that among those four, two, Steve Arch and Dale Lindeau have died
Both were in their 50's.  I knew Steve Arch since tech school at Lowry AFB,
Colorado in 1959 and was in contact with him off & on until his passing.
Steve retired at George AFB, California in the mid seventies.  Dale
Lindeau was a party animal and played anything with strings favoring
the mandolin.   Would you believe that of the hundreds of slides that I
took,  I don't have his picture?

A year or two ago, I had a conversation with Lamar Cruse who retired
in Louisiana.  He's one of the original Naha bunch who came over
with the 391st out of Holloman.  He told me that another WCS troop had
passed away, Bobby Griffin.  Don't have pictures of either of them.

If you know the whereabouts of any of the guys you see in the pictures
below, please let me know.  

Since posting this page, I've talked to Cary Stanley and Ted Quella,
both living in Aurora, Colorado, and hadn't talked to each other until
after I called Stanley !!  That was a kick in the butt !!

Also, I'm in contact with one of the 391st WCS troops and fellow Ham
Radio Operator that went on to Da Nang:   John Reika, WA6OWU

Click on the Small Ones to see the Big Ones!

I made several trips to Nha Trang, once or twice on a pass and many
other times as an Auxiliary Motor Pool Driver in convoys going to
Nha Trang to pick up loads of corrugated roofing for all the hooches
that we were building.  No doubt in my mind that cities such as
Na Trang were beautiful places before the communist insurgence.

Shotgun position in the six-by that I drove was premium and coveted
by many, and, I could pick the rider.  You can bet that I used it to my
advantage for trade purposes.

We would roll past  the ROC Marine group, then "Check Point Charlie"
and run full bore through the rubber plantation at a whopping 50 MPH.
I know darned good & well that we passed VC and they waved.  Our 50
caliber equipped escorts just kept going as fast as those lumbering
six-bys could go.  We go shot at a couple times and once someone
had a hole in the door of his truck.  Wish I'd have taken a picture of that.

On one trip, my six-by was stolen.  The local logistics NCO said that if
we didn't find it soon, it would be painted yellow and be in Cambodia by
the next day.  Man !  I was very concerned.  It was finally recovered
at the local Air Base Motor Pool.  It had been towed a couple minutes
after I parked it and it took about 6 hours to find it, thanks to an observant
Army MP that had seen it being towed on Beach Road going to Vun Tau.
I was both relieved and pissed about that.  I should write a book.

There are photos of a little girl who resided in the villa that I and others
stayed in.  I would guess her daddy was an American.  Shirley and I were
eating in a Mexican restaurant and I saw a little girl that was the spittin'
image of this one.  The wife says that the girl in the picture might be her
mother and I reminded her that it couldn't be.  A quick calculation and I
told her it could be her grandmother !  Wow, where has the time gone ?  

The first picture is of SSgt Don Baker, my mentor;  very talented,  and the 
biggest con-artist and scrounger I've ever known.   He would not take
crap from anybody.  He taught me a lot of things that I put to good use
in my Air Force career.  If you needed it done, no questions, ask Don.
Are you still around, Don ?

The guy with the hat & cigar is my favorite shot-gun, SMSgt Jim
Kenney.  He took pretty good care of me.   Where are you, Jim ?