Photo's of NASU Chu Lai and VW-1 circa 1968

1st picture from left: Terry Hall sent the following e-mail to Ed Metzger Monday, January 19, 2009 as an introduction to himself along with the pictures on this page.

I arrived in Saigon on Jan 31 1968. I was assigned to Naval Air Support Unit (NASU) Chu Lai and was to fly out the next day to Chu Lai..

However TET attacks began that night and I got stuck (in) Saigon for three weeks. Arriving at Chu Lai I searched the airbase for NASU, all I found was VW-1 Det C. They directed me to NSAD Chu Lai personnel.

Checking in they showed no NASU Chu Lai so they assigned me (a AK) to the Sand Ramp office. In March I was called to personnel where I was introduced to LCDR Keir and 1st Class Correlles. LCDR Keir was assigned as CO of NASU Chu Lai. He took us by truck to the VW-1 butler building and we set up a office for NASU. I was assigned to take over the Det C packup kit store room, which supported the two EC121's. I ran the store room until Sept. 1969, when my Vietnam tour ended.

NASU personnel supported VW-1 during that period, maintaining all the ground support equipment, and the pack up kit issues and replacements.

We also supported all Navy aircraft that Bingo'd in at Chu Lai off carriers, CODS off the carriers for refuel on there way to PI for mail etc, also C2A's.

We also set up a non RFI shipping of A/C components using Marine and Navy C130 aircraft to ship out non RFI aircraft engines, drop tanks, and ground support equipment, from MAG12 and MAG13 back to the PI for overhaul. CMDR Keir put me in charge of this effort, I sent all the messages requesting the flights and along with two other NASU guys we loaded and unloaded well over 350 C130's in support of operation at Chu Lai airbase.

You may want to ask around with other VW-1 shipmates who were in Chu Lai from March 1968 to 1970 when NASU personnel were reassigned to Da Nang from what I have been told.

2nd picture from left: NASU Chu Lai patch

3rd picture from left: Picture of the personnel with NASU Chu Lai. Click on the picture to see the names of most individules.

4th picture from left: TE-7 (145928) on the ramp at Chu Lai.

1st picture from left: In 1968 and part of 1969 this Butler hut was shared by NASU Chu Lai and VW-1 Det "C". Click for the VW-1 half of the building.

In 1969 we moved to the new "hooches" shown below. This Steel Butler building was jacked up, I-beams put under each side wall and dragged off its old foundation, down the taxiway to its new location, which is to the right out of the picture shown below. It was then lowered onto its new foundation. We had to build a new storeroom inside it, and a VW-1 log and yellow sheet office manned by VW-1's 'AZ's'.. The other third of the steel building was used to repair and maintain GSE equipment.

2nd picture from left: In 1969 we moved from the north end of the taxi/runway to a new area off of the taxi way, mid airfield. They built a new arrivial and departure terminal and we were located next to it mid airfield. They built three Hooches as I called them, one for NASU office, One for VW-1 office and One for NASU personnel on duty overnight at the Airfield(two of which are in the picture, NASU on the Left, VW-1 on the Right).

3rd picture from left: VW-1 connie in Chu Lai at sunrise.

4th picture from left: VW-1 connie on Chu Lai's runway.

1st picture from left: VW-1 TE-8 on the ramp at Chu Lai.. circa 1969.

2nd picture from left: VW-1 TE-8 on the ramp at Chu Lai.. circa 1969.

3rd picture from left: VW-1 TE-9 and TE-4 on the ramp at Chu Lai.. circa 1969.

4th picture from left: Here is a night shot of TE 8 on the ramp at Chu Lai Vietnam. Took it at night on a time exposure with my 35mm camera. Terry Hall circa 1969.

1st picture from left: Rosemary Point, Chu Lai RVN. Shows the NSAD (Navy Support Activity Detachment) Chu Lai. The lower right along the shore line third barracks in is the one VW-1 and NASU Chu Lai shared, 68,69,70.. Along the bottom middle is the chow hall, church and NSAD admin. buildings.. Left lower are a group on smaller buildings which was Officer Quarters.. You also can see three LST’s pulled up too the Sand Ramp unloading supplies, and left of them the warehouses that NSAD stored material for issue. About the middle of the picture is the Army Americal headquarters, buildings and Helo pads.. Way off in the top left is where the Air Base was, I think it was 7 miles one way from the barracks to the VW-1 Butler building