VW1 also provided low-level radar coverage overnight to the Seventh Fleet in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam at that time. We would fly out of Cavite to the fleet, remain on station overhead for the night, and then return to Cavite the next day. VW1 didn’t normally land in-country until years later.
We received permission to fly into DaNang and I was excited at seeing the country as we flew overland. We settled into DaNang and taxied to the edge of the tarmac. The first thing I noticed was the Air Force had concrete block bunkers on three sides of their planes there. I assumed that was for protection from shrapnel in the early days of the base.
The refueling and inspection of the plane was going to take a while so those not directly involved in that had permission to go over to the mess hall for some lunch and a little relaxation. We left the flight line headed for the mess hall but on the way, we had to pass through a few checkpoints. The checkpoints had Vietnamese guards with automatic weapons standing guard. I remember looking at them and wondering; how would we know if they are friend or foe? Somewhere along the way, someone in the group mentioned we could eat at the Enlisted Men’s club and have a beer with our meal. Anytime there was a beer involved, I was up for that and I don’t remember any dissenting voices.
We arrived at the club and sat down with a cold beer. The club was busy and I assume the 24-hour a day schedule allowed for people to be there around the clock. We stood out like a sore thumb; people were looking at us in our Navy flight suits. Two Airmen, at a nearby table, asked us who we were and what we were doing there. We explained our plight and sat there chatting about nothing in particular. I asked them where the Marines were as I had read about the Marine’s brave defense of the base there. The answer was that the Marines started too many fights so the base commander invited them to leave the base and stay beyond the perimeter to guard the base from attack. I could understand that, the Airmen we had seen at Travis, Anderson and DaNang seemed more gentlemanly than the Marines I knew and the Marines had little regard for anyone not as tough as they were, especially sailors. The Airmen we met were actually from a base in Florida but were TDY to DaNang. They lived pretty well compared to the Marines.
All good things must end and our respite was soon over, so we headed back to the flight line. The fueling was done and preflight inspection was underway when we returned to the plane. We had just arrived when the unfriendly folks whom the Marines held at bay began a mortar attack, preceding an attempt to infiltrate the base and perhaps destroy a few planes. That immediately concluded the preflight inspection and it was “All Aboard” for the flight to Cavite. LCDR Armstrong taxied the EC121K out to the end of the runway, stood on the brakes while he revved the engines until the whole plane strained and shook. He released the brakes and the big bird took off as if it had a catapult launching it into the air. I never felt it lift off so quickly and climb so fast. I can’t speak for anyone else but I know I didn’t want to be shot down outside the perimeter of the base and I doubt Armstrong did either.
I never did see anything in the Stars And Stripes Newspaper about the attack, but I’m sure the Marines had the situation well in hand and fended off the enemy probe of their defenses; even though they wouldn’t be allowed back on base and had to drink their beer outside the wire.
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