The following PhuLamers have been located:
Hess, John E.  70 -71 bettyhess28@...   Akron CO.
Jones, Edward  69 -70 edward.jones1.ctr@...
Lazenby, Henry    4/69 - 12/70   hflazenby@... Suwanee, GA
Smith, Edwin   3/68 - 3/69 bocfishmonger@...  Lusby, MD.
Johnson, Michael 69  mhjohnson48@... Nashville, TN.

And a digest of recent Phu Lam related messages


From: Henry Lazenby   69 -70  hflazenby@...
I was at Phu Lam from 21 April 1969  thru 17 Dec 1970 with the ADMS CO as a AVN
Technical Controller (32D20H4), I celebrated my 19th and 20th birthdays there!
--------

From:  John Hess  70-71   1jmason@...
I worked about a block from the presidential palace and i stayed in a hotel
downtown.
Co A 369th    1970-1971
looking for anyone who served with me in Phu Lam
-------------------

From Edwin (Smitty) Smith  68 -69 bocfishmonger@...
Found this site yesterday. Thank you for such a great place to find fellow
PhuLam alumni. I was there from March 68 thru March 69.This brings back a lot of
old memories mostly good but a few not so good.
--------------------

From: Michael Johnson '69  mhjohnson48@...
I was stationed at Phulam all of 1969. I was an SP4. Worked in the main
communications building processing messages that came through.
I am looking for someone else that was stationed there with me. His name is
Tommy
Davis.  I remember spending time with David Damico and Tommy Davis.  A few other
guys, but do not remember their names.
-------------

From: Ellen Cariaggi  esperry@...
Comments: My brother Craig Cariaggi passed away 1/19/09. If anyone remembers him
please E-Mail me your thoughts. Thanks so much,

[Note from Howard: Craig's MOS was 72B;  at Phu Lam 12/68- 3/69]
--------

From: Richard Tu    <richardtubsma@...>
My Name is Richard Hoan Tu, was at Phu-Lam from beginning to the end, was as an
Electronic Engineer worked in Transmitter building, finally worked in
Switchboard building. I am still survive in Garden Grove, California.
Thank You very much.
Richard Hoan Tu
------

From: patrick kirkpatrick 68 - 69 captainkirk47@...>
I still check the roster to see if Douglas Woods has checked in. When I worked
at the phone company I must have made a few thousand phone calls to every D
Woods in every phone book I could get my hands on.  When I went to Las Vegas, I
looked for him and his girl friend Elane Pink. I think the world just swallowed
them up.
I don't know how good my films are now. Some were damaged from a broken pipe. I
had two 8MM projectors both no longer work. I have a hand crank editor I can
check them out with. I'll get back to you on that.
-----
From  William Skaggs 6/68 - 7/69 EAGLECREST@...
…there is one person that I remember that may not be on any list.  I am pretty
sure he was a Sergeant and his last name was Cooper.  We called him Coop.   He
worked in the Service Section and probably was in charge.   As I remember, he
was a friendly, easy going person... the type that everyone liked. He went on
R&R to the States in June or July of 1968 and while there was killed in a
traffic accident.  If I remember correctly, he was either married, engaged or
heavily involved with a Vietnamese woman.   I think we took up a donations for
her after we learned of his death.  It could be that all this is part of my
faulty memory and maybe he never existed.
-----------
From: Thomas E. Lassek '67 - '68   granmagranpa@...

      A few weeks ago I was contacted by a retired SGM asking me information
concerning PTSD. Unfortunately I wasn't able to help him much, however, in the
November/December VFW Magazine, page 14, there is a full page article on page 14
that addresses his concerns in total based on a recent decision by the VA which
fit's his situation perfectly.
       Can you post this message Howard, so possibly this gentleman could
recontact me since I didn't save his email address. I've saved the article and
can send it to him via email attachment.
  Tom Lassek
---------------

Note from Howard:

Thank you to the following 4 PhuLamers who have offered to help other PhuLamers
with questions regarding health issues and VA benefits:

John Fillian,  Cornell Mattox, Bruce Greiner, and Matt Meslou.

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there.

Howard

I am looking for one or more PhuLamers, to help coordinate communications about
common health issues and VA health benefits.

As we all are getting older, I am receiving more and more emails about these
issues.  Some PhuLamers send me information, and others ask about information.

Whoever is interested in being a contact point for these topics, let me know.
Hopefully there will be more than one volunteer. When I get these emails, I can
foward them onto the volunteer(s)

As an example, below are three recent emails I received:

-----------------

From: targetman4u2@...
Subject: Prostate Cancer/Agent Orange
How many of my brothers have  been treated for prostate cancer?  The VA presumes
that we may have come in contact  with Agent Orange, while in country.  Get
yourselves check for the cancer, get treated and file a claim for disability.

------------

From: "Mr Randolph Simpson" <tinysimpson@...>
Howard: You may know more about the chances of guys at Phu Lam being exposed to
this stuff than I do, but I thought I would forword this on to you. You may feel
the info contained may help any of the former Phu Lamers that did the spraying

VA: Agent Orange Benefits To Cover More Illnesses
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has announced that the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will establish a "service-connection"
between the notorious Vietnam War herbicide Agent Orange and three additional
specific illnesses. The herbicide was widely used by U.S. forces in Vietnam to
clear trees and other vegetation used as cover by enemy forces. Shinseki's
announcement follows recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) findings that confirm
Agent Orange's role in numerous diseases. The illnesses newly added to the
service connection list are Parkinson's disease, ischemic heart disease, and B
cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia. Other illnesses already recognized
under VA's "presumption" rule as being caused by exposure to herbicides during
the Vietnam War are acute and subacute transient peripheral neuropathy,
chloracne, chronic lymphocytic
leukemia, diabetes mellitus (Type 2), hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma,
non-hodgkin's lymphoma, porphyria cutanea tarda, prostate cancer, respiratory
cancers, and soft tissue sarcoma (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma,
Kaposi's sarcoma, or mesothelioma), "We must do better reviews of illnesses that
may be connected to service, and we will,"  Shinseki said.

------------------------

From: Matt Mesplou Hadabuck@...
Subject: Type II Diabetes and Agent Orange
During a conversation with a friend, he suggested that I contact the VA to see
if I could get my insulin medication from the VA at a reduced cost.  I had no
idea whether I could get it or not but I thought it would be worth a shot.  I
sent an email to the VA and merely asked the question.  I got a response back
from the VA and said some one would contact me in 5 to 10 business days.  To my
surprise, I got a phone call from a representative of the VA at Mather Air base
that very same afternoon.  Again to my surprise, the rep advised me that not
only could I get the medication but I could be classified as 25% - 30% disabled.
-------------------------

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there.
Howard

PhuLamers,

Phulam.com is up and running again.

In the past month, we have the located the following Phu Lamers:

Bohonowych, Adrian 7/65 - 7/66 agb0544@... Chicago, IL.
Gavitt, Ronald S. 65-66  jeangavitt@... Godley,TX.
Collins, Neil 10/70 - 1/71 NEILSPLACE2@... Roslindale MA
Phillips, Gerald L.  '65  gerryp59@... pipestone, MN.
Staller, George L.  3/72 - 7/72   gbstaller@...
Weidemann, David C.  `68  lweidemann@...  Huachuca City, AZ.


And a digest of recent PhuLam related emails:

-----------
From: Paul Davis  '63 '64 pauldavis5233@...
      Just  for   information   to   pass  on, Robert E. Grodzicki  SP/4  whom  
I  worked  with    in  the   Tape Relay  room, at   PhuLam   1963  passed   away
on   10-18-09  at the  Christiana  Hospital,  Wilmington, Delaware.  Bob   was  
68  years of   age  and  had  a  major   stoke,   he  had  never  been    to  a
Dr.  since  he  left Vietnam.
He  was  like   myself,    the  first   ones  to   work  in  the   new 
communications  bldg  at  Phulam ,    then  I  think  was  called   Starcom.
------------

Also we have learned the passing of PhuLamer Willie Daugherty '67 ` 68.  He
passed away in Oct 2006. He had attended the Phu Lam Reunion in San Antonio in
2003.
------------

From: Neil Collins  '70 to '71  NEILSPLACE2@...
Hey whats up. just received the post card today. I was at Phu Lam Sept 1970
until about Jan 1971then transferred to MACV in Saigon,Tan Son Nut, Com
Center///...
Neil Collins
---------

From: Chris Stalker  bad_ds650@...
Hey Phulamers, I am looking for information on military deaths in Phu Lam in 67,
can you all help me.  Please give me any web sites or let me know where to look.
I would greatly appreciate it.  Thank you all, Kim.  I am the daughter of Ora
Ellis Pennington from Ky. He served in 67 at Phu Lam.
-----------

From: Jim Groat  '67 - `68 Regional Communications Group jdgrt@...
About Tet, we really should have seen it coming. I remember noticing that during
the month leading up to Tet seeing an awful lot of funerals out toward the big
cemetery by the race track. Being an old Asian hand I chalked it up to the old
Asian (at least Japanese) tradition that one had to be even with the world when
the New Year arrived. In Japan, the suicide rate jumps dramatically leading up
to the New Year as those who owe huge debts can't find a way out. Later we found
that the VC were actually carrying caskets of arms and ammo from the country
side and burying them in that cemetery and then dispersing through the Cholon
and Saigon. The entire area was tunneled and come the night before TET they went
back and dug up the weapons and made their HQ there at the race track.

I forgot to answer your question in my last email regard the recovery of William
Behrens body. I distinctly remember an Lt. (can't recall the name) making many
daily trips to the morgue on Ton Son Nhut to try to identify either Behrens or
Lacy. I think it was several days before they identified Behrens but they could
have been going back looking for Lacy's remains, which of course they never
found. There were a great many dead at that morgue and from the conversations it
appears that there was quite a bit of traffic in and out daily, enough so the
cooling couldn't handle it and it got pretty unbearable. I'm sure it was several
weeks before the jeep was uncovered. Behrens may well have been brought in that
first day but not identified until much later. My guess is that if it hadn't
been the first couple of days, they'd never have found him and he'd be MIA like
Lacy.

LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF PHU LAM AND THOSE WHO SERVED THERE.
Howard

Our Website, PhuLam.com is down temporarily. Connie Chronister is doing some
work transferring to an improved web site provider.
I'll advise when it's up and running again.

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there.

Howard

PhuLamers,

I'm back from a great Phu Lam Reunion Cruise.  Connie Chronister will be posting
photos.

We have now located the following PhuLamers:

Bailey, Fred   `71 (not-on-line)  203 East St Box 3801, Milan NM 87021
Bagnall, J. Scott 10/67 - 4/68 sbagnall@... Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Buhrow, Greg  1/71  - 12/71 GBuhrow@...  Rice Lake WI.
Earle, Dennis J. 5/66 - 4/67 dukeofearle@... Phoenix, MD.
Groat, Jim  67-68  RCG    jdgrt@...   Memphis, TN
Pecoraro, Ron  11/66 - 11/67 ronpeck1964@...  Santa Rosa CA
Rush, Harry 9/65 - 9/66  hrush42@...    VA.
Strom, Robert  3/67 to 12/68 rstrom@...  Seattle, WA
Wagner, Leonard   8/70 - 8/71 wagl@...  Baraboo WI.
Wells, David 4/63 - 4/64 sllewd@...

-------------

And more messages and Phu Lam memories……..


From: John Rowan  '66 - '68 jrowan1103@....
Phu Lam - Ba Queo site, Sept 66 - April 67
Long Binh receiver site - April 67 - July 68
Looking to get in touch with any others that were there about the same time.
My memory is pretty well shot and I could use some help in that regard.
Thanks for all your efforts in coordinating this site. I appreciate it and I'm
sure a lot of other guys do too.
--------

From: Frederick Holmes '70 - '71 holmesf58@...

MOS 72B20 served in phu lam dec 70- 71. did a tdy to Na Tran, back to phu lam
and then we were sent to LB for the last two months
------

From: "Bill Gibbs" <bill@...>

I was stationed at Phu Lam from Nov 65 through Dec 66 (13 months).
I was a 32F20 and I show up on your web site's July 66 roster.  I installed
Project Talk Quick equipment at Tan Son Nhut and remote sites at Can Tho, Bien
Hoa, Bangkok and Vientiane Laos.  When not traveling, I spent my days at the Tan
Son Nhut Talk Quick switch or servicing in-country TQ installations.  I've
enjoyed the website immensely.  Thanks for all that you do.
--------

From Scott Bagnall 67 - 68 sbagnall@...

It was a real flood of memories to stumble onto the web site. I hadn't thought
much or talked at all about vietnam and phu lam. I was there from oct 67 to
april 68 I think. After we got autodin started up I moved on to other places
including Saigon, Phu Bai  and Dong Ha.  I do remember being on the perimeter
and shooting at the morter crew that hit us during TET. They walked mortars
right up to me but then stopped. I like to think I had an effect.
--------

From: Robert Strom '67 - '68 rstrom@...

I do remember Miss Connie from the Kingsport... my first wife (from Cholon) and
she were good friends and they kept in touch over the years.  Miss Connie
married her American sweetheart (from the Saigon area) and they lived happily
ever after in Florida.

Does anyone remember Miss Hue who worked for Page Communications Engineers at
Phu Lam?

[Note from Howard:  Thanks to Bob Strom and Bill Seater, we have located Miss
Connie, who worked in the  Kingsport Hotel, home of many PhuLamers.   PhuLamer
Stan Grieco (grecne@...)  recently talked with her.]
-----------

From: Harry Rush '65 - '66  hrush42@...

I served at PhuLam from Sept 1965 through Sept 1966. MOS 32F20. One of the folks
that did the initial installaton of the Project Talk Quick equipment. I am
trying to locate two Phulamers who attended my wedding in 1967. They are Bill
Gibbs (from Sharon, PA) and Stanley Ige (from Hawaii). Also any others who may
have served with me during that time.

I have some photos that I will scan.  I also have some 35mm slides and have to
figure out how to convert them to something usable for the web site.  There is
nothing that could be remotely considered great.  I know my wife and children
were never impressed with the slides that showed the flares at night.  Just
looked like bright lights in a dark sky.
---------------------

From:"David Wells '63 - '64 sllewd@...
I served with Maj Jimmy Sutton between April 1963 and April 1964. At that time I
was SP4 David Wells, working as a Technical Controller and participated in the
STARCOM move from MAAG to PhuLam. PhuLam was little more than a small island in
a big rice paddy. It was a challenging but exciting time for us all. Jimmy and I
would later work together after the war for a company called EDS.  Jimmy has
passed on now.  He was a good man.
---------------

From Rob Pickman  '70  rpickman@...
The VA is requesting some info from me.
Do you know the complete Battalion, unit etc description for the ROK unit that
we provided commo support for?
-----------------

From: John Kimbell   johnk14@...
Just a brief notification that Tom Just, who served at Phu Lam around 1968, just
passed away after a long battle with cancer.
-----

From: Dennis J. Earle '66 - '67 dukeofearle@...
I served at Phu Lam 5-66/4-67. Just happened accross this site...I can't believe
all the pics...man what memories. What like to get in touch with Ken Kwiakowski,
Carl Yurgatis, George Scholl, Sam Huskey or Harold Clark...Spent a year at Phu
Lam plus about 18 months prior with these guys...
-----------

From: "Jim Groat" <jdgrt@...>

RCG IWCS 67-68
CSM Retired
Oh, I visited Phu Lam  many, many times. Since I worked in the IWCS engineering
department I spent most of my time in air terminals, on planes and visiting the
various IWCS sites. I think I hit every one at least once during my two tours. I
was on Staff Duty Officer at RCG the morning of Tet when we lost those two fine
young me near the race track
-------------------

From Mel Rice `67 - '68

I remember Tet was January 31st and know of two or three times afterwards in
1968 when we suffered mortar attacks with casualties but not sure of approximate
dates.  Once I remember a bunker around autodin took a direct hit and its
occupant came out with blood coming from his nose and ears.  I also recall an
afternoon sometime around June of '68 when I was standing near the autodin
building while a light-contact firefight was going on about 1500 yds away on the
other side of the highway.  (Was that village Gia Dinh by chance?)  I heard a
round hit the autodin bldg right beside me and I ran like Hell.   I later went
back to where I was standing and found a bullet hole in the side of the building
about 6 feet 4 inches above the ground.  I was 6'1".  I don't to this day know
if that was the handiwork of a sniper or merely a coincidental stray round.  I
reported this to an autodin NCO and never heard anymore about it.  Do you know
of any of the volumes of Phu Lamer digests that might shed light on any of this
stuff?
----------

And  we have an email from fellow PhuLamer, Zoltan "Zee" Andahazy, currently
serving in Iraq.  He served at Phu Lam 4/67 to 4/69.

His email address:  AndahazyZ@...

Message sent to fellow PhuLamer Bob Speare:
It's great to hear from you. I'm doing fine. I have a steady job here and that
is great. I plan on another year and a half before I return. Actually, we are
supposed to pull out by the end of 2011, so it can't go beyond that.  I should
have reached my goals by then (all financial).
As far as safer here? That is a relative matter. We are safe within the
perimeter. No one ventures beyond the "wire"; that is sure death. We have
indirect fire attacks daily. But we have a strong defensive perimeter. C-RAMSs
(Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar) systems are in place. Those bad boys make
one hella-of-a noise when they pick up an incoming round and blast away. They're
in place to protect the Air-strip. We have Predator Drones also. Really cool!!!
Now, the problem with "insuring peace" is not based on our military presence,
accomplishments, or missions. All of those are fine and working while we are on
the ground. The problem is when we leave. This is an Islamic culture. When we
leave, Islam will take over and install Sharia law. In other words, it will
regress 1300 years in no time. We are the infidel no matter what we do. This is
not clearly understood by most, especially our government (the Prez knows, but
is not caring). Without this understanding we will have little effect good or
bad.
  I am studying the Arabic language-speaking, reading, and writing. I seem to
read it, and write it better then I speak, but that ability will come in time. I
feel this linguistic knowledge will come in very handy in the future. Know Thine
Enemy. I have attached a book list of recommended reading regarding the Islamic
threat for those of you who are curious. I recommend the book highlighted for
the first reading, and go from there.
  I joined, and will become an involved member of A.C.T.-American Congress for
Truth (founded by Brigette Gabriel) when I return. I believe organizations like
this will  be vital in fighting Islamic Jihad in the US and the world.
  That's enough for now. Thank you for the kind thoughts. Now you know where my
mind has been these days.
  Zee
  Ps. No problem with sharing my E-mail
----------------
Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there and those who are
still serving our Country.

Howard Hickman
-----
And finally…….

If you thinking of visiting Saigon, Vietnam, here is a message from a Tour Guide
used by Joe Rokus. "Zoom" is also the same person who very successfully located
and exported a working Cyclo to me.   He also offers assistance in locating
persons in Saigon.

From: Tri Dung Nguyen <dungzoom@...>
My website is  www.saigontouring.com
I regularly post my photos up at Saigon Update in www.saigontouring.com
or  http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/
And I have an idea. I take pictures about Saigon, Cu Chi, Mekong Delta
frequently. Then, I store them and send the best to my colleagues and friends.
Will you make a short notice with my email address included and your Phu Lamers
can send me an email saying " I am happy to receive your Vietnam photos" or
anything like that. Then, I can set up a group separate from my friends,
colleagues for sending photos.
Zoom

PhuLamers,

For those who asked for it, here is a list of those PhuLamers, who are going on
the 2009 Phu Lam Reunion (5 Day Cruise) from New York City starting Monday Sept
7.

I will start a small email list of only those listed below, for future 2009
Reunion related matters, so as not to send it to the entire PhuLamer list.

Let me know if you are not on the Reunion List, but would still like to receive
Reunion related details, and I will add you to the list for future Reunion
emails.

Perhaps there may PhuLamers not going on the Cruise, but living near New York
City, who would like to join us for dinner Sunday evening before departure, as a
few us cruisers will arrive in New York City prior to departure date.

Dave Allfrey
Daniel Anderson
Mike Brownstead
Gary Burlette
Marc Coehn
Alan Fraser
Bob Freeman
Stan Greico
Howard Hickman
Clarence Jolly
Robert Meltzer
Bob Motley
Donald Nicklow
David Pfaff
Roy  Romund
Bill Seater
Dan Singleton
Bob Van Pelt
Scott Wimmer
and of course
Connie Chronister  (Phu Lam Angel)

plus spouses, etc....

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there

  Howard

PhuLamers,

Back in March, we asked for donations to pay for the annual web page expenses
paid by Phu Lam Angel, Connie Chronister.  The response was overwhelming. I
listed those first 50 who donated. Subsequently, Connie has received donations
from 40 more PhuLamers.

She has received enough funds to keep the web site going for at least another 10
years!!!

Thank you to all who donated.

The following is a second list of those who donated.  This is in addition to the
first list sent out in April.

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there.

Howard Hickman
---------------

2nd donation list:

Mark Oshiro
Gary Burlette
Michael Brownstead
Jeffrey Sewall
Gerry Hoover
R Craig Lane
Gary Spires
Warren Halset
Robert Caffrey
Randall L Smith
Bruce Greiner
Frank Trapasso
Gilbert Adams
Roger Wilgus
Joseph Machado
Richard Dahl
Enoch Frankhouser
Robert Freeman
Larry Buthmann
Glenn Godward
Paul Penn
Barry Einsig
Robert Van Pelt
Clifton Taylor
William Ward
SR Trousseau
Martin Niatopsky

Phulamers

I have been working with Brian this last week for the final arrangements for our
cruise. We will all be together at our dinners, tables have been assigned to us.
I believe the arrangements will also have out names on them.

Please make sure you board the ship before 12 noon. Reason is, we have been
assigned a room for all of us to meet together. Time is 1:00 to 3:00. Its a
Greet & Meet time.

Also the two days at sea, a room will be provided for us to meet together again.

Brian will be getting back to me about times and where.

Also I am listing below the ones who sent their registration money to me. The
rest of you need to start sending your registation to me ASAP, as we only have a
few weeks to go. And I need to get the name tags done.

Registration is $20.00 per person. That helps with name tags, flowers for
deceased members, etc.

Please send your registration to me at:

Connie Chronister
55 Chesapeake Estates
Thomasville, Pa 17364

The following has ALREADY paid:

Dave Nemeth
Dave Allfrey
Bill Seater
Bob Freeman
Marc Cohen
Stan Grieco
Bob Motley

Finally, I have been able to convert the collection of films of Phu Lam into a
digital format and have uploaded them to a Phu Lam YouTube page.

A few PhuLamers in the films have been identified and captions have been added.
Many more are unidentified. If you happen to recognize anyone (or yourself) let
me know, so I can add the information.

Go to http://PhuLam.com and scroll down to the menu.  Click on the eagle next to
"Videos."

After you view the first film, the next 12 clips are listed on the right of the
page.  There are a total of 19 different clips, if you search for Phu Lam in
YouTube.

Following is a summary of what is posted now.  If you think you might have any
more film taken of Phu Lam, try to dig it out, so we can share with all.

1966 U.S. Army Communications film about Vietnam, with several images of Phu
Lam. Has sound.

Phu Lam, then and now: A 1966 Aerial fly-over of Phu Lam. Frank Ford has taken
this film and overlaid current satellite images of today. An excellent film to
show the build-up all around the perimeter, and which buildings still remain to
this day.

1970 Home movie taken at Phu Lam by Larry Back, includes views of the facility
from various guard towers, off-duty PhuLamers, interior of Switchboard, the Phu
Lam Swimming Pool, etc.  Several clips.

Photo slide show. Photos of PhuLamers in uniform sent to me by many PhuLamers
over the years. Compiled by Jon Murany, to accompany the great "Brotherhood of
Phu Lam" song written by Bob Speare.

Films of PhuLamers actually performing their communications duties inside the
buildings at Phu Lam. These clips were from some unedited June 1969 film, now
located at the National Archives.  The silent films clips include:  Tape Relay,
AUTODIN, JOSS Switchboard, Tech Control, Transmitter Station, and several signal
equipment maintenance scenes.

Phu Lam Entertainment.  Gary Burlette made an audio recording of the band
performing at the Phu Lam EM Club, New Year's Eve, 1969. I have uploaded the
recording of the end of the performance, including the last encore song of the
night, "We've got to get out of this place."  If you listen closely you can hear
the whole drunken EM Club sing the chorus. I have added the sound to 3 film
clips that Larry Back recorded of various Phu Lam entertainment in 1970.

1966 Home movie taken at Phu Lam by Marvin Sorrow.

Kingsport Tet'68  Thanks to Dennis Bradford and William Skaggs, we have a film
taken from the roof of the Kingsport Hotel, during Tet `68. PhuLamers at the
Kingsport were unable to report to Phu Lam, due to the fighting in Cholon.

Thank you to William Skaggs, Larry Back, Marvin Sorrow, Gary Burlette and all
those who shared their images of Phu Lam.

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there.

Howard Hickman

Newly located PhuLamers:

Bartoces, Thomas  10/68  2/70 tombeetwo@...  Mountlake Terrace, WA.
Bradford, Dennis  67 - 68  denbrad@... Australia
Damron, Jim    66  jdamron1011@...
Herman, Joseph S. '69  Bear546@...   Hewlett, NY
Noel, Roger, 3/69 to 4/70 rnoel@... Niceville, FL
Padilla, Joseph    5/68 - 5/69  aloha_boricua@...
Posey, Barry  7/68 - 8/69 barryposey@... Madison, AL.
Ronto, John   68 - 69  JARonto114@...  Canonsburg, PA  15317

AUTOSEVOCOM
Hays, Otis "Sonny"   68 -69 sonny.hays@... Pierce City, MO


And a digest of  recent Phu Lam emails….
-------

From:  Barry Posey  '68 - '69   barryposey@...
Thanks to my friend Bill Skaggs who informed me about the website. Bill and I
served together at Phu Lam. I served most of my time there (July '68 - August
'69) under the command of CW3 Lewis Leffingwell, a real gentleman. Phu Lam Fox

[Note from Howard: Lewis Leffingwell Jr., 78, also known as Dutch or Lee by his
friends and family passed away February 4, 2008 at Beautiful Savior, Belton,
MO.]
----------

From:  Roger G. Noel `69 - `70 rnoel@...
I also was station at Phulam from Mar 69 to Apr 70. I only remember a few things
about it…..  my memory is not what it used to be. It's been 40 years since
Nam but I do remember one guy named Johnson, we were drinking buddies and went
to Saigon often. I also remember the dam rocket attack that hit us.  I have some
pics of the compound and guys that I will send later.  I remember working in the
M&R section but I can't tell you what I did when I went to work because I don't
remember to much about the Autodin but I remember I had to work security a lot
walking the bunker line and standing in the towers.  Anyway I'll look for the
pic and send them.
--------------------

From: Craig Ross  70 -71   cross79953@...
Its nice to see the website is still up and running and going strong. I haven't
visited since I relocated from Florida to my current location in Jackson, Ohio.
Over the years, I've often wondered what ever happened to Sgt Terry and my old
friend Richard Payne who was stationed with me at White Sands Missile Range, NM
after Nam.  Shortly there after, he exited the Army relocated with his wife back
to Madison WS.
-----------------

From: Joseph Phillips '69  joehiker@...
Howard, The films sound like a great idea. I thought i would mention a guy i
spent time with in Saigon. His name, i believe was Paul Prodonovich. He took a
lot of movies with an 8mm camera. The only place i see his name is on the April
1969 morning report. If you could get in touch with him, i think he could add a
lot to your project. good luck,

[Note from Howard: Anyone know how to locate Paul Prodonovich?]
-----------

From: Jose Padilla  '68 - '69  aloha_boricua@...>

The name is Joseph Padilla. Did a Yahoo search on Phu Lam Signal Battalion and
found your website. I was very surprised and glad I found it. I was in Phu Lam
from May of 68 to May of 69.
I was a Spec4. I also remember Gary Rosencrans who was from Scranton,PA and Luis
Gonzalez who was from Brooklyn,NY. We joined the Army together under the buddy
plan. After Nam he went to Arizona,Ft Huachuca and I went to Ft. Meade. Never
saw him again. If you happen to hear from either one,please tell them to get in
contact with me. Also remember a Larkin who helped set up the library. Thanks
for your good work.

Let me start by saying what a great job you're doing with this website. When I
first found it, I was nervous and my heart started pumping faster. After looking
at it for a while and actually seeing my name mentioned a few times, I felt like
I had come home. I didn't feel like I was all alone out here. Someone I can talk
to who understands.....I did take pictures while I was there but I will have to
dig them out,plus I don't know how many survived my LONG journey back to the
world

--------------

PhuLamers,

Here is the email address for Zolton Andahazy: AndahazyZ@...
who was a PhuLamer from '67 to '69. He is still serving!!  He is now stationed
in the Middle East.

Zoltan Andahazy
Primary Postal Clerk
1st BN 402nd AFSB
APO, AE 09391
---------

From: Steve Burval   70- 71  sburval@...
Just getting in touch to wish you a blessed Memorial Day. Those days we spent
together in the Reports office, EM Club and around base are so far away now.
Lot's of memories but they grow a bit hazier as each year passes. Holidays such
as today remind me of the one expression I've always kept in my head ever since
becoming a Vietnam vet. "There but for the grace of God go I." Why I was
fortunate enough to land in a place as safe as Phu Lam I'll never know. When
there I always wished that my loved ones could trust how much better my
situation was than what was being presented on the news back then.  A perfect
example of how the Army operated back then was my receiving the Bronze Star. I
only display it proudly on my Illinois license plates to remind those who notice
it of the sacrifice so many others have made. In truth, when I look at it it
humbles and saddens me thinking of the lives changed and lost from those years
in our country's history.
--------

From: Sonny Hays  '68 - '69 AUTOSEVOCOM sonny.hays@...

Serendipity landed me on your PhuLam.com website today -- amazing!  I am one of
the "missing" PhuLam-ers (my name is on the 1969 list, "Otis E. Hays").  My
full, legal name is Otis E. Hays, III, but I was (and still am) called "Sonny"
Hays.  I served the 532nd in Saigon/Cholon for 15 months, 1968 - 1969, having
been transferred along with several other Signal School instructors from Fort
Monmouth.  I worked in the MACV facility, in the secure voice building.  I was,
for the entire 15 months, the Secure Voice Coordinator, and part of my
responsibility was the secure voice link between MACV and the Paris embassy.  I
too have many photos, but none are of the facility (I do have some of the hotel
where we first were billeted, and some of the base near the airport where we
later were moved).  Lt. Hile was my CO (you have photos of him on the site).

My specific office was the secure voice switchroom (where the all-electronic
switchboard was located).  Next to me were the datacenter, where the KY-3's and
other ciphony gear were housed, and the concentrator room, which housed the
digital telephone concentrator.  The AUTOSEVOCOM building stood inside the MACV
perimeter fence, but was not physically connected to the MACV main structure.

During my tour of duty, my father (who was a member of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff) was working at the Pentagon.  I vividly remember calling him from the
switchboard, via satellite and cable links, and having him paged to come to the
Pentagon War Room on his birthday (he was not happy about the "trivial" use of
the official circuits).

I've not been in touch with, nor heard from or about any of my AUTOSEVOCOM
comrades, in all these years.  Incidentally, the 31 switch tech, while I was
there, was Terry Gildon (SP4 or 5).

After sending my second message to you, yesterday, I continued exploring the
website.  On it I found a comment ("Stories", "1968") from Ludwell Sibley.  Lt.
Sibley (I never knew his first name until now) was the individual responsible
for my Bronze Star nomination, and was the first member of AUTOSEVOCOM to
contact me after I returned to the 'States.  An exceptionally fine person.  Lt.
Sibley's story reminded me of his call (I was living in Arlington, VA); and, I
found the name of my successor, John Kilhoffer, in the  AUTOSEVOCOM roster. 
John also contacted me, and in fact we remained fairly close for a few years,
and both our families eventually settled in the Tulsa, OK, area for a short
time.  John & family moved on to Illinois, where he now resides; I stayed in the
Tulsa area until 2007.
---------

From: William Skaggs  '68 - '69 EAGLECREST@...

Speaking of the black market, I always thought it was odd that all they wanted
to buy were Salems (or Pall Malls if the Salems were sold out).  Yet, when you
checked a street vender, they rarely had Salems for sale.  They must have been
going straight to N. Viet Nam.   And you could always tell when the PX liquor
store had Martel Cognac for sale.  The normally empty store would have a line
around the block.   As I mentioned before, my group of friends did not drink
much, so selling our liquor ration was no sacrifice to us, and cigarettes could
be bought two packs at a time, with no limit.

---------

From: Matt Mesplou '67 - '68  Hadabuck@...

First of all I want to thank you for all of your efforts passing on emails from
our Phulam brothers.  At the very least it has generated many memories, things
which I hadn't thought about in years.

I arrived at PhuLam in June 1967 where I worked as a tape ape in the Com Center.
We worked 12 hour shifts, 3 days on 4 days off.  The following week we would
switch to nights and repeat the same.  It was great because we had all that time
to spend downtown on our days off.  Those who were at Phulam at that time, might
remember in Jan 1968 just prior to TET, the North Koreans captured one of our
ships (Pueblo Incident).  I, along with many others formed a detachment and were
told we would be going somewhere but the destination was confidential at that
time.  There was a lot of hooty booty talk and we were convinced that we would
be sent to Korea.  It ended up that we were sent to Phu Bai and Hue to establish
a communications link after the 3rd Marines were moved further up North.  I
finished my tour in Phu Bai then didi moi.  Because of those memories I wanted
to take the time and pass on some information which I stumbled onto a few weeks
ago concerning Adult onset Diabetes and Agent Orange.

During a conversation with a friend, he suggested that I contact the VA to see
if I could get my insulin medication from the VA at a reduced cost.  I had no
idea whether I could get it or not but I thought it would be worth a shot.  I
sent an email to the VA and merely asked the question.  I got a response back
from the VA and said some one would contact me in 5 to 10 business days.  To my
surprise, I got a phone call from a representative of the VA at Mather Air base
that very same afternoon.  Again to my surprise, the rep advised me that not
only could I get the medication but I could be classified as 25% - 30% disabled.

Over the years the VA has linked certain illnesses and or diseases to Agent
Orange and approximately 3 years ago they linked Adult onset diabetes to it as
well.  I was shocked!!!  The rep went on to say that this was almost an
automatic thing and there would be no problem getting the disability.  I was
told that I would need to file a claim and the claim processing would take
approximatey 8 months.  Once the claim was approved, all monies would be
retroactive to the date I filed my claim.  Having learned the hard way with the
military and the VA, I verified this information with two other VA
representatives and each time it was confirmed as being accurate.  The only
qualification is that you spent one day on land in Viet Nam.  It didn't matter
if you were in the bush or in Saigon. The VA's position is that the use of Agent
Orange was so wide spread that it didn't matter where you were.  Your DD 214
clearly states that you were in Viet Nam.  In order to file a claim, you will
need to get an application from the VA, fill out the application and mail it
along with Marriage and divorce papers for all marriages.  If anyone out there
has contracted Adult onset Diabetes (Type II Diabetes), this is for real.
  ------------

From: Harold Sinnes   '63 - `64   hesinn@...

My name is Harold E. Sinnes USN (RM2) and I was one of the Joint
Army/Navy/Marine Corp personnel that were assigned to the Phu-Lam facility April
1963 through May/June 1964.

I arrived in country wearing civilian clothes carrying a Passport, Vietnamese
driver's license and billeted in the Metrapole Hotel.  Although billeted in the
Metrapole, our chow hall was in the Plaza Hotel located just a short distance
away.  When our stomach started growling around midnight we would hit the bakery
as they were pulling fresh bread out of the ovens and head for the street
vendors to buy a bowl of Vietnamese soup.

Trained as an intercept CW/crypto (subservice) for ComSubPac 1, I volunteered
for duty only ending up as a mounted courier with a Chinese driver and armed
Marine challenged to protect the pouch, if you know what I mean.  For eight
months I was able to visit the county sides by river boat and jeep on land.
------------

From:  James W. McCauley '70 : j_mccauley@...
Location: Memphis Tenn
Comments: Was PV2 and promoted out of 32D Ft Monmouth PFC. Shipped out to Viet
Nam in May 1970. Was ordered from school for Plaque. During processing in
Cameron Bay, myself and three others from School received open ended orders with
no destination. Just told to head south and find a location needing tech
controllers. Bouncing from site to site ended up in Phu Lam about 3 weeks in
country. First day in Phu Lam, located ADMD Commander and was informed they did
not have PFC's on station. I began to gather my bags to leave. We were told not
to. The Commander stood up and said, "you GI's have just been promoted to SP4.
One of the other 2 guys as I recall, was Peter P Simons. His name along with my
is on the duty roster for Autodin 1970. I informed the Company Commander that we
were not schooled for Autodin. He said no problem, you will learn and we did.
About 3 months before leaving Phu Lam, went before promotion board. Thought it
was over. 2 days in LA California orders followed for promotion to SP5. After
home R/R had Europe orders changed. Went to Pentagon Telecomm Center as Tech
Controller. Departed some 2.5 years later for AFCENT (Armed Forces Central
Europe) in Holland. 3 year tour. Got a European Out and spent time as civilian
goofing off. My wife and I really enjoyed until money ran low. Army shipped us
back to LA. Was away from military for approximately 5 years. Joined AF
Reserves. Tomorrow (June 7/8 2008) will be my last drill at March ARB, CA.
Retirement of 32.5 years commences next month. Probably the oldest E-6 on
record. Will be 60 years old on 24th of this month. Hate to leave. Been all over
the world on Tours. 2 to Germany, 3 to Korea, 1 to Jammaca, 1 to Honduras and
many other great locations including the United Arib Emerants. I am currently
working for the state of California. 20 years as a traffic signal technician and
now 10 years as electrical supervisor. July 16,2008 will also be my last day on
the job. Retiring from it as well. We are packing up and moving to our second
home in Arizona on the Colorado River. A frontier town of called Golden Shores
about 25 miles south of Bull Head City. Have had a great life and look forward
to a new beginning. Join the VFW and sit around remonissing of days gone by.
Thank you for creating this web site. When time permits, I will be more than
happy to share with everyone photos and experiences in Phu Lam including the
friend who refered me. He too is in the Autodin 1970 duty roster.

[Note from Howard:  This was posted many months ago on another web site.  The
email address is no longer valid.  Does any ham operator know how we can contact
James W. McCauley ?  ]

Hey Guys

Reunion is getting closer. I received an email from Brian today. He still has a
few cabins left at our contract price. He has 2 Interior, 2 Oceanview, and 1
Balcony left. He contacted Carnival and as of todays rate without our contract
has gone up $40.00. If you would still like to go, please call Brian. Don't wait
till you have to pay the regular price.

The reunion cruise is actually cheaper than our regular reunions. Remember our
meals are free and all the entertainment. You don't have to pay for the banquet
dinner like the other reunions. That dinner is also free on the cruise. The
amount we are paying for 5 days is cheaper than our hotel rooms at our land
reunions. And those reunions are only four days. So call Brian as soon as
possible for your reservation.

The cruise is from September 7th to the 12th. Leaves Monday and returns on
Saturday.

Brian has been to New York and will have our hotel by next week. I will notify
everyone when it is set up. We will be doing sightseeing the weekend before the
the cruise. The cruise ship leaves Monday at 5:00 PM, so we can also do some
sightseeing Monday also.

As soon as I hear from Robert Van Pelt, I will let everyone know what he and his
wife has set up for sight-seeing for that weekend. Just to let you know, Robert
is Command Sergeant Major of the New York Army National Guard. He and his wife
has offered to help with the sight-seeing. Also Bob Freeman can help with
transporting anyone from the airport to the hotel.

I am adding an email message from Brian below. Anxious to see everyone again in
September.

Connie
angelvet@...



                     AHOY PHU LAMERS
               ARE YOU ONBOARD FOR THE 2009
                     CRUISE REUNION
For those of you who have already booked and secured your cabin we thank-you and
look forward to seeing you on the ship. For those of you who are still
considering this great venue, I just want to remind you time is of the essence
as we only have a limited amount of cabins left @ our negotiated rate. Prices
have already increased. Reserve your space now so you will not miss out on the
following; *Camaraderie *All meals onboard *Complimentary 24 hr room service
*Las Vegas/Broadway style shows *Captains cocktail party *Phu Lam cocktail
reception and other functions *Vegas style Casino * Five pools and 8 whirlpools
* Seaside Outdoor Theater with Jumbo 12X22 LED Screen * Wall to Wall TV Sports
Bar *State of the art fitness, beauty and health facilities *9-hole putting
green and golf simulator *Internet café *Caribbean lobster party *Yamaican'me
crazy sail away party *Complimentary bottle of wine per cabin *Shipboard credits
*And Oh Yeh, CAMARADERIE.

                  " DON'T MISS THE BOAT"
We still have a few cabins in each of the following categories available;
Inside/Outside/Balcony
                 "CALL OR EMAIL TODAY"
Brian Forrester brian@...
Holiday Cruises and Tours 800-998-1228

PhuLamers,

Again on this Memorial Day, we pay tribute to all those who have died in the
service of our country. Including those who were assigned to Phu Lam, but did
not return home alive.

Richard Lacey
William Behrens
(further information at http://phulam.com/memory.htm)

Richard Bruce
Luis Campos
Earnest Nelson
Allen DeNicola
Jose Delgada
Harry Swiger
(further information at http://phulam.com/others.htm)

James Brown
Michael Ihnat
Charles Wiliamson
(further information at http://phulam.com/mycanh.htm)


LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF PHU LAM AND THOSE WHO SERVED THERE.

Howard Hickman

PhuLamers,

I am in the process converting my collection of all official and "unofficial"
films of Phu Lam into digital format and it will soon be posting it on a web
site for all to view.   Anyone have any 8mm film of Phu Lam, let me know, so I
can include it as well.  Currently I have home movies taken by Larry Back `70, 
Marvin Sorrows '66  and Dennis Bradford '68.

And, now more memories about that place, Phu Lam…..

---------------------

From: Thomas Bartoces  10/68 to 2/70  tombeetwo@...  Mountlake Terrace,
Washington

I got there sometime in Oct '68 from USASCS Ft Monmouth NJ, as a 34C20 and
worked in the Autodin for awhile, don't remember exactly how long but I
requested other duties as Security Police mostly because I got bored and wanted
to see some action. Patrols outside of the compound perimeter was definitely
interesting and raised  adrenaline levels at times. But after 6 months (they
were short handed) I was back in the Autodin as a Tech controller 32D20 until my
ETS in Feb '70. I really enjoyed working as a Tech Controller. All of us did
some great professional work there!! Spent alot off time at the EM club and the
Cholon bars. I thought some of the bands that entertained there were pretty
good. Great times watching movies and barbecues. Did alot of picture taking and
even spent sometime learning film processing; but can't recall what happened to
the pics?! I'll ask around the family back in Hawaii.  Also recall the night
couple mortar rounds came in and heard the frag hit the wall in the barrack I
was in (while using the latrine) and spending the rest of the night at the
perimeter in full gear. Fortunately no one was hurt.

Hope to hear from other autodin'rs. Left Phulam Feb'70. Moved from Maui, Hawaii
in '75. Big Island in'80, Kauai in '88 to Mountlake Terrace, Wash. Hangout at
Ballinger and Lynnwood Golf Courses. Anybody knows my good buddy Roger
Shropshire?

---------
From: Gary A. Kalbfleisch  '66  (not on-line)  Phu Lam and Ba Queo

I was really excited when my brother said he found Phu Lam on the net. I have a
state-of-the-art ham set, but not a computer, so I logged on at the library, but
it wouldn't give up the email address on the site.So I asked my brother if he
would revisit the Phu Lam site and email amessage I provided and now I'm reading
the book, "The Professionals," on Phu Lam. I'm not sure who to thank, but thank
you very much.

My stay at Phu Lam and work at Ba Queo was about as good as Vietnam could be. I
had worked for years in Dad's TV repair shop and received a two year electronic
technician's degree before being in the service. I began repairing equipment the
day or second day on my own at the Syncom satellite station in January of 1966.
the Administrative Sgt. on about day five said that he wanted me with the
tracking receivers at all times and at least one had to be working at all times.
Never were both inoperative. I was offered a commission to warrant officer,but
my ex-wife said, "If you do that we are through," so that was that. I went back
to college after my year in Vietnam.

I have a family history book (1 of 3) entitled The War Zone. Instead of being
about policy, etc., it is about the day-to-day life of a maintenance technician
there. Of course, it is about Phu Lam, Ba Queo, Cholon, and Saigon. I will take
the time to make copies for those that might be interested.

I passed  time in Vietnam like an associate, Whechler, taking photos. Only
during the Vietcong attack near or through Ba Queo into Tan Son Nhut where we
were asked or directed not to take photos. I was newly married and didn't want
to take anything home, so photography. I took hundreds of photos.

Recently, I took part in the Library of Congress Veteran's History Project,
where many of my photos and documents are available to the nation. I'm an artist
and have drawn from my photos of Ba Queo for my Family History book (The War
Zone). I took a small ham receiver to Vietnam and listened at the barracks. I
made a SWL card to send to hams that I hears on the air there in Vietnam. I
listened to hams on a R-390 receiver in the Syncom station as a reminder of
home.

I had enlisted for Fixed Station Receiver as a MOS after receiving my draft
notice, but Satcom was better. I figured that enlisting would keep me off the
rice patties carrying a radio, and it worked. I didn't know that some were
taking incoming GI's despite assignment. I also treasure my time in Satcom as
being an educational experience.
However, my mother was against government in general and against the war. She
said that if I ever mentioned Vietnam again that she would never speak to me
again. She didn't.

Enclosed are some of my favorite photos.
[Note from Howard: they are now posted at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PhuLam

Sincerely
Gary A. Kalbfleisch
Ex-Sp5, USASTRATCOM
2848 Auburn Blvd.  #9
Sacramento CA 95821
----------

From: William Skaggs 6/68 - 7/69 eaglecrest@...

  Re:  Photo taking at Phu Lam.
You can imagine my surprise with I started seeing all the picture that were
taken from within the Autodin building. It looks like they had a photo op
session in there every day. We snuck a camera into the tape relay building only
one time that I know of. We took a couple of quick pictures of ourselves in the
service section of the building, then got out of there (we were off duty). We
felt like spies or something. From the lack of other pictures from inside the
tape relay building, it guess we heeded the "No Photos" warning more than the
rest of the site personnel.

The only other "clandestine" thing we did was sneak a friend into the building.
We were at Ft. Gordon together, and he was stationed at a commcenter north of
Saigon somewhere. The MP on the entrance to the door was a friend and former
Tape Ape (Joe Herman) so he let us in. I doubt if we were in the building for
more that just a couple of minutes. We just did a quick walk through, and left.
Again, we felt like spies.

William Podolski (Podo) was one of my close friends. I do not recognize the
other two names. I had a small circle of friends (maybe 8 or so) that I
associated with. We did not do dope or even drink (very often). We did get drunk
3 times, as I remember, and each time was planned in advance, just so we could
say that we did. The 1st time was on beer, the 2nd on Rum and Coke, and the 3rd
was Southern Comfort (that was party in the barracks). Other than that, we were
just clean cut kids. We all did go to Cholon my last
month in country just to buy a bar girl a "Saigon Tea". I remember being miffed
because the girl wanted a more expensive drink. I told here to take it or leave
it; so she settled on the tea. That was the only time I was in a bar other than
the EM club or the Plaza or Capitol BEQ's.

I do remember having to pull very little guard duty at night. I would trade with
someone working in the commcenter. I loved that job, but most others  did not,
so they were happy to get out of a nights work. I remember one time I was
assigned guard duty off base at one of the BEQ's downtown. No one wanted to
trade for that duty. I will say, that was the only time that I felt very
uncomfortable (scared) in my 13 months there. The only other time  "would" have
been during the Jun 69 rocket attack. It landed just outside our barracks where
we would have been sleeping (upstairs, opposite the EM Club). That was the only
time that we went awol and spend the night downtown. Because of that, we missed
out on our only chance for a real war story. Plus when we came back the next
morning, the place was in lockdown, but luckily for us, Joe Herman was on duty
at the main gate and he let us back in without logging it. I guess we were lucky
they did not do a head count earlier and notice that we were missing.

I still would like to work a little more, and try and get an accurate layout of
the relay building floor plan as it was in 69-70.   The pictures just add to my
confusion as they all are from different years.  The one with the Calendar and
with Eugene Podolski (Jun 69) best reflect my memory of the transmitter banks
but they do not show much of the rest of the room.  The one with the large
computer (Tape Relay RUMS #22), looks like a punch card reader, which was long
gone when I got there (again, if I remember correctly).  It had been replaced by
a Univac 1004 (?), which was a high speed tape reader.  I can remember that it
read the tape several feet at a time, and made a ker-chunk, ker-chunk sound as
it pulled the tapes past the optical scanner.  Of course, it could have been
completely silent, and I have a faulty memory.   I do remember how quickly it
relayed messages though.  If an routing address was invalid, just a second or so
after the message went out, the motor on the receive section would start up and
spit out a service message.  At the time, I thought the message had gone around
the world, and some other computer generated the message, but from what I know
about computers today, the message probably never got past our own Autodin
section.   Some day I will relate to you a game we used to play with invalid
routing indicators.

I do remember one time, probably in Jul 69,  walking out on the relay floor, and
it being completely silent, with not a single message arriving or being sent. 
That is a far cry from when I first got there and the guys on the receiver banks
were standing should to houlder, knee deep in paper tape messages still coiled
up on the floor and hollering out for the HP man (one person specially handled
all the flash messages).   And that was not even the hay-day of the tape relay
floor.  It seems I remember a plaque on the wall commerating the record day of
messages relayed.  It was December 14, 1967, if I remember correctly, but I do
not remember the message count, but it was way up there.  Boy, am I glad I got
assigned to the service section and not the relay floor.

Eugene B. Dixon is on the missing list.  He was also a friend of mine, but I do
not remember much about him.  I don't think I even have a picture of him.
However, for Christmas in 1968, he sent a list of names of several Phu Lamers to
members of his church, and they send us all care packages that year.  We all got
a personal letter from the pastor of his church, and I found that letter
yesterday.   Eugene belonged to the Rosemead Church of Christ (now called the
Rosemead Christian Church), in Rosemead, Calif.  I wrote a snail mail letter to
the church this morning to see if they are still in contact with Gene.  I will
let you know when I hear from them.

Another person is Ronald D. Neill.  Ron was not a personal friend of mine, but I
did run into him in early 1970 in Taft, Calif.  He was a salesman and just
happened to stop at the gas station I was working at.  We recognized each other
and had a short visit.  I got a real job and moved to Bakersfield right after
that and never had contact with him again
---------

From: rufus oglesby   7/65 - 7/66  rufusoexcited@...

I do remember Thomas Neelan as a fellow Phulamer while I was there. I don't
remember the section he worked, but it's great to just be able to say... 'Hey, I
know You!'
Thanks for joining us. Just for reference, I shared living space downtown (just
before the barrack were built) with a PFC Aaron Warren, who now lives in
Philadelphia. And with a SP5 Waddell (deceased in the late 90's, as I understand
from Howard). Aaron and I left Phu Lam in July 1966, reassigned to Ft. Ritchie,
MD. I retired after 36 years gov't work, including the Ofc of the Sec Army
(ODISC4), from 1988 until October 2002. I also worked for USA Intelligence and
Security Command during the 1980's

Paul, I remember SFC Rush, who became the NCOIC of the floor while I was there.
I later worked for him at Ft. Ritchie, MD., and possibly at ASC Pirmasens. Great
guy... Ask him if he remembers me. I do also have vague memories of SFC Critikos
while I was a Phu Lam.
Incidentally I did a lot of work at USACC, Ft Huachuca, as a project officer for
INSCOM and later for ODISC4. Do you remember CW3 Phil Loranger (he and I worked
together at ODISC4), Or Sp4 Jeffrey Hodge? He and I were project officers
together, at ODISC4...  small world, huh...
---------------------

LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF PHU LAM AND THOSE WHO SERVED THERE.

HOWARD

PhuLamers,

Our Phu Lam Angel, Connie Chronister, has informed me that she has now received
just over $2,000 for the web site.

That's enough to keep the web site going for another 10 years !!!!!!!!

That's beyond anyone's expectations !

Thanks to all who were able to donate.

Many contributors were listed in a previous email.
Below are names of more recent contributors, per Connie.

LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF PHU LAM AND THOSE WHO SERVED THERE !

Howard

---------


Mark Oshiro
Gary Burlette
Michael Brownstead
Jeffrey Sewall
Gerry Hoover
R Craig Lane
Gary Spires
Warren Halset
Robert Caffrey
Randall L Smith
Bruce Greiner
Frank Trapasso
Gilbert Adams
Roger Wilgus
Joseph Machado
Richard Dahl
Enoch Frankhouser
Robert Freeman
Larry Buthmann
Glenn Godward
Paul Penn
Barry Einsig

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there.

The following have been located:

Thomas Neelans, `66   neelans13@... Seattle, WA
Gary Kalbfleisch,  '69  Ba Queo 1750 Auburn Blvd., #13, Sacramento, CA 95815.

----------

A digest of Phu Lam related emails:

-------------
From: Rufus Oglesby '65 -  `66  rufusoexcited@...>

I am attaching some pictures from my time at Phu Lam (July '65-Jul '66). They
don't give much new insight to the place, but I think it does us good to see
pictures where we possibly recognize our places or faces within the site or even
in Saigon, itself.

[Rufus' photos have been posted on the Yahoo Phu Lam web page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PhuLam

-----------
From: Paul Penn  '65 - '66  prpenn@...

   I was at Phu-Lam Relay Station (old torn-tape type) as a Sgt E-5 during Oct
1965-1966.  Been a long time ago.  I am still in touch with two guys who were
there at the same time (then: Ssgt James Critikos, floor supvr, & Sfc William R.
"Pappy" Rush, relay NCOIC).

   Still have fond memory of a trip or two into "downtown" Saigon.

    Got my Warrant in 1969, did a tour up in the Nha-Trang relay station, as the
station COMSEC officer, with about 18 to 22 outlying COMSEC support units in the
IICorps area, that being the 1st Field Forcs Command.

    Was later United States Army Communications Command COMSEC Officer out of Ft.
Huachuca, AZ.

   Did my last tour as COMSEC Officer/OIC of the USCC station at Ft. Wainwright,
Fairbanks, AK.  Retired from there.
  Moved to the Philippines, where I currently reside.
   I can be reached at:      prpenn@...
   or at:    Paul R. Penn CW2(Ret)AUS
                KM-30 Olang,
                6229 Maria, Siquijor,
                Philippines
If you care to, drop a line this way.
   Regards,    Paul
----------------

From: Michael Batie  69 - 70  mbatie@...
To: Dao Churchill
    My name is Michael Batie.  I was buddies with Jackie Martinez.  We had an
apartment downtown at 933 Phan Tan Yan sic (bom muy bom phan tahn yan
phonetically).  We had a party and you were there.

   In photo 75 I am on the right.  John Jerome is on the left.  Jackie Martinez
in in photo 98

[Note: Michael Batie has posted his photos on the Yahoo Phu Lam web page.
Howard]
-----------------

FROM: Cesar Garcia  '68 - '69  cesar_garcia00729@...
asking one last time, if anyone knows the whereabouts of Jose Mendez III who
served in Phu Lam 68-69. was from El Paso Texas
Cesar Garcia-Toro
------------

From: Henry Killmeyer   '70 - '71  hkillmeyer@...
   Does anybody have a update on Colonel Tourtollet?  I would like to hook up and
tell him hello and see how he is doing.
---------

From: Donald Basset   '69 - '70   debass1@...
I also have some names that do not show up on either roster. Louis
Vassalotti(Akron, Ohio), David Sealy(Schnectady, NY), Tommy Davis(Alabama),
David DiaMico(Ohio) and David Dasalvo(Ohio).  [James DeSalvo]
Those names I do remmeber. I was there from Jan. 69 to Jan. 70 and most of these
guys plus myself worked in Traffic Service in Autodin at Phu Lam.
                                               Donald Bassett Jr.
--------------

From: Thomas Schley  '72  nztraveller@...
Referring to Daniel William's statement regarding the  ammo barge, yes that
cloud was mushroom shape alright.  I'll never forget it.
Tom

------------

[I noticed a message on another email group that John Grimes is retiring. 
Howard]

From:  Grimes, John, HON, NII/DoD-CIO <john.grimes@...>
George, yes, I was ask to stay over with Sec'y Gates but it is about time to
hang up my spurs and pick up my clubs !  Also I spent considerable time at Phu
Lam in 1965,66 and 67 on TDY. Know the place very well and have many pictures if
I could ever find them  to include the AUTODIN building as it was being built,
tropo shot to Vaug Tau and the
old torn tape floor, tech control, HF XTRS site,  PBX Oversea switch, mess hall
and so on.  Guy's like Bill Marshall, Homer Dean, Tom Custer, Clyde Meade, Keith
Garlets, Bob Kelly,  Sam Glassman, George Mitchell,  and many others all were
there as engineers, installers and T&E since it was the egress comm center to
the outside world for MAC-V.

Honorable John G. Grimes
Assistant Secretary of Defense
for Networks and Information Integration
DoD Chief Information Officer
Pentagon Room 3E172
(703) 695-0348
----------------

  From: John Roth   '72  Itsmedadroth@...
    My Name is John W Roth, and came across your web site. I'm
retired Navy RMCS Radiomen Senior Chief ... I was part of many landing
parties that brought Navy comms equipment out of Phu Lam Comm Site
I was there during the move out ... I was just one of many that
helped tear out equipment, box up & hump boxes from here to there. I was there
four times between Jan and June 1972 ... Then I returned to my Ship (USS Shelton
DD-790) and returning stateside.

     John W Roth, RMCS (SW) USN-Ret
     St. Augustine, Florida
---

From: "n & j king" <nnjking@...>

I am writing by request of my brother, Gary A. Kalbfleisch.  I found this
website quite by accident.  Gary served at Phu Lam in 1966, and he is on the
morning roster.  He does not have a computer and was unable to contact you
directly, so he asked me to do so.  His address is 1750 Auburn Blvd., #13,
Sacramento, CA 95815.  He is not necessarily expecting you to write, but that is
his contact information at this time.  If you operate mainly by email, you may
respond to this email directly to me, and I will print it out and send it to him
by smail mail.

Gary has many photos and documents of Phu Lam and the Ba Queo Satcom station at
Tan Son Khut Airbase that he can send you, and he is eager to do so.  I will be
able to scan anything he sends and relay it to you electronically.
Norman R. King
--------------

From: Tammy Mabin <tammytsillyme@...>
Subject: Weldon Terral

I googled my dad's name and found your site.  Thought you may like to know,
Weldon Terral, passed on april 13, 2009. He was 78 years old.

I am his daughter, Tammy Terral.  I was glad to have found your site and more
info about dad's army career.

[Note: SSG Weldon Terral served at Phu Lam 2/69  to 9/69.  Howard]
------------

From: "Jessie Borders" <jbo@...>

my name is Jesse Borders jr.  I was doing a google search to find out more about
my father since he died when I was really young.  I found his name on a Phu Lam
morning report for sept 1967.  anyway, I just wanted to let you know how great
your site is.  it's given me a little insight as to what my father done in the
army.  I know he spent at least 3 years in vietnam, but I wasn't sure where he
was stationed until now.  he died of a heart attack after retiring from the army
in Colorado.  I was looking through the pictures on your web page to see if he
was in any of them, but I didn't see him.  well, I just thought you might like
his name for the list.  it was Jesse L Borders on the morning report, it had him
listed as a 74B.  thanks
Jesse Borders

[Note: Jesse Broders was a SGT MOS 72B on the Phu Lam Sept '67 Morning Report]
------------


Subject: Phu Lam and Operation Babylift

[Note:  Operation Babylift was the 1975 evacuation of orphans from Vietnam, some
from the Hoi Duc Anh Orphanage, which was supported by many PhuLamers over the
years. Howard]

From: Mark Shostrom <shouson23b@...>

Hello Phu Lam members,
My mother and I were among the first volunteers for Operation Babylift. 
Happily, we were both cancelled the night before that flight, the C5A which
crashed.

Never having forgotten that episode - and after becoming friends with so many
people from Babylift in the past 6 months - I started the Operation Babylift
35th anniversary reunion in Vietnam.   On Facebook for only a week, many people
are signing up to reunite in Vietnam in April 2010.

This is an invitation to all Phu Lam members and alumni to join us. Your
contributions to helping in orphanages for years is well known. My good friend
Liv was one of the kids you helped.  She is the little girl in the photo of our
Facebook page here:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=77227492820

We will have a web site up in a few weeks.  Please check with us in mid-May:
http://babylift35.com

Please write with any questions.  Would love to hear from any of you.
my personal email is:  shouson23b@...

Best regards,
Mark Shostrom
--------------

From: Larry Zink  '63 - '64    larryzink@...

   My name is Larry Zink. I arrived in Saigon Aug 30 1963 as a PFC and was
assigned to 232 signal co.
   But I were held at the 39th Bn for a week or so.  We filled sand bags during
the day at Phulam to rebuild some sandbag bunkers around the fenced area down to
the last tropo .
   Later I was assigned nightly to the PhumLam Guard duty. This also continued
event after I was sent over, to the 232 Sig Co. I worked the guard job for about
2 or more months.
   Every night we would meet at the 39th Bn headquarters to be inspected by Sgt
Godsey or some other sergeant.  We carried everything from M1 a carbines to
Grease guns. I remember the Sgt trying to figure out how to take the grease gun
for inspection. He passed me by the first night.  I was later transfer to Sadec
Advisory Team 60 or Det 9 232 Signal Co. .
  I was one of the first arrive at the front gate the night the MP shot him self.
I never forget that night. I thought the ARVN s had shot him and I almost shot
them. They started point at his head trying to say he shot himself.   We tried
to keep him alive while waiting on a Helicopter to arrive.
It never came, later a ambulance showed up after daylight.  He had also left a
letter to his mother.
   I remember one night I was on the post next to the last tropo. A VC had been
taking pot shot at me from across the rice paddy.  The Sgt of the guard caught
me with my carbine loaded and slipped up behind me. Not good thing to do.  Well
he finally told me to shot a flare over the hay stake where the VC was hiding. 
I shot it right into the stake.  He was pissed.  They sent some Arvn over to put
out the fire.  Well Charlie never shot at me again that night.
   I figured I was in trouble but he never said anything else about it.  If you
remember President Kennedy said we could shot back without and reprisals. Event
though the order was to ask permission to load. We all no why that happend since
the guard in the tower shot at the other tower.
    It nice to reflect back now.  I live in the wire team hut next to the mess
hall.
  My picture are on Classmate. com.
     The VA had a hard time excepting that Phu Lam ever existed. Also that the
Signal Soliers ever worked or assisted in combat.
     This is a good site and thank you for allowing me to visit and post here. 
Lots of good men worked at Phulam and guarded there nightly.
       Larry Zink
---------
LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF PHU LAM AND THOSE WHO SERVED THERE.

AHOY PHU LAMERS,


For those that have not signed up for our 2009, Reunion cruise time is a
wasting. Our block cabin space will be reviewed by the cruise line on May 11,
2009 and all unsold space will have to be released and you will then have to pay
a higher rate. Your $200 per person deposit to hold your cabin is fully
refundable up until final payment which is July 1, 2009. Cruise lines
unfortunately do not operate like hotels and cabin space cannot be held as long.
All the information and registration form is on the website so please sign up
ASAP and lets make this a great reunion.

http://phulam.com/cruisereunion09.htm


You can phone Brian @ 1-800-998-1228 and he will take your registration over the
phone.



PS. Passports are not mandatory but advisable. You only are required to produce
an original (or certified copy of the original) birth certificate and photo
gov't ID.



Brian Forrester

VP Sales

Holiday Cruises and Tours

6969 E Shea Blvd. #101

Scottsdale, AZ 85254

480-998-1112/ Fax 480-998-3849

800-998-1228

Cell 480-332-7294

PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS

brian@...

Three weeks ago, we asked for donations to be sent to our "Phu Lam Angel" Connie
Chronister to pay for current and future financial costs of the PhuLam.com web
page.

Connie just sent me a list of those who have already sent in donatons. (See
below.) I am truly amazed at the number of those who have donated.

Thank you.

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those served there.

Howard

From: "Connie" <angelvet@...>
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:31:06 -0400
Subject: List of Donation names so far

Here are names of the guys who donated towards the web site so far.
Homer Evans
Jesse Polston
Robert Klag
Pat Kappenman
Dale Kliethermes
Duane Rostberg
Zoltan Anahazy
John Tuure
Raymond Bochantin
Gene Venzke
William Gordon
Bob Motley
Larry Terpstra
David Allfrey
David Lawton
John Eberle
Samuel Fredo
Bruce Shimala
Jim Strickland
Frederick Culbreath
John Underwood
Melvin Rice
Josef Rokus
Joseph Phillips
John (Guy) Connor
Stanley Grochocki
Vincent Albano
S. S. Aston
Charles Umamoto
James Hinton
Marc Cohen
Robert Wilson
Howard Hickman
Dave Pfaff
Clem Perry
Leon Wilber
Yukio Otsuka
Bill Seater
Jeff Hollis
Paul Duignan
Daniel Anderson
Don Boley
Kenneth Ambellan
Jacque A La Croix
Cornell Mattox
Art Winters
Philip Rains
Richard Coleman
William Purcell
Jack Abstein
Henry Killmeyer
Bernard Tumulty
Heinz Wildermuth
Karl Buder
Stan Grecne

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there.

PhuLam.com Web Page

It's been almost three years (June 2006), since we last sent out an
email asking for donations, and it's time again to "pass the hat" for
PhuLam.com

PhuLam.com exists due to the hundreds of hours of volunteer labor by
Connie Chronister, our "Phu Lam Angel," creating and constantly
updating the web page.

In addition to the labor, there are ongoing costs of about $200 a
year. It costs money to have a permanent web page large enough to
post the numerous photos and documents, without annoying pop-ups. We
also have to pay an annual fee to maintain the name "PhuLam.com."

There appears to be no PhuLam veteran who has become independently
wealthy and who can underwrite the ongoing costs, so we have to rely
on many PhuLamers to donate whatever they can.


Donations can be sent directly to:
Connie Chronister
55 Chesapeake Estates
Thomasville, PA 17364

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there.

Howard Hickman

PhuLamers,

PhuLamer Josef Rokus has just returned from a trip to Saigon.
Following is his trip report.

Photos of his trip are posted on the Yahoo Phu Lam site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PhuLam
after signing in, click on "Photos" on the left column


-----------------------------------------------



Trip Report
Saigon/Phu Lam
February 2009

	 In February 2009, my family and I went on a 16-day tour of Southeast Asia that
included a few days in Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand; Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi
An, Hue and Saigon in Vietnam; and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. As part of that trip,
we spent two days in Saigon on February 19-20, 2009. Because we had part of an
afternoon free, I had arranged with a private guide to visit the Phu Lam site,
as well as the site of the Hoi Duc Anh Orphanage and the Phu Tho Racetrack. (See
comments below about our guide.)

	 For several months prior to the trip I tried to get permission to actually get
onto the Phu Lam base, a challenge since it is still actively being used by the
Vietnamese army. Despite extensive correspondence with the U.S. consulate in
Saigon, the U.S. embassy in Hanoi and the Vietnamese embassy in Washington,
D.C., I was unable to obtain that permission. Thanks to the reports of other Phu
Lamers and with the help of our guide I was able to find the Phu Lam base. As
others, particularly Frank Duke, have reported previously, the Phu Lam area is
extensively built up and in no way resembles what it was like in "the good old
days." The current entrance to the base is set back from the major highway
leading from Saigon to the Mekong Delta (which was Highway 4 when we were there
and is now Highway 1A) on a narrow, built-up street. Consequently, finding the
base can be a real challenge.

	 We were able to drive to the front gate but turned around immediately in order
not to arouse any suspicions from the guards. Because of the security
sensitivity surrounding a military base (particularly involving foreigners), I
did not take any pictures of the entrance gate close-up but was able to get a
reasonably good shot of the gate from about a block away. One of the
tropospheric antennas is still clearly visible in the background. Also, by
looking between the houses that now surround the base, a portion of the AUTODIN
building roof is also still visible.

	 As other Phu Lamers have already reported, gaining visual access of other
portions of the base is extremely difficult, because the area is now so heavily
built-up. We drove around the area of the base on the nearest streets but could
not see any evidence of any of the Phu Lam Signal Battalion buildings or other
structures, again because the area is now heavily built-up. As other Phu Lamers
have done in the past, it is probably possible to get closer access than I was
able to get by walking through alleys and on private properties close to the
base. But because of time constraints (and the possibility of landing in a local
jail), I decided to settle for a picture of the front gate and the antenna as a
souvenir.

	 Google Earth provides an excellent aerial view of the base. The coordinates of
the center of the AUTODIN Building are 10 degrees, 45 minutes, 02.21 seconds
North and 106 degrees, 37 minutes, 40.31 seconds East, and the main base is just
west of there. The current gate to the base is just west of the AUTODIN building
on the narrow street that connects to current Highway 1A. A little further west
is a fairly large park, which we also drove around. The Google Earth image shows
several buildings built by the Vietnamese army, some fairly recently based on
earlier Google Earth images. Some of the two-story barracks as well as the main
operations building (as well as some other structures) are still standing, but I
was unable to get close enough to see them personally. Although it is impossible
to determine what the base is being used for today, it is conceivable, based on
the sizes of the new buildings and the apparent open area (possibly a parade
field), that the base is now a garrison post for army troops. The road where our
front gate and the sign shown on the front page of the web site used to be can
no longer be recognized, having been widened and heavily built up.

	 We next went by the Phu Tho Racetrack, which is also clearly visible on Google
Earth. It is still used for horse racing as well as for other sporting events. A
large sporting arena has been built on the northeast section of the racetrack
grounds. One of the streets near the racetrack was the site where two men from
the Phu Lam Long Lines Battalion were ambushed and killed on the morning of
January 31, 1968, during the start of the Tet Offensive.

	 The final stop was the site of the Hoi Duc Anh Orphanage. As we have known for
a long time, it is now used by the Blind Association of Ho Chi Minh City as a
school for the blind. Although the office was closed by the time we arrived
there, we were able to walk around the small courtyard and take some pictures.
Other than being cleaned up, painted, etc. the outside area, where some of us
went periodically to deliver rice, CARE packages, etc. and play with the
children, has changed very little. The guard on duty was fascinated with the
pictures of the orphanage I had taken back in 1967 that I showed him.

	 Saigon has, of course, changed a lot, as already reported by other Phu Lamers
who have been back. The downtown is a "modern" city with high rise buildings,
elegant hotels, including the Sheraton Towers, where we stayed. Some of the
"old" buildings, like the City Hall, Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral, Post
Office, etc. have not changed a bit – except that a large statue of Ho Chi Minh
is now in front of the City Hall. For old times sake, I went inside the
Cathedral and the Post office.

	 However, parts of the city, like the old streets in Cholon, are pretty much as
the same as they were during the Vietnam War, which in Vietnam is called the
"American War." The traffic in Saigon is, believe it or not, much worse than
when we were there. There are now what appear to be millions of motor scooters
that literally cause gridlock, which we witnessed personally. Tu Do Street, now
renamed Dong Khoi Street, has changed very little, except that it has been
cleaned up and several modern stores are now where the bars, etc. used to be.
Because the Sheraton is located on the street, I walked the length of what had
been Tu Do down to the Saigon River, which is even busier than it used to be
back in the 1960s. The old Rex Hotel is still also still there.

	 Somewhat off the subject, the trip included a tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels,
northwest of Saigon. Of particular interest to me were the maps in the
underground command bunkers that seem to show the routes used by the VC and NVA
to attack Saigon during the Tet Offensive. The maps are not very clear, but it
does not appear that the Phu Lam base was one of their key targets – as we now
know.

	 We also toured what was the Presidential Palace (now Reunification Hall) in
downtown Saigon. Most interesting were the American communications equipment and
maps in the command center in the basement, which was used until the city fell
in April 1975.

	 I would like to add some comments about our guide, Nguyen Tri Dung, who goes by
the nickname of Zoom, who Howard had put me in touch with. (Email:
dungzoom@... and web site www.saigontouring.com). He did an outstanding
job, and I would highly recommend him to any other Phu Lamers who are
considering going to Vietnam. Prior to our arrival, he had scouted out and
pinpointed the locations of Phu Lam and Hoi Duc Anh, saving us valuable time in
finding them. He even went so far as to drop off at our hotel before we left a
CD of the pictures he had taken on our tour. As an aside, he was about nine
years old in 1968 and has some personal, interesting stories to relate about the
last years of the war. It turns out that he was brought up and still lives very
close to the Phu Tho Racetrack. His English is outstanding, and he was simply
invaluable.

	 It was a great experience being able to go back 41 years in time and revisit
the places where we spent a year (or more) of our lives once upon a time. If
anyone has any specific questions I might be able to answer, please contact me
at rokus@... or 540-972-6386.


Joe Rokus
March 2, 2009

PhuLamers,

We have located the following PhuLamers:

Robert Diefenbacher   '67  Rfd7777@...
Feller, David  67-68   davef@...  Princeton, NJ
Homa, Mike  68 - 69  mjhoma@... PA.
McGee, Terry   67 to 68  terrence.mcgee@...  South Euclid, OH.
NIATOPSKY, Martin 10/63 - 12/64  niatopsky@...  Waterbury,
CT
Melendez, Gregory    68-69  pan37ok@...
Gehlbach, Richard A. `67   dgehlbach@...
Schley, Thomas  `72  nztraveller@...
Evankovich, George  67  gvanko@...


And a digest of recent Phu Lam related messages:

----------
From: MARTIN NIATOPSKY `63 - `64  niatopsky@...
i worked in phu lam and the air base 10/63-12/64.
they called me (ski) in the army. my frist name is martin thanks
again.

------------
From: Mike Homa   `68 - `69 mjhoma@...
my dear fried Paul Borter informed me of your web site and I decided
to take a look. I have to say that you have done a remarkable job. I
couldn't believe some of the photos. I just retired a few years ago
and I'm starting to get back into the real world. I'll be spending
some time enjoying this site. I was at PhuLam in 68-69. M.O.S. was a
32G20M2 (Cryptpo Creep ). Looking at the photos made it feel like it
was just last week. If only I looked so good.

--------
From: Terry McGee  `67 - `68 terrence.mcgee@...>
I worked nights and am extremely proud I didn't fill one sandbag
during my tour there including while the pool was being built.  Our
bar was Oscar's bar in Cholon.  I still have my Seiko watch, Pioneer
speakers and Dual turntable all purchased at the Cholon PX.Terry
McGee (34D20) ADPS repair,  Jan '68 working in the NARC---------
From: "Marsha" <lakota48@...> You may recall that I
contacted you several years ago in an attempt to locate SP5 Leo
Rushing.  I am sorry to say, Leo Rushing died Dec 1999.[Leo Rushing
served at Phu Lam 70-71]
------------

From: George evankovich  '67  gvanko@...
While looking  up some family history I ran across this site and was
amazed that someone had set this up. I was at phu lam ,for about
6mos.Played softball,and was in the security division. Holding guard
mounts etc,and called in a few  favors<calls home> in turn for better
guard  towers!! George evankovich>
--------

From: Thomas Schley ` 72 nztraveller@...

I was at Phu Lam from 2/72 - 6/72, and was in tech control.  Prior to
this I'd been stationed at an old French Foreign Legion post on the
coast just south of Da Nang.  I lived in a hooch as one of the guard
force on the outskirts of the post, next to the fishing village
there.  We had a lot of contact with the Vietnamese kids who were
just trying to survive in what was a pretty tough situation.  We were
attacked from the sea and our position became untenable when air
support was cut back, or perhaps totally curtailed.  At that point we
were shipped out to new duty posts.  I recall that Daniel Williams
from Wisconson, and I were sent to Phu Lam.  I found Dan's email
address on your website, but it was sent back as invalid.  Hope he
sees my listing on your update.

I do have some black and white photos, including some of the bill
board antennas.  Unfortunately they're packed away in a distant
storage unit.  If, and when I come across them I'll be sure to scan
them for you.  BTW, have you seen this web link?
http://www.history.army.mil/books/Vietnam/Comm-El/ch1.htm

As a kid I was a ham radio operator and a crack shot, so being at Phu
Lam was a good place to be.  I spent most of my initial time there on
guard duty, then, later in tech control and destroying documents and
tech manuals prior to the U.S. leaving the base.

I recall a few things.  One night in the guard tower we saw a huge
explosion, followed by a shock wave of sound.  A couple of weeks
later my parents wrote that they read of ammunitions barges (two as I
recall) blowing up when striking a mine in (probably the  Saigon)
river.  Another time colored tracer shells whizzed past my head and I
and the other guy on guard duty quickly dove to the floor of the
guard tower.

Once, during heavy rains, a snake came slithering into the barracks
which was slightly flooded.  Guys freaked out, saying it was a
poisonous one!  I remember the QC driving around at night catching
frogs in their headlights...food to bring home to their families.

I also recall a fight breaking out (at one of the clubs on base).  It
was a mass chaos of punching and kicking, but there wasn't much room
to move.  I heard later it started with a racial incident.  I only
sustained some pretty heavy bruising on the shins.

For fun I went into Saigon three or four times to photograph street
scenes.  At least two or three times I went to the air-conditioned
(what a luxury!) photo lab at the Ton Son Nhut Air Base to print
black and white photos.  I learned about this from my sergeant, a
black guy named Joe I believe.  He was an avid photographer.

After leaving Nam I had a nice payback; for 17 1/2 months I was
stationed at Camp Darby, Livorno (Leghorn), Italy.

Oh, one memory I forgot to include on my last post.
At Phu Lam we often heard shelling going on through the night.  I was
told this was part of the attack on An Loc and the offensive on
Cambodia (Quan Loi on our 1968 Evasion Chart).  Do you have any
knowledge of this?  Kept me awake for the first few nights until I
got used to it.
-------------------

LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF PHU LAM AND THOSE WHO SERVED THERE.
HOWARD

Phulamers

I have added the information to the web site. Click on the ship to
see the flyer. At the bottom of the flyer, click on the ship again
for the registion form.
Print out the form, fill it out and either mail or scan and email it
to Brian.

Remember if you are mailing it to Brian please include your $100.00
deposit to hold your cabin.

Final payment of cruise is due BEFORE July 1st, 2009. If not, you
will not be able to get the discount.

You can also visit http://carnival.com and check out the ship you
will be on. We will be on the Carnival Triumph.

If you have any more questions concerning the cruise, please email
Brian at brian@...
He will answer any questions you may have.

Connie

Phulamers

I talked with Brian today He will be emailing the form you need to
fill out and email or snail mail it back to him with a $100.00 Deposit.
Even if you would have to cancel you will receive the $100.00 back.
The reason he needs the deposit is to hold our cabins. He booked 45
cabins for us.

As I said before, I will be posting everything on a web page as soon
as Brian sends it to me.

Now for the answer to questions that were asked.

YES, you will either need a pass card or a passport. You can get the
form at most Post Offices or go to this web address.
http://travel.state.gov and either click on Passport or Pass Card. The
price for a passport is around a $100.00. A pass card will cost you
somewhere around $45.00. They both are good for 10 years. If you are
only using it for the cruise then a pass card is all you need. If you
are planning on flying out of the country then a passport is needed.
If you get sick on the cruise and are in Canada and need to fly back
then you will need the passport. It's up to you on which one you get
but YOU WILL NEED ONE OF THEM.

If you are planning on taking an extra person (3)or more, it will cost
them $380.00 for each extra person.

The price of the cruise is Double Occupancy, INTERIOR CABIN: $502.00
per person. OCEANVIEW CABIN: $632.00. If you are going alone a single
occupancy is:INTERIOR CABIN: $886.01, OCEANVIEW CABIN: $1146.01.

If you will need to park your car, you will be parking it at the
Manhatten Terminal. It will cost you $30.00 a day.

The cruise will leave at 5:00 PM on Monday September 7th. Be there to
board at 4:00 PM. We will return to New York, Saturday morning at 8:00
AM.

You must send your $100.00 per person as soon as you fill out the form
that I will be posting. We cannot stand back and wait to send it. If
you don't your cabin cannot be held. Final payment on what you will
owe after the $100.00 will have to be paid by the middle of August.

For all who would like to visit New York, please get there the Friday
before the cruise. Brian will be getting us a hotel before the cruise
so we can sight see. Brian also mentioned that you may be able to park
your car at the hotel while you are on the cruise. (With the exception
that when you get back you will stay at the hotel for a night. (This
will have to be up to you to talk to the hotel about vehicle parking)

If you are flying, there are no coupons or discounts.

Whatever the cabin you get, all government fees and taxes ARE included
in the cruise. As I said before everything is paid for except drinks
and the gifts you buy. All food IS included in the cruise.

Please keep checking the web site, as soon as Brian sends me the form
I will post it on a page.

You can also send me your $20.00 per person for the name tags, etc. My
address is below.

Brian also mentioned it would be better to send your money to him
using a credit card. The reason for this is, if you would have to
cancel, the cruise line would credit your credit card, instead of
waiting for the cruise line to send you a check. I think I pretty much
covered everything you need to know.

I also want to say that we will be having our Memorial Service on
board the ship. Not at dinner, but on deck.

Connie Chronister
55 Chesapeake Estates
Thomasville, Pa 17364

Phulamers
Since so many questions are coming in, I will tell you what I know so
far. We will be taking the Carnival Cruise line out of New York. Meals
are included in the cruise. I have just notified Brian on what cruise
I have chosen and to go ahead and get things ready.

I will be placing a reunion page on the website with photo's,
information, and your registration form that you will need to fill out
and either email or snail mail it to Brian. I have to wait for him to
get back to me with all the information before I can answer any
questions.

Hang in there gang.

Connie

Phulamers
At our last reunion I had a lot of requests for a cruise reunion. I
have talked with Brian. He has done veteran cruises since 1989. After
talking to him, I decided we will have a cruise this coming reunion.
I will need feedback from everyone that is interested in this veteran
cruise.
The cruise I have chosen leaves out of New York on Monday September
7th, 2009. This is a 5 day cruise. We will be going to the following
places. St John (Bay of Fundy) New Brunswick, Canada Halifax, Nova
Scotia, Canada. Interior Cabins are $502 for the whole cruise per
person based on double occupancy. So it is best to double up with
someone if you are coming alone. Oceanview cabins are $632.00 per
person. All pricing includes all port fees, taxes, administration
fees, government fees and are cruise only. The only thing you will
have to pay for is your drinks and any gift items you may want.
I need the following feedback from all that is interested and
planning on going. September 7th is Labor Day. I am asking if this
would be a problem for you. I do not do anything special on Labor Day
and this is the only cruise that will suit us. Please email me on any
questions and comments. angelvet@...

I will also need at least 2 people close to the New York City area to
contact me that will be able to help plan areas to visit while in New
York.
As soon as I get your comments I will be calling Brian to start the
registration. The only amount I will need you to send me is $20.00
per person to take care of the cost for the name tags, etc.

Connie (Angel)

Happy New Year, PhuLamers:

2008 was a good year for me. I got to drive my cyclo in the Vietnam
Veteran's Parade in Sacramento.  I drove my ol' Phu Lam 1st Sgt
Harold Horner the entire 14 long blocks.  PhuLamers Bob Speare, Ray
Howe, and Bill Short marched in front of the cyclo, carrying the Phu
Lam banner.  The cyclo engine ran fine, thanks to Ray Howe's help.
The clutch seems to be wearing out.  It was hard to keep the slow
pace.  Us Vietnam Veterans walk at a very slow pace, these days
<grin>

I have posted 13 photos of the Vietnam Veterans event in a photo
folder at:
http://xichlo.shutterfly.com


Other Phu Lam news and messages posted below:
-----

From: Frank Duke   67 - 68   dukefs@...

[just in   dated Dec 31, 2008!]
I am in Saigon for 2 days.  Today, I hired a guide and a car to take
me to Phu Lam and we walked around in the rain to see what we could
see.  My guide stopped at the gate and asked the guard if he would
let us in. He was friendly and considerate but the answer was no.  We
walked around the installation in a clockwise direction from the main
gate and there were stucco covered brick walls wherever we went.
Then we went by a set of buildings that my guide recognized as the H
shaped barracks.  I had shown him the pictures of them from 1968.
When we looked at the end of the buildings, it was clear.  One of the
entry doors still had faded red rectangles on it that said "fire
point" and two holes in the concrete where the fire extinguisher
mount had been.  Suddenly the meaning of the Google earth pictures
became clear. Two of the buildings no longer look H shaped because
the open ends of the Have been filled in with
additions to the original building.  The stairs are gone on the ends
of the buildings and doors have been cut in the sides on both floors
so to provide access for individual apartments.  You can still see
the concrete deck on the second floor but now it is like a little
patio for the second floor residents.

I think the buildings that still look H shaped in the Google Earth
pictures are inside the wall and the others are outside.

The antenna behind the Troop antenna looks like one of the
originals.  The water tower is still there and visible but we could
not see much else.

Happy New Year!  I never thought I would be spending another on in
Saigon.
  There is little evidence of celebrating, just unending traffic.
Frank S. Duke, Jr.

[I will talk to Frank about posting his photos, when he returns…
Howard]

-----------

From: Tom Lassek   67 - 68  granmagranpa@...

      I may be mistaken, but I think the incident concerned the Philco-
Ford tech rep that worked in the small van located to the rear of the
tropo antennas and adjacent to the EE building. One night there was a
mortar attack (1 of many as I'm sure you recall). Unfortunately, that
Philco van took some shrapnel and the Philco tech was hit pretty bad
(don't recall his name). He was attended to by a Medic from the Phu
Lam site and stabilized.

      Early that morning, just before dawn, a Medivac Helicopter
landed at the pad behind the EE building. They had about 8 or so MP's
that positioned them inside the pad facing outwards with rifles at
the ready. The stretcher came out with the Philco feller and he was
loaded up and the chopper took off.

      Right about then, one of the MP's had a bit of trouble. He
extended himself a bit too far into the pad perimeter and
became "stuck" in the rolls of barb wire. I could tell that he was a
bit embarrassed because he constantly looked at the other MP's while
he was trying to extricate himself. It became a comedy of errors -
the more he tried to get out of the mess gracefully, some other part
of him would get tangled up. The poor guy was on his back, one foot
in the air and his rifle out of reach.

      Finally, one of the other MP's saw his predicament as dawn was
breaking and came to his assistance, then they all gathered around
him. If I had a camera, that would have been the time to take a photo
(chuckle). The first MP trying to assist, became entangled as well,
finally ending up sitting on his head. Just about then, the senior MP
took charge and it took them about 10 minutes to get everyone out and
reset the wire.
-----

      Concho was one of the unit's (LLD) maskots. The other was Xin
Loi, which I'll be sending you. They had free reign of the Phu Lam
complex, so they may well be other units claiming them as mascots as
well.

      These dog's stayed around the EE because we fed them and they
like the air conditioning. Concho was especially fond of chocolate
chip cookies. They never messed inside. Often times, we would feed
Concho Chocolate Chip Cookies at shift change if we felt particulary
contrary that day, because sure as God made little green apples, he
would throw up in about an hour or so ... hehehhee.
  ---

  Periodically I'd have to take a Cyclo in from the Houston where I
lived for awhile because either the bus didn't run or I missed it for
some reason.

      Late at night I had to take one. No one else with me and I
finally got one of them to take me to Phu Lam - problem was, there
was very little traffic as compared to normal which raised the hair
on the back of my neck. The driver was sweating profusely which was
unusual -

      Then, he started taking a route that was unfamiliar to me. I
locked and loaded my M16 and decided to let him have his way and take
the "alternate" route which I considered my best option at the
moment. When he saw and heard me chamber a round he just drove,
sweating and looking miserable. I turned and looked at him right in
the eye.

      My thoughts often return to this moment. I decided to let him
have his way on the route to Phu Lam. I think the implication was
clear - if I was able, I would have shot him if we had any problems.

      Fortunately, he eventually came out on the correct road towards
Phu Lam. Damn, I was glad - so was he. When we finally stopped, he
looked terrible. Personally, reliving this moment constantly over the
years, I think that he knew there was problems up the road if we went
the normal way so he went around the problem area.

      Anyway, I like to believe this was the case. He was happier when
I doubled his fare. Personally, I think he told himself that he would
never take someone to Phu lam after dark again. I know that I told
myself that I would never take a cyclo to Phu Lam again when it was
dark either.
  -----

From: Ron French   67-68  exvpto@...

  BTW  I am currently home from Afghanistan (working as a contractor
at Bagram), and although I am now a Satcomer, I spend a lot of time
in the local Tech Control. Some things have changed and some things
have not hahahah!
------------------------

From: Rob Pickman  69-70    rpickman@...

I am looking for someone to confirm my involvement with [Korean] Lt.
Kim.   Kim and I were out at one the of the ROK sites in May of '70
and came under hostile fire.  Kim got his head blown off, but I
didn't get a scratch.

I tried to get info from the Korean's, but do you have any idea how
many Kim's there are in Korea?  It's like trying to find Lt. Smith in
the US Army and their records are worse than ours.

----------------------------------

From: Jonathan Murany    69 -70 murany@...

Another person I have been searching for the last 30 yeras is Barry
J. Cooper, he worked with me in HHQ and was into photography, I keep
searching for him on Google, and have not found any results. I think
Barry Cooper tour was up some time in 1969. Also, he was in HHQ
company with me and worked in PT&E, we lived it the new barracks.
Jon Murany
-----------

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!

LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF PHU LAM AND THOSE WHO SERVED THERE

HOWARD

Merry Christmas to all, who spent at least one Christmas of their Life at Phu
Lam.

I would like to send again an email PhuLamer John Hunczak wrote to me
a few years ago.......

------------


Early December, 1971, some guys came to me and said, "Hey, Hunczak.
You gotta go to mail call. There's a BIG box there for you!" So I
picked up a big box from my folks. Inside was an artificial Christmas
tree. They never said they were sending it so it was a surprise.
Along with the tree were electric lights and ornaments. My Mom had
knitted some hand-made ornaments, too. I set that tree up and guys
would come into my hootch at all hours just to take a look for a few
minutes at my tree. It really made Christmas seem for homey for me
and a few of the other guys.

Some time about January or February I packed up my tree and mailed it
back to myself. That next Christmas (1972) I set it up again in my
apartment in Minneapolis, and I've set it up every Christmas since.
This year I set up my little 4-foot tree for the 32nd consecutive
year. It has become a tradition in my home. My folks have both been
called home, and my kids are now in high school and college, but they
grew up with my little Viet Nam Christmas tree every year. Several
years ago we also got a larger tree, but we still set up the little
Phu Lam one in the family room or in my office.

John Hunczak

------------

It is a very moving story that I love to share.

Howard

P.S. For those who can sign into Yahoo, a photo of John's little Christmas at
Phu Lam can be viewed on this page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PhuLam/photos/album/0/list


LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF PHU LAM AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.

Howard Hickman

PhuLamers,

Next Saturday, December 13, there will a large 20th Anniversary
Ceremony for the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Sacramento.

I will be attending.  Any PhuLamer wanting to join me, please let me
know. So we can decide when and where to meet.  I've even got
permission to drive my motor cyclo in the Parade. Anyone want a ride?

The parade starts at 10:00am and Ceremony starts at Noon.
Go to this web site for all the activities. It's actually 5 days of
events

See this web page for more information:
http://www.cavietnammemorial.com/

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there.

Howard Hickman

We have located the following PhuLamers…

Close, Bob  11/68 - 9/69  AUTOSEVOCOM motcon@...  San Diego, CA
Hosterman, Ray  11/70-2/71  rdhost@... Deltona, Fl.
Pennington, Ora E.  67-68  bad_ds650@...
Santroni, Joe   12/66 - 12/67  a_starrynight2004@...


Here is a digest of Phu Lam related messages in the past month:


-----------

From: Rick Gilbert   11/65 –9/66   RGilber205@...

I knew SFC Justice, [Justus] but not that well.  I worked in the main
Communications Center and he worked at the Satellite station co-
located with our receiver site at Ba Queo. He was the only NCO at Phu
Lam (at that time) with a Ranger tab.

The team for the satellite terminal was top heavy in rank.  A
Sergeant Major headed the team.  He had a Master Sergeant (Hedge) who
later made Sergeant Major.  After that the average rank was SFC E-7.
They ended doing most of the heavy labor (sandbags etc).  The older
ones like Stonestreet found it very difficult.  Justice was one of
the young ones so he took it

-------

From: school.buses@...
Dear Mr. Hickman:
Thank you for your update, but Antonio Rodriguez passed away last
month.
Susan Rodriguez
[Note from Howard:  Tony Rodriguez was at Phu Lam 4/67 - 4/68. He was
a Computer Repair man, and worked in the data relay room]

------

From: Jerry Grawbadger   '66 - '67   <grawbadgerj@...>
my name is jerry grawbadger. i was colnel ryersons driver in late
1966. was supposed to be col browns driver but didnt want to extend.
i worked originally in the motor pool. the onlyplace i see my name is
on the july 1966 morning report. i was a sp/5 when i drove the col.
was at phu-lam from feb66 to feb 67
-----------

From: Joe Santroni   '66 - '67  <a_starrynight2004@...>
Yes, I believe I was at Phu Lam 12/66 to 12/67.
Phu Lam was quite a place. I recall driving an officer into Saigon
one eve and a sniper took a shot at us; lucky for us, the guy was a
bad shot!  Thanks for all your efforts
------------

From: Bob Close AUTOSEVOCOM  '68 - '69 motcon@...
I was 532nd, 1st Signal on TDY all over the Autosevocon circuit, 3mo
at Ton Sun Nuit, 6mo at Phu Bai and Quang Tri 1987-1988

I was at Phu Lam in the beginning... changing cards at MACV and
working night shift at Ton SUn Nuit....  Went home when my son was
born and went right back aqfter... They sent me to Dong Ha ... also
serviced Quang Tri, Phu Bai at times and DaNang....

I was based at Phu Lam and worked at Mac V and everywhere's there was
a grey box and red telephone...during Nov 68 to Mar 69... then I was
home in March on emergency leave, then back at 532nd where they sent
me up north until Sept 69....
-------

From: John Underwood 3/67 - 10/68 Phu Lam Long Lines
<jmwoodbiz@...>
Howard,
  glad to hear from a Phu Lamer!
I did read all the Lacey documents; found them interesting, and sad
at the same time.     Feb. '68 I lost too many friends , during Tet
offensive.
Any photos I had seemed to disappear over the years. I do remember
some names; of course  Bill Behrens and Richard Lacey, SFC
Christensen, Lt. Dawson, Mel Ferguson,Mellinger, Hoakum..... the rest
escape me.
     -------------------

From: "Tom Lassek" '67 - '68  granmagranpa@...

I worked as a Technical Controller in the "EE" building.

      I was reading around the internet tonight and I found an article
at : http://www.historynet.com/tet-offensive-7th-infantry-regiment-in-
saigon.htm which consists of about 5 pages.
      I have read and re-read these 5 pages again and again. It
appears to me that these folks may well have been the soldiers who
found Behrens and possibly Lacy as well.
      I think others should look at these pages and see if it fit's
into the time frame. I see there are names mentioned from the 7th
Infantry Regiment, so it's possible still to contact them.

[Re: Lacey and Behrens]    Yes, I recall that the official NCOIC was
gone. Several weeks prior, forget exactly when, but when SFC
Christensen left, they made Lacy an Acting Sergeant so he had the
hard stripes. This was done specifically so that he could take charge
when the new NCOIC came aboard. He was officially an "Acting
Sergeant", on orders, and should have been addressed as such on all
corespondence ~ not Sp5. He wore the hard stripes. Anyway, that's the
way it was supposed to be.

By the way - in that second photo you sent of Lacy, there was a
feller sitting down to the right of the picture in civilian clothes.
I forget his name but would remember it if someone said it. He was a
civilian contractor working for Philco-Ford and he
operated/maintained the van (like the one's pulled by 18 wheelers
today on our highways) equipment and communicatins which was outside
the "EE" building towards the back of the large Tropo (billboard)
antennas.

During a mortar attack one night (don't think it was TET 68 but it
might have been), a mortar blew shrapnel across his van and wounded
him pretty good. He was alive but couldn't walk if I recall right. A
medevac came in after the attack and air lifted him out. Don't recall
ever seeing him again.

There were three other civilians working in Tech Control at the "EE".
They all worked for "Paige Communications". The guy in charge was a
Mr. Bradley who was a short black guy. Very intelligent. There was
also a taller and younger, skinny white technician who everyone
called " IFF". There was one more, a shorter white guy but his name
escapes me.

      I may be mistaken, but I think the incident concerned the Philco-
Ford tech rep that worked in the small van located to the rear of the
tropo antennas and adjacent to the EE building. One night there was a
mortar attack (1 of many as I'm sure you recall). Unfortunately, that
Philco van took some shrapnel and the Philco tech was hit pretty bad
(don't recall his name). He was attended to by a Medic from the Phu
Lam site and stabilized.

      Early that morning, just before dawn, a Medivac Helicopter
landed at the pad behind the EE building. They had about 8 or so MP's
that positioned them inside the pad facing outwards with rifles at
the ready. The stretcher came out with the Philco feller and he was
loaded up and the chopper took off.

      Right about then, one of the MP's had a bit of trouble. He
extended himself a bit too far into the pad perimeter and
became "stuck" in the rolls of barb wire. I could tell that he was a
bit embarrassed because he constantly looked at the other MP's while
he was trying to extricate himself. It became a comedy of errors -
the more he tried to get out of the mess gracefully, some other part
of him would get tangled up. The poor guy was on his back, one foot
in the air and his rifle out of reach.

      Finally, one of the other MP's saw his predicament as dawn was
breaking and came to his assistance, then they all gathered around
him. If I had a camera, that would have been the time to take a photo
(chuckle). The first MP trying to assist, became entangled as well,
finally ending up sitting on his head. Just about then, the senior MP
took charge and it took them about 10 minutes to get everyone out and
reset the wire.

      I had the forethought not to laugh as they passed me but I have
to say, that first guy's clothes were torn up pretty bad .......
---------

From: chris stalker <bad_ds650@...>
Hello, my name is Kim.  I am writing for my fathet Ora Ellis
Penninton who was in Phu Lam during 1967-1968.  He was also known as
Penny.  My father is trying to locate any news paper articles or
documentation on tradgic events of soldiers and deaths of soldiers
during this time peroid.  He is looking specificly for documentation
on a soldier that commited suicide.  He is unsure of the soldiers
name, but does recall the event.  If you have any information or know
where he could obtain it, please e-mail me.
  -----------------------------

From: David Freed TDY to Phu Lam 1969   NNN7DXB@...
Hi Guys:

AND MATE CIP CIP CIP CIP CIP.....DE RUMLNHA.....QRV     KK

We have a CommCenter chat line on yahoogroups for anyone who has
ever worked in a CommCenter as a 72B, 72E, 72G or 05C or any support
MOS. All Signal MOSs are welcome....

We talk a lot about commcenter operations, send formatted messages
in all of the old formats, and have a fairly busy group of about 100
or so members of all military services. There are also extensive
files and links of interest.

CommCenter interests range from the 1940s thru our era (RVN) and
beyond.

If you are interested, come and join us. Send a blank email request to
this address:

CommCenter-1-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Be sure to fill out the auto-bio request to insure your subscription
request is promptly approved.

Once approved, be sure to bring your old Routing Indicators, ACP-117,
ACP-131, and Q and Z signals, as you will need them on this list.

If you have any CommCenter photos of equipment, stations, etc --
bring them too, as we are always looking for new material to share.

See you there,

Dave F
CommCenter-1@yahoogroups.com
MSG, USA (Ret), 31Z5M, former 72B and 05C

BT




NNNN


LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF PHU LAM AND THOSE WHO SERVED THERE.
HOWARD

In the past month, the following new Phulamers have checked in.
Graham, Lee  9/70 - 1/72  phantailee@... Blasdell, NY.
Sacchetta, Don  '65 DSacchetta@...
Underwood, John  3/67 - 10/68 jmwoodbiz@...
Dickey, David 68-71   david.dickey@...

-----------------

Phu Lam related messages from the past month:

From: John Underwood  '67 - '68 jmwoodbiz@...

I arrived in country in March of '67 and left in Oct. of '68. So many
names and faces flooded back into my memory , after finding this
site!! Many of the names are lost over these last 40 years! I was
good friends with Bill Behrens; we worked together in a mrc-85
trailer parked past the tropo antennaes. I remember a Sgt.
Christensen  ( E-7 I think ), a Lt.  Dawson,a Spec. 4 Melvin
Ferguson, Richard Lacey--- so many names I    just can't
recall .  I do remember what happened right before Tet started. Bill
Behrens and I liked  to get off base whenever we could; driving a
deuce and a half , a jeep whatever! Many times  Bill and i would
deliver something or go and pick something up at    mac V or Tan San
Nhut and then stop at some bars or Hotel Victoria , hoping the
vehicle would still be there when we returned. Anyway......The day
before Tet, Lt. Dawson picked me and an M-14 to ride shotgun with him
to Vung Tau on a chopper to pick up  our pay. If I hadn't gone to
Vung Tau , I surely would have been in that jeep going to Tan San
Nhut; instead of Richard (seems like we called him John??   ) Lacey
I didn't work that night cause I'd gone to Vung Tau, so I got up
early on Feb.1 1968 left my apartment on Vo Tanh (behind National
Police headquarters ) and  got into a yellow and blue taxi heading
for Cholon and then Phu Lam. I remember  wondering why traffic was so
light? I quickly realized that something  was wrong, when  I saw cars
on fire , lots of smoke, and heard explosions. Somehow we got to Phu
Lam and had the taxi stop a couple hundred yards before the gate , so
the M.P.'s wouldn't fire at us. When I got to the gate, they were all
yelling about how frigging dumb I was and unhappy about having to
come out and let me in thru the barbed-wire!   i think it was a week
before  we went back to Saigon.

----------------------

From: Lee Graham '70-'71 phantailee@...

I was at Phu Lam the last 4 months of 70 until Feb. 71 when I came
home. Got back there Sept. 71 until transferred to Camp Alfa in
Saigon around Jan. 72. First time I was SP until Feb. 71 when I was a
short timer and then took care of the dayroom and worked in the em
club with Sgt Rousey. I remember he was from the south and could hold
his liquor pretty well. Second tour I worked 36C. I remember the work
room behind the switchboard. I remember plugging a circuit and making
phone calls from the test panel in the back. Anybody came in to the
switchboard that circuit would look like it was down for repair. I
think the guy that worked with me was a Steve somebody. I called him
slick. My barracks was right across the road upstairs the first tour
and downstairs second room on the right second tour. Remember
roasting the pig behind the barracks and having the big party at the
open stage area with the Philipino band and the strippers?

Remembered some other names:  Sgt Wilson worked the front gate with
me  SP/4 Meraro always yelling SHORT on brains,  SP/4 Burgios,  SGT
Ramsey took care of the switchboard personel.

  I came home June 1 72 and have some pics of Burgess if he is who I
think he is. His film and mine got mixed up and I got his pics. I
hope he got mine and saved them

I remember winning about 3 jackpots on the slots  the night before
New Years eve 70 to 71 and buying 20 or 30 small bottles of Champayne
and broke a few lights in the ceiling popping the corks. I remember a
black civilian named Buck worked in the Autodin. Let me borrow his
new motorcycle and I got sandwiched by some Vietnamese and laid the
bike down. Woke up in the jeep on the way to the hospital. Only
scrapes and bruises. My knuckles had brown spots on them for years
where the skin was scraped off while sliding on the street. He had a
nice bike only 100 miles or so on it. He dropped the key in my hand
one day and said break it in for me. I don't think he meant break it
up. Bent a few things and knocked it out of timing was the only
damage. Offered to pay for and Buck said forget about it.

  I married a Vietnamese girl.   I was one of the first Americans to
go back for a visit in 88. I had to ask the state department in
Washington if I could take my wife home to visit. They said OK but
with rules for me to follow. I went for 5 weeks. Was scary at times
but all went well.   I've been to VietNam about 7 times since 1988. I
have a big family there in Ben Tre. I was there in 88, 93, 96, 99,
2003, 05 and 06. I have seen many changes to the country. In 88 we
went by Phu Lam on the way to Ben Tre and I almost didn't recognize
the place except for the sign that said Phu Lam. A lot of buildings
around the place and the perimeter didn't have the marsh around it.
The billboard antennas and guard towers were still there at that
time.

  --------
From: Dennis Hart   70-72 ddennishart@...
After reading the email from Clif Taylor, in the last email digest, I
now think our address was RUMUJLA.  I don't know where RUMUS came
from, but maybe I got the RUMU part right.

I have a map of SE Asia I bought in September 1970, downtown Saigon,
on Le Loi Street.  I know that because I wrote all that stuff on the
map.  I also underlined the names of all the cities we had teletype
circuits to.  It's a Vietnamese map , but here are the names I have
underlined:  Cam Ranh, Phouc Binh, Bien Hoa, Cu Chi, Long Binh, Moc
Hoa, Chau Doc, Cao Lanh, Long Xuyen, My Tho, Go Cong, Sa Dec, Vinh
Long, Can Tho, Rach Gia, Phu Vinh, Vi Thanh, & Bac Lieu.  I'm not
sure we had a circuit to Cam Ranh, but I had it underlined. I listed
them in approximate descending order.  Hope this might be some
interesting (?) info.

Once a Tape Ape…?

Dennis Hart

---------

From   Tracey Celmer    upser214@...
Comments: I am looking for anyone who may have known my father,
William "Larry" Justus. I believe he was with Stratcom thru the early
60s. He is passed away and I am just looking for a 'connection'.
Thank you all for the service you've done for our country.
Tracey
[Note by Howard: William L. Justus was SFC at Phu Lam in 1966.]
-----

LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF PHU LAM AND THOSE WHO SERVED THERE.

PhuLamers,

We have located the following PhuLamers, including 2 Vietnamese, who
worked at Phu Lam:


Green, Richard  67-68 Richard.Green@...
Hartman, Ray 1/70 - 8/71  ray_hartman5349@...     Thailand
Hartman, Than  69-70   ray_hartman5349@...     Thailand
Jenkins, Robert  jenkinsr999@... 10/70- 10/71  Rochester, NY.
Jenkins, ( Nguyen), Thi Le  to 9/71  lethijenkins@...
Rochester NY
Oglesby, Rufus E. 7/65 - 7/66 rufusoexcited@...


We have learned that the following have passed away:

Howard, William G.  8/67-9/68  died 2006
Flanary, Troy   70-71   died 1990
Kavanaugh, Gerald V. 70-71  died  May 2008
Nason, Dana 1/67 –9/67 died Sept 2008

----------

A digest of recent Phu Lam related emails:

---------

From: Rufus Oglesby  65 - 66  <rufusoexcited@...>

I arrived at Phu Lam during July 1965, before the first on-site
barrack were built. We had to stay downtown.

I arrived at Phu Lam (then it was known as USA STRATCOM FAC, and
became 1st Sig BDE during my tour) as PVT Rufus E. Oglesby, MOS 72B
(torn tape relay operator), and rotated out during July 1966. I
wonder who is with this group that I might remember, or vice versa.
Anyway, I was 20 years old at the time, and terrified of having to
survive Vietnam for a year. Needless to say, I met a great group of
guys there, we supported each other, and I actually have positive
memories of the place (except nighttime guard duty in those damned
towers!).
-------------

From:  Karl Buder   66-67   karlb@...
I was at Phu Lam from 12/66 -67.  Although I arrived in Vietnam as a
72C, I was moved to the Personnel Office within a few months when the
WO in charge, Mr. Kearce, found out that I had a degree in
accounting.  Interestingly enough, that's what I signed up for when I
graduated from college, but as was the case with many the MOS was
filled and they sent off to your second choice.  In any case, the
Saigon Overseas switchboard has helped many of us and I was able to
get on the first R&R to Sydney in November 67.  Due to my connections
with the switchboard operators and the fact that I would give them
advances whenever they wanted, I was able to go to Sydney when I met
the Sp4 in charge of booking trips.  In return for my trip, he was
able to call home every week.  Furthermore, again through my buddies
on the switchboard, I think it was Ray Voisine, who connected me with
a night duty officer back in Washington just before I was returning
home and low and behold he was able to get me an assignment in
Germany, where I was born.
I'm sure that you and I are not the only ones to have benefitted from
the Saigon Overseas switchboard!
Karl Buder
__________

From: Clif Taylor  69-70 ctaylor@...
Howard,  my name is Clif (Clifton Taylor SFC-Ret) and former Phu Lam
serviceman.  I worked in the Phu Lam ASC (Autodin) Nov 1969 -1970).
I think the Original Phu Lam Torn Tape Relay preedated the Autodin
(ASC) by a few years.  It was deactivated and was re-activated
probably as RHMS sometimes as a NARC (Non-Automatic Relay Center))
sometimes in 1970 RHMS). It had its own set of connected trib
stations. .   Phu Lam ASC was activated sometimes around 1968 I
believe.  A major section of the ASC was the Traffic Service Service
Section where we received ASC generated Service messages pertaining
to various messages which were rejected by the ASC for one reason or
another.  These messages had a systems assigned RI of RUMUCTA commom
throughout the AUTODIN/ASC systems  We were assigned another RI for
that section, RUMUCSA (again the CSA desigantion was common
throughout all the  ASC system).  We used this RI  for messages for
our own generated service messages and for outgoing  originatedand
incoming administrative messages for customers at Phu Lam because we
were in efffect the Post Comm and Message Center for customers at Phu
Lam.  I am/was personnally aquainted with some of the guys who worked
in the original Torn Tape Relay at [Phu Lam  who later became AUTODIN
guys and returned to work in the Phu Lam ASC).
-----------
From: Raymond Hartman 70-71 ray_hartman5349@...

Miss Dao Than (my wife) were quite close. She was, in fact, at both
our official engagement and at our wedding together with her family.
Her parents, were nearly successful in getting Than's parents out of
Viet Nam as the country was falling to the communists in 1975……
When I first met Than in January, she was secretary to the Admin.
Officer. At that time I believe it was Capt. Weeks; followed later by
Capt. Hunt, and later still by another guy whose name I cannot for
the life of me recall although I wish that I could because he was
good friend and drinking companion.
-------------------

From: "shawn harris" <shawn9001@...>
Subject: Dana H. Nason
I just wanted to let you know that Dana H. Nason passed away today,
Monday, September 22, 2008.  He was involved in a one car accident
and will be missed.

I know that he was proud of the time he spent in Phu Lam and the
friendships he made there and at the reunions.

Shawn Harris
shawn9001@...
903.880.1054
903.340.5899
---------

FROM: spur98198@...
im looking for pictures of my uncle troy c flanary he died in
1990 in arizona,would apreciate any help, my email is
spur98198@... thank you, Lyndon May
--------------

From: Paul Aiello   68 - 69   paiello@...
I'm looking for a Donnie Blanton and a Ronnie Harris...In Phu Lam
approx. May '68-May'69.. .Donnie Blanton was from Shelby, North
Carolina and Ronnie Harris was from Union City, Tennessee..

------------
From: Rob Pickman 69-70  rpickman@...
Do you know is any Phu Lamer's have an Agent Orange Exposure claim
that has been approved?  Is it possible to send the word out that we
were ALL exposed when they sprayed the grass in our perimeter.  It
was done every year!
Regards....Rob Pickman 69-70
---------

Long live the memory of Phu Lam and those who served there.
Howard Hickman