The last Phantoms (F-4B’s) lost in MAG-13 at Chu Lai.

It’s probably worth mentioning the last two on record because of the different set of circumstances surrounding the crashes.

11 June 1970
BuNo 153022
VMFA-314
Hit by ground fire over the northern part of South Viet Nam. Crew ejected. The pilot, Capt. B A. Rindt, was rescued by a ship and the RIO, 1stLt. R. C. Blakely, by a helicopter.


19 June 1970
BuNo 150653
VMFA-122
Crashed on landing at the Chu Lai Air Base. The pilot, 1stLt. F. Hall, tried to land with an asymmetric ordnance load. Both he and the RIO, 1stLt. G. Mitchell, survived.


The last three Phantom squadrons departed Chu Lai on the following dates:

24 August 1970 VMFA-115 moved to Da Nang.
08 September 1970 VMFA-122 left country for Kaneohe Bay
12 September 1970 VMFA-314 left for El Toro

interesting. I remember setting in my supply shack at the end of the runway at mag 12 hams 12 GSE watching the F4's take off.brings back a lot of memories. I left country oct 69 Wayne

Now I really feel old... I left MAG-12 Chu Lai May 1967. When I got there, MAG 13 might have been a dream on someone's planning board. The MAG-12 'perimeter' was about 100 yards to the west of the runway...MAG-13 eventually wound up to the right side of this pic.

God..those F-4s were noisy!!!!

Wow Now I realy feel like a shower shoe.I did not even get to boot camp until July 67. How does one post pics on here? I have some I would like to share on the unit page as well as here...Wayne

Wayne....

I post mine from photobucket.com. Go there, create an account (its free) upload your pics to your account then copy and paste the IMG link from the photo into your post here.

S/F

ahhhh,lovely ChuLai by the sea.......first aerial shot i've seen of the place.I was at the paraloft(between 12 and 13)all of 69' and part of 70'I was with the lucky turds that went to Iwakuni 3/70.Nice to see you out there Bob.(Bob was OIC of the Paraloft)Semper Fi you guys,like to see more of ChuLai,might go back some day..........

Oh Yeah Chu Lai. Arrived there with VMFA 232 in March of 69 from El Toro. 15 brand new F4J's. Was then transferred to 334. Was in the flight equipment shop with both squadrons. Man for the smell of JP-5 and those J79's turning up. I have many pics, contact and reunion info. Check my profile & email me if interested.

Lest see if this works.first time to use photobucket.
ramp at gse shop Wayne

that one worked lest try again

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wayne60,

Chu Lai - lovely place. Spent almost 2 yrs there myself. Great photos! Sure are a lot better than my memory. MAG 12, small "squadron" of TA4Fs (6). If memory serves me correctly, country was beautiful. Beach was also good. Left on a stretcher in about May of '68. Semper Fi

quote:

Originally posted by wayne60:
that one worked lest try again

Damn I think that's the R4D that I flew in to Iwakuni...

The same R4D circa 1966...spent alot of time on that bird...

tlwright sorry to hear you left on your back.hope everything healed ok.
Bob I earned my air crew wings on that r4d.I was on the flare crew for about 3 or 4 months.We almost lost her one night when a flare went off prematerly and the shroud lines hung on the door.
Vanmac let me apolagize for getting this thread on mag 12 Wayne

No problem...

By the time you got there MAG-12 was operating on the south end of the field near the new air terminal--right? I enjoyed your pictures.
Perhaps someone can research the last A-4 out of Chu Lai.
-vm

Here's a pretty cool map:

http://home.comcast.net/~dochemlock/plain_020.htm

click on the Chu Lai Airbase Vietnam in lower left for a look at the neighborhood pre-1970.

I don't have the last but here's the first...



June 1, 1965: flown by Colonel John D. Noble, MAG-12 Commanding Officer

I have this info on the last days of MAG-12 and the A4s at Chu Lai...can't remember where I got it from...

February 1970:
- MAG-12 departed Chu Lai, Vietnam and relocated in Japan.
- VMA-211 Wake Island Avengers accompanied MAG-12 to Japan.
- VMA-311 Tomcats accompanied MAG-12 to Japan.
- VMA-223 Bulldogs departed Chu Lai, Vietnam and returned to CONUS.

"Now I really feel old... I left MAG-12 Chu Lai May 1967. When I got there, MAG 13 might have been a dream on someone's planning board. The MAG-12 'perimeter' was about 100 yards to the west of the runway...MAG-13 eventually wound up to the right side of this pic."

Hello Bob,

I deployed to Chu-Lai, with H&MS-13, in Sept., 1966. The concrete runway for MAG-13 was completed in October. I am assuming that you actually left in May of 1966, instead of May of 1967. If you were there in Sept. 1966, I am sure you would have remembered the firefight that took place between between the MAG-12 & MAG-13 perimeters. It was not clear to me how it all started, but I am happy to say that even though a lot of ammunition was expended, nobody was killed or wounded (to the best of my knowledge).

It is hard to believe that so many years have passed since we were there.

Semper Fi,

Jon

Jonathan,,
I did leave MAG 12 in May 67...when I got to Chu Lai in Feb 66, there was nothing to the west of the MAG 12 runways except the wire perimeter for what little there was of that. We had a few small firefights with the locals prior to the start of construction of MAG 13 runways... most of the stuff was mortars... I guess MAG 13 went active late summer 66... the mortars continued, however, even after MAG 13 moved in...

I don't remmeber the MAG12-MAg 13 firefight you mention as I was off Group Guard at that point....but I'm sure MAG 12 kicked the **** out of you MAG 13 Phantom noise makers...
we had an similar incident with some 1st MarDiv guys who were in the area one night in early 66 ... if I recall, MAG 12 captured them all and repatriated them to 1st MarDiv for a pallet of San Miguel...

S/F

quote:

....but I'm sure MAG 12 kicked the **** out of you MAG 13 Phantom noise makers...

Hi Bob,

It is quite apparent, to me, that you are experiencing symptoms of dementia; however, since it appears that I am greatly outnumbered by MAG-12 members,I am willing to concede that it may have ended in a draw .

quote:

... the mortars continued, however, even after MAG 13 moved in...

On a more serious note, there is absolutely no question that you guys were targeted far more frequently than we were.

quote:

... if I recall, MAG 12 captured them all and repatriated them to 1st MarDiv for a pallet of San Miguel...

I bet that beer tasted pretty good .

Semper Fi,

Jon