wFrom: Ron Turner

wtDate: December 14, 2013

Subject: "Nha Trang/Hon Tre" versus "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh" versus "Dong Be Thin"

Actually, I'm not totally sure of my comment in regards to Hon Tre Island and (and no doubt to my discredit). I usually make no distinction between CRB and Dong Be Thin. Additionally, for the historical record, at about that time the FM broadcast capabililty for Qui Nhon was removed. The local command was very non supportive; they, as is usual, were bound by a memorandum of understanding to provide site security which they were not doing. After repeated futile efforts by the Qui Nhon AFVN people to obtain their help, we took down the FM gear and moved it out of the area. Then after they, [the] Qui Nhon base command or whatever, were told that the AM facility would be pulled out next, decided they could provide security. The FM capability was never (while I was there) restored. The concept of pulling out the FM was CWO MacDonald's with the concurrence of Major LaMonica (and preseumebly the Colonel).

Regards, Ron T.

wFrom: Ron Turner

wtDate: December 13, 2013

Subject: "Nha Trang/Hon Tre" versus "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh" versus "Dong Be Thin"

At one time or another, I visited all locations in 71-72; while memory has blurred with time, I recall Cam Ranh bay as having a facility on a rise or hill top within sight of an old AD site (higher hill?). Assigned personell included an AF 02 or 03 and an Army E6 of the broadcast, rather than engineer, persuasion. There was a TV studio there; this is based upon a recollection of some dispute over the weather girl. I don't recall AM or FM transmitter location(s). When we visited, there were very few U.S. Forces in the area. CWO MacDonald and myself, about that time, visited and coordinated w/Jerry Novak (JP Vann's deputy) and Gary Morley (PPA) of COORDS, Nha Trang about reloacating a/some facilities to Nha Trang, probably just an FM feed/rebroadcast capability. At that time they had no (for sure) AFVN facilities in Nha Trang or on Hon Tre Island.

Ron Turner

wFrom: Tom Benintende

weDate: December 11, 2013

Subject: "Nha Trang/Hon Tre" versus "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh" versus "Dong Be Thin"

I barely recall the I-D...TV/FM were located on Hon Tre Island 'overlooking beautiful downtown Nha Trang'...AM was located at Cam Ranh. I believe AM simulcast Saigon except for one or two hours a day...while I was there...FM aired Saigon midnight to 6am...audio quality was lacking during the simulcasts.

wFrom: Jim Allingham

wtDate: December 11, 2013

Subject: "Nha Trang/Hon Tre" versus "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh" versus "Dong Be Thin"

When I was stationed there for the first half of 1970, it was Nha Trang/Hon Tre Island. I believe a remote transmitter was located at Dong Be Thin, but Tom Benintende (who is on this list) can give you the definitive answer. I remember Tom voicing one of our station ID's as saying we served "Nha Trang, Cam Ranh, and Phan Rang". I'm sure it's on the Nha Trang aircheck you recently put on the website.

Jim Allingham

wFrom: Jim White

wtDate: December 10, 2013

Subject: "Nha Trang/Hon Tre" versus "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh" versus "Dong Be Thin"

HELP!!

An error on the AFVN Roster was pointed out to me a few moments ago. It read "Nha Trans" rather than "Nha Trang"--an obvious typo.

However, the page also shows "Dong Be Thinh" which is probably another typo for "Dong Be Thin." I looked on the web for "Dong Be Thinh" and found "Dong Be Thin," an US Army Airfield near Cam Ranh Bay. Did AFVN ever have anything there? Also, I just looked at an AFVN ENGR, Aug 70, map of AFVN facilities and it lists Det 4 as "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh" rather than "Nha Trang/Hon Tre." Interesting, to say the least?

Now, will the real name for Nha Trang/Cam Ranh or whatever please stand up???? Or did the name for Det 4 change over time. Thanks,

Jim

wFrom: Rick Fredericksen

wtDate: December 11, 2013

Subject: Nothing Urgent Things

Jim, nice additions. I spotted this (below) on the personnel Page: Should Nha Trans, be Nha Trang? If so, it is one in the same as Hon Tre, since Nha Trang was served from the off shore island of Hon Tre. It is often listed as Nha Trang (Hon Tre), or Nha Trang/Hon Tre. Also, was Dong Be Thinh a detachment, or some affiliate operation?? I'm not familiar with it, but probably just me....

--Quoted from the AFVN Roster web site--

Bringing memories, good and bad, to those who served in Vietnam

Saigon, Pleiku, Qui Nhon, Da Nang, Dong Be Thinh, Nha Trans, Hon Tre, Quang Tri, Tuy Hoa, Cat Lo

--End Quote--

AFVN Home

Nha Trang/Hon Tre versus Nha Trang/Cam Ranh

December 2013

Detachment Four was divided into two main sites, the TV site on Hon Tre Island and the Radio site in Nha Trang.

In addition, it also had transmitter or translators in Dong Ba Thin and Phan Rang.

This conversation was an attempt to get things straight (or perhaps not so crooked?). Jim W

AFVN Group Conversations

Group Conversations
U to Z

Group Conversations
C to G

A Summary of Sorts

Since the AFVN ENGR section map lists Detachment 4 as Nha Trang/Cam Ranh, I will try to use that as much as possible. However, I don't plan to go through 170+ pages (as of December 12th, 2013) of web site data to make any changes from Hon Tre to Cam Ranh. It appears that both Dong Ba Thin and Phan Rang (and a number of other facilities over the years) were translator and/or transmitter sites and therefore not really "AFVN Detachments" as much as statelite facilities of the various detachments. Therefore, please understand that "Nha Trang/Hon Tre" and "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh are bascially interchangeable terms.

Confusedly yours, The Webmaster

wFrom: John Thomas

wtDate: December 14, 2013

Subject: "Nha Trang/Hon Tre" versus "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh" versus "Dong Be Thin"

This brings back some memories of '71. I was sent to Qui Nhon to see if I could a bit better signal out of the transmitter. I do not recall meeting anyone there. The transmitter was on it's last legs and no one wanted to do anything about really fixing it. I tweaked it the best I could and left for Tuy Hoa to work on the repeater there. The signal there was from Quin Nhon. I even climbed the antenna there and measured the signal strength at the antenna and only could get a small amount around sound dow when the paths changed. I actually stayed in the old studio while I was there, must have been quite and operation when the base was active. It was pretty dead when I go there. There are some pics in the web site that I took when I was there. Around this same time RD2 Conley got sent up to the DMZ area to shut down what ever transmitter was up there.

wFrom: John "Jay" Lehman

wtDate: December 12, 2013

Subject: "Nha Trang/Hon Tre" versus "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh" versus "Dong Be Thin"

The AM transmitter was at Dong Ba Thin along with two enlisted broadcast engineers....TV and FM on Hon Tre Island, 1,200 feet above the LST Beach and about half-way to the Air Force Radars on top of the Mountain. The Air Force billets were at the beach level. And, there was a Army Signal unit next to AFVN. Everyplace else was a freefire zone.

Jay Lehman

wFrom: Ann Kelsey

wtDate: December 11, 2013

Subject: "Nha Trang/Hon Tre" versus "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh" versus "Dong Be Thin"

Just FYI, Dong Ba (not Be) Thin was to the right, going toward Nha Trang, just over the My Ca pontoon bridge crossing the bay from Cam Ranh peninsula. Dong Ba Thin was the headquarters of the 18th Engineer Brigade, but there was a small airfield there as well, both located on the water side of Highway 1. The village of Dong Ba Thin was on the other side of the road. One of my Special Services libraries was located there at 18th Engineer HQ. The donut dollies also had a rec center there, but I think it was gone by the time I got there in late 1969. Nancy or Holley might know. The library shut down in April 1970 when the 18th Engineers were deployed to Cambodia.

Ann

wFrom: Jim White

wtDate: December 11, 2013

Subject: Nothing Urgent Things

Rick,

I corrected "Nha Trans, Hon Tre" to Nha Trang/Hon Tre" because they were two locations for the same detachment. I looked on the web for "Dong Be Thinh" and found "Dong Be Thin," an US Army Airfield near Cam Ranh Bay. I'll ask everyone about it. I just looked at an AFVN ENGR, Aug 70, map of AFVN facilities and it lists Det 4 as "Nha Trang/Cam Ranh" rather than "Nha Trang/Hon Tre." Interesting?

Jim