AB8AZ

AB8AZ

Old Reliables - 9^th Infantry Division / 9^th Signal Battalion

Dong Tam Vietnam 1968

US Navy

Dong Tam was located just outside the City Of My Tho, ~41 miles south of Saigon along the My Tho River. This part of Vietnam was right in the middle of the Delta rice fields.

Dong Tam was a shared military location for both the 9^th Infantry Division and the US Navy Support Activity. The two organizations comprised the MRF “Mobile Riverine Force.”

The Navy area of the Dong Tam compound is where armored US Navy MRF gunboats were repaired. It was also the location of the US Army MARS station AB8AZ.

The Navy side of Dong Tam

Standing in front of the MARS station AB8AZ looking east. M151A1 Jeep

Standing at the doorway of the MARS station looking south. M151A1 jeep.

The MARS station AB8AZ is the second building on the right. Picture looking north.

Note the 5 element yagi antenna on the telephone pole.

Picture taken from end of pier looking east toward MARS station.

Note the telephone poles with MARS radio antennas on them.

Behind the MARS station looking toward the navy sleeping hoochs with power electrical generator.

Standing at the front doorway of the MARS station looking northwest, Dong Tam harbor.

Standing at the front doorway of the MARS station looking west at YRBM-17 and MRF gun boats.

Standing at the front doorway of the MARS station looking southwest at YRMB-17 with crane barge behind.

YRBM-17 (Yard, Repair, Berthing and Mess) barge tied up to pier south across from MARS station. There was no engine in the YRBM-17.

KL-28 cargo ship tied to pier directly across from MARS station, Dong Tam harbor.

Standing at the front doorway of the MARS station looking west toward pier. Navy supply ship KL-28 in port, Dong Tam harbor.

Standing out on the pier west of the MARS station looking south at stern of YRBM-17 and Armored Troop Carrier (ATC), Tango boat.

Assault Support Patrol Boat (ASPB) or Alpha boat in for repairs tied up to YRBM-17 on dry-dock flat barge.

Assault Support Patrol Boat (ASPB), or Alpha boat in for repairs tied up to YRBM-17 on dry-dock flat barge.

Crain barge tied to pier across from MARS station. This crane was used to lift the MRF boats out of the water to dry-dock for repairs.

Assault Support Patrol Boat (ASPB) or Alpha boat in for maintenance.

LST transport ship, Dong Tam harbor.

Armored Troop Carrier (ATC), also known as Tango boats, tied to pier across from MARS station.

My MRF boat ride on the My Tho river

Kinh Song canal leading from Dong Tam harbor

Kinh Song canal, opposite side of canal from Dong Tam

Chopper in sky

Kinh Song canal entrance to the My Tho river

US guard post bunker with 50 caliber machine gun at mouth of Kinh Song canal and My Tho river

Mouth of Kinh Song canal at My Tho river

Village along My Tho river

Sampan on My Tho river

Assault Support Patrol Boat (ASPB), or Alpha boat, on My Tho river.

USS Washtenaw County (1166) with MRF river boats tied along side.

Navy LST cargo ships anchored in My Tho River with Armored Troop Carrier (ATC), also known as the Tango boats, tied along side.

USS Benewah (APB-35) http://www.ussbenewah.com/ anchored in My Tho River with Armored Troop Carrier (ATC), also known as the Tango boat, along side.

My sleeping barracks (hooch) on the navy side of Dong Tam

Front door of hooch. My hooch was at the end of the row.

Side of hooch. My bunk was along this wall toward the rear of the hooch.

Picture taken from front door of my hooch looking left toward other hoochs in row.

Wooden walk way to keep you out of the mud during the rainy season.

Navy mess hall to left in picture.

Local Vietnamese Mamason cleaning women. They kept our hooch clean, did our laundry, made our bunks and polished our boots. They also kept the half 55 gallon latrine drums empty.