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From: Granmaj@Charter.Net
Date: 2/5/2006
Time: 2:39:50 PM
Remote Name: 68.189.159.227
I was in the intial organization of the Delta Aviation Battalion (Provisional) in 1963 when all MAAG aviation personnel in the Delta and the 121st and 114th companies were placed under DAB(P). I was an E-5 and was assigned to S-3 Operations. My immediate supervisor was SFC Cryil G. Manning. The first battalion commander was LTC Wayne N. Phillips (Ace). My first tour was from 5-20-63 to 5-19-64. Our operations and accomadations were spartan to say the least.
From what I have read on this site, I wouldn't have recogized the airfield two years later. When i arrived there was a 1500' strip of PSP a small building with a two story control tower (pink) and nothing else. A Special Forces B Team Compound set just off the road leading from the airfield. I lived at the MAAG Compound. I was there when Cpt Howard Eakin was wounded while riding in a CH-21 from the 121st Aviation Company on 6-3-63, he died three days later in Saigon. The Compound was named in his honor. I was part of the Color Guard at the ceremony.
I stumbled on this site by sheer accident.
Harry Smith Major (R) Inf RVN 63-64 / 66-67