Dong Tam - March 8, 1968

[Jim]

I was an Army air traffic controller stationed at Dong Tam for about three months in 1968.  

On March 8 an Army unit (Bravo Company of the 4/47th Infantry Battalion) performed an air assault to the north of Dong Tam and was hit by heavy enemy fire immediately.  Several slicks were shot down in the LZ, along with a gunship.  At least two more slicks and a gunship landed at the medevac pad and had to be shut down there, being too badly damaged to continue.

Shortly thereafter, the two Army gunships (probably UH-1C types) returned to rearm.  At about this time, the two Seawolf gunships at Dong Tam cranked up to go help the Army.  At that time we had no Army gunships stationed at Dong Tam.  The Seawolves were our only airfield security.

For several hours all four gunships shuttled between the battle area and the airfield, hot refueling and hot rearming between sorties.  A lot of infantrymen are probably alive today because the Seawolves didn't hesitate to add their firepower where it was needed.

Now that I've found this site, I wished to express my thanks and profound respect for the Dong Tam Seawolves for the job they did that day.  

Later that evening a Chinook arrived to carry away the bodies of the men killed during the battle.  I'll never forget that day or that evening.

Jim H
Former SP-5, tower chief at Dong Tam, February through May, 1968

[Michael La Bella (ROH)]

Well Jim, thank you for that addition to our legacy, and we were glad to be of assistance, welcome aboard and don't be afraid to add to the discussions we have here,  we do have several army folks in here I believe,, merry Christmas, and welcome home Brother..