|
|
|
|
The photos documents and information about the C-119 Gunships at Phan Rang were donated by Master Sergeant James E. Sands USAF (Ret.) who served at Phan Rang Air Base 1969-70. Sands trained on AC119 Gunships FLIR, NOS and Side Looking Radar the Weapons Fire Control Systems at Lockbourne Air Force Base 1969 with the 18th SOS as did the 71st SOS the year prior.
Sands working on AC-119 fire control systems at Phan Rang. The 71st SOS left their AC-119G's in Vietnam upon returning home in June of 1968 so they could be used by follow-on units. No AC-119 Gunships were to return to the US. Former 71st SOS member and museum member, Owen Stickeles stayed in Vietnam after the 71st returned to Bakalar Air Force Base and was at Phan Rang the later months of 1969.
AC-119 Gunships firing and flare illumination near Phan Rang Vietnam 1969-70 era. . Lines of Gunship tracers rake the area around Phan Rang.
AC-119 Gunships at Phan Rang. The AC-119G Shadow Gunship on the left is one of the 71st SOS left behind for other follow on units to use.
Gunship nose art and the interior view of the gun positions.
One of the AC-119 Gunships firing at a target near Phan Rang.
According to Sergeant Sands, the Air Force dropped leaflets near Phan Rang to encourage the enemy to give up, These are some of those leaflets that would drift his way from off base and he picked them up.
This is the graphic used by a unit that dropped leaflets. According to Colonel Al Huess (USAF Ret.), a former AC-119G Gunship pilot with the 71st SOS who was based at Nha Trang , said that aircraft would drop leaflets asking for the enemy to surrender and as the Gunships returned back from their mission to base they would expend all their remaining ammunition where the leaflets were dropped to encourage them surrender.
Pictured here are O-2 and O-1 aircraft that sometimes were used to drop leaflets as well as used in Forward Air Controller missions.
An Air Force Technician and Staff Sergeant James Hammack working on the AC-119 Gunship Side Looking Radar at Phan Rang. TSGT Clarence Gray and a technician working on the FLIR Forward Looking IR system on a AC-119.
Sergeant James Sands working on AC-119's at Phan Rang.
AC-119 nose view and the business end of a 20mm gatling gun.
The AC-119K "Stinger" Gunship is easily identifiable with two J85-GE-17 jet engines in under wing pods. Some of the AC-119G and AC-119K Gunships were turned over to the VNAF in 1971.
AC-119K Gunships front view showing the jet engine pods under the wing.
The photo is of a broken Gunship. This photo was given to Sergeant Sands by another photographer in Vietnam. A color photo of a under wing gun side view of a AC-119 Gunship.
Various photos of one of the buildings fondly call a "Hooch" at Phan Rang. Note the liberal use of sand bags. This page is to tell some of the story of the AC-119 Gunships, their crews and the people who made them work in Vietnam. |
|
Send your questions or comments about this web site or
the museum to:
lakegc@aol.com Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum
4742 Ray Boll Boulevard Columbus, Indiana 47203
|
Gunships
Phan Rang Vietnam
