CHINA BEACH, RVN or why Charley don't surf

[APACHERAT]

For those who were in-country during the Vietnam War.

Historical footage of the Cina Beach R&R Center, I Corps, RVN

Taken during the month of July, 1970.

Recognise anyone ?

The reason Charley didn't surf was because the waves were never over two feet.

Most are unaware of the China Beach Surf Club.

Lots of PBR's.

 

[US Conservative]

Cool footage. Now I kinda want a pabst.

 

[APACHERAT]

Cool footage. Now I kinda want a pabst.

Pabst Blue Ribbon aka PBR and not the kind you found on the rivers of Vietnam that had guns and sailors.

When this footage was filmed I was a short timer, and was about 12 or 15 miles S/W of China Beach involved in the last fire fight I would be involved in.

Did you notice the guy with the "round eyes" woman (white woman) walking on the beach ? Defiantly an officer and the woman was also probably an officer nurse.

The only white women in-country were either Navy or Army nurses who were all officers which meant they were off limits to all enlisted. But when I was at China Beach I saw some German nurses who were from the German hospital ship that was always off shore of DaNang. But they would only associate with officers.

I checked out the China Beach Surf Club. All of the boards were long boards and when you looked at those two footers rolling in, I decided just to drink PBR's and gawk at the female officers and German nurses.

 

[beefheart]

I flew into Danang a few years ago and took a bus to Hoi-an, went past all them wonderful beaches. Beautiful country, been there twice, can't wait to go back.

 

[APACHERAT]

I flew into Danang a few years ago and took a bus to Hoi-an, went past all them wonderful beaches. Beautiful country, been there twice, can't wait to go back.

From my understanding the entire coast from DaNang going south to Hoi An is referred to as China Beach today.

My last six months in-country I was with the 1st ANGLICO, SUB UNIT ONE, Naval Gunfire Plt. based out of Hoi An.

If I remember correctly the China Beach R&R Center was east of the DaNang Air Base between Monkey Mountain and Marble Mountain.
Monkey Mountain can be clearly seen in many of the shots in the video.

Visiting Vietnam isn't at the top of my list of revisiting places I've already been.

 

[US Conservative]

Pabst Blue Ribbon aka PBR and not the kind you found on the rivers of Vietnam that had guns and sailors.

When this footage was filmed I was a short timer, and was about 12 or 15 miles S/W of China Beach involved in the last fire fight I would be involved in.

Did you notice the guy with the "round eyes" woman (white woman) walking on the beach ? Defiantly an officer and the woman was also probably an officer nurse.

The only white women in-country were either Navy or Army nurses who were all officers which meant they were off limits to all enlisted. But when I was at China Beach I saw some German nurses who were from the German hospital ship that was always off shore of DaNang. But they would only associate with officers.

I checked out the China Beach Surf Club. All of the boards were long boards and when you looked at those two footers rolling in, I decided just to drink PBR's and gawk at the female officers and German nurses.

Sounds like an ok way to spend some time very much resting and recuperating. The incredible decompression that hopefully comes after such stresses cant be overstated. A layperson unware of the situation there might see this as a boring r&r video.

One of these days if you'd like, id love to hear about your firefights. Its misleading from that footage how near death and danger were.

 

[beefheart]

From my understanding the entire coast from DaNang going south to Hoi An is referred to as China Beach today.

My last six months in-country I was with the 1st ANGLICO, SUB UNIT ONE, Naval Gunfire Plt. based out of Hoi An.

If I remember correctly the China Beach R&R Center was east of the DaNang Air Base between Monkey Mountain and Marble Mountain.
Monkey Mountain can be clearly seen in many of the shots in the video.

Visiting Vietnam isn't at the top of my list of revisiting places I've already been.

Pretty much, at no point was there any designation of "China Beach", though I did love Hoi-an. As for Danang, the airport was undergoing serious renovations, sorely needed, when I was there, and the hundreds of concrete plane bunkers were still there.

My first trip to Vietnam was to Saigon, Nha Trang and Dalat, I did a tour of the tunnels, and a Mekong delta cruise with stops at several islands. Second trip was Hanoi, Halong Bay cruise overnight, a few islands, then a trip to Hue' and a tour up to Khe Sahn, and then Hoi An. Great country, treated like a king all along, ran into lots of vets, every one of them was very positive on the experience.

 

[APACHERAT]

Pretty much, at no point was there any designation of "China Beach", though I did love Hoi-an. As for Danang, the airport was undergoing serious renovations, sorely needed, when I was there, and the hundreds of concrete plane bunkers were still there.

My first trip to Vietnam was to Saigon, Nha Trang and Dalat, I did a tour of the tunnels, and a Mekong delta cruise with stops at several islands. Second trip was Hanoi, Halong Bay cruise overnight, a few islands, then a trip to Hue' and a tour up to Khe Sahn, and then Hoi An. Great country, treated like a king all along, ran into lots of vets, every one of them was very positive on the experience.

The DaNang Air Base was a Jap air base during WW ll.

The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marines helicopters first occupied the old abandon Japanese air base in or around 1960. The NVA didn't get involved in South Vietnam until 1965 and it wasn't until VC attacked the DaNang air base that we sent in the first combat troops in 65.

The west side of DaNang air base was Marines while the Air Force was on the east side of the base.

The infamous "Dog Patch" was just outside the gate on the west side of the base.

During the Vietnam War the DaNang area was like the way San Diego use to be with numerous naval bases and stations.

You had DaNang Air Base, Marble Mountain air base where all of the Marine helicopters were stationed. Red Beach where the big supply depot was and all cargo came ashore since DaNang really didn't have a real harbor. Freedom Hill where the main PX was. Monkey Mountain with Hawk SAM battery, and communication centers. There was a Navy and Coast Guard PBR and swift boat base. Numerous hills that were artillery fire bases. Of course China Beach. I remember the brig was at the south end of the DaNang air base.

I think I actually went in to the city of Hoi An (proper) twice. From what I remember it was probably the best city I ever visited in the RVN. It was the only city in South Vietnam that wasn't attacked by the VC or NVA during Tet of 68. Probably because by then Hoi An was the TAR of the 2nd ROK Marine Brigade, (Blue Dragons.) There was a U.S. Navy PBR base at Hoi An. I remember that at the crack of dawn every morning the Army combat engineers would go out to clear all of the land mines that were planted along the road that followed the river on the north side.

 

[US Conservative]

I remember that at the crack of dawn every morning the Army combat engineers would go out to clear all of the land mines that were planted along the road that followed the river on the north side.

Just curious were these mines in IED form or as designed? My buddies dad was Navy EOD in Vietnam.

 

[Mycroft]

I spent six months at Vung Tau in '72 working on helicopters...so that stuff in that video was stuff I did every weekend.

The waves were a little better, though.

 

[APACHERAT]

Just curious were these mines in IED form or as designed? My buddies dad was Navy EOD in Vietnam.

From my observations from what I remember most were military anti-personnel mines and anti-vehicle/tank mines. Probably Soviet/Eastern Bloc. But IED's weren't uncommon. Charley would use unexploded artillery rounds and bombs.

I remember when I was a FNG and on my first operation (Defiance Stand) the first encounter I saw was one Marine stepping on a frickin bear trap !

 

[MMC]

The DaNang Air Base was a Jap air base during WW ll.

The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marines helicopters first occupied the old abandon Japanese air base in or around 1960. The NVA didn't get involved in South Vietnam until 1965 and it wasn't until VC attacked the DaNang air base that we sent in the first combat troops in 65.

The west side of DaNang air base was Marines while the Air Force was on the east side of the base.

The infamous "Dog Patch" was just outside the gate on the west side of the base.

During the Vietnam War the DaNang area was like the way San Diego use to be with numerous naval bases and stations.

You had DaNang Air Base, Marble Mountain air base where all of the Marine helicopters were stationed. Red Beach where the big supply depot was and all cargo came ashore since DaNang really didn't have a real harbor. Freedom Hill where the main PX was. Monkey Mountain with Hawk SAM battery, and communication centers. There was a Navy and Coast Guard PBR and swift boat base. Numerous hills that were artillery fire bases. Of course China Beach. I remember the brig was at the south end of the DaNang air base.

I think I actually went in to the city of Hoi An (proper) twice. From what I remember it was probably the best city I ever visited in the RVN. It was the only city in South Vietnam that wasn't attacked by the VC or NVA during Tet of 68. Probably because by then Hoi An was the TAR of the 2nd ROK Marine Brigade, (Blue Dragons.) There was a U.S. Navy PBR base at Hoi An. I remember that at the crack of dawn every morning the Army combat engineers would go out to clear all of the land mines that were planted along the road that followed the river on the north side.

Now that you mention it.....do you remember the go cart races down in the Outer Limits?

 

[APACHERAT]

Now that you mention it.....do you remember the go cart races down in the Outer Limits?

Yeah, that's Dog Patch.

We were told that DaNang (city) was off limits unless you were on official business. I drove through DaNang (proper) once, had to drive through it to get to the Freedom Hill PX. At night DaNang was Charley's town. The whole DaNang area was VC.

 

[MMC]

Yeah, that's Dog Patch.

We were told that DaNang (city) was off limits unless you were on official business. I drove through DaNang (proper) once, had to drive through it to get to the Freedom Hill PX. At night DaNang was Charley's town. The whole DaNang area was VC.

Here is what My Khe Beach looked like in 2012.

 

[APACHERAT]

Here is what My Khe Beach looked like in 2012.

China Beach has really changed. It doesn't look the same except for the ##### waves and why Charley don't surf. :Lil:

That's why going to Vietnam to revisit some place I've all ready been isn't on the top of my list. I miss the old third world. I'm lucky to be old enough to have actually seen the old exotic third world. You know the old unofficial recruiting slogan backn during the 60's, "Join the Army; Travel to exotic distant lands; meet exciting, unusual people and kill them." :lol:

I remember the first time I wen to Mexico with my parents back when I was 6 or 7 years old (56 or 57) It was like going back into time, the American Wet during the 1870's. If you were an upper middle class Mexican, you owned a donkey for transportation. :lol:

 

[MMC]

China Beach has really changed. It doesn't look the same except for the ##### waves and why Charley don't surf. :Lil:

That's why going to Vietnam to revisit some place I've all ready been isn't on the top of my list. I miss the old third world. I'm lucky to be old enough to have actually seen the old exotic third world. You know the old unofficial recruiting slogan backn during the 60's, "Join the Army; Travel to exotic distant lands; meet exciting, unusual people and kill them." :lol:

I remember the first time I wen to Mexico with my parents back when I was 6 or 7 years old (56 or 57) It was like going back into time, the American Wet during the 1870's. If you were an upper middle class Mexican, you owned a donkey for transportation. :lol:

I have no desire to go back.....no amount of good times makes up for the loss of light in my bruthas eyes, and how it played out.

 

[American]

All I remember about China Beach is... Marg.

 

[Bodi]

I flew into Danang a few years ago and took a bus to Hoi-an, went past all them wonderful beaches. Beautiful country, been there twice, can't wait to go back.

Agreed. We are going back next year. The beaches are great. Can't wait to spend more time in Hue.

 

[Risky Thicket]

Cool footage. Now I kinda want a pabst.

Olympia or a Hamm's

 

[Risky Thicket]

Pabst Blue Ribbon aka PBR and not the kind you found on the rivers of Vietnam that had guns and sailors.

When this footage was filmed I was a short timer, and was about 12 or 15 miles S/W of China Beach involved in the last fire fight I would be involved in.

Did you notice the guy with the "round eyes" woman (white woman) walking on the beach ? Defiantly an officer and the woman was also probably an officer nurse.

The only white women in-country were either Navy or Army nurses who were all officers which meant they were off limits to all enlisted. But when I was at China Beach I saw some German nurses who were from the German hospital ship that was always off shore of DaNang. But they would only associate with officers.

I checked out the China Beach Surf Club. All of the boards were long boards and when you looked at those two footers rolling in, I decided just to drink PBR's and gawk at the female officers and German nurses.

Could have been a Doughnut Dolly.

 

[beefheart]

I liked Hue, but was there just after the edge of a hurricane hit...soggy.

 

[APACHERAT]

Could have been a Doughnut Dolly.

Could have been, but they only associated with officers.

I was only at China Beach once and the only "round eye's" women I saw seemed to always be on their way towards officers country with some officer and I was told they were Navy or Army nurses or German civilian nurses.

Just think if we fought the Vietnam War with todays military with all of the females serving in the military today. I think unit cohesion would have collapsed and we would have had our butts whooped on the battlefield.

 

[APACHERAT]

I liked Hue, but was there just after the edge of a hurricane hit...soggy.

I know you're not referring to Hue back in 68.

 

[Risky Thicket]

Could have been, but they only associated with officers.

I was only at China Beach once and the only "round eye's" women I saw seemed to always be on their way towards officers country with some officer and I was told they were Navy or Army nurses or German civilian nurses.

Just think if we fought the Vietnam War with todays military with all of the females serving in the military today. I think unit cohesion would have collapsed and we would have had our butts whooped on the battlefield.

I completely agree.

 

[Dr. Chuckles]

Things I learned today: Vietnam vets were closet hipsters