The Koreans and I went on
These Sweeps, Raids, and
Search and Destroy Missions.

This has been a very tough page for me to build.   I lost a lot of my Korean men (I might add, very close friends) while on a lot of these sweeps.  While some of the earlier sweeps were mostly uneventful,  towards and after Christmas, it got just damn rough.  This time period after Christmas I later learned was the beginning of the FIRST  TET OFFENSIVE - 1966. 

These are pictures of some of the many sweeps that I was on with the Korean Tiger Division under the command of the Koreans.  These sweeps took place from about November of 1965 thru mid to latter February of 1966 while I was assigned to the Tigers.  I was then ordered to return to the 4th Direct Air Support Flight at Osan Air Base in Korea sometime in mid to late February.

Below is just one of many sweeps that I was flown in by Chopper to do.  The Korean troops were already on the ground and were receiving fire from a village.  Mortar rounds were being fired as well as 50 cal machine guns.  I then called an Air strike.  No US Officer was with me but a Korean trained FAC was.  There was suppose to be officer overhead in an O1e Bird Dog, but he never showed up. 

I was dressed in Kakis since the Vietnamese Interpreters were in Kakis.  If they were in OD then I was in OD.  

The pictures are grouped together due to different size film formats and topics.  Some are 1/2 Frame slides, Full Frame slides, and actual black and white photos scanned from 1.5 X 2.5 inch size, again the negatives were half frame.

These photos represent at least 20 different sweeps / raids that I was on. 

All of my film that I had taken after Christmas till I left Vietnam was taken from me in Korea. Reason was  that this would not be of good taste for the American public to see and would cause an adverse affect on the war effort.  In other words just plain to much blood and guts. So the Osan Air Police took all of the film and I never saw it again.  The pictures you see here are the ones that I sent to Kodak in the US and then they forwarded them to my home.

All pictures are clickable
Captions and additional information with the full size prints.

Below are various shots that were taken going out on various sweeps / raids or while I was still on the ground at the point where I could conduct the air strike from.  These are from around the base of the mountain range to the coast - due West to North of Qui Nhon and up to about 50 clicks inland.

Below you will find the only fully documented sweep sequence that I have left.  This was taken inland and north west of Qui Nhon at the base of one of the mountain ranges - but since I was flown in - I do not know where I was.  Normally I was never told where I was going but was just taken there.  

On the left side of all frames, you will be able to spot the A1e's that had dropped the ordinance on the target.  You will have to look very carefully but the A1e's are in the pictures!  

One of my Korean buddies took all of these pictures of me and the bombing run.

This frame is from yet another on sweep where I was assessing the damage after the bombing run was completed.  The pistol is a USAF issue S&W 38 Cal. Pistol.  My M-16 is on the ground near the radio.  

The two pictures below are from yet another sweep.  These are prisoners about to be questioned.  

Below is either a F5 or 105 ? jet that was used around Vietnam in the late 1965 time zone.  The F4c was also called but not as often.  

This set below starts out from near the Korean HQ and moves out over Qui Nhon and then North / North West. The purpose of these raids were to eliminate the VC that were bringing in supplies via the Sea Route. I was located on a bluff overlooking the holding area in a standby mode in case Air Strikes were needed.  Also a number of tunnels were found built into the sand.  These were destroyed many time by both the Korean men and by bombing. 

These cockpit shots are from a Huey Chopper I was riding in while in route to a sweep with Korean soldiers on board.  These two chopper shots were taken while in route to a targeted area.  I was flying with my Korean Officer in a reserved Huey just behind the Huey's that have rocket pods mounted on them.  Also there is a troop carrier Huey to the left in the second frame with 50 cal. machine guns sticking out of the door. 

These 3 shots below show the prisoners being removed from their village.  The picture on the right shows the prisoners that are keepers for more questioning.  

The shot below is where I was picked up by a chopper from above sweep area to return to my Korean Compound.  The chopper never touch down on the ground so you had to jump / climb onboard.

Passing by an island on the way home from the above sweep / raid while we were out over the ocean for safeties sake.