Lone Rider
Blokes Who Can
The Nakhang-Nakout Historical Landscape with the Tin-Drum village and LS 36
While in Viengthong (now Mueang Hiam) we went to have a look at the Nakhang-Nakout Historical Landscape. The site is located south of Viengthong and Lima Site 36 is part of this landscape together with the Nakout Tin-Drum village which is inhabited by the Tai Phuan Ethnic group. The Tai Phuan women have their hair in a traditional bun and most of them are very skilled weavers. The woven material is made into traditional skirts also know as "sin" in the Lao language.
Part of the Tin-Drum village showing roofs covered with parts of the fueldrums which are a left-over of the war
Travelling further to the west you reach an airstrip known as Lima Site 36 and which was built some 50 years ago during the IndoChina war. LS 36 was at the time an important support center and forward operating base for the Royal Lao Government (RLG) Army and the Hmong paramilitary forces as well as a base for and refueling of Air America planes. Later on it also became a base for the HH-3A "Jolly Green Giants" which were used for Search and Rescue missions of aircraft and their crew shot down in the area during the IndoChina war.
One of the Jolly Green Giants at LS 36
During this war the site saw heavy fighting and it changed hands several times. As a result the area is highly contaminated with UXO, including land mines and unexploded ordnance left over from the shelling of the site and ground battles. Evidence of the former military base can still be found in the Nakhang area. The airstrip is still clearly visible, and around it there are three 10,000 liter fuel tanks and the remains of road work equipment brought in to improve and extend the airstrip. Further north, hidden in the overgrowth, a shell launcher is located.
A panoramic picture of the former landing strip of LS 36
The three fuel tanks
Part of the roadbuilding equipment abandoned after the war and our "team"of 9 guides who showed us where to find the stuff and above all where not to walk
Another left over from the war just 30 cm. off the trail we walked along to get to the things we were interested in seeing
While flying the drone to get a better overview of the location of LS 36 we heard a noise coming towards us and a short while later a helicopter (Russian built MI 17 owned by Lao Skyway) landed nearby with a team of Americans who were searching/digging for MIA (Missing In Action) personnel from the war.
For a look at the drone footage of LS 36 go to: http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-forum/showthread.php?t=7920&page=2&p=58678&viewfull=1#post58678
With the help of a good friend we narrowed down what they possibly could be looking for and came up with a case where a Jolly Green Giant fell of a hill/cliff while landing at one of the TACAN sites a bit further to the east of LS 36.
The TACAN site of LS 36
Below is an extract of the report by Sgt. Donald Deidrich who might have been on the helicopter to LS 36 and the TACAN but who stayed behind in Udon Thani
The US had several TACAN (radar) stations in Laos during the IndoChina war and one of these was located about 1.5 km. to the east of LS 36 and was built in 1968. The unit needed from time time maintenance and repairs and generally the technicians were flown from the Udon Thani RTAFB to the TACAN sites in Laos. In January 1969, 3 men were sent from the 1st Mobile Communications Group (1st Mob) in the Philippines to the Udon Thani RTAFB in Thailand consisting of Sgt. Juan A. Maldonado (team chief), Sgt. Bill Chambers III and Sgt. Donald Deidrich. The team were to train some personnel of the 1973 Communication Squadron based at the Udon Thani RTAFB and repair the TACAN at LS-36 but when they arrived in Thailand they found that another man, in country, from the 1st Mob. had repaired the TACAN at LS-36.
While in Udon Thani one of the Jolly Green Giants of the 20th SOS Pony Express left for LS 36 with 5 crew members, 3 passengers and 10 barrels of diesel fuel. They arrived at LS-36 and found that Gene Hughey who was in charge of LS 36 for Air America was on a mission and they would have to wait for the return of the Huey UH-1. It was decided to fly the CH-3 to the TACAN site even-though there was a restriction on landing anything bigger than a UH-1 at the site as the heli-pad was very small and the winds were unpredictable. During the landing the chopper rolled forward and went over the edge of the hill (almost a cliff ) tipped over and exploded. Three people were thrown/jumped clear and all three were injured and evacuated back to Udon Thani and then to the Philippines but the fate of the rest of the crew and passengers was not known.
Note LR: Between January 1 and May 15, 1969, some 34 Lima Sites including LS 36 fell in the hands of the Phathet Lao and this may be the reason why at that time no efforts were made to recover the remains.
While in Viengthong (now Mueang Hiam) we went to have a look at the Nakhang-Nakout Historical Landscape. The site is located south of Viengthong and Lima Site 36 is part of this landscape together with the Nakout Tin-Drum village which is inhabited by the Tai Phuan Ethnic group. The Tai Phuan women have their hair in a traditional bun and most of them are very skilled weavers. The woven material is made into traditional skirts also know as "sin" in the Lao language.
Part of the Tin-Drum village showing roofs covered with parts of the fueldrums which are a left-over of the war
Travelling further to the west you reach an airstrip known as Lima Site 36 and which was built some 50 years ago during the IndoChina war. LS 36 was at the time an important support center and forward operating base for the Royal Lao Government (RLG) Army and the Hmong paramilitary forces as well as a base for and refueling of Air America planes. Later on it also became a base for the HH-3A "Jolly Green Giants" which were used for Search and Rescue missions of aircraft and their crew shot down in the area during the IndoChina war.
One of the Jolly Green Giants at LS 36
During this war the site saw heavy fighting and it changed hands several times. As a result the area is highly contaminated with UXO, including land mines and unexploded ordnance left over from the shelling of the site and ground battles. Evidence of the former military base can still be found in the Nakhang area. The airstrip is still clearly visible, and around it there are three 10,000 liter fuel tanks and the remains of road work equipment brought in to improve and extend the airstrip. Further north, hidden in the overgrowth, a shell launcher is located.
A panoramic picture of the former landing strip of LS 36
The three fuel tanks
Part of the roadbuilding equipment abandoned after the war and our "team"of 9 guides who showed us where to find the stuff and above all where not to walk
Another left over from the war just 30 cm. off the trail we walked along to get to the things we were interested in seeing
While flying the drone to get a better overview of the location of LS 36 we heard a noise coming towards us and a short while later a helicopter (Russian built MI 17 owned by Lao Skyway) landed nearby with a team of Americans who were searching/digging for MIA (Missing In Action) personnel from the war.
For a look at the drone footage of LS 36 go to: http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-forum/showthread.php?t=7920&page=2&p=58678&viewfull=1#post58678
With the help of a good friend we narrowed down what they possibly could be looking for and came up with a case where a Jolly Green Giant fell of a hill/cliff while landing at one of the TACAN sites a bit further to the east of LS 36.
The TACAN site of LS 36
Below is an extract of the report by Sgt. Donald Deidrich who might have been on the helicopter to LS 36 and the TACAN but who stayed behind in Udon Thani
The US had several TACAN (radar) stations in Laos during the IndoChina war and one of these was located about 1.5 km. to the east of LS 36 and was built in 1968. The unit needed from time time maintenance and repairs and generally the technicians were flown from the Udon Thani RTAFB to the TACAN sites in Laos. In January 1969, 3 men were sent from the 1st Mobile Communications Group (1st Mob) in the Philippines to the Udon Thani RTAFB in Thailand consisting of Sgt. Juan A. Maldonado (team chief), Sgt. Bill Chambers III and Sgt. Donald Deidrich. The team were to train some personnel of the 1973 Communication Squadron based at the Udon Thani RTAFB and repair the TACAN at LS-36 but when they arrived in Thailand they found that another man, in country, from the 1st Mob. had repaired the TACAN at LS-36.
While in Udon Thani one of the Jolly Green Giants of the 20th SOS Pony Express left for LS 36 with 5 crew members, 3 passengers and 10 barrels of diesel fuel. They arrived at LS-36 and found that Gene Hughey who was in charge of LS 36 for Air America was on a mission and they would have to wait for the return of the Huey UH-1. It was decided to fly the CH-3 to the TACAN site even-though there was a restriction on landing anything bigger than a UH-1 at the site as the heli-pad was very small and the winds were unpredictable. During the landing the chopper rolled forward and went over the edge of the hill (almost a cliff ) tipped over and exploded. Three people were thrown/jumped clear and all three were injured and evacuated back to Udon Thani and then to the Philippines but the fate of the rest of the crew and passengers was not known.
Note LR: Between January 1 and May 15, 1969, some 34 Lima Sites including LS 36 fell in the hands of the Phathet Lao and this may be the reason why at that time no efforts were made to recover the remains.