U-Tapao Munitions - Part 2

This continues the flow of munitions from Sattahip, unloading and storage at the 635th MMS, bomb assembly, fin pad and job control. The footage was taken April 1969.

[@michaelkrick9524]

Brings back a lot of memories. I worked the fin pad from June, '68 to June of 1969 with a great bunch of guys. We all went through tech school together in Denver and were all assigned to the fin pad and to the same hooch. Despite the fact that it was the first time away from home for us, we had a great time in spite of working 12 hour shifts. Other than our bomb dump explosion in, I believe, August of '68 we never felt like we were in any danger. I guess we were all ten feet tall and bullet proof back then. Many thanks for the video.

[@rickeilers7957]

Nice to hear some of your stories. My name is Rick Eilers I worked Bibs 1969-70 and returned to the bomb dump in 1971-72, again in Bibs. The last half of my second tour I worked in the loading section with Ron Welch AKA Bubba. He and I are still good friends. I'll be visiting him in Washington state in 12 days. I live in Lebanon Oregon. The first time I watched this film I wondered who would be showing up in Bibs. Imagine my surprise to see myself and my Thai crew working on a load of MK82's. I do remember the day this was filmed. I asked why they were filming. The lead on the film team told me, "You people are making this whole thing work... we want film of every operation so we can make it work again in the next war." I and my crew appear in this video at time stamp 5 Minutes 13 seconds. After all these years I still speak passable Thai. Both tours I was assigned to Hootch 510. I did live most of my second tour in Ban Chang however.

[@oliverpeerman5859]

I really enjoyed this, didn't know this was made, I was on night shift at the time. I got there in June of 68 and left in May of 69

[@wmiller685]

I'm really glad they you enjoyed this. I was in preload for my year.

[@stevesmith9144]

Though long ago seems like yesterday. Stationed at U-tapao from May '68 to May '69, 635th MMS, Line Delivery. August '68, it was after chow and I was returning an empty from the flight line that night and was within a block of the revetment when it blew. That was a long night. These video bring back a lot of memories.

[@semco72057]

I came there the first time in 1969 and worked in Ramp Services the first year, and in the Pre-Load area the second tour, and transported the loaded bays to the flight line, and worked as #4 man on the load teams. I heard about the explosion in the bomb dump and that scared me since I had a 750 lb bomb to roll off a trailer during loading them in the bays. It scared me so much and I still remember it to this day.

[@stevesmith9144]

@@semco72057 I understand what you mean. One night in early '68 the long mustang loads (42-500 lbers) were chained with a single chain running the length of the load. I was driving the last trailer load in the frag with the fuse truck behind me. When we cleared the ECP, I made a left turn onto the tarmac in front of the heavy parked to the left when I lost 5 - 500 pounders out of the center of my load. It was after that incident when they started placing the cross chain in the center of the load. The guy driving the fuse truck was named Cliff. I can't remember his last name. Anyway it scared the crap out of both of us and got us 3 days off for interrogation. Thanks to the AP at the ECP and Cliff who testified that I wasn't speeding when I lost the load.

[@semco72057]

@@stevesmith9144 I was glad to see the changes on how the trailers was modified as not to lose bombs and it got lax once more and that is what happened when the chalk came off the trailer I was working on. The steel piece at the end which was suppose to be there had broken and had not been replaced, and it was used without the repair being made and the accident occurred and it could have been prevented.

[@goober208]

635 line delivery 74-75

[@Snailmailtrucker]

I was sitting in the Beer Garden when the revetment area blew up. I was the Base Photographer Aug. 1967/68 and I had to take hundreds and hundreds of photos of the damage all across the base. Hell, there was a 100 foot deep crater where it happened 200 feet across ! Fun times !

[@richardwalling9695]

Thanks I really enjoyed watching these videos. I was a 462 at Korat in 1969 with an F- E outfit. We had preload toward the end of my deployment for the MERS on the out boards. Not 108 at a time like these fellows. It took 52 years to find out how the B-52 got loaded . So it was a nice deal.

[@oliverpeerman5859]

I had been on Guam a couple of weeks when my roommate was sent to utapao tdy to set up the ammo dump

[@brewpa]

Wow I worked here in the bomb dump both in the BIBS and BABS area plus worked in transport of bombs from revetments to assembly areas!

[@rickeilers7957]

What years were you there ?

[@brewpa]

@@rickeilers7957 69-70

[@fthlcurmudgeon]

After the bomb dump blew up, in Aug. '68, the AF identified four different bomb lots which were involved in bomb dump explosions around SEA. All the bombs, from those lots, were rounded up, had red stripes painted on their noses, and put out in a far section of the BD. Then, storms on the Pacific kept supply ships from reaching us, so, we loaded all the defective lots bombs that we had.

[@robindunnick7528]

The last 750, of the bad bombs, that I loaded was one that had been blown out into the area in front of Able row. It was totally black and had a little distortion between the lug holes but the butt plat and the lug hole were they belonged so we put it on the trailer. Sgt Daylong

[@robindunnick7528]

Todd, this is Pat Daylong; My daughter messed with my computer so it puts her name up when I reply. How are you doing? I spent another 8 months in the bomb dump in the inspection section throwing horse shoes and playing cards. I did revise the AFTO 15 form but the AF only authorized the new form for our operation. Call me.

[@richardwalling9695]

@@robindunnick7528 Minol 2 bombs at Korat had a white stripe panted on the nose. The tritonal kept the yellow band.

[@robertsilva5455]

I was there from May 67 to May 68. We had 3 B52s and 5 revetments initially. A year later there were 35 bombers permanently assigned and 150 revetments. We worked whenever at first then went on to 9 hour round the clock shifts. I worked in the dump loading flatbeds with a bunch of great guys. It was quite an experience. We lived in canvas topped hooches at first then they put aluminum roofs on them. 8 guys to a hooch and we paid $5.00 a month for laundry and cleaning services.

[@garytracy814]

We were there together -- I worked in BAB from May 67 to May 68.

[@Webwanderer111]

Holy b'jesus, can't believe I found this. I worked here in 1968 - 1969. I worked in the 'boosters' building where much of this filming was done. I believe I recognized a couple of the Thais in the video. Anyone there when the bomb dump blew up in Aug 1968? I was working that night. My name is Mike Kindle.

[@fthlcurmudgeon]

I was there. The next day, dispatch sent us out to load bombs from the revetment next to the one that blew. Bombs were tossed everywhere. Of course, our Tech. Sgt. let them know we wouldn't be loading, there.

[@stevesmith9144]

My name is Steve Smith, 635th MMS, Utapao May '68 to May '69, As mentioned in an earlier comment, I was working Line Delivery returning an empty from the flight line when the revetment blew. I think the revetment was Baker row (B-6 or B-7). My truck and trailer looked like Swiss cheese the next day. As I remember we found barely enough of the RT to fit on a 10x10 canvas. The clean up was a mess.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

How the hell does a bomb dump blow ?

[@goober208]

@@enlightenedwarrior7119 it isnt easy

[@Snailmailtrucker]

I was sitting in the Beer Garden when the revetment area blew up. I was the Base Photographer Aug. 1967/68 and I had to take hundreds and hundreds of photos of the damage all across the base. Hell, there was a 100 foot deep crater where it happened 200 feet across ! Fun times !

[@mikethemagnificent6631]

Wow, coming up on 50yrs since I was there in 72-73, LB2, Bob Hope Pattaya. MMS jammer driver.

[@MrTonyharrell]

I got trained for all of that in ‘77 at Lowery but ended up in a TAC unit so it was 25 lb practice bombs, 20mm, carts and missiles. Fortunately I spent most of my time at line delivery first with F4’s then F15’s. The flightline was exciting! 😎

[@verononparker7327]

Looks like 500 pounders We used to call this a BB load when we would load the b52 with nothing but 500 pound bombs. also 750 ,1000 in.I was at u-Tapao from 1971-1972 MMS. I remember when the base got attacked I was on the flight line.

[@fthlcurmudgeon]

+Veronon Parker I was there 68 - 69, 635th MMS. Loaded bombs from the revetments onto the trailers. I had no idea the base was attacked. Tell me about it, please!

[@Webwanderer111]

I was there 68-69 as well. Worked in boosters. Mike Kindle @@fthlcurmudgeon

[@fthlcurmudgeon]

@@Webwanderer111 Thanks for tagging me. I was out in the revetments, loading bombs onto the flatbed trailers.

[@MrTonyharrell]

Damn, SAC mms worked their asses off! I was in TAC, 20mm and missiles.

[@michaelmaez5303]

Bill Harrison, we were there together. You worked BABS with Dave Schultze and I worked BIBS. Me and Bob Monclova and about 28 others left in March of 73 and went to Korat.

[@gkprivate433]

lots of work being done out in the open. I been to Thailand 15 times. What did you guys do when it rained?

[@wmiller685]

Unless there was lightning and there was a weather hold the loading would continue.

[@larrylike2886]

You got wet

[@oliverpeerman5859]

you just kept on working

[@lewbroughton4394]

@@wmiller685 Line delivery never stopped, "69-70", Monsoons was a car wash, Hooches was a place OF learning TO dress upright out of the flow of water coming thru the screened chicken wire.

[@jbg43]

As I watched these videos, I reflect on the fact that I dropped 7000+ of these items on SEA. When I realize all the work that went into the manufacture, transport, assembly, arming, dropping these items, I have to wonder if there wasn't (and isn't) a better way to WHAM of our "enemies"? A lot of resources into all those munitions. What was accomplished? I guess I'm just getting old.Back to my GTA.

[@richardandrews43]

Bill Miller. Were you a TSgt in the 635th MMS in 1969?. Assigned to Hooch #570?. If so I have pictures of you in the hole of B-7 revetment explosion. I was in hooch #570 from Feb 68 to Feb 69.

[@wmiller685]

Richard, no I was in preload from Jul 69 to Jul 70. However I have a friend, Noel Talley who was there when the bomb dump explosion occurred and he sent me pictures that was taken by someone he knew. I wish I could remember who he told me to cite when I showed them to anyone else. I would be interested in seeing them. My regular email (and it has to be encoded is because of youtube) wmiller685 at yahoo dot com.

[@donmeurett]

Great Video Bill. During my three years at Utapao I never got back to the Bomb Dump or the Deep Water Port. I guess we were to busy pumping JP-4 Thanks for the Tour Don Meurett POL at UT. 71 - 72 73 - 75

[@copout1405]

Been a bunch of years but I swear I remember this truck driver seen here in parts I and II. Think he may have moonlighted as a baht bus driver in the evenings. Would bet money on it. Couple bahts anyway.

[@robertf3613]

Honest I never seen it. Yes I'm confused myself if use military people suppose work on it like WWII and Korea but why hired Vietnam ppl cuz of cheap labor work. That's joke? That's huge risk for life and some report said I guess 1/4 to 1/2 % failure bomb on target. But many years later ppl collect metal for sell. That's huge mistake military. I dont blame it.

[@stevebagaason9452]

@Mike Maez-I believe we worked together at BIBS. I remember you being able to eat Thai peppers without flinching. Wasn't one of your grandfathers part of the Navajo nation? It's been an awfully long time and memories fade, but those are things I think I remember about you. Steve Bagaason

[@dinaandrews5488]

I just found this video. I worked on the Fin Pad from Feb 68 to feb 69. AKA "Andy". We worked our asses off 6-7 days a week 12-13 hours a day. I was there when the bomb dump blew up on August 7, 1968. memories!

[@Webwanderer111]

@@dinaandrews5488 My good friend worked fin pad during that time. His name was Mike Krick. Fin pad was one of the hardest places to work. Was glad Boosters had a roof.

[@richardandrews43]

@@Webwanderer111 I worked with Mike Krick. Fin pad was a bitch place to work. AKA "Andy".

[@MegaSitthichai]

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