VMA-121 1968 Chu Lai, Vietnam

These are 8mm combat movies filmed by Maj. Doug Walton, USMC during his 316 missions in the A-4 Skyhawk.
Other scenes show squadron pilots at the Chu Lai O'Club. Behind the image of this laughing group of aviators are serious and dangerous missions, flown every day in defense of their fellow Marines on the ground. This video is dedicated to Capt. Roy Schmidt, who was shot down on 9 June, 1968, captured and executed. In the opening scene, Roy is seen on the far right. He is missed.

[@wesleycook6921]

That had to be awesome flying the A-4. Wow!!! One of my favorite aircrafts. Thank u for your service

[@philbrown9764]

I was at Chu Lai 68-69 1st MAW MAG 12 MABS12. I saw more Huey gunships more than anything but the Phantoms were and always have been my favorite jet.

[@royjackson419]

My dad worked on phantoms 68 69 with mag-13. Found his letters home which I just started documenting here www.reddit.com/r/yoursonusmc

[@rodolson5682]

I was in VMFA 314 Black Knights. Nov 67 to Dec 68. I loved the phantom still do. One tough plane

[@marksnyder8659]

My father flew A-4's there in '67. He was killed in May, first Marine pilot to be hit with a SAM South of the DMZ. He went down in the finger lakes area.

[@jerrymail]

The Major Robert Lee Snyder , VMA 223 ?

[@marksnyder8659]

@@jerrymail yes

[@1murder99]

Marine pilots are the best for close air support. Thanks for saving my ass in 1968 and 1969.

[@donatchinson8438]

Daisy cutters and nape, a good load. Takin care of the grunts.

[@SadyBrullivan]

There’s my Grandpa Patrick Sullivan on the right at 6:21. Awesome footage. Is there any way you could email this video to me? I would greatly appreciate it !

[@douglaswalton7817]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpSsY6ugitqJn80

[@allgood6760]

Cool vid.. we operated Skyhawks with our RNZAF 👍🇳🇿

[@tomschmidt381]

I was in Chu-Lai with VMA 211 in 67-68. At first we were on the SATS strip. Rotated out to Japan and when we came back were on the concrete runway with the big kids. I was there for Tet 1968. Got blown up pretty bad, bomb dump was hit early on but we were never subsequently attacked.

[@stevenmcintire8995]

I was with 211 same time frame Avionics, night crew

[@jedimasterobi-wankenobi7926]

Did either of you know Maj. John Holmes? He was my grandfather and I'm trying to learn more about him

[@tomschmidt381]

@@jedimasterobi-wankenobi7926 I don't remember many of the pilots names, but we did a yearbook when we rotated to Japan in late 1967. I checked and don't see any officer of that name. If you haven't already done so may want to check out the Skyhawak association www.skyhawk.org/ The squadron has a web site: www.3rdmaw.marines.mil/Units/MAG-13/VMFA-211/History/ Good luck tracking down info about your grandfather.

[@miketisdale605]

I was there for Tet 1968, we were on the other side side of the air strip at the end ,HHC 723 Maint. Bn. I believe it was 1969 in the afternoon an A4 on the runway taking off i watch it with 4 of my friends all of sudden the the the A4 is on fire. The A4 comes to a stop 75 yards away from us at a 30 degree to left of us, we dont see the pilot getting out, then the front lending gear collapse..the fire truck shows up and there putting water on the plane, one of the firefighters is at the canopy in his silver suite, he there for sometime, still no pilot..Then we hear a shot and the fire truck backs up and the plane burns ...we heard a few days later the firefighter couldn't get the pilot out because of the landing gear had trapped him and was shot so he wouldn't burn to death...I always prayed the pilot got out and the story we heard were wrong..i would see alot more thats suck in my head after 50yrs..

[@brianhawkesworth1286]

I remember it well! Feb 67 to March 68. 18 years old.

[@ginestraginestra9624]

Great video, thanks for posting !!

[@williamroberts1819]

Cool jam.

[@БодунУтренний]

thank you for sharing

[@tyreekmurillo4524]

who was filming during the midair refueling

[@kenjudd1102]

Was there 68,69 north end 123 aviation battalion chu lia.

[@truongly9904]

Đã từng công tác tại phi trường CHU LAI ( 1970-1973 )

[@donatchinson8438]

MAG 12 at the beach.

[@Desertrat-uj4xk]

Anyone remember Tom Hampton ? Flew A4 s with VMA 214

[@frtdog]

The 161st Assault Helicopter Company USA was there 67.

[@jamesgrigg6918]

I was in van 121 on a6 intruders 72 76.

[@ellensammarshall1373]

There 68-69 with 312th Evac. Hosp. On the bluff by the American Amphitheater.

[@neilbrown2998]

I was at Chu-Lai with VMA 121 IN 1966 none of these buildings were there.

[@rogerkirk816]

In 66 they were still on the sats runway and working out of tents.

[@มดดํา-ภ5ต]

ความเร็วของเครื่องบินมีข้อจำกัดมันไปไกลได้ไม่เกิน 2 เท่าของความเร็วเสียงเครื่องบินขนาดใหญ่มันเสี่ยงที่จะโดนตรวจจับตั้งแต่ระยะไกลการหนีจากจรวดอากาศสู่อากาศรุ่นใหม่ๆความเร็วถึง 4เท่าเป็นเรื่องยากจะ 2 เครื่องยนต์ซื้อ 1 เครื่องยนต์เห็นเป็นตกแน่นอนโดนยิง

[@dougstitt1652]

good stuff the small hot rods of the sky !

[@richarddegen6184]

I was in KY Ha just a couple clicks up the road HMM362 1966

[@danielfedericci3915]

atacaban a gran altura , en Malvinas nuestros pilotos de A4 tenian que volar practicamente tocando las olas del mar. Argentina .

[@skyhawk61]

Not always. I was nose to nose with bad guys many times.

[@danielfedericci3915]

@@skyhawk61 que bien que hicieran videos , la Fuerza Aerea Argentina ataco al portaaviones HMS Invencible , con los A4 Charlie, pero no quedo registro de eso , y los britanicos lo niegan . El 30 de mayo de 1982 la armada Argentina le lanzo un AM 39 Exocet al Invencible , los A4 C debian seguir al misil , de los cuatro aviones atacantes sobrevivieron dos , los britanicos lo niegan.

[@joyschtik]

The music...nit so much

[@yellowhammer4747]

GOOD UN ! OOH RAH !

[@gastonborraccetti7318]

Con estos aviones les hundimos algunos barquitos a los ingleses

[@nigelsmith7366]

That music is really annoying

[@briancooper2112]

I'd prefer the A-6.

[@patricklorio7657]

Me too, brother! I was a Navy 2nd class aviation ordnanceman, VA-52, and we flew A-6As in 1968-69 Westpark from the USS Coral Sea.

[@briancooper2112]

Get rid of music!

[@yakitaki26]

Fly it in war thunder