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Sgt. Bert Marshall, Takhli RTFB, Thailand 1973 |
Journal entry, April 1972: Danang, Vietnam orders cancelled
at the last moment and about 3 weeks later, I was at Takhli RTAFB working my
hind end off. It happened so fast. I out-processed immediately, went on leave.
I was 19 years old and visiting my family in Houston with no idea I was about
to experience 651 days living a National Geographic wartime documentary that
would mold my future.
A call from the Air
Force cut my leave short and there I was. Flying via orders to Travis AFB,
California, I took a flight to Alaska. Boarding a long low and crowded Flying
Tigers turbo-prop, we flew across the ocean to Yakota AFB, Japan. Being a lowly
E-3 Airman 1st class, I believe I had the lowest rank of the many
troops on the plane. The reason I say this is I got the only seat on the full
plane that did not recline and for over 20 hours, our plane traveled across the
ocean.
We left Japan and headed for the now long-gone Clark AFB, in
the Philippines. It was full-blown
monsoon and the area was under about 2 feet of water. We had an 11 hour layover
and we told to not leave the base under orders. I met a black Airman at the
layover in Japan and he told me he had connections at Clark, so off the base we
rode... in a 1957 Chevy sedan! The water was above the floorboard as we
cruised down into the red-light district. However, I was warned that I would be
dealing with pros and I kept to myself, enjoying the adventure.
Back at Clark AFB with time to spare, I realized I was the
lone human cargo to fly across Vietnam into Central Thailand to a primitive
base just reopening called Takhli. It had closed when the F-105’s Thunderchiefs
left and was going to take on the F-4’s leaving Danang, Vietnam... and that is
why me, a supply clerk was sent ahead. I was assigned to the Avionics warehouse
inside the Supply compound.
Wow, the smell when the door opened on the C-130.
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