travel-NhaTrang

Memories of Vietnam
July 1968 thru Jun 1969

Travel within Vietnam

Nha Trang

Nha Trang was a beautiful costal town that, in its setting and architecture, would have fit in very well on the French Riviera. The HQ of the U.S. Army's II Field Forces (equivalent to an Army Corps HQ) was located there. This was the 4th Division's next higher HQ and I was expected to make a courtesy call on the SJA there upon my arrival and departure from the 4th Division. It was late August 1968 before I belatedly made the first visit, but I made up for it by making the farewell visit a month early, in late May 1969. Nha Trang was indeed beautiful, but on the first visit I was too busy for any sight-seeing.

For my second visit, the 4th Division's Air Liaison Officer (ALO) offered to fly me to Nha Trang in an Air Force O-2 Skymaster observation plane. I greatly appreciated this private chauffer service, even more so when he gave me a flying lesson en route and let me fly the plane the entire distance. Of course, he handled the take off and landing. (He also offered to arrange a flight in a fighter jet while I was in Nha Trang, but unfortunately I didn't know what my schedule would be.) It turned out I had a little free time and a friend kindly drove me around to see some of the city.

Landing approach at Nha Trang

II Field force HQ building
(Giant white Buddha in background)

Beach near HQ building

The Skymaster had 2 engines in push-pull configuration, the front propeller pulling the plane forward and the rear one pushing it.

The ALO let me fly across Nha Trang Bay.
Here we're heading back toward the city.

The ALO took over the controls as we crossed over the city and approached the airport.

This time I was taken on a quick drive around town. This is the beach along Duy Tan street.

I also got to visit the Long Son Pagoda with its famous white Buddha.

The giant white Buddha, sitting on a lotus petal, is 30 feet high

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