Story 42 - VC Hill

I was in Sergeant in US Army Co A, 369^th Sig Bn, Regional Comm Grp, 1st Sig Brigade. Spent several months on VC Hill (was HQ for 369^th Sig Bn), also time at Phan Thiet, Gia Dinh (signal site in new MACV , HQ in Saigon), Long Binh, etc. in 1970. Stayed until Dec1973 as civilian for US Dept of Defense, then to Thailand for three years.

A little detail on the VC Hill Antennae's:

1.  The square billboard antennae's to right were troposcatter path to Cam Rahn Bay (NNE).

2.  The small round dishes to right were troposcatter path to Phan Thiet (NNE).

3.  Larger billboards to left background are troposcatter path to Pleiku (N or NNW).

4.  Smaller, circular, elevated dishes in left foreground are the troposcatter path to Green Hill, Thailand (Kao Khieo). The Green Hill link was, in its day, the longest troposcatter link in the world, about 472 miles  with about 72 voice channels.

5.  The tower to right holds microwave dishes for the Vung Tau Airbase link and Long Binh, possibly another microwave link to the beach at place known as Vung Tau cablehead (where an undersea cable originated, going to Thailand and to Clark AFB in Phillipines).

6.  Barracks to right are probably ones I stayed in; also spent many a night in guard tower on right.

While in the Army at Vung Tau we didn't have much contact with Aussies on the hill, just downtown in bars. They were a wild bunch and lots of fun. Can't recall any names after all these years.  I do remember  the "flags billboard" in downtown Vung Tau....that is where the truck dropped us off and picked us up for the trip back to VC Hill every  night.

In Oct 2005 I just visited Vietnam (Saigon & Vung Tau), first trip back to Vietnam since 1973. Found some old haunts in Saigon.  Also  went to Vung Tau and travelled to top of VC Hill and have included some photos you might be interested in. Nothing left up there but the large Pleiku billboards and a few foundations.  No building, everything going back to nature and lots of weeds.  While there my  Army mate and I stumbled into the Ettamoogah bar, met Alan Davis and Ern Marshall.  Alan, bar owner, invited us to sign in on the white board.   Lots of Aussie 104 Sig people already signed in.

I hope this info is helpful.  Good site with lots of memories.

Regards,

Jim Jacobson
Houston, Texas,  USA