Jump to content

Let's attack Herky Hill.....with markers, on Google Earth


Spectre623
 Share

Recommended Posts

That was a neat dis-cussin on the rocket attack on Herky Hill a couple of posts ago and I sure enjoyed it! I went to CRB on google earth and saw a lot of what I thought I remembered. There are all kinds of markers by the VN and ruskies but only one marker by a GI and it was the 22nd Replacement Batt. If someone with a still functioning brain could go there on google earth and mark the sites I know a lot of us would get a kick out of seeing it. Places such as the C-130 revetments, C-7 parking, Aerial port building, maint buildings and tire shop near the flightline, also the sharp curve at the 22nd Replacement Batt at the bottom of Herky Hill seems to have changed.(I was there when the open truck full of jungle boots flipped on that curve) Also would like to see the barracks marked and the chow hall...you know the one that was never hit and also the donut dolly shack behind it and of course the outdoor movie area and LUTHERS projection booth and the APC drive in movie parking area, along with any other sites around the base. With all of us on this board that visited that vacation spot, I think we could mark it up pretty good. Bill :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where ever Luther is now, I'll bet he is still running the movies with reels out of order!!!!!

You know, he was there running the movies from at least 68 through 70 that I know of!!!!!

I guess I will have to go to Google Earth and see what is still there.

Maybe the chow hall is still there as it was made out of metal unlike the hootches we stayed in!

Good idea Bill,

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do hope that some of you who was there can mark up what you remember about CRB.. I showed it to my dad earlier today and he couldnt remember nothing just that the barracks was north of the runway. He said he didnt remember any trees being between the flight line and the barracks he was in just lots of sand and it was within walking distance. He said this morning it sucks getting old when you cant remember like when you was younger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gary, your dad was probably at CRB earlier than when Herky Hill was built! The first time I went to CRB was in Dec. 1967 and I lived in a barracks down on the main base. I don't remember much about the exact location, but it was probably within walking distance from the flight line. The next time I went to CRB later (while stationed at Naha), I lived at Herky Hill. We had to take buses from the flight line to Herky Hill and back after Herky Hill was built. When it was built, I have no idea, but I do know that it was there from early 69 and on!! I also didn't ever see any trees there except across some water where Cam Rahn Village was!

Hope that helps refresh some of your Dad's memory, I know your post has refreshed some of mine!!

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I looked at the Google Map of Cam Ranh and to be honest, I really couldn't pinpoint Herky Hill. I think I found it but am not 100%. As far as time tables, Herky Hill wasn't opened until 1968. The first time I spent time there was in February 1966 and we stayed in a Quonset Hut on the main base right by the C-130 ramp. From August 1966-August 1967 I was there constantly and we were in the same Quonset the entire time. The West Ramp had opened and there was talk of building a complex on that side of the base but it wasn't open yet. Maintenance personnel were in hooches not far from the Quonsets. The officers were also in a Quonset and there were several trailers for crews flying night missions. The Quonsets were originally open bay but then they divided it down the middle and gave half to the Caribou flight engineers and constructed cubicles on the other side for us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is kinda hard to figure it out Sam. The tag for the 22 Replacement Batt. shows about where the Hill is, as it was at the foot of Herky Hill where the sharp curve is/was. The new 4 lane passes right thru the curve. The tags when clicked on open up to show whatever pic is posted. Ken or some of the other guys with good pics from there would be great to tag the Hill and F/L with. UPDATE: Also just read a post attached to the 22 Replacement Batt and a guy who was over there a short time ago said the 22tag is too far to the north but should be where the rectangle bare field is. That jives with my memory of the 22nd being right at the 180 degree curve at the bottom of Herky Hill. Just look to the right and see the long curved road that leads to the hill. You can easily make out the outlines of the barracks as they are lined up 3 rows of 5 ea. then 2 on the very top. The chow hall is the square outline to the left of the row of barracks foundation outlines. Also if you look south west of CRB you will see Phan Rang airbase and they have tagged it with about a dozen great 70's pics. Bill

Edited by Spectre623
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bill, tagging places on Herky Hill sounds like fun! Unfortunately, I have not messed around with Google Earth much so I will have to give it a try again!! If I am successful at locating everything you have spotted I will report back with my progress! Some of my Herky Hill and CRB pics are in my gallery. If you can copy them and put them on a tag , feel free to do so!! Now,I have a 1300 block time for a CRB Input!!!!! My tool-box is on the plane and I have my Sanyo Deluxe 3 speed fan and my B-4 bag ready to go!!!!!

Bring back any old memories???

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It sure does Ken. I brought back 2 of those fans and and just 3-4 years ago tossed the last one in the trash. It was the quietest fan I ever owned. As far as taking a fan to CRB I just relied on the old metal fans in the barracks that sounded like a 130 running wnen I rotated in. Most of our inputs from Clark left early in the morn. Bill

Edited by Spectre623
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bill, I think I see Herky Hill and what looks like foundations. I'm starting to put the pieces together. How far was the walk to the beach? In my mind the distance was a couple hundred yards. Also, was the 22nd. Replace Batt. along the beach somewhat closer? I remember a sapper attack was going on there one night so all of us on Herky Hill went to the 2nd. floor of the barracks to see if we could see anything!!! I guess we were doing the wrong thing because as soon as somebody saw us there, they ordered us to the lower bays where the sandbags were. I don't think we could see anything anyway!!! As far as CRB inputs went, ours were also early morning "block times". I was just dinking around when I said 1300 hrs. Did you know Ron Tennyson there? he was my roomate at Sheppard and I ran into him at the Herky Hootch while he was on input or TDY from Clark. There were several others in my class at Sheppard that went to Clark also. Their pics are in my gallery!

I will keep studying Herky Hill on Google Earth and see if I can get it straight in my mind. How do you put tags on it by the way???

Lets keep this thing going,

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey ken, don't remember Tennyson. There is a window that will open up when you click on the little photo tags and it asks do you want to up load your photos. You have to open an account it looks like before you can post the tag pics. Need somebody more computer savvy than me to get it started. I have tagged the Hill with pin markers but I think they only show up on my screen. As far as getting to the beach, it was a 5 minute feet scalding walk down the backside of the Hill to the beach. I remember a couple of old French concrete bunkers about 50 feet out in the water and bunches of jelly fish! Bill

Edited by Spectre623
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Charles, I did that, and you're right there are some good videos. Especially the one taken from the water tower on Herky Hill. That water tower is in one of my pics in my gallery here on the forum.

Bill, did you watch it? Also on one of the other ones there are a lot of B-Models pictured from Clark.

Is that water tower (now rusty) in the place on Google Earth where you have identified Herky Hill?

I also remember the walk to the beach! I remember trying to do it barefooted once, and couldn't!! Also, I had forgotten about the officers quarters on the Hill! Now for a good pic of the Herky Hootch!!! Anyone???

Now for some markers---I will try that eventually!! By the way, I do see where I think the chow-hall was!!!

Ken

PS I don't see the Roach Coach that showed up by the basketball court every day with warm pop and terrible food!! Also don't see the van/vehicle that picked up the Vietnamese civilian workers every afternoon. You know the ones that spit Betel Nut juice all over the ground!!!!!!!

Edited by Mt.crewchief
adding stuff
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...