Sometime around 1991, I began to wonder why I rarely ever heard from or ran into veterans of the Vietnam war who were stationed at Nha Trang or Nha Trang Air Base. I was assigned to Detachment 1, 314th Tactical Airlift Wing in Jan 68 as a SSgt (Chief Clerk). I was promoted to TSgt several months after my arrival. I rotated back to the states in Jan 69. My only Nha Trang contact for many years was my old friend Melvin Carlton who was a C-130 Crew Chief. Around 1982, while working at the Lockheed-Georgia AFPRO, I made contact with Jim Hobson (former C-130 Pilot and Admin Officer at Det 1). These were the only two Nha Trang'ers that I knew in 1991.

I began my search initially for guys in the Det 1, 314 TAW/15th SOS without much success. I soon expanded the search for all Nha Trang'ers by advertising, getting assistance for AFMPC, computer searches, etc. It seemed like every time I found one, he would know one or more others. Soon I had a list of over a hundred contacts who clamored for a reunion. Therefore, our first reunion was held in September 1992 at the Hyatt (D/FW Airport) in Dallas, TX. I became the self-appointed coordinator for that reunion (where we agreed to have reunions biennially) and later reunions at Hampton, VA and Nashville, TN.

We soon had several hundred members and prospective members, and I was cranking our a bulletin every six months and a contact listing for every reunion. The contacts were mostly Air Force military from Nha Trang Air Base, but we have many from the surrounding area such as Camp McDermott, Special Forces camp, etc. Contributions were voluntary and were barely enough to operate on a shoestring. At our third reunion in Nashville (October 10-12, 1997) attendees agreed to form a reunion association (with voluntary dues) with myself as President, and Tom Jacobs and Dale Watson as Vice-Presidents. The association was established in 1998.

At the time of our third reunion in Nashville, some members expressed an interest in having a reunion in Ft Walton Beach, FL, in conjunction with the Air Commando Association reunion. I decided to conduct a poll to see if this interest was sincere, and of those who responded to the survey, most voted to do so.

We continue to locate those who were stationed in the Nha Trang Air Base area, and I continue to prepare bulletins every six months and a contact listing before each reunion. Many who cannot attend reunions have indicate that they enjoy receiving information on Nha Trang. Especially important is the fact that many of YOU contribute financially, which enables us to operate. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

CHUCK TIMMS
President and Reunion Director