THAILAND

Thailand, one of three countries on Malay Peninsula, is centrally located and touches both Cambodia and Laos the other two key players in the Vietnam War. A close ally of the United States Thailand traditionally maintained a policy of nutrality in world affairs. As tentions build in Southeast Asia the Thai government grew increasingly suspicious of Communist intentions and wanted to safeguard their own independence. Eventually Thailand, wanting to be recognized as a force in Indochina, got involved in regional affairs and joined 40 other nations in sending forces or other support to South Vietnam.

In 1964 Thailand sent the Royal Thai Air Force to South Vietnam to assist in maintaining cargo for the South Vietnam Air Force breaking its long standing tradition of neutrality. In February 1966 the Royal Thai Military Assistance Group is established in Saigon and later that year announces that it will send ground forces to aid the new South Vietnamese government.

The Royal Thai Volunteer Regiment, "The Queen's Cobras", arrived in South Vietnam in 1967 moving into "Bear Cat" near Ben Hoa outside of Saigon and joined forces with the U.S. 9th Infantry Division. Almost immediately the "Queen's Cobras" proved themselves to be a fierce quality organized fighting force. Taking the lead in Operation NARASUAN alongside the U.S. 9th Infantry they launched counter offensive attacks on Communist aggresors. The unit was also instramental with infrastructure building schools, roads, and providing medical assistance. In 1968 the Royal Thai Expeditionary Division, "The Black Panthers", joins the fight and raised the overall stakes to an entire division. This unit consisted of heavy field artilery, armored calvalry, and infantry. By 1969 it boasted 12,000 combat troops strong that were committed to the operation and Thailand was all in.

Strategically Thailand was far more important than a fighting force or to maintain cargo. Eventually Thailand would become America's most important ally in the region. By wars end the United States built, used, and operated a dozen bases conducting the most fiece air combat assault campaigns in the history of warfare.


Royal Thai Air Force Bases used by U.S. with

additional bases to be built by Allied Forces.

"OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER"

Rolling Thunder bombing campaign was the longest sustsined bombing campaign ever conducted by the United States Air Force and on March 2, 1965 the first bombers took off from Thailand. This fierce relentless campaign lasted almost 4 years as F-105 Thunderchiefs pounded targets north of the 17 parallel. It ended on Ovtober 31, 1968 when President Johnson, in an atempt to encourage peace negotiations, haunted the bombing. North Vietnam had lost more than half its bridges, all petroleum facilities, and two thirds of its power generating plants. The number of civilian losses equalled that of all the Americans killed in action as U.S. dropped three quarters of a million tons of bombs mostly on Hanoi. U.S. losses were grave as more than 1,000 aircraft went down and hundreds of servicemen were either killed, missing in action or became prisoners of war. Yet this onslaught is considered not just America's longest campaign but its biggest failure and proved to be a classic example of air supperiority failure. The attacks were also costly. Not halfway into the campaign 300 planes were already shot down and it was estimated that it cost the U.S. almost $7.00 to inflict $1.00 worth of damage on North Vietnam. By the end of Rollong Thinder it was estimated to cost almost $10.00 to inflict $1.00 worth of damage. 

"OPERATION ARC LIGHT"

Arc Light was the name given to U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombing missions from June 18, 1965 to August 15, 1973 over Laos and North Vietnam. These missions took place over 30,000 feet and aided both ground forces during operations and destroying enemy targets usually prior to an offensive. In the early 70's Nixon used B-52 strikes to bring Hanoi to its knees and eventually to the bargaining table during the Paris Peace Talks. Originally designed to carry nuclear weapons they were modified for the Vietnam War and could carry up to 30 tons of conventional bombs each. 

During Arc Light B-52's carried out 126,615 sorties, (one aircraft one mission), 55% over South Vietnam, 27% over Laos, 12% over Cambodia, and 6% over North Vietnam. Thirty one B-52's were shot down by enemy fire and 13 were lost because of malfunctions or operational mishaps.

B-52's earned their reputation as the "Flying Fortress" but were later called upon for other rolls. Eventually used as air support for ground troops they could pinpoint targets and take out enemy positions from high altitudes. Roaming the night skies over South Vietnam they were a welcome addition to the arsenal of the foot soldier.          

     

B-52 Stratofortress arsenal which was later upgraded. (flying fortress)

B-52 Rocket Attack

B-52 Bombing Mission (carpet bombing-nothing survives)

Craters pock mark the landscape from a bombing mission.

Everyone was a first responder in Hanoi. Here helmeted civilians tend to the bombing victims, many times that were elderly or children.

Entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.

One of many U. S. aircraft shot down north of the 17 Parallel.

North Vietnamese civilians rummage through a downed U.S. aircraft.

Rollong Thunder and Arc Light were only one of a dozen air campaigns the U. S. Air Force would initiate. Daily sorties, (one plane one mission), were a 24/7 operation supplying aerial assistance to ground forces in need. The skies over Southeast Asia were dominated by Allied forces with little to no resistance . Eighty percent of all sorties, (one plane one mission), originated in Thailand making it America's most important ally in the region.

Setting up for a night ambush the six of us fan out to check for booby traps. Anytime you can safely put down a 60 caliber machine gun its a welcomed rest. The 60, a two man gun, is one of the most dependable weapons ever built. It will fire so long and shoot so much you can actually melt the barrel.

A balmy overcast night in Vietnam simply means total darkness. On a clear night you can see the Milky Way but this was not the case, at least not yet. Out on a night patrol we dug in for the night setting up a perimeter and guard duty assignments. Only a handful of us were out so there was not much organizing to do. Suddenly all hell broke loose as we took incoming rounds and begin returning fire. Secure in our positions we held our ground but compromised our position. The darkness made it easy to see their location because as we followed the incoming rounds. Locating their position they began fanning out around us making it harder to negotiate.


Tom, the radio operator (RTO), calls Headquarters and establishes our location. Any communication has to be cleared using pass codes so the enemy won't  intercept. Each day of the year has a set of codes which can be altered by changing the key. As in sporting events the same signal means different things with different keys. Tom, the control freak as he is fondly referred to, was a natural at the game of codes.  

Tom called Headquaters asking for assistance and as he was barking out the codes for the day his radio transmission was interrupted. Out of the darkness came a voice, "shadow sees", was all it said. Repeating the codes his transmission was interrupted a second time. "shadow knows", it said again.

Suddenly an area the size of my hometown was lit up as of it were day and we sat back and watched the show. Instinct training and logic for that matter tells you to get down or as low as possible. Like an accident I didn't want to see it but yet I couldn't look away and I watched in awe as Shadow, a Flying Fortress, dropped it's payload. It was reassuring to know big brother was watching over us. 

B-52's and Phantom Jets prowled the night skies over Southeast Asia not just in Vietnam but Cambodia and Laos as well. Without help from Thailand the USAF would need one hundred percent of it's sorties to fly in from Quam that was a considerable distance away costing both time and money.

After three days of Bangkok I had enough and headed for the coast. I picked an island closest to Cambodia to get a feel for life on The Gulf of Thailand. Sea lanes that were just as busy as any along Vietnam's South China Sea coastline crowded these waters with cargo ships intended for use by both the Allied forces and the Communist Regimes. Ships intended for the Allied forces would continue into Thai ports while ships under Soviet and Chinese control would break away and enter Cambodian waters. 

Sitting on an old rickety wooden Chinese Junk I booked passage to the Island of Ko Samet. The fresh orange paint of the boat came off on my hands and smelled like diesel. The ferry contained cargo stacked in the aisles and on the seats that included live chickens, fresh vegetables, fish, and of course people. The ferries were tied three abreast and I had to climb over the first two to get to mine. This Chinese Junk was pre Vietnam Era and sailed during the days of war ships and sailors on Liberty. It took off belching and billowing clouds of black diesel exhaust that we sailed through whenever the wind changed direction.

Chinese Junks line the harbor. 

Viewing both the Thai and Cambodian coastline was breathtaking. My taxi from the dock to the cabin was on the back of a converted pick up truck and took me through the village of Samed. Main Street was a 24/7 open air market of food, livestock, bars, and two 7/11's right across the street from each other. There was just enough room for my pick up truck taxi to squeeze by. 

Out of this Throw Back Thursday town a quaint little establishment caught my eye, it was called "Red Ginger". It had dining, rooms for rent, pillows on the floor an eclectic decor of tie died colors and fabrics that just shouted welcome. Bob Dylan was playing in the background. Perhaps the proprietor was a leftover soldier turned hippie or perhaps it was just there for someone like me, in any event it caught my eye. As I see it the only thing missing was a hooker or bong in the middle of the floor. As I walked past a voice said "hey you, where you from"? I took a few more steps, stopped, did an about face and met Roger.

Wecome to Red Ginger the sign said.

Roger was a throwback from the sixties hailing from Ottawa Canada by way of his beautiful Thai wife Noot. As we drank and ate the night away the subject matter turned to politics and the devastation of the region from war. My quest to understand and his life in the aftermath of war with Noot being indigenous to the area the conversation took on a whole new meaning. 

After a couple of days of this back and forth fueled by some of the best Thai food I've ever tasted Noot and I began trading recipes. Finally I asked with all due respect if they would allow me to cook for the restaurant one afternoon and they agreed.

Now this is not CNN's Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown" with a camera crew and an unlimited budget. This is Frank Romeo's flying by the seat of his pants with no budget cooking 101. I came at 12 noon and took inventory of my assets. I used what was available and by two o'clock I fed ten people a memorable meal. My famous "Good As Hell" beer battered coating of fresh Baracuda and Squid with two dipping sauces, one of yogurt cilantro and one of peanut sauce accompanied by field greens and goat cheese in a Thai sauce.

The meal was secondary to smiling faces and warm hearts of the Thai people that I enjoyed. These beautiful people opened up their home to me unconditionally without questions. How can such people live in the aftermath of war with such dignity and grace. This is what I came for.

I had the run of the kitchen.

My beautiful host Noot.

On the left is Roger a lumberjack of a man, Noot and their child, and Ollie a young entrepreneur hostel owner from England.

Darrell another British subject by way of numerous commonwealths still loyal to the queen and An a local Thai lady just outside the picture.

I left the island and headed back to the mainland to make my overnight sleeper train connection to head north. My return trip back to the capital city took six and a half hours. One hour boat, Chinese Junk, and over five hours on a mini bus. There were two remaining seats in the back of the bus that were obviously made for short small people. My knees were in my chest and MY girth took up a seat and a half. If any normal sized person got on at the next stop I had a problem.

As the door opened for the last time a frail little elderly Asian lady spotted my half seat and headed for the opening. It was a missing piece to the puzzle as she nestled in for the long ride. My knees were angled and she made adjustments for my bulk. We smiled as she adjusted once again grabbing my leg and pulling it to a more comfortable location. She was tired and dosing so I offered her my shoulder to rest her head on. A beneficial mutual arrangement had been struck and the compromise lasted for the duration. 

Thoughts of my mother kept me entertained for hours as we cuddled on a never ending neck wrenching bumpy road trip. She couldn't have been more than four and a half feet tall and weight a hundreds ponds as does my mom. Finally it was her stop and she squirmed her way through the younger much larger crowd. Just before the last step she turned and putting her hands together in prayer she bowed to me and I welcomed the gentle love she sent my way. I suppose mothers will be mothers in all languages and perhaps she had a son and understood.

 THANK YOU MAMA.

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