MACV Team 13 – Saigon
This Page is intended for the discussion of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Team 13 located in Saigon.
MACV Teams
Military Assistance Command Teams Vietnam
MACV Team 13 – Saigon
This Page is intended for the discussion of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Team 13 located in Saigon.
MACV Teams 
I was assigned to the MACV Advisory Group at the GPWD in Saigon. I have lots of slides and samples of our work some of which has been published in psywarrior.com/VietnamGPWD.html by CSM H. Friedman. I am looking for any of the guys that served there.
1LT Pollock
If Anybody served with the MACV Artillery Advisor Team for the ARVN Artillery Command please let me know when?
I’m looking for anyone who may have known my father, Sgt. 1st Class Don J. Winn – MACV Team 13 – Saigon. He was originally deployed in 1966 with an Artillery Battalion, but was shortly recruited by MAC because he had Motorcade certification from OCS at Fort Benning, GA.
He was moved to Coms in Saigon for a few months, and ultimately ended up mostly “on patrol” along the Ho Chi Minh Trail for 2 more tours with Team 13. It’s been hard to pinpoint him for most of his service, but I know he was @ Cam Rahn Bay during the Tet Offensive. He left Viet Nam for the last time in 1969 and finished out his contract at Fort Ord, CA.
After he left the Army, he worked as a security guard for the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco, and eventually as the Directors driver, again because of those Motorcade credentials. He left the Fed in 1971 and sort of vanished for awhile; I know he was variously in Guam, Hawaii and Alaska, but exact dates have eluded us.
My father never talked about the war much when I was young, and when he did it was in a hushed voice, and only after a few drinks. He really only opened up to me a few years ago, after he was diagnosed with the early stages of dementia.
He talked a lot about Laos & Cambodia, unofficially of course. He said Air America was a constant presence, and that MAC teams routinely ran security for Company reps when they were in-country.
Unfortunately, we lost him in March, 2020, and I’m still realizing all the things I never asked about.
If anyone remembers him, or was in and around Saigon, or MAC-V / SOG from 1966-1969, I would love to hear about it. Thank you to all who served, and to everyone, God Bless.
My father, David Wright (Capt when he went to Saigon in 1965, Major when he returned in 1966), served with MACV, I believe as an advisor, but I know he also taught English. He died 6 months after returning from Vietnam in 1967, and talked very little about his experiences. He did keep journals during his time there, many written in French. He also took many photographs of street scenes in Saigon, especially the Cholon area. Those are all deposited in the special collections library at Utah State University. Would love to find anyone who served with him and could shed more light on what he was doing there. He received a bronze star but I have no idea what for.
I’m looking for anyone who might have known my dad, James “Jim” Green. He was based in Saigon in MACV in 1969 and 1970 and designated a clerk typist. However, its recently come out that he was part of one of the Phoenix programs, and acted as a sniper on secret mission in and around Saigon, under the cover of the clerk typist designation. If anyone knows anything about him, or these actions, I would love to hear from you. Thanks!
I was with MacvSog Saigon 70-71. It would depend on when he left Nam on weather we knew each other.I am not good with names, But still remember faces. If you can send me one of his, I’ll let you know if I knew him.
I might at the wrong place. I worked at Macv 1 and macv 2 in 1965 and 1966.
I worked at Macv Hq in Saigon from May 7,1967 to May 4,1968. I served with Philip Personett we arrived together from Maryland as Daftees.
Was there a MacV in Viet Nam in 1962? If so, we’re they in Danang at that time. Any info will be helpful. Thanks. G. Orchard SCPO (Ret)
Did any of you know of John R. Pittsenbargar (between 2/70 and 6/73 MACV Team 13 (QLVNCH) later attached to 5th Special Forces Group?
THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD COMMENTS ABOUT BUDDIES THAT WE SERVED WITH, BUT I DID NOT SEE HARDLY ANY FROM MAY 67 TO MAY 68 CONCERNING TET. I WAS A SIGN TO HQ MACV AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REMEMBER SOME OF THOSE THAT I SERVED WITH. I WAS A PFC AND THE GUY THAT WENT OVER WITH ME WAS ALSO A PFC, WE BOTH RETURNED HOME TOGETHER, HE WAS A E-5 AND I WAS E-4 YES I KNOW HIS NAME AND HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR HIM IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
SORRY BUT I’M NOT ON FACEBOOK
Hi Curtis my mom worked there during the time around Tet offensive. Please email me at Sharon.fox.ca@hotmail.com. Would love to touch base and see if you and my mom knew the same people.
I arrived in Vietnam in March of 1967. My in-country processing was at Koepler Compound in Saigon. I was assigned to Military Assistance Program (MAP) Directorate. Our building was in the Cholon area located at 8 Vinh Vinh street. Our office consisted of six enlisted men and several officers from all branches. After about six months we were moved to the new MACV HQ at Tan Son Nhut. Our commander there was Brigadier General Donnelly Bolton. Never had a weapon until the Tet Offensive. Never used it. I was fortunate to be assigned where I was unlike so many others.
I taught conversational English to members of the Vietnamese Air Force while at Koelper Compound in Saigon from March of 1969 to September of 1969. We were quartered in the St George Hotel in Cholon right down the street from the Dong Khan language school. Most of us were in- country volunteers with little or no training in this field so we learned on our own. It was OJT until troops were brought over from the AFLS in San Antonio (around September of 1969) at which time I returned to Tuy Hoa AFB to finish my tour which ended in January 1970.
I taught at Koepler Compound at the same time as you and lived in the St George Hotel. I was an E-4 (Sgt) in the Air Force. Arrived in Vietnam in January 1970 assigned to the 3rd SPS at Bien Hoa. Taught at Keopler Compound for six months on TDY. Returned to Bien Hoa. Went home in early January 1970. The only friend that I can remember their name is Dan Sullivan. I think he was from Colorado.
I was there at that time. There were two language schools. The one in Cholon and the one is Saigon. I taught at the Saigon one and we lived in a hotel at 130-135 Trung Hung Dao (sp) from April-October 1969. We were TDY in the Air Force.
My name is Dan McIntyre and I was assigned to MACV in Saigon from 6/1969 to 6/1970. I believe it was called the Materials Branch and we worked in a compound near a smelly fish market near the Cholon district. That’s about all I can remember. There were several officers in our group and a seargant Dorrazio, a spec 4 Joe from Hawaii, a spec 5, Dalquist, several Phillipine draftsman and clerk typist, some Vietnamese lady clerk typists. I was a US Army Spec 5, clerk typist and administrative NCO for about half my tour. If anyone knows anymore about that unit, please comment! I’m looking for some of my war buddies!
ADVISORY TEAM 13 NHA BE 1971-1972 CO CAPT ELIJAH TONEY
I am looking for someone that knew my grandfather. We believe he was in a MACV team but are unsure which. He was there in 1966 and we believe he was an e7 at the time. Green, Charles. Any information would be amazing.
Hello I’m the son of a mac v vet .he was there in 1963 Maj Bliss Wilder he will be 91 in Aug. Any one rember him? Hit him up at ltcwilder@juno.com . And in 64.65 with the 101Ann.he is a WWll vet as well
I worked in MACV 1 and MACV 2 in 1965 and 1966. Anyone? J. Campbell.
My grandfather was MACV in 1965 and 1966. I would like to find someone who knew him. His name was Presley C. Pritt went by Jay and was GMCS.
Was in Vietnam 65-66. Job, pretty shady. Anyone remember Col Jack Tooley or SSgt Branchfield.
Jim Leighton, 1SG, Ret
Did you know Charles Hudson?
Saigon was my HQ I was on mat 42 Long Thanh Bein hoa dist. 1970 -71 would like to hear from other members of macv
My dad was in MACV in 71 Saigon. Bob Sartain. Did you know him?
I was with MAT-III-13 1969-1970.
I was with MacvSog from Dec 70-71 in Saigon. Can’t remember the names of people I served with. I do remember a Sgt Bellgrave
Good luck with your search as I have not been able to find any of my buddies (Brian Patterson, Desmond) from Koelper Compound in Saigon who I was with from December ’66 to Feb ’67 when I transferred to Team 21 in Pleiku til September ’67 (Marty, Kenny, Ingram). It’s sad that we remember some of our buddies but have no way to communicate with them. I lost my buddy Ron Johnson August 30th when we both went out on flights from Pleiku airbase on August 29th? and my Caribou returned but his Otter never did. Ken
I was assigned to Team 21 in Pleiku from February-August 1967 but spent the first two months in Koelper Compound at MACV HQ where I had two buddies, Desmond from NY and Brian Patterson from NJ. If anyone else worked with them or knows of their whereabouts I would appreciate this info. My buddy just told me about this website that I looked up last night and placed a comment in Team 21’s site. Ken Kraft
Koelper Compound was an English language school in Saigon when I was there in 1969-70.
There were a couple other schools in the area including Dong Kahn in the Cholon area where I taught.
Hello out there! I’m looking Peter Stevens. I believe he worked in the MACV office in Saigon in 1967 and 68 as an editor/supervisor. My mom, worked as a translator and I’m trying to find Peter for her. Thanks so much!
Steve and Paul, I also identify with your stories. I was a radio operator assigned to MACV Team 15 Quang Nam Province. HQ in Hoi An, just a little South of Da Nang. I went on conbat assaults with Lt May and the RF ‘s when Eagle flights were available, but like you said all and all fairly safe. I agree with your statement we were lucky to be on an advisory team. Working with the South Viets and creating relationships because relationships in business and personal life is what it is all about. I wrote song about my experience and one of the lines follows “In 73 we went home South Viets were on their own, We make a toast to Major Mieng and SGT Phoung they fought for right when we were gone. If you want I can send you a copy
Michael.Murpny17@outlook.com
dont forget the dot between Michael and Murphy
Our foreign service officer in Binh Dinh was in VN when we were all leaving and our Viet Namese counterparts said “you treated us as an orange, you squeezed the juice out of us and threw it away”. Like almost every other person working on an advisory team I feel we left so much unfinished. It is a terrible, hollow feeling when I think of the hell my Viet Namese friends had to go through.
Hello Steve I feel the same way. I had 2 good friends in Vietnam. I was a spec 4 radio operator and they were interpreters in the Vietnamese Army. One got killed in a fire fight (KIA). I heard about it from the other. He said “SGT Phoung got killed in Binh Din Province last week. Thanks for coming to my country and F@#king Up my life”. That hurt for awhile, but eventually the two of us were friends again but never the same. I can only imagine what it was like for them.
I was assigned to a school on Tran Hung Dao street, Saigon, in ’69-’70. We had Air Force and Navy personnel. After the school was blown up, we were moved out to Tan Son Nhut airbase. I don’t know which unit I was with. Can anyone point me in the right direction.
Lee,
I’m quite sure you were with Advisory Team 62 teaching English to Vietamese military personnel. I was Navy and taught at Royal Annex, JGS, Tan Son Nhut And Vung Tau 1970-1971. You will want to check out the ‘PalaceDog’ Yahoo group and the Team 62 area here. A reunion is being planned.
I extended my tour in 5/70, and was assigned to the Navy N-9 unit hg Saigon. Did anyone serve in that unit that I might know?
Hello Dean. I also was Navy and helped build and start the Royal Annex. Was there from April/May69 – Mar 70. Lt John Bailey was the CO. I was an instructor and School Admin guy with John. Any details about the reunion in Branson Sept 2016?
The school was Dong Khan in the Cholon area. I was in the building when it was blown up. We taught at ‘tent city’ until the school was repaired then we moved to a bunch of corrugated metal buildings near Tan Son Nhut which I knew as MACV-Annex but I understand it had another name.
Pentagon East
Assume you mean around the summer of 69? I was teaching at the Saigon school when your was blown up. Believe they parked a car in front with 60 pounds of explosive and blew the front off.
I have a friend who is looking for her biological father here is the info of him (Donald Ayers born 1945 Milwaukee WI who served for the U.S. Army in 1965-1966 stationed at MACV1 Saigon Vietnam ) If anyone has any info of him or remember him as your team mate please contact me at Antvin604@yahoo.com Thanks in advanced. Tony Nguyen
Hello All. I was a 31J20-B3 at White Birch Saigon from Sep.72 to Dec. 72 ASA/NSA. I went from there to USASA Augsburg, GR Feb. 1973 to Sep. 1974. Left the Army and went to work for the Navy Weapons Systems in 74 and retired in 2006 as a Naval Facilities Planner in Mechanicsburg, PA. I can be reached via E-mail at: mjshaffer7@hotmail.com
I was MACV J- 3 11. 1969 1970
I went through the HQ (old) on Pasteur Street in July of 1968. I was a PFC 05B20.
The orientation session lasted about two (2) weeks, as I recall. Myself and two other radio ops were the lowest ranking enlisted guys who attended them. It was a little disconcerting sitting next to Majors and Colonels at the sessions! The presentations were pretty good and gave us SOME IDEA of what to expect at the Teams which we were going to.
I ended up in Two Corps at the Team 28 HQ “on the beach” and finally at Song Cau. The other two radio ops were assigned to a Team in Da Nang. I never saw either one again!
I had a good tour of duty in Song Cau. There really was not much radio operating to do (one VHF Net, only) so I helped out the Major with his HES Reports, and our CORDS guy with some of his projects. I even “taught” English (actually only pronounced te English words) at the local Catholic High School in Song Cau on my days off from my military duties.
Song Cau was a sleepy little village at first. After Tet in 1968 things got a little hotter and we had some minor run-ins with the local VC, but generally it was a pretty safe place to be. I enjoyed my tour of duty in Vietnam and felt that we had done some good there.
I was a draftee and returned to college after Vietnam, went to Law School after that, and was a career Prosecutor in Los Angeles for many years until I retired in 2008.
I currently live in Santa Ynez, CA where I fly my own plane, operate my Ham Radio (WA6RXM) and collect classic cars.
Paul, Your story sounds exactly like mine. Except I came home and went to pharmacy school and after 40 plus years as a phamacist I have retired. I also was a draftee and trained 11B infantry and when I went to VN I was changed to 05B20 radio operator. The orientation in Saigon was a little strange with all the officers doing the same thing as we were. We had just finshed training in Fort Lewis thinking that we couldn’t even talk to officers, and now they were side by side with us doing the same training.
Our experience was vastly different than most VN veterans. Those of us lucky enough to be on an advisory team, working with the Viet Namese day to day understood how important it was that we were there. I was assigned to CORDS which was nothing like being in the army. I went out on combat assaults and did a few night ambushes with the RF and PF’s but all and all was fairly safe. I was on team 42 in Qui Nhon which was the headquarters for Binh Dinh province. Our compound was on the South China Sea and we had very little enemy activity at the compound while I was there.
CORDS had a lot of activity and kept us busy with the grunt work. The HES and relocation was difficult to understand as was the Phoenix Program, but I pretty much did what I was asked. One of our foreign services officers, Bill Erdahl, was in SE Asia until 1985 and has done many more assignments since then. He currently is in Brazzaville, Congo working for the UN. At my age I don’t think I want to do that anymore.
I wish I had a short wave, In high school a friend of mine and I used to use his dads, W0(zero)CYI.
Fine business, Steve.
Yeah, being in those briefing sessions with all of the Officers was strange for elisted guys like us!
We had a Phoenix guy assigned to our Team claiming to be a Army Warrant Officer. But I believe that he was actually CIA. That program (DOICC) was just getting started before my DEROS so didn’t have much to do with it.
Yesm I agree with you that our (mutual) experiences were different than the average draftee’s and thankfully as we both made it back to the states I one piece.
I actually operated some ham radio in VN. The Major got me a man-pack HF radio and I made up a phoney british call sign and worked a few stations on CW. I knew that it would have been illegal to operate in a war zone using my real all sign.
I read some more of your posts in the Team 42 section here. Sounds like uou had a pretty good tour an as you said very similar to mine in many ways.
If you like to read try the book “War of the Inocents” by Charles B. Flood. Good book. I was one of the people at the Song Cau Team that Mr. Flood interviewed for the book…
PAUL POINDEXTER
I just re-read your post on Team 42. It is amazing what a Montagnard crossbow would buy. a visiting dignitary was in our TOC admiring mine so I gave to him.
What months were you in Song Cau? I was on the team from Jun 69-Jun 70
i was there in 1968-1969 at macv headquarters i spent most of my time at the nco club
I was there in 67 & 68. we reported to the Saigon Office and we were assigned to a Popular Forces companies in two different villages. both were in proximity of 2/3 infantry companies that had camps in villages on the edge of the Delta near Saigon. There was another teams that was camped under a bridge near us. This was just prior to Tet and during Tet. We went on ambushes and patrols with the PFs. All teams were reported increased activity prior to Tet. listening to the radio chatter was like listening to a soap opera during that period. It seemed like HQ could care less what we were finding.
Hello out there in the land of the unpopular war. My Name is Ken Strickland and I was assigned to Advisor Team 13 in 72/73. It was my last of three tours of duty In Vietnam my second tour of duty as a officer. I was a captain while with Team 13 and was assigned as Advisor to the ARVN 306th Floating Craft Maintenance Group. The position was a O-4, Command Equivalent Position. I had a crew of one WO, Three NCO’s and two Specialist.
Our Mission was to provide Military Assistance to the only Watercraft Maintenance Group in the Army of Vietnam.
Our headquarters was Transportation Assistance Directorate, Director of Logistics, HQ. MACV. Our office was located near the race track in Saigon.
I hope to hear from any of you guys who can still remember back that far.
Ken Strickland
Thank you Ken.
NHA BE 71-72 ADV TEAM 13 CO CAPT ELIJAH TONEY