MACV Team 34 – Dalat
This Page is intended for the discussion of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Team 34 located in Dalat.
MACV Teams
Military Assistance Command Teams Vietnam
MACV Team 34 – Dalat
This Page is intended for the discussion of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Team 34 located in Dalat.
MACV Teams 
Does anyone have any information about the operation of the Dalat nuclear reactor, after TET 1968? I understand there was an emergency mission to remove the core in 1975 and material was left behind. I was an MP with 630th mpc
I knew Captain Cooper
I was walking thru my local cemetery and saw the head stone for Major Charles Wilkie….Advisory Team 34. Date of Death 12/08/67.
I presume he belongs to this group…not sure if anyone served with him.
His gravestone was well cared for and will be checked from time to time!!
AATW
I served with Major Charles Wilkie in MACV Advisory Team 34 in Dalat during the period November ‘67 until 8/12/67 when he died with LTC Lloyd Michael and two other US in the small village Tahine, located in the southern sector of Tuyen Duc Province.
I was a Birddog pilot (183 rd RAC) supporting AT34 when the four Americans, including Michael and Wilkie were KIA.
I remained with AT 34 through the Tet Offensive, leaving for FOB 2 in Kontum in about April or May ‘68.
I was flying about 200’ above Michael and Wilkie talking with Michael on a PTC 10 when he was killed by NVA .
Thank you for your service and an account of how he passed! I was curious about his story.
I’ll keep watch over him as best as I can.
AATW
I have more details of the Tahine incident for those interested. Also, I wrote a remembrance for LTC Lloyd Michael’s Vietnam Wall page. He also died at Tahine on 8 December 1967.
In spite of all the bad things that happen on the internet this is very heart warming, to see that a man’s mind can rest easy knowing the whole story.
I was with Seabee Team 0507 in Don Doung and when we got to see a real town with paved streets it was Dalat. We had to go there to pick up 55-gallon drums of fuel for our equipment. If the VC had blown up the bridge over the railroad tracks, we’d have to go a different way that took 3 times longer. Seems they blew that bridge on a pretty regular basis. I had the occasion to fly with an USAF Captain Williams a couple of times scouting new sites. He ended up getting shot down and killed and we stripped his aircraft of radios and armament. I ended up with his 38 special revolver which was delivered by his crew chief to our camp. I hope that he didn’t mind me selling it to pay some bills while I was going to college when I got home. Now that I’m 78 years old I wish more than anything that I still had that gun. At least he knows it went for a good cause.
PRC-10 that is. Sorry for the typo.
Fred Coleman
Jan 72-April 72
Was the NCOIC of VNMA/Political war fair college.
I was on convoy cover at Lien Khoung airport in a single UH-1C Huey gunship in July 1969. I was alerted to a possible attack at project concern and flew out there and checked it out. A reaction force convoy was on the way when they were ambushed. I made radio contact with the American advisor and commenced an aerial assault on the enemy ambush position. The enemy ambush was neutralized and the convoy proceeded on there mission. I flew to Dalat Cam Lee airfield and rearmed, refueled and returned to standby at Lien Khoung. Does anyone remember this combat action? I always wondered how about the casualties in the convoy and if they made it back to their base.
Does anyone remember a Cpt Suggs 69-71 Psy-ops????
Brian Speich says:
July 27, 2019 at 4:33 pm
I was assigned to AT 34 in Dalat, 1965. Spent two years there and have been back 8-10 times.I remember most of the places you guys are talking about but not any of the guys. We lived in a villa until 31 Dec 1965 when the VC blew it up and killed Krause, we then moved into the modern hotel right by the steps and across from the main market. Moved in Krause compound about March of 66.
Do you remember my brother Marty Sisk he was assigned to team 34 in that time frame
Hi Tom. No, sorry don’t remember the name.
Hi Brian. have not heard from you in many years.. You 2 years in Dalat, I’m searching for the 362nd tropo trial site from BMT AT33 rigged up in 1963-64. did not pan out so taken down. was there LBM later, in new years day 1965-66. Matsudo up stairs, Akana and I down stairs on opposite side of bombs. Please contact me on email at; honomu@aol.com. Thanks Brian and have a Happy New Year, for sure!! harold Shiroma
do you remember the signal out post, the small army base foot o fthe high ground and vietnamese military academy or madame thi french restaurant
I was in the 362Signal Co. Dalat, during TET 1968. WE were converted to11B and did S&D. We secured the MP Villa and vehicles. Also I was on a “Reactionary Team” that retrieved people from the Embassy, downtown. Not much written about our activities during the 1968 Offensive(classified??). My DD-214 has no record of my time there!
My brother and I sent Christmas card and cigarettes to a Captain W T Cooper in 1965. He replied in March 1966. I was in second grade at Catholic school in small town in Ohio. I have always wondered and prayed that Captain WT Cooper made it home and had a good life. Does anyone have any information on this man ? God Bless..
I was an advisor at the VN Military Academy from Dec 66 til April 67. Did not encounter Cooper. Sorry.
Captain W T Cooper was an advisor to a Vietnamese combat engineer battalion . 1966, Thanks for any information. And thanks for your service. God Bless you all.
The Capt. Cooper I remember lived with the USN Seabee Team 0507 in Dong Doung (about 2 hours drive from Dalat). He had 2 US Army Sergeants with him most of the time until Sgt. Flores was wounded. Not sure what became of Capt. Cooper. 0507 left approximately June of 1966 for CONUS
I was an advisor at the VN Military Academy from Jan to May 1967. Glad to hear from that group.
I was in Dalat Dec 66 to May 67, as an advisor at the VNMA. I recall Chuck Radler, and an AF LTC, first name Larry. There was also a CWO who gave “lessons” in bridge. I remember our French-trained cook who gave us fabulous meals. Our villa was not too shabby either, private bedrooms, tiled baths. Coming from a field assignment with VN Rangers I thought heaven was near. Anyone out there from this time period??
I was with this team 1968-1969
My Dad was SFC E7 Bob Burk, Operations/Intelligence Advisor Team 34, Don-Duong 65–66. He served with now BG Forrest T Gay III Ret. I have several pictures that I digitized from the area if anyone has interest.
I was stationed at don duong in 1967 I would like to see any pictures you have of the place, your dad must have been there when the Seabees were there, they left after I was there for a few months, thanks
Mr. Fitzgerald, Sorry I have not checked back on this, Yes he was there when Seabees were there. I believe they built a reservoir or something. I can be emailed at bob_burk@live.com for pictures.
Bob,
Seabee Team 0507 built a large bridge from scratch, cut the trees down, took to local sawmill to have boards made, and built a wooden bridge using a borrowed ARVN crane with our home-built pile driver. this bridge replaced one that got washed out every monsoon season and kept the farmers for getting their crops to market in Dalat.
Our camp was at the base of a very large reservoir that the Japanese built as a WWll war debt. We lived in a warehouse that the Japanese used to store supplies in while building the dam.
I was in Dalat from 68 to 69.
Sorry. Not able to help.
In 1972 to 1973 I was living in the enlisted men’s compound which was a French Villa on Tran Hung Dao Street, Dalat. There were only a Sargent and myself in this compound. Most of the Americans were gone by this time.
I was in Dalat from 12/67 through 2/68, the Tet Offensive
I was a FAC at Dalat. In fall of 68. Shared a house with 3 Army Birddog pilots, and another AF FAC.
Sam, would you happen to remember an incident where the Air Force crew chiefs were ambushed driving down from the air field? I don’t recall the date but this happen in 1968.
J V Ramirez USAF Ret.
Was this when they were going to or from a party? I remember visiting one of these guys at the field hospital in Nha Trang. Shot thru one thigh and into opposite calf….
From what I recall they were headed down from the airfield. I was ordered to Dalat the same day to replace the crew chief that was wounded. I remember purchasing a snub nose 38 that belonged him. Stayed there for 2 or 3 days before they sent out a permanaent replacement.
Sam, I was in and out of Dalat from 21st TASS Nha Trang from Jan 68 – Aug 69 maintaining MRC-108 radio jeeps and MD-28 generators. Was at the Duy Tan Hotel several times (lighted glass tiles in the dance floor). Was told of a “bithday party” for one of the FACs at a villa and worked my way over. To my surprise it was one of my high school friends from Spain, 1st Lt Bud Bennet. We had been Air Force military dependents, he in Madrid (Torrejon AB) and me at Zaragoza AB ca. 1960-62.
Steve, what airfield were the Birddogs serviced at; Cam Ly or Lien Khang? thanks hs
Cam Ly
Located in Dalat, RVN
Thank you Frederick.
Where the person I replaced in 68 at the vietenese military academy?