Tan Son Nhut Association Photo of the Month
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6 Graphic courtesy of:

Charles Penley
377th Security Police Squadron
Oct 1967 - Jul 1969

Ripleys Aquarium is just one of many attactions that you can visit when you attend the Tan Son Nhut Association Reunion 2009, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

It is large enough that you will want to spend half a day there.

Seventy percent (70%) of the Earth is covered with water and whether it is a mountain stream or tropical lagoon, water is essential to life.

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies is literally teaming with life - our 10,000 exotic sea creatures comprise more than 350 individual species.

There are more fish in this aquarium than there are people living in the entire town of Gatlinburg. Although Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies is hundreds of miles from the ocean, the scenic beauty and the abundance of water all around make the town of Gatlinburg a "natural" location for a world-class aquarium, America's most fun aquarium.

Please go to URL:   http://www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com/

We'll See You There!
1 Graphic courtesy of:  Bob Laymon
377th CAMS
Scatback T-39, Crew Chief
September 1971 - September 1972

AC-123B Aircraft, spraying defoliant.

2 February 1962 -- An Air Force C-123 Provider crashed in South Vietnam while spraying defoliant during Operation Ranch Hand. This is the first Air Force aircraft loss in South Vietnam.

Capt. Fergus C. Groves II
Capt. Robert D. Larson
SSgt. Milo B. Coghill
All three died in the still-unexplained crash near RVN Route 15.

Ranch Hand planes typically sprayed at an airspeed of 130 knots, only 150 feet above the ground {see pic}.

The aircraft was assigned TDY to Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN. A2C Larry Fry deployed to TSN to help organize the memorial service.

Click on URL:
 http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=310
1 Graphic courtesy of:  Bob Laymon

This is a photograph belonging to Larry Fry.

Interior of the Flight Line Mess Hall, 1962

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Fergus C. Groves II - left, Ranch Hand KIA

Capt - O3 - Air Force - Regular
Length of service 6 years
Casualty was on Feb 2, 1962
In Bien Hoa, South Vietnam
Hostile, Fixed Wing - Pilot
Air Loss, Crash On Land
Body was recovered

Panel 01E - Line 5

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Robert Darrell Larson

Capt - O3 - Air Force - Reserve
Length of service 6 years
Casualty was on Feb 2, 1962
In Bien Hoa, South Vietnam
Hostile, Fixed Wing - Crew
Air Loss, Crash On Land
Body was recovered

Panel 01E - Line 5

******************************************************************
Milo Bruce Coghill

SSgt - E5 - Air Force - Regular
Length of service 10 years
Casualty was on Feb 2, 1962
In Bien Hoa, South Vietnam
Hostile, Fixed Wing - Crew
Air loss, Crash On Land
Body was recovered
Panel 01E - Line 5
1 Graphic courtesy of:  Bob Laymon

This is a photograph belonging to Larry Fry.

Exterior of the Flight Line Mess Hall, 1962.

Tan Son Nhut Association, Vice President Larry Fry, ate in this mess hall many times.
1 Graphic courtesy of:  Bob Laymon

This is a photograph belonging to Larry Fry, showing what it was like to live at Tan Son Nhut, in early 1962.
1 Graphic courtesy of:  Bob Laymon

This is a photograph belonging to Larry Fry, who was the first Chaplain's assistant in VN, along with his Chaplain.

They were there TDY from Japan.

Unfortunately they were there for the memorial service for some "Ranch Hand" crew members who were killed in a plane crash, the first such casualties in Viet Nam.

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