The 519th Transportation Association Thailand
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505th Transportation Company
Camp Vayama
1st Platoon Feb 70 - Jul 70
Joe Wilson <jjwilson@pcisys.net>
I was PCS'd into the 505th Transportation Company from Khon Kaen. There were several of us SP5's who came down from the 569th Transportation Company in February 1970. At first we had a tool box, a 3/4 ton truck and a bunch of reflectors and trailer light parts. We were headed to the TTP at Samae San to check and replace broken or missing lights and reflectors.
Shortly after arriving, I was then placed into the 1st Platoon and SSgt Davis was my squad leader. My wife and I lived off base, between Samae San and Vayama.
Joe
3rd Platoon - Udorn Operations
Henry Osmer <tramp123@webtv.net>
I arrived in Thailand with 505th from Ft Benning in Nov 1966. Our mission was port clearance. In January 1967 the 3rd platoon was sent to Udorn to haul from rail head to NKP. We made daily roundtrips. The road was fast demolishing our trucks so another platoon was sent to assist to complete the mission. The 53rd Trans Co arrived in Sattahip during that time to assist the remaining plt at Camp Vayama. When we all return to Sattahip we were operating 2 � 12 hour shifts hauling from port to ammo dump and directly to Utapoe AFB with bombs to load B-52 bombers. As a Sgt E-5 this tour of duty was one of the hardest in my 20 years. I served 2.5 years in Vietnam 1.5 in Delta plus a year in Chu Lia. As someone who served in both areas DON'T let anyone down your service in Thailand as I know what we did to support the Nam war was as important as those who served there.
SFC Henry Osmer
______________________________
I will quote from a letter every one got in the 505th in Aug 67.
This is part of A letter From a person and COL. I will never forget.
After Thailand I served 2.5 years in Vietnam 1 year with the 63rd and 563rd in chu lai retired in 1978
Ever Onward - SUPTHAI article 67
505th Transportation Company
Udorn - NKP 1967
Published in SUPTHAI Sentinel 1967
(Submitted by Henry Osmer, 505th TC)
(This is a 291st TC platoon photo is substituted for the original 505th TC photo in this article.)
(This 291st TC platoon photo contributed by Bob Bach)
Original Caption: "Ever Onward...A flatbed from the 505th Transportation Company leaves a cloud of dust as it pulls out from Udorn on its journey to Nakhon Phanom."
A can of C Rations lashed with a piece of wire to the manifold; the guttural roar and nauseous fumes from the exhaust of a five-ton tractor trailed by 17 tons of cargo; a thick coat of dust mixed with grease covering their clothes and skin- this is a way of life for the men of the 505th Transportation Company.
Living with these conditions for the past two months, the men have earned the title know well in the Northeastern part of Thailand as "The Pacesetters".
Because of established deadlines on the movement of cargo to Nakhon Phanom from Udorn, it becomes necessary to split the company workload into two shifts of drivers in "round-the-clock" operations. These operations resulted in the men getting little sleep and very little spare time.
Commanded by Captain Richard M. Jacobs, the company is one of four that make up the 519th Transportation Battalion. Soldiers in the company are augmented by Thai Nationals who have been trained in the operation of the five-ton truck.
After a convoy of five trucks is readied, they depart Nakhon Phanom on the first leg of the 160-mile trek over a dusty, board-like road to Udorn.
"The trip to Udorn is the worst!" said one driver. "We go t Udorn without a load to hold the trailer to the road and it really shakes a guy up. The trip back isn't quite so bad though with 17 tons of cargo behind you."
It takes close to two hours to cover the first 40 miles at the end of which the drivers take a welcome 10-minute rest. During the rest, they check the tires and pause for a cool drink to wash the dust out of their parched throats. Then back to their rigs for the second leg of the journey in the peak of the afternoon heat.
The straight, narrow road makes passing almost impossibility. Thus, the trucks have to make frequent roadside stops for traffic from both directions to pass.
The second stop, just past the half-way point, is made at a service station, which has facilities for the drivers to eat their C Rations and sells ice-cold soft drinks.
Chatting over a supper of beans and franks, eaten from the can, the drivers, in spite of the grind, do not lose their sense of humor. Cracked one soldier, "Just give me the milk, malt and ice cream in a container on the front seat with me and by the time I get to Udorn, we'll have a milk shake."
Trucks and drivers cooled and rested, the final stretch of the journey to Udorn begins. From houses and rice paddies, children race to wave at the soldiers who have become a familiar sight to them.
When the driver reaches his destination, the rail head in Udorn, his work is almost complete for the day - but not quite. He has to wait until the cargo is loaded from the flatbed rail-road car to his truck, then he will drive to the motor pool which ajoins the Air Base in Udorn. There, he performs minor maintenance on his truck.
An all-night crew of soldiers hunt down mechanical defects on the truck and secure the load to withstand the bumpy trip back to Nakhon Phanom.
While this is being done, the driver can catch a few hours sleep in nearby barracks. The resting time passes fast and the men get up, shave, eat chow and climb back behind the wheel for the payload return trip to Nakhon Phanom.
When the convoy ends the run, each truck is unloaded and inspected before the next shift takes off for another round trip.
"It never fails to amaze and impress me how a really tough job such as this causes a unit to develop a "Gung-Ho" spirit and unusual team effort," commented Colonel Fred B. Proctor, CO, 9th Log Command (B), on a recent visit to Nakhon Phanom and Udorn. "This company is writing a new shapter in the field manual of truck operations."
