Kính gửi quý anh chị bộ ảnh về
Ho Chi Minh trail Phanop Valley Choke point
Village kids in front of bomb crater, Ban Phanop Ho Chi Minh trail
Ho Chi Minh trail at Tad Hai, old Route 23
PhanopValley Chokepoint and the Nam Ngo river Siemphang Village, Ho Chi Minh trail
Ho Chi Minh Trail Xe BangFie Ford, Road 23 used during the war to move supplies Southwards towards the war front.
Sam Missile container abandoned in a village on the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Resting Hut made from Bombie casings Ban Katah Ho Chi Minh Trail
crater-village, on the Nam Ngo river Phanop valley Ho Chi Minh trail
Wood House on the Ho Chi Minh trail Ban Laboy littered with 500 lb bombs
“Roof-of-Laos”, discover, parts of the Ho Chi Minh trail
Border crossing Ho Chi Minh trail, Vietnam Laos
Ho Chi Minh trail 37 mm Artillery seat in village Muang Nong
Ho Chi Minh Trail Ban Along, Xe Lanong River Nong District
Tribal Elder along the Ho Chi Minh trail near an important cave containing fuel storage bunkers
Menkong village on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Ho Chi Minh trail RT 23 Jolly Green Giant twin rotor helicopter, Knife 61 1 of 2 CH 3 E’s shot down that day, 6 October 1969
Villagers fishing in a bomb crater on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Tad
Hai destroyed bridge on the Xe Bangchiang river Ho Chi Minh
trail, Bombed by American bombing in the early part of the conflict,
remains of the French built bridge lay at the bottom of the Xe
Bangchiang river.
Ho
Chi Minh trail Anti Aircraft gun, Gun emplacements on the Bolevens
plateau strategically placed to knock out enemy aircraft attacking the
Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Ho
Chi Minh Trail River Ford At Ban along, a war time hub of activity as
convoys of overloaded trucks Forded the river on the way South to the
war front.
Amid
a heap of twisted metal at the People’s Air Force Museum in Hanoi
emerges the unmistakable form of a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, which
was shot down over North Vietnam on May 14, 1967
The F-4B model
Phantom is displayed in pride of place atop other battered US Navy and
Air Force relics, including twisted propellers and smashed jet engines.
The
wrecked warplane, serial number 153001, retained its overall shape
despite enormous damage reportedly caused by a Russian-built surface to
air missile, and subsequent impact with the ground
According to
Ejection-History.org.uk, the two crew members, Lt. Cdr. C. E. Southwick
and Lt. D. J. Rollins survived the crash and became prisoners of war.
The wrecked F-4 had belonged to VF-114 ‘Aardvarks’ aboard the aircraft
carrier USS Kitty Hawk, and remains one of the museum’s star attractions
today.
The museum sits at the edge of the unused Bach Mai airfield,
providing ample room for this vast junkyard. Obviously, there were many
planes parked here permanently, there are plenty more interesting rusted
support vehicles, and flying machines, including Russian Migs!
Bombie fence along the Ho Chi Minh trail, Bourapha
Dog tags found on the Ho Chi Minh trail, Southern Laos
Coblestone road the real Ho Chi Minh trail, a discarded bombie casing lying along the road
ho chi minh trail bamboo bridge
Xe-Bangfie-ford Ho Chi Minh Trail Bourapha
Camping, Nam Ngo, Ho Chi Minh Trail
NVA built fuel storage tanks inside caves along the Ho Chi Minh trail
If you’d like to explore Laos by motorcycle, come ride with the man who mapped it.
Armored
Personanel Carrier M – 113 used on the Ho Chi Minh trail during the
Lamson battle, considered M113 the most significant infantry vehicle in
history.in Vietnam were the M113 was extensively deployed with great
success.
Scrap metal hunters on the Ho Chi Minh trail, Ban Laboy Ford
Sam Missile Ho Chi Minh trail
Communist war era poster, Ho Chi minh trail
A length of the Fuel Pipeline running the length of the Ho Chi Minh trail
life on the Ho Chi Minh trail Muang Nong, Canoe made from airplane parts
Ban
Laboy ford Ho Chi Minh trail, Heavily bombed chokepoint Route 911,
leading from Ban Karai pass South to Lumbun and Xepon Road 9
Infamous Ban Laboy Ford on route 912 Ho Chi Minh trail, scene of unrelenting bombing during the war
ho chi minh trail gun
Hanoi Museum lies a pile of rusting airplane parts
French Hospital used as POW camp along the Ho Chi Minh trail
ho chi minh trail relic secret war
Secret war relic wheeled tank Russian BDRM, Ho Chi minh trail
inside
turret Russian BDRM wheeled tank,The BRDM-2 has a crew of four; a
driver, a co-driver, a commander, and a gunner. It has two pairs of
chain-driven belly wheels lowered by the driver, which allow trench
crossing just like its predecessor, and a centralized tire pressure
regulation system, which can be used to adjust the tire pressure of all
four tires or individual tires while the vehicle is in motion to suit to
the ground conditions
Ta Oy Villager on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Phanop
Valley Choke Point, showing the bomb craters Nam Ngo and Phanop village
in background, Vietnamese had Anti Aircraft guns on top of these Karst
pinnacles Route 23 lower left corner of photo.
Phanop
valley jungle view, of craters near the caves were villagers lived for
10 years, on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, several craters are visible in this
view.
cockpit area of wheeled tank
F-4 Wing discovered at undocumented crash site Ho Chi Minh trail
Customs officer Ho Chi Minh trail border crossing
Ho Chi Minh trail,
painting by Veteran Larry Chambers
Coblestone road the real Ho Chi Minh trail, a discarded bombie casing lying along the road
Ho Chi Minh trail Anti Aircraft guns
2015 the local authorities cleaned up Ole Dr Strangelove, Ho Chi Minh trail
Huge Boeing B-52 Stratofortress fuel drop tank recovered by Lao villagers, Ho Chi Minh Trail
Well here I sit in Laos again, I have been putting around the place
on and off for 10 years now. Mostly traveling by motorcycle, no surprise
there. However I am now into offroading. This little hobby started
around 1999 when I took my first backpacking trip after 15 years sailing
around the globe on my sailboat Espritdemer. This land trip took in
Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. All countries I was able to rent
bikes with the exception of Laos. And Laos, in those years was just
opening up to tourism. Well so off to Singapore and buy a bike. Were I
found a trusty ole Xl600 Honda. This good ole bike made many trips up
through Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Borneo. To cut a
long story short eventually I moved down to a smaller more nimble bike
an XR400. In around 2003 I discovered the ancient Kymer Empire known as
Ankor Wat. Cambodia at the time was just coming out of the Kymer Rouge
era and the country was in a shambles with and dilapidated road network,
which had more oxcarts than cars in the country. Well with the
combination of great offroad riding and the lure of ancient temples in
the Jungles. (Indiana Jones). I spent a few seasons with my GPS mapping,
discovering many ancient temples and ancient road networks across the
land. Wow great fun and memories, until development caught up with the
place and it became a bit ordinary. The fantastic temples, surrounded by
landmine signs with skull and crossbones that I would camp inside,
would now have ticket gates guards and tourists!!
So my attention turned northwards towards Laos and in the theme of
ancient roads, the Ho Chi Minh trails were the next target. Of course
with all the GPS gear from the boat and a few navigation skills. I used
the incredible US Military maps to find the old trails which were
intact, lots of war junk along the trails and the main source of income
for the locals was selling the metal to the Vietnamese which was then
melted down in smelters.
So blah blah blah. After a few years of this great fun I continued to
map the whole of the country and produce the LaosGPSmap which you can
see on the web site. However the Ho Chi Minh trail continues to be a
passion, In fact I am writing this from Xepon site of one of the biggest
battles of war. The Lao and Vietnamese are have a huge celebration and
dedication ceremony at the new war museum here at Ban Dong.
This
rice storage hut along the Ho Chi Minh trail is built up with discarded
bombie casing halves, Near Siempang village Phanop Valley in Laos
Laos life along the Ho Chi Minh Trail shooting birds out of trees is a way to get fresh food!
Ho Chi Minh trail, UXO Laos camp Attepue Laos
Communist war era poster Ho Chi Minh trail
All women demining team Xaibouathong district Laos. Ho Chi Minh trail
Mag International womens demining team, Southern Laos
To me it was a dark, foreboding place where we knew the enemy was
creeping up on us and we were shooting at ghosts, just every once in a
while happening to hit something important. Not enough to stem the tide.
Ho Chi Minh trail Cambodia – Sihanook Trail
speedometer
and tachometer from Chinese built tank, One can only speculate that
this tank fell off the side of the hill then was buried by a landslide?
on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Tank Turret on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Scrap metal hunter along the Ho Chi Minh trail, Cambodia
S A 2 resting at Gnomalat
This section of “The trail” was “saved” When the Belgian Cooperation upgraded the road in 2008.
This
road was heavily used during the war to transport guns and ammo,
however the original construction was during the French era.
My bike. photo above, is on LZ Sophia overlooking the Xepon valley scene of the Battle of Lamson
File Photo, March 1971 Lz Sophia, Army OH-6 and an USMC CH-53 after they were brought down by a North Vietnamese 37mm battery
Army OH-6 and an USMC
CH-53 were seen on a hill just south of Tchepone in March 1971 after
they were brought down by a North Vietnamese 37mm battery
Excerpt,”I participated in two invasions of Cambodia.The first was
the U.S. invasion in the Spring of 1970. The second was in early 1971 (a
couple of weeks before my tour of duty was over) when the South
Vietnamese alone invaded Cambodia but were supported by U.S. gunship and
medevac aircraft. During that second invasion, I never saw Cambodia
during the day, as all of my medevac border crossings came at or after
sunset.
One night while we were deep in Cambodia (North of Phnom Penh) we
were hijacked by some ARVN’s (Army Republic of Vietnam) who were losing a
battle. Because of the large number of casualties, the mission called
for two Dustoff aircraft. I was the first bird in and CW2 was right
behind us with his. Our landing site was to the center of a ring of
tanks and and APC’s (armored personnel carriers) located on the top of a
large bare (defoliated) hill top surrounded by thick jungle. All of the
tanks and APC’s were outward and engaging with the enemy. The chaos
reminded me of an old Western movie where the encircled wagon train was
defending itself from Indian attacks from all sides.
When we “touched down” the ARVN’s abandoned their wounded and swarmed
my aircraft. My medic and crewchief started to throw the unwounded off
the aircraft when the ARVN’s pointed their weapons at us. I told my crew
to get back on board and close the cargo doors when they could. I tried
to pick our bird up to a hover, but with all the ARVNs on board, we
were well over our Gross Max Weight limits and our rotor (RPM) would
keep bleeding off. Since we were sitting ducks where we were, I decided
to try a running take off and attempt to reach “translational lift” by
running (sliding along on our skids) down the hillside.
I was surrounded by armored vehicles, so I looked for an opening between
two vehicles that was large enough to fit, but ended up clipping off
both of their FM whip antennas. Once outside of the circle of armored
vehicles we started our run down the hillside with all lights out except
our search light (the scan of which I controlled by my thumb on the
cyclic). We slid and bounced toward the tree line, slowly gaining ground
speed by nursing the rotor RPM, engine RPM and Torque settings gingerly
to achieve lift off. As we cleared the the tree tops, I turned the
search light off and began a slow climb and increase in airspeed. I
radioed Stan to warn him what he was in for and asked my crew for a head
count of ARVN’s on board. My crew chief said it was a “…pile of
assholes and elbows and shit eating smiles…” that he estimated the count
at 17-18 or more. Then my medic shouted that we had an ARVN hanging
from the skids! I immediately reduced airspeed and power to begin a
descent. I remember thinking,'”Man oh man, now what are you going to do?
You’ve got a guy on the skids and a triple canopy jungle beneath you
and it’s pitch black out there and you’re in the middle of bad guy
country along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.”. As I continued my descent, I
decided to look for a road or clearing that would allow me enough room
for a “run on landing” and a “run on take off”. Shortly thereafter my
medic came on the intercom and said, “Never mind, we lost him.”.I
immediately looked at my altimeter and saw that we were about 700 feet
AGL (above ground level). I finally got through to Stan, but it was too
late. They pulled weapons on him as well and I think he pulled out 18
ARVN’s as well. I radioed back to Tay Ninh for MP’s to meet us, but they
were late arriving at the pad and all of the deserters disappeared into
the night. ”
end quote
Laos life along the Ho Chi Minh Trail shooting birds out of trees is a way to get fresh food!
Bomb boats on the Nam Gnouang river, Ho Chi Minh trail
Ho Chi Minh Trail Xe BangFie Ford
2004
Along the Ho Chi Minh trail Phanop Valley, Bomb craters clearly visible
along the road. Legend of the Ho Chi Minh trail, LaosGPSmap Senior
General Van Tien Dung (North Vietnamese Army) described the end state of
the trail, after the final 1975 victory as such: The strategic route
east of the Truong Song [Chaine Annamitique] Range, which was completed
in early 1975, was the result of the labor of more than 30,000 troops
and shock youths. The length of this route, added to that of the other
old and new strategic routes and routes used during various campaigns
built during the last war, is more than 20,000 kms. The 8-meter wide
route of more than 1,000 kms . . . is our pride. With 5,000 kms of
pipeline laid through deep rivers and streams and on mountains more than
1,000 meters high, we were capable of providing enough fuel for various
battlefronts. More than 10,000 transportation vehicles were put on the
road. (Note that the information provided in this quote may contradict
other data provided on the trail. Such discrepancies are common. Most
data has been taken at face value from numerous sources with no attempts
at comparison. Most data is generally similar.)
Ho Chi Minh trail Route 23 Phanop valley showing minefield of craters from incessant bombing
Monk in Small Wat Ban Phanop Ho Chi Minh Trail, Southern Laos
Choke Point bombing area along the Ho Chi Minh trail
The infamous Ban Bac ammo dump.
My camp site was a few hundred meters to the North, I was quite
surprised when I woke up from my campsite in the remote jungle, and
found there were others camping in the area.
These guys were
marooned here for 6 weeks as they had no fuel to get the trucks out.
They told me the “company” did not have any money for fuel. Legend of the Ho Chi Minh trail, LaosGPSmap
Rusting jet engine from a crash site near Dak Cheung Southern Laos. Legend of the Ho Chi Minh trail, LaosGPSmap
Xe-Bangchiang-Ho Chi Minh trail ford, Route 914 A major transport artery traversing Phou Thamok
ho chi minh trail shoot down poster
Ho Chi Minh trail Tri Border area Cambodia
Cambodia abandoned area of the Ho Chi Minh trail are piles of scrap and destroyed trucks
Cambodia abandoned area of the Ho Chi Minh trail are piles of scrap and destroyed trucks
Pt 76 hiding in the weeds along side the road Pou Khoud
Laos life along the Ho Chi Minh Trail shooting birds out of trees is a way to get fresh food!
Kilometer Zero Ho Chi Minh trail marker
Ho chi minh trail women
Villager building a boat from discarded airplane parts on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Scrap metal collector with an artillery round, note the mountains of fuel drums other war scrap in the background, Ban Sembo Near Ban Laboy Ford one of the main arteries of the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Ho Chi Minh trail, Ban Phanop village women carry water in buckets fabricated from war scraps
ho chi minh trail pilots-enemey
Mig 21 Lao Air force
During
the Vietnam War, B-52D tail gunners were credited with shooting down
two MiG-21 “Fishbeds”. On 18 December 1972 tail gunner Staff Sergeant
Samuel O. Turner’s B-52 had just completed a bomb run for Operation
Linebacker II and was turning away when a North Vietnamese Air Force
MiG-21 approached. The MiG and the B-52 locked onto one another. When
the fighter drew within range, Turner fired his quad (four guns on one
mounting) .50 caliber machine guns.
The MiG exploded aft of the
bomber, as confirmed by Master Sergeant Louis E. Le Blanc, the tail
gunner in a nearby Stratofortress. Turner received a Silver Star for his
actions. His B-52, tail number 55-0676, is preserved on display with
air-to-air kill markings at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, Washington.
Kids in a village Ta Oy District Southern Laos
Along the Ho Chi Minh trail Mekong villager at work on a natural weaving loom
Ho Chi Minh trail route 96 near Ta Oy southern Laos
Ho-chi-Minh-trail-Ta-Oy,
Just North of Ta Oy Southern Laos is an old section of the Ho Chi Minh trail
Samouay Southern Laos a village along the Ho Chi Minh trail
Ho Chi Minh Fuel depot, cutting fuel drums for scrap metal
Navigators
information for bombing mission, Navigators , or Back-seaters, were
responsible for keeping meticulous records of all bombing strikes along
with the normal navigation duties associated with bombing and
interdiction sorties.
Tribal Longhouse Ho Chi Minh trail Southern Laos
Alak Village Kaleum Ho Chi Minh trail Southern Laos
Map warning Danger
Vietnamese Kamaz truck rumbling down Ho Chi Minh trail route 96
Harbor of boats built from discarded drop tanks from Jet fighters along the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Howitzer left over from the Secret war Northern Laos
.
750 Pound bomb lying along the Ho Chi Minh trial in Southern Laos
Drop tanks artillery canon and 2000 lb bomb
Village of Dakpok Kao fresh clear stream feeds the outdoor bathing and water supply, on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Ban Tagnong a “hot” place on the Ho Chi Minh trail The new generation living with the legacy of the war.
A baby sitting on the steps next to an artillery round and a section of the gasoline pipeline that ran the length of the trail
Deep into the Anamite mountain chain along the Ho Chi Minh trail, local villager and child gathering wood.
A
forgotten area of the Ho Chi Minh trail, a farmer clears his land to
discover a Vietnamese riverboat bound for the Xekong river at Ban Bac.In
the foreground is the remains of the truck that was pulling the boat
along the Ho Chi Minh trail.This river boat, has a recessed propeller
and keel coolers for shallow draft operation. Sadly I watched the scrap
metal hunters carve this up with gas torches to be sold as scrap steel.
Ho Chi Minh trail Bamboo tunnel
Machine gun on top of Armored Personel Carrier Ta Oy Ho Chi Minh trail
Tank muzzle appears out of a pile of rocks amid flowers along the Ho Chi Minh trail
Tribal woman smoking traditional cigar, Dak Cheung, Southern Laos
Ceremonial house Xekong Southern Laos along the Ho Chi Minh trail
Ta Oy villager who lost his arm while searching for UXO. White cliffs in the background
Ho Chi Minh trail road, Ta Oy
After
the war, the collection and sale of war debris turned into a valuable
scrap metal industry for tribes’ people in Xieng Khouang province and
along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Bomb casings, aircraft fuel tanks and other
bits and pieces that were not sold to Thailand have been put to every
conceivable use in rural Laos. They are used as cattle troughs, fence
posts, flower pots, stilts for houses, water carriers, temple bells,
knives and ploughs.Kids with metal detectors are on scrap metal hunt the
only source of income for many Laos, Collectors often spend weeks or
even month on end in the thick jungle, dragging large pieces of Vietnam
War-era scrap metal to the roadside, awaiting pickup by transport trucks
…
Ho Chi Minh trail
XML mining company Xepon Southern Laos, EOD technician clearing an area to be mined for Gold.
Remains
M41 Walker BulldogBetween Aloui and Landing Zone Alpha, the armored
column was ambushed at a stream crossing and four M41 tanks were
abandoned in the middle of the stream isolating the 11th Armored Cavalry
on the west bank. The airborne soldiers abandoned the cavalry and kept
on marching east down QL 9. No reinforcements were sent and no recovery
vehicles came to remove the abandoned tanks. The 11th fought on alone,
and after three hours cleared a way across but had to leave seventeen
disabled vehicles on the west side of the stream. The NVA used the
vehicles as machine gun positions until the vehicles were destroyed on
25 March,Ban Dong, Laos, Ho chi Minh trailThe next day, the 1st Armored
Brigade and a paratrooper battalion were ordered to go back and recover
the 17 damaged tanks and APCs left behind by the 11th Cav. Once again
American air cover had been promised and once again it was diverted. The
brigade succeeded in picking up the vehicles and had the 17 vehicles in
tow when, once again, they were ambushed crossing a river near Aloui.
The four lead M-41 tanks were hit with RPGs blocking the route. For
three hours the South Vietnamese fought to survive until the disabled
tanks were pushed aside and the column could move. All the vehicles that
were being towed as well as the four M41s were left behind and later
destroyed by Cobras
A forgotten area of jungle on the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Near
“The Falls Chokepoint” old Rt110 is a bridge used during the war still
standing, A good place to hang your hammock for the night.
M 113 US Armored Personnel Carrier Laos Ho Chi Minh trail
Russian APC BTR-152 Armored car troop carrier hiding in the Jungle Xam Neua
Armored car troop carrier hiding in the Jungle Xam Neua
The Old Ho Chi Minh trail, U S military trucks run by Vietnamese Companies, used for Logging Attepue, Southern Laos
Psyops campaign
The US engaged in leaflet dropping from planes, however it is not known how the NVA distributed these flyers?
These were found by the author at the Ban Bac ammo dump buried in a pit with other war supplies and ammunition. 2006
Psyops flyers from Ban Bac ammo dump, burried in a bunker. Found by the Author. 2006
Ho Chi minh trail road South of Muang Nong Southern Laos. This is road number 96
Tourism comes to the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos
The Author,Don Duvall, with a wing from an undocumented (JPAC) F4 fighter lost near Dak Cheung Laos
Bombie casing, fence along the Ho Chi Minh trail
PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank, this is a good example of this old design, at a local army base.
In
February 1968 the NVA brought PT-76 light tanks down the trail to
attack the Lang Vei Special Forces camp.The camp was just inside the
Vietnam border from Laos. Captain Frank Willoughby, Lang Vei camp
Commander, had one sitting on top of his command bunker after the
attack. Although I was not involved, my unit at Forward Operating
Base-3, Khe Sanh Combat Base, organized and conducted the relief
operation that rescued him and the other camp personnel.
Derelict Russian PT-76 tank Phonsavon Northern Laos
Fac plane used for spotting along the Ho Chi Minh trail
Wreck of T 28 fighter Savannakhet province Southern Laos
Stables held up with Bombie casings, Saravanh Southern Laos
Old bombs make good bells, Xekong Southern Laos
Dogtag found on the Laos Cambodian border
This young boy holding a Pick Axe found on the Ho Chi Minh trail
S-75 Dvina Sam missile,this missile was better known by the NATO designation SA-2 Guideline, used to knock out B 52’s Attepue
Since its first deployment in 1957 it has become the most widely-deployed air defense missile in history.
The
SA-2 missile had a solid fuel booster rocket that launched and
accelerated it, then dropped off after about six seconds. While in boost
stage, the missile did not guide. During the second stage, the SA-2
guided, and a liquid-fuel rocket propelled it to the target
TECHNICAL NOTES:
Range: Minimum 5 miles; maximum effective range about 19 miles; maximum slant range 27 miles
Ceiling: Up to 60,000 ft.
Warhead: 288-lb. blast-fragmentation
Speed: Mach 3.5
Weight: 4,850 lbs
Jan 2013 Pa am Village Southern Laos, sam missile
The
remains of an unsuccessful launch of a SA-2 Sam Missile, Shown here is
he solid rocket booster first stage which dropped off after 6 seconds
Xepon, Ho Chi Minh trail, Laos
The
SA-2 did not operate alone, but as part of a complete system. A typical
SA-2 site in North Vietnam had six missiles on launchers, control and
support vans, a Spoon Rest acquisition radar, and a Fan Song guidance
radar.
Saved from the Scrap-metal hunters by government decree.
Sam SA-2 is a popular tourist attraction outside of Attepue at Ban Paam on the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Russian Zil truck used as radar control center for Sam Missile, Ho Chi Minh trail
Mobile radar used in conjunction with the S-75 Dvna missile system, Ho Chi Minh trail Laos
Gun
rack on the door to the radar control room, maybe the operator was
worried he would have to defend himself against his superiors if his
missile shot missed!
Fortunately
I do some mapping work with the military here, and a friend allowed me
access to some of this ancient but Magic stuff!
Radar and controls
inside the command module, note the curtain to keep out the light for
visibility on the CRT, just to the right of the radar control is a gun
rack with weapons at the ready.
I wonder how many “kills” this one
had? I looked around to see if there were anything like “a notch in the
gun stock” , however I did not see any thing.
Radar
command instructions and rows of buttons this is well before the days
of integrated circuits and computers, the success rate of this system
was low.
NVA propaganda flyer found at Ban Bac ammo dump by Don Duvall of LaosGPSmap. This Psyops flyer with racial implications!
Ho Chi Minh trail Laos
37 mm automatic air defense gun
AAA gun emplacement, Sihanook trail Cambodia Pnom Bok
Rifliing inside a cannon at the Ban Dong war museum
Villagers using war scrap to fabricate Knives, Ho Chi Minh trail Southern Laos
Kamuane Province Laos, Villagers use homemade apparatus for smelting war scrap for making knives
Airplane door being used on a shed in Xam Thong village a relic from the secret war
Artillery shell used as an anvil Ban Phanop Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Villagers salvaging a partially exploded bomb from the Jungle along road 110 Southern Laos.
Ho
Chi Minh trail, Target Alpha, one of the heavily bomb “Choke Points”
along the Ho Chi Minh trail. 2013 there is still plenty of UXO
(unexploded ordinance) to be found. These scap metal hunters from Ban Ta
Hua are on a mission.
Ban Laboy Ford, on the Nam Te Le river, Now known as the Xe Bangfi, War Era Maps of the Ho Chi Minh trail Published by the National Defense Mapping Agency Washington DC
Ban
laboy Ford, I camped beside the river and was awoken by villagers (
1:00 am) whom had walked over the mountain in search of scrap metal to
sell at the market. That was a cold night.
This was the area of Harleys valley, and famous rescue attempt of Lance Peter Sijan.
F-4C
was engulfed in a ball of fire, due to the bomb fuses malfunctioning
and causing a premature detonation on their release. The fighter went
down in a fireball and Sijan ejected into the jungle.He evaded enemy
forces for 46 days (all the time scooting on his back down the rocky
limestone karst on which he landed, causing more injuries). He was
finally captured by the North Vietnamese on Christmas Day, 1967. When
captured, he was sent to Hanoi. In his weakened state, he contracted
pneumonia and died in Hoa Lo Prison (the notorious Hanoi Hilton).His
courage was an inspiration to other American prisoners of war and he was
posthumously awarded the Medal of Honour
“Into the Mouth of the Cat” by Malcolm McConnell, is a great book describing this story.
Ban
Laboy ford,“The target was near a junction of main vehicle
infiltration routes on the part of the Trail the Americans had
designated LOC 101. It lay in wild, uninhabited, triple-canopy forest,
surrounded by sheer chimneys and towers of limestone called karsts that
rose from the narrow jungle valleys.â€
Bomber air crews continued to
rotate between Anderson AFB, Kadena AB and U Tapao Royal Thai Airfield
allowing for the maximum number of sorties
from the crew force. A
major ongoing objective in September of 1968 was interdiction of the
supply routes from North to South Vietnam to preempt a
logistics
buildup and offensive campaign by the enemy. The B-52 effort was
concentrated in the areas of Ban Karai and Mu Gia Passes and Ban Laboy
Ford.
From mid-May through mid-September, it was estimated that over
1,800 trucks moving supplies South crossed the Ban Laboy Ford. The ford
consisted of a
prepared ford, a cable bridge and a cable
ferry/pontoon bridge across the Nam Ta Le River. On 18 September, 18
B-52s and 12 F-105s attacked the
Ban Laboy Ford destroying the pontoon bridge and damaging the cable bridge. The main ford, however, remained intact.
From
20 September until 1 October, Tac Air continued to pound the ford but
was unable to destroy it. On 1 October, six B-52s salvoed 108 bombs
each,
resulting in bomb trains of 780 feet and a direct hit on the
ford. For the first time in three years the Ban Laboy Ford was closed.
Repair efforts were thwarted by continuous Tac Air and Arc Light strikes.
Ban Laboy ford Ho Chi Minh Trail, Xe Bangfie river
A young tribal villager poses, leaning on a bomb at the Ban Laboy ford
F-4-
Over the Dogs Head, Ban Laboy Ford. It’s an F-4D model and the tail
code “FG” means it’s from the 433rd Fighter Squadron – “Satan’s Angels” –
out of Ubon. Submitted by Lt Col Lance DeYoung (USAF, Ret) This
fantastic shot clearly shows the shape of the Nam Te Le river in the
shape of the Dogs head. The alternative ford and the scarred earth from
incessant ordinance strikes. The F-4 has an unusual configuration,
carrying an Pave Knife laser designator pod on the left inboard station
(the only station wired for this pod), which normally carried weapons
(it was not plumbed for fuel tanks). In order to carry its mission load
of two, 2,000 pound laser-guided GBU-10s, one went on the other inboard
pylon and one went on an outboard pylon. This left the two remaining
stations for fuel – a 600 gallon tank on the belly (centerline) and one
370 gallon tank on the other outboard station. Operationally, then, when
the inboard bomb is dropped, there is asymmetric weight and drag on the
inboard pylon (not as big a problem as the outboard pylon since it’s
closer to the fuselage). When the outboard bomb is dropped, the same
situation happens but it’s more pronounced than the inboard situation
because it’s farther from the centerline. I suspect that outboard 370
gallon tank was used up first so that when the outboard GBU-10 was
dropped, there was no longer much if an asymmetric weight issue (but
there was asymmetric drag). However, this was somewhat offset by the
Pave Knife pod providing drag on the opposite side. Ho Chi Minh trail
Ho Chi Minh Trail Ban Laboy Ford by Drone
Rusting pontoon ferry sits on the side of the Ho Chi Minh trail
Jock
Montgomery discovers the Ban Laboy pontoon bridge, lying silent in the
clear waters of the Xe Bangfai, downstream of the Ban Laboy Ford. This
bridge carried a large amount of traffic down the Ho Chi Minh trail
Photo Jock Montgomery Photography
December 2012 View, of the Ban Laboy Ford
Road to Ban Laboy steep karst mountains surround this valley with lots of caves.
May
and June 1966 were particularly deadly for the fliers over Steel Tiger
North. The gunners were getting better at their duties and tactics by
the time the dry season started giving way to the deluges of the summer
monsoon. On the evening of May 15th Spooky 10 disappeared with eight
crewmen aboard. The AC-47 was orbiting just east of the Chokes when the
ABCCC controller took the crew’s last position report.
Another
view of the area known as “Harleys Valley” This small area was named
for U.S. Airforce Captain Lee Dufford Harley a Forward Air Controller
flying a single engine O-1 Bird Dog aircraft who was shot down by ground
fire at this location and presumed killed.
The
big meadow, into which Captain Harley and Airman Guillot crashed, was
already well on its way to becoming a major storage complex and
transshipment center. From that cloudy day on, the valley also became
known to the fliers at NKP as “Harley’s Valley.”
Smack on the Border with Laos Vietnam along the Ho Chi Minh trail, Mother and child at a scrap metal sellers house.
Scrap metal collector on the Vietnamese border, a slowly dying industry.
Ban Laboy village very few houses remain, the ones that do are used for stockpiling scrap metal for recycleing.
Armored
personel carrier, turret, at a local restaurant. The restaurant is gone
now making way for a new Government Administration building.Muang Nong
Suspension bridge of the Xepon river, on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Guest house with a reminder of the war, Muang Nong Southern Laos
Anti Aircraft gun poking out of the undergrowth Muang Phin Southern Laos along old RT 23 Ho Chi Minh trail
War remains outside a Vietnamese shop-house Kulum District Laos
The Red Princes bridge, a vital part of the Ho Chi Minh trail destroyed by US bombing in 1967
UXO quarantine, UXO Laos, compound at Ta Oy District
500 lb bombs under the porch at Ban Phanop Jan 2012,
Known in the business as a “quick strike mine”.
These bombs are fused with magnetic trip mechanism, MK30 mod 0 arming device,
designed to be dropped into rivers acting as mines, or detonate by the
magnetic signatures of vehicles,when a tank or truck rolls past! These
were often fitted with high-drag “Snakeye” tailfins used for
low-altitude release
“Please treat with care and do not roll, tumble or drop”
Ho Chi Minh trail
Quick strike mines being deployed, with snakeye tailfins, from an aircraft over the Ho Chi Minh trail
Snakeye along the road, this sitting in front of a villagers house means its for sale, as scrap metal, Kaluem Southern Laos
Operation Igloo White, Spikebuoy
It began as “the McNamara Line†across Vietnam. It led to the seeding of the Ho Chi Minh Trail by air with 20,000 sensors
The
sensors—a network of some 20,000 of them—were planted mostly by
Navy and Air Force airplanes, although some of them were placed by
special operations ground forces. They were dropped in strings of five
or six to be sure that at least three sensors in each string would
survive and be activated. The sensors operated on batteries, which ran
down after a few weeks, so replacement sensors had to be dropped.
Most
of the sensors were either acoustic or seismic. There were two kinds of
acoustic sensors, both derived from the Navys Sonobuoy, to which
microphones and batteries were added. These sensors could hear both
vehicles and voices.
Claymore
mine, a directional anti-personnel mine used by the U.S. Forces,
detonation via remote control. Photo Muang Laman southern Laos
The “Vault” at Muang Xepon, one of the last things standing after the vicious battle of Lamson.
Xepon,
Wat, showing scars from the battle of Lam Son719,Operation Lam Son 719,
was a limited-objective offensive campaign conducted in southeastern
portion of the Kingdom of Laos by the armed forces of the Republic of
Vietnam (South Vietnam) between 8 February and 25 March 1971, during the
Vietnam War. The United States provided logistical, aerial, and
artillery support to the operation, but its ground forces were
prohibited by law from entering Laotian territory. The objective of the
campaign was the disruption the Ho Chi Minh Trail of a possible future
offensive by the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN),Gps lao, Hi Chi Minh
trail
Tchepone itself was just a small village but around it the PAVN
had established sanctuary base 604, the main base for attacks in Quang
Tri Province, and base 611, south of 604 and closer to the border, used
to launch attacks against the city of Hue and Thua Thien province. These
base areas consisted of many small storage depots and five large
storage areas, each between 1 to 2 square kilometers, stocked with
weapons, ammunitions, logistic supplies, medical supplies and rations.
Other areas around Tchepone were used for troop replacement and
training. For a week ARVN troops wandered about the two base camps
methodically destroying everything in sight or using artillery, tac air
or gunships to destroy the depots. Over 9,700 secondary explosions were
documented, sometimes continuing for a half hour after the initial
strike. The NVA were in a state of shock at Tchepone, over 5,000 were
killed in the depot area – mostly rear area troops or troops in rest
centers – with another 69 captured as air cavalry roamed the area
unopposed. Thousands of tons of enemy supplies were destroyed and a POL
pipeline was cut in several places. Almost 4,000 captured enemy weapons
were airlifted out and brought back to Viet Nam.
Xepon, Wat, showing scars from the battle of Lam Son
Finely
crafted canoes on the Xepon river made from Downed US aircraft. Phou
Tapang 649 meters, in the background, where NVA Anti Aircraft
emplacements were found..
Machine gun, Karum District Laos, Ho Chi Minh trail
Very long, 100 or more, “Bombie casing “fence near Ban Laboy
Ho Chi Minh Trail Southern Laos
Tarieng Village Ban Laboy Southern Laos
Armored
personnel carrier Chinese type YW531 leftover from the Vietnam
war.carries a maximum of 15 including crew, Mounted astern is a 12.7 mm
machine gun
Ta Oy Ho Chi Minh trail
Finally
found, tunnels that the 559 NVA commanded the Lamson battle. Dec 2012 a
stroke of luck finding this cave system. I was was fortunate to run
accross 3 elderly villagers melting war scrap for knives to harvest
their rice, after a brief conversation and some quite animated talk
about the war. They agreed to take me to this cave system. the
surrounding area was full of bunkers and a hidden network of trenches to
approach the entrance.
Interesting they told me I was the first foreigner to ever visit this cave.
Interesting they told me I was the first foreigner to ever visit this cave.
Ban Lahap at the crossroads of RT 92 and 922
Target
Oscar Eight. This was one of the most important points along the Ho Chi
Minh Trail. This was the headquarters of the 559th Transportation
Regiment of the NVA, the unit responsible for maintenance of the road
network, traffic management, road security, and the correct routing of
men and supplies. This was also a major choke point for truck traffic
headed east along Route 922 to the A Shau Valley in I Corps, and traffic
headed further south on Route 92 destined for the Kontum, Pleiku, and
Ban Me Thout regions in South Vietnam.
Neither Route 92 nor Route 922
existed before the NVA decided they needed all weather access into
South Vietnam for their trucks. The NVA road builders built these roads
through rugged terrain, and camouflaged them well that FACs would often
have to fly close to the ground to see them.
This intersection was
heavily bombed by U.S. Air Force fighter bombers and B-52s. U.S. Air
Force AC-130 Spectre gunships also conducted night time “truck plinking”
missions here.
Recon teams from MACV/SOG made frequent insertions
into this area in attempts to interdict traffic, either directly via
Hatchet Force missions, or indirectly by calling in air strikes. The NVA
detected practically every SOG insertion into this area and the SOG
teams fought many vicious battles with NVA security regiments in this
area, taking many casualties.
also the area of Target Oscar 8, a
vicious series of battles took place here. On the ridge top to the left
are foxholes and mortar shells from AAA artilery, along with caves were
the gunners hid when B52 strikes were taking place.
Symbol of war, on a Ta Oy village headman’s house
A lost and forgotten section of the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Ho-chi-Minh-trail-fuel-tanks
These
large fuel tanks built inside a cave with a small opening, obviously
they were built inside the cave perfectly safe from the bombs raining
down/
F 4- C, Phantom wingtip (Boxer 22) salvaged from a crash site near, Ban Phanop Southern Laos
The pilot (Ben Danielson, KIA) and navigator ejected after being hit
with Anti aircraft fire over the Phanop valley. Shortly thereafter, one
of the biggest rescue missions of the conflict ensued.
A total of
336 sorties (bombing runs) participated in this rescue. 21 different
types of ordnance was used, 20mm canon fire to air to ground missiles.
Ten helicopters and five A-1s suffered battle damage.This was an amazing
example of the effort expended by the US to save a downed crew member.
This wingtip is now Prominently displayed at the Wat in the Northern part of the village.
Phanop Vally Rescue Operation
Phanop
Valley Choke Point, showing the bomb craters Nam Ngo and Phanop village
in background, Vietnamese had Anti Aircraft guns on top of these Karst
pinnacles, see map above
Anti Aircraft Gun Near Ban Nongvilay Ho Chi Minh trail Southern Laos
Navigation
charts showing vectors to main targets of Ban Phanop, Ban Laboy and
Tchepone, From the Nakhon Phanom airbase. provided by Jim Conkey
262
meter Bamboo bridge at Ban Along over the Xe Lanong river, the
villagers will charge you 20,000 kip to cross, a bargain at any price.
One can imagine a line of porters pushing bicycles across this bridge
on the way south,The large vehicle ford is 900 meters upstream were most
of the traffic during the war crossed the river.Ho Chi Minh trail Laos
Xe la Nong bridge at Ban Along
Muang Nong Village USA Fighters helmet is found. Ho Chi Minh trail, Marcus Rhinlander
Karst
formation in the Phanop valley, The NVA managed to get the POL pipeline
and Anti Aircraft guns on top of these Karst pinnacles.
The Author testing Armored Personel Carrier on the old Ho Chi Minh trail
Kids having fun with a home made cart on the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Home Made Cart On the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Bamboo bridge on “the trail” built on the old French abutments, the bridge builders will charge you 5000 kip to cross
Ban
Karai pass, one of the notorious passages of the Ho Chi Minh trail,
time stands still. Ho Chi Minh trail with original stones laid down by
hand by the slave workers ( sacrifice of the many who shoveled, dug,
fought, and scraped by to get supplies of rice and ammunition to North
Vietnam’s front-line forces. There is an important stress on the efforts
of women to keep the supply lines open.) along the trail during the
time of the Vietnam War. Note the trees overhanging the trail so not to
be detectable by US spotter planes
Mag De-mining team Boulapa district Ho Chi Minh trail
UXO Laos 1280 kg bomb on display Saravan Southern Laos
500 pound bomb, smack in the middle of route 15 Ta Oy
I am not sure how all the construction equipment managed to miss this and not set off a bang!
War head SA2 S-75 Dvina Sam missile, Soviet-designed, high-altitude, command guided, surface-to-air missile,
Excerpt #1 from the MISTY FAC Book
1967
was a “build-up” year for us, the VC and the NVA. Late in 1967,
Intelligence reported the movement of four NVA divisions, two artillery
regiments and armor – yes armor! – to a place called Khe Sahn in Quang
Tri province, I Corps. Huge movements of U. S. and NVA troops and
equipment ensued in early 1968 under our very eyes, but as usual, we saw
very little – no trucks, no troops, no movement, no nothing. Then, on
31 January 1968, all hell broke loose all over South Vietnam with the
Tet offensive. Cities, towns, villages and compounds burned all along
the coast as we went “wheels-up” from Phu Cat and headed north on daily
missions.
Howie quickly flipped the camera to the right and came back
with a beautiful picture of an SA-2 on a Guideline transporter with a
wide-eyed NVA soldier trying to pull the cover on the missile. I still
have the picture. It is one of the most amazing pictures of the war. So
much for the 4500′ rule – Ed was only slightly above the height of the
launcher.
Silent, in its new resting place.Ho Chi Minh trail
Sam Missile found and disarmed by UXO Laos, Near Ban Lankham.
Several
of these Sam missile transport containers, were found in Kamuane
province in close proximity. This is the area were the rockets were
fired at B 52’s
The Author posing on a S 75 Dvina (SA-2 Guideline) Russian built missile on the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Armored car troop carrier hiding in the Jungle Xam Neua, Ho Chi Minh trail
2004 on the Ho Chi Minh trail Sam Missile
Ban
Phanop, on a tributary of the Bangphai River, . The village is located
in the Ban Phanhop valley, one of the “chokes”, or narrow corridors
along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos that were heavily bombed by American
forces during the Vietnam War
Kids playing in a “Bomb Boat” made from discarded fuel tanks, Ho Chi Minh trail
Seiampang Village Southern Laos a villager pulls a fuel pod, drop tank, out of the Jungle on the Ho Chi Minh trail. These fuel pods were jettisoned over Laos when the sorties were completed and the bombers returned to base.
Ho Chi Minh trail could this be a , F-105 Centerline drop tank.
House
constructed with bombie casings (bottom) and flare tube canisters (
white colored sheathing) Ban Siampang, Ho Chi Minh trail
Medical
supplies, ampules of morphine, found in a cave in the Karst mountains
near one of the Choke Points in the Phanop valley, along the Ho Chi Minh
trail
Setting
sun casts a yellow glow on this spectacular sight, the Tad Hai bridge,
Over the Xe Bang Hieng River, this bridge was built in 1942 and designed
by Souphanouvong who became the first President of Lao PDR in 1975. It
was destroyed by the American bombing in 1967.
I am holding a live B-40, Vietnamese copy of the RPG-2, Deep in the jungle the Ban Bac ammo dump
In October 1970, the North Vietnamese started to move supplies into
Laos across the Mu Gia and Ban Karai passes, but traffic south of the
passes remained light due to heavy rain and two tropical cyclones, Kate
on 25 October and Louise on 28 October. As the enemy road maintenance
crews repaired the road system and the rivers subsided, truck movements
increased on the Ho Chi Minh trail. During November there was an average
of 252 Igloo White sensor-detected truck movements per day but most of
the traffic was in northern Steel Tiger. On 27 November, a high of 889
sensor-detected truck movements was counted. The total number of
sensor-detected truck movements for November was 7564. During December
1970, the number of sensor-detected truck movements increased to an
average of 665 per day. The highest daily total for the month of
December was 1037 and the overall total for the month was 20,601. _6/
When flooded the Xe Kong River acted as a barrier to the continued
movement of the supplies down the Ho Chi Minh trail system. The Xe Kong
had flooded in October and continued to carry an unusually high amount
of water during November. Reliable reports indicated the North
Vietnamese were storing large quantities of supplies to the north of the
river, awaiting a time the Xe Kong could be forded.
Studies of
sensor-detected truck movement patterns, climatic conditions, and North
Vietnamese supply procedures led 7th Air Force Intelligence to suspect
that there was a major storage complex in the Ban Bak area. Similar
indications had been noted during previous dry seasons. Between 1
September 1970 and 18 December 1970 , 25 items of intelligence relating
to targets in the Ban Bak area were received. Two pertained to points
within one kilometer of the storage area eventually uncovered at
Universal Transverse Mercator Map (See Figure 2) coordinates XC855540.
One was a
reconnaissance photo showing bunkers and a large open area
containing supplies on 4 September 1970 . The other was a 20 November
1970 report from a forward air controller of antiaircraft artillery fire
and supplies on the side of the road. There were-forward air controller
(FAC) and photo reconnaissance reports of truck revetments, supplies,
possible truck parks and storage areas located from one to – seven
kilometers away from the storage area with the majority being from two
to five kilometers to the north. During November 1970, Igloo White
sensors detected almost four times as many truck movements into the Ban
Bak* area from the north as departed it moving south. 7/ Intelligence
signs indicated a major supply dump and storage area near Ban Bak and
north of the Xe Kong River existed; the next task was to find it
The
night was clear with a bright moon at 30 degrees above the horizon. The
moon helped the FACs to find the trucks moving along the trail, but the
angle of the moon acted as a detriment. The truck drivers could drive
with a minimum of artificial light using the brightness of the moon to
illuminate the road. The low angle of the moon also lengthened the
shadows made by the tall trees along the side of the road, making it
more difficult to locate parked trucks
Captain Monnig continued to
track the trucks with a Model NVSF-040 Uniscope. The Uniscope had
entered 20TASS supply about three weeks earlier supplementing the
Starlight scope. The Starlight scope had the capability to amplify light
400,000 times.
The area where the Covey FACs worked was a
high-threat area. On the plateau, the AAA fire was intense and the
triangulation extremely accurate. Some hits were reported but there were
no casualties and no downed aircraft. _15/
But before the F-4
aircraft could arrive, the trucks entered the triple canopy jungle
plateau area and pulled east off the road into some trees. Captain
Monnig raised the amplification of the Uniscope to full volume and
instructed Lieutenant Browning to hold the aircraft steady and to
disregard any AAA fire. The trucks continued through the jungle and all
that Captain Monnig could pick out in the Uniscope were flickers of
light as the truck headlights reflected off the foliage. Then the trucks
turned north moving to an area 700 meters east of Route 924. _16/
Then the trucks stopped, doused their lights, turned them on again, then
doused them again. About this time two F-4 aircraft, Wolfpack 93 from
the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Ubon Airfield , Thailand , were in
position. Covey fired a smoke rocket to mark the target. The fighters
were armed with Mark 82 hard bombs and CBU 24 cluster bombs. _17/ On the
first pass there were no secondaries. Captain Monnig moved the fighters
100 meters to the southeast. On the second pass, a 23 millimeter (mm)
AAA gun started to fire. On the third pass, “the sky seemed to open up.”
A huge orange ball of fire with black smoke climbed a thousand feet
into the sky. _18/
The BAn Bac Ammo dumb found, this turned out to be one of the most successful interdiction’s of the war.
Even with all of the strikes, enemy truck drivers continued to use the
truck park and storage area. By 5 January 1971 , it was estimated that
there had been 10,097 secondary explosions, 435 secondary fires, 43
trucks destroyed, and 11 damaged. Ho Chi Minh trail
Skeleton
of a NFL Truck body in the area of Ban Bac ammo dump. This truck has
been picked clean of any sell-able scrap, only the thinnest metal which
is not valuable remains.
Ho Chi Minh trail Laos
Ammo box full of 50 caliber rounds found near an Anti Aircraft emplacement along the Sihanook trail.
Ho Chi Minh trail, young Souk tribesman holds 50 caliber anti aircraft rounds, on the Cambodian border.
Camp along the Sihanook trail cooking wild birds, a Hornbill and Pheasant are on the menu this day
This
tribesman from Pou Luang lost his arm to an American Bomb when he was
only 5 months old. Deep in the jungle in the triboarder area harvesting
what they can from the forest, scrap metal and valuable hardwoods.
These bullets found rusting in the jungle along the Ho Chi Minh Trail
A destroyed jeep along the Sihanouk Trail near the Parrots Beak , 2004
Xekong
river the Ban Bac ferry crossing, (Bac, Translation from Lao is Boat
crossing) Thousands of trucks full of war supplies heading south would
have crossed the Xekong river here.
Ban Bac ethnic villagers, smoking waterpipe at a very young age.
View of the Xekong river valley in the area of the Ban Bac ferry crossing
The
remains of the Bac ferry at a gold mining camp on the banks of the
Xekong river. Thousands of trucks and untold tons of war supplies used
this major crossing on the way Southward towards the war front.
Xe Banchiang destroyed bridge at Tad Hi, along the Ho Chi Minh trail
Xe Bangchiang ferry crossing on the Ho Chi Minh trail
One of my favorite place’s on the Ho Chi Minh trail,
pine forest on Road 96 near Chavane, this was one of the Major arteries
of the trail. just before the road drops down from the plateau and
crosses the Xekeman river near Attepue.
Amputee victim, from gathering Un exploded ordinance, Near Ta Oy Southern Laos, Ho Chi Minh Trail
Stunning beauty, along the Nam Ngo river on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Soviet artillery tractor, and Anti Aircraft gun Muang Nong
Because of its strategic location encompassing the convergence of
several key supply lines, the Tchepone/Muong Nong, Sector is regarded as
the most important sector along the infiltration corridor in southern
Laos. Ho Chi Minh trail Southern Laos
Siampang village on the Ho Chi Minh trail,
Laos, kids playing in a cab of an abandoned North Vietnamese truck.
This one of the notorious choke point heavily bombed areas in the Phanop
valley.
Samouay villager’s along the Ho Chi Minh trail Near target Echo Eight.
North Vietnamese truck on the Ho Chi Minh trail, With Coung
One of a kind, Mortar turn signal, on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Young girl and sibling near Samouy Laos, with metal detector used for scrap metal hunting
Jungle
road section of the Ho Chi Minh trail. This shot taken from the seat of
my Honda XR400, For mapping I use 2 Garmin GPS devices, and 4 Cameras
for geo-referencing photos later used for analyzing and mapping. Also
the Spot locator is a fantastic tool for relaying to LaosGPSmap, home
base, All is OK I will return in a month or so….
Pilots helmet found in a village near Muang Nong on the Ho Chi Minh trail
In
Vietnam War M3A1 Grease Gun was outdated for frontline duty, but
nevertheless it was distributed to South Vietnamese irregular troops ,
such as Civil Guard, for combat duty. Thanks to it’s compact size
American helicopter pilots carried M3A1 Grease Gun, in addition of their
pistols, for the grave situation of being shot down behind enemy lines.
Other US users included USMC and US Army special forces. Captured
samples were employed by Vietcong. M3A1 Grease Gun was even copied by
communist China who manufactured with model name Type 64. This example
found on the Ho Chi Minh trail near Ta Oy
Forgotten pile of war scrap found along the Ho Chi Minh trail
Tribal Villager Samouay Ho Chi Minh Trail
War
scrap at Karuem, on the Xekong river just down stream from the Ban Bac
ford, truck fender, fuel drums and bombie casings of all kinds are being
sold for scrap metal.
Artillery anti aircraft gun with a Bomblet placed near the barrel, along the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Truck body abandoned on the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Russian Army Truck – ZIL 157
6 wheel drive truck, Laco Focus Southern Laos, Ho
Chi Minh trail
Between
1964 and 1973 the US bombed Laos continuously, despite Laos being a
peaceful, neutral country and despite the US never openly declaring war
on Laos
The
Flow of Men, The most important role for the Ho Chi Minh Trail was as a
route to funnel personnel to the south. The North Vietnamese eventually
released a figure of two million personnel who transited the trail
during the war.
Phanop Valley Ho Chi Minh Trail road 23
Mortars hanging in front of a carnival, October 2012
BLU-3/B
Bomblet / Clusterbomb, nicknamed Pinapple. The design of this
clusterbomb can be traced back to the sixties of the past century. The
bomblet is meant for use against personel and unarmoured targets,The
body of the bomblet is made of 250 steel balls ¸1/4 inch (6,25mm) dia.
steel balls which have been placed in a casting mould. The space between
the balls is then filled with a casting alloy called Zamac, an alloy of
Zink, Aluminium, Magnesium and Copper
Ho chi Minh trail, Villager holding a deadly bomby
Ban
Karai pass a great example of an untouched section of original Ho Chi
Minh trail. Most of the trail has gone under the “blade” I use the term
“Komatzu-ed” after the big yellow tractors of the Japanese Komatzu
company. Those cobblestones are rough to drive on. hence the path just
off the road to the right silk smooth dirt.
Tribal village on the Chaleunxai plateau along the Ho Chi Minh trail
Ban Bac villagers line up for the camera
Images of War, red dust flying as these Kamaz rumble fully laden towards Dak Cheung Ho Chi Minh trail Laos
A mountain of fuel drums, Near Ta Oy Ho Chi Minh trail Laos
Archive photo of wartime truck park and fuel drum storage area like the photos above and below.
Ho Chi Minh Trail Explore Indochina
Russian ATS-59 was a Soviet cold war era artillery tractor., Ho Chi Minh trail Laos,
Gps Lao, Laosgpsmap
Teriang village on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Alak villagers along the Ho Chi Minh trail Dak Cheung district.
Untouched since the war, a section of the Ho Chi Minh trail looking South towards Attepue
Destroyed NVA truck on the Ho Chi Minh trail, near Ta Oy and the Ban Bac ammo dump, destroyed in and intradiction raid.
Ban Dong War Museum
Deep along the Vietnamese border area on the Ho Chi Minh trail Brao Villagers sitting on the steps of their hut
“The
Wall” A soldiers boot along with flowers and flags in commemoration of
the fallen and Missing In Action, Ho Chi Minh Trail Laos
Please ask, about our Ho Chi Minh Trail tours! John R. Campbell, a
civilian psychological warfare advisor in Vietnam from 1965 to 1967
talks about the bravery and dedication of the troops coming down the
trail in Are we Winning? Are they Winning: A Civilian Advisors
Reflections on Wartime Vietnam, Author House, 2004: There could not have
been a starker documentation of the superiority in the depth of
motivation, discipline and self-sacrifice of the average North
Vietnamese soldier than knowing when he started down the Ho Chi Minh
Trail that no one he had ever known ever came back. Yet they continued
to go south in greater and greater numbers, year after year.
Documentation shows that while few went with genuine enthusiasm, they
still went. It wasnt as if this was just a vague rumor to them, since
for an average of 500 who started down the trail, only 400 came out at
the end of their trek south. This was a 20% attrition rate even before
they faced an enemy soldier. In the early days of the war it took six
months to travel from North Vietnam to Saigon on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
By 1970, regular North Vietnamese Army soldiers could make the journey
in six weeks. By the end of the war with motorized transportation the
trip might take one week. It is estimated that as many as 20,000
soldiers a month marched south at the height of the trail’s use. And, it
wasn’t only men and trucks that came down the Trail. Captain Hammond M.
Salley, recalls: Another misconception is the common belief that the
trail was named by the communists in honor of their esteemed leader, Ho
Chi Minh. In fact, the designation “Ho Chi Minh Trail was a slang
term coined by the Americans. Throughout the war, and for many years
after the conflict ended, the North Vietnamese referred to the network
as the Truong Son Road. In recent years (I suspect as a result of
increased tourism) the Lao and Vietnamese have embraced the name
invented by the Americans and now use it on signposts and memorial
markers Contact the Don at, Espritdemer@hotmail.com or below at
LaosGPSmap [contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]
Contact the Don at, Espritdemer@hotmail.com
Washington
DC Vietnam Memorial flowers, flags, army boots and plaques are
displayed during the “Rolling Thunder” rally. 200,000 motorcycles visit
the Washington Memorial Day each year.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire