Vietnam
PHU CAT AIR BASE
Photos
37th Security Police Squadron
© 2013 by Don M. Bishop, LM 389

2.
Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

3.
Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

4.
Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

5. Phu Cat AB, SPS Safeside Jeep: Seventh Air Force Mortar School. 1969-1970.
USAF Photo via Don Bishop 1969-1970.

8. MSgt Smith (right) demonstrates an M16 with Starlite Scope. USAF Photo via Don Bishop 1969-1970.

9. Phu Cat AB, Heavy Weapons: M113, with .50 cal and two M60s. USAF Photo via Don Bishop 1969-1970.

10. Sergeant Gary Pleitgen demonstrate... Thanks to Don Bishop 1969-1970 for the clipping.

12. Phu Cat AB, Tower with M60 and ammo can ready to go. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

13. Phu Cat AB, bunker and tower to the west of the perimeter. Note the Army M42A1 "Duster" Self-Propelled Anti-
Aircraft track with 40mm twin pompoms, dug in (center right) for perimeter defense. USAF photo via Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

14. The color guard at the wing change of command parade. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

15. The color guard at the wing change of command parade. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

16. The 37th SPS at the wing change of command parade.  Major John Ross led the marching detachment.
Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

17. Wing HQ. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

18. The Phu Cat AB perimeter on the east side of the base, from Tango 4 looking south. On the horizon:  the ROK Army camp on the left, the base barracks on the right.  From L to R:  the Village adjacent to the base, the railroad, the physical perimeter (barbed wire, tanglefoot, belts of concertina, lights).  The trip flares in the concertina are not visible.  Supply yard fence to the right. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

20. Waiting for mail call. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

21. At the motorpool. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

22. Standing on the west shoulder of the runway, looking west toward the Army outpost on the rise.
Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

23. XM-706, V100 Commando Car. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

25. 1Lt Donald Bishop and 37th SPS First Sergeant Frank Hollenbach, March 19, 1970.
Ten minutes later, I left the squadron area for the last time. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

26. Squadron Armory, early 1969. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

28. B-Flight Guardmount, spring 1969, Phu Cat AB, 37th SPS. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

30. What we defended:  Also assigned to Phu Cat were EC-47s from the 361st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron.
All the antennas could pick up signals from NVA and VC radios--quite useful intelligence. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

31. What We Defended:  In 1969 the F-100s were deployed away from Phu Cat, and the 37 TFW received F-4D's.
Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

33.  What we defended: At Phu Cat AB were two squadrons of C-7 Caribous.  With the ability to land and take off from
very short runways, the Caribous supplied many of the remote Special Forces camps. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

34. What we defended:  When I arrived in March of 1969, the 37th TFW was flying F-100s. Photo by Don Bishop. 1969-1970.

35. This Viet Cong Map of the base was provided to us by the ROK Tiger Division--2/1970.
Copy provided by Don Bishop. 1969-1979.

36. Before leaving, I marked a transparency for the map of the Phu Cat area, using the map in the Squadron Commander's office.  The concentric red lines around the base mark the ranges for enemy standoff attacks using the 60mm mortar, the 81mm mortar, the 105mm recoilless rifle, and the 122mm rocket.  Obviously the NVA didn't have to venture very far from their mountain hideaways to set up 122mm rockets that could reach the base.  I also marked the (supposed) location of enemy units from a recent intelligence report.  The 322nd NVA Division was the main unit, and it had a sapper CO (the "E" tactical symbol) that targeted Phu Cat AB.  On one mission in the O-1, I flew over both locations, and there was no sign of life whatsoever, just mountains, rocks, and trees.  If that's where the NVA were, they hid themselves well!

37. Map.