I was stationed with an A1C Clarence J. Schofield (LM 821)
at Phan Rang AB in early 1966, until I was transferred to
Phu Cat. There was a big write-up [see below] in The Air Division Advisor and the Stars and Stripes about an incident having to do
with a grenade being dropped accidentally by an Airborne guy. Airman Scofield picked it up and quickly disposed of it. There
were about fifty civilians and military standing inside the
pavilion at the time, and tragedy was avoided by Schofield's
quick action. The article in S&S was titled, "Portrait of
a Hero," 1 April 1966.
Below are photos of A1C Schofield
taken by a S&S Photog. A1C Schofield was nominated for at least two medals: the Airman's Medal and the Bronze Star. I
think he's from Georgia -- have tried to find him on a web
search without luck. I believe he was in his mid-30's in 1966;
that would make him sixty-something now. He was one of the
four or five of us at Phan Rang that guarded the Buu-Son terminal
where Air Vietnam flew out of; also, 101st Airborne flew out
of Buu-Son (it was an old French pavilion, PSP matting runway,
before the base runway was finished.
[In late 1965-early 1966, Phan Rang AB was fairly premitive. The closest active runway was about two miles away at Buu-Song Air Field. There were about 300 Air Force personnel at the airfield then.]
Phan
Rang Air Base
