Robin,

 

Saw your site on the net thought I would drop a line.
 
I was with the first 2 flights formed. We started in Yokota AFB Japan, In 1963-64, with the 1st and 2nd Direct Air Support Flight.  in 64 the 2nd DASF was sent to Korea while the first remained at Yokota.  I was with the first remaining in Japan but I think the 2nd went to Osan.  I did the Clark survival school and was supposed to go to jump school in Okinawa with the 173rd.  The Gulf of Tonkin happened and then the 173rd went to Viet Nam.  I went to Viet Nam with the 173rd.  When I arrived
there I relieved Phill Yaciuk  we had gone through Kessler together and were with the 1st Shoran Beacon Squadron together but instead of staying in Japan he had rotated back to the states and was with the 502nd out of Shaw AFB.  After my tour with the 173rd was up I went to Japan for a week and then back to Viet Nam I helped start DASC ALPHA at Nha Trang which was RAGGED SCOOPER.  My good buddy Ron Bame was a ground power guy he did some work with the Koreans don't know if you met him or not. Also Ray Golley (30454) went up and supported the Koreans also.
 
I don't know (can't remember) if I ever met you did you ever come to Nha Trang?  Ron Bame and I got out of the Air Force together in 1966 we both retired as Airmen 2nd Class (E-3) I was in for 3 year 8 months and 10 days.  What are you trying to do through your congressman? You asked about pictures,  I have a couple of pictures from field operations about 5 we couldn't get them processed in Vietnam these were left on a roll that we took back to Japan.  My photo is in the "The Vietnam Experience" series "America Takes Over"  on page 41 I am the guy in the right rear
carrying the M-16.  Ron Bame lives in Ft. Wayne Indiana and Ray Golley lives in New Berlin, New Jersey.
 
299th Engineer Battalion was at Fort Gordon in 1964 according to Jim Beck (jeb@stratos.net) .  You might be able to start there. There is an organization http://www.armyengineer.com/  You might be able to contact them it shows the 299th still an active unit.  They may have unit history or even might be able to provide names.

I contact the 299th and had to prove that there was a "B" Company in the Qui Nhon area.  However there is no history prior to late 1966.  -- Robin

 
As for your MRC 108, I have no idea who relieved you but DASC alpha was part of 1st Field Forces as were the RoK's you might be able to locate the unit records they would have records of what actions were taken place on what day.
 
You ask about a mid air collision, with no survivors.  If you check the WALL records for the Air Force and see where several people were killed on the same day between October 64 to Feb 65   that might give you a clue.  The AF didn't normally lose 4 or 5 on the same day in the same area in the south.
 
Maxwell AFB in Alabama is the center for AF History, you might get some help from them if you write to them with specific questions.
 
If you are looking for orders sending you to Viet Nam, you might have them search PACAF or 5th Air Force.

Done that with no luck - no records as it came in verbal via radio -- Robin

 
The DASF's as I remember them were located as follows:
 
1st Yokota Japan
2nd Osan Korea
3rd Misawa Japan
4th Osan Korea
5th. Naha Okinawa
6th was in Misawa Japan
7th was in Hawaii - This was deactivated and merged into the 604th DASS  (Robin)
 
There may have been one in the Philippines at Clark but I don't think so.  The history folks should be able to clear that up.
 
As for your Jeep,  I left Viet Nam about the same time, I am sure that who ever took over from you inherited your equipment.  If I remember the DASF's stopped sending folks TDY to Viet Nam in 66 / 67 and it was all handled by the Direct Air Unit out of Saigon.  Again the Air Force History folks should be able to tell you.

Hope this gives you a little more to go on.

Tom Branham