CHRISTMAS IN VIETNAM, BIEN HOA AB, TAN SON NHUT AB, CAM RANH BAY AB, NHA TRANG AB, PHAN RANG AB, THU DUC, DONG BA THIN AND SAIGON, VIETNAM Reel 1 · Part 3

Description

Covers Christmas parties and religious services at various bases and visits by USAF/USA personnel to orphanages where gifts were distributed by Santa Claus and his helpers. REEL 1: 1) Airmen decorating office -- shows security guard reading Christmas card outside bunker. (Bien Hoa AB) 2) Ssgt Samuel E. Montgomery of the 600th Photo Sq, airman and MSgt Bashaw entering van, MSgt Bashaw donning Santa Claus suit and group leaving van. (Tan Son Nhut AB) 3) Religious service (Catholic) being conducted by Chaplain Hugh J. Mullin (Maj). (Tan Son Nhut AB) 4) Religious service (Eastern Orthodox Catholic) being conducted by Chaplain Lewis J. Pirozzi (Capt). (Tan Son Nhut AB) 5) Religious service (Protestant) being conducted by Chaplain Walter H. Mattison (Capt). (Tan Son Nhut AB) 800' Total footage in reel. REEL 2: 1) Vietnamese children at Thu Duc Orphanage participating in church service (Catholic)--intercut with Vietnamese priest and Chaplain Walsh (Lt Col) at altar. 2) Airmen, MP's and Vietnamese children removing decorations and packages from truck and hanging decorations on buildings. (Thu Duc) 3) Blind Vietnamese boy playing guitar. 4) Santa arriving with MP escort, Santa and helpers, including MSgt Welky of 600th Photo handing out candy to children. 5) Airman cutting turkey in kitchen. 6) Airman and Vietnamese nun playing with puppy. 7) Airman playing with python draped around neck. 8) Shows signs: DINING AREA; VOLLEYBALL COURT; SEASONS GREETINGS NOEL; CHAPEL; and DORMITORY -- also in Vietnamese. 9) Airman putting up volleyball net. 10) Vietnamese children outside dining hall, entering hall and eating. 11) Airmen and Vietnamese women and nuns preparing meals. 12) Vietnamese children receiving presents from Santa and playing with toys. 13) Airmen, MP's and Vietnamese boys playing volleyball, tossing football and in tug-of-war -- participants include AlC James R. Britton, 600th Photo Squadron. 14) Shows MP escort and trucks arriving at Thu Duc orphanage. 1016' Total footage in reel. REEL 3: 1) Airmen wrapping packages and decorating tree. (Cam Ranh Bay AB) 2) Scenes of nativity display outside hootch. (Cam Ranh Bay AB) 3) Shows sign: SEASONS GREETINGS FROM 12TH USAF HOSPITAL. 4) Airman painting nativity figures. 5) Airmen decorating tree made from beer cans. 6) Hospital patients and Red Cross worker, Miss Linda Trusty, assembling Christmas tree and hanging decorations. (Cam Ranh Bay AB) 7) Red Cross worker handing bags of presents to airmen. (Tan Son Nhut AB) 8) Shows signs: CATHOLIC and PROTESTANT being changed on church service board outside chapel. (Tan Son Nhut AB) 9) Airmen and USO workers wrapping presents and airman talking on telephone. (Saigon) 10) Scenes of pallet of Christmas presents being prepared by Special Forces personnel, being loaded aboard C-123B at Nha Trang AB and paradropped over Special Forces Camp. 11) Col F.J. Kelly (USA) signing large card to be attached to Christmas pallet. 958' Total footage in reel. REEL 4: 1) Chaplain Walsh (Lt Col), Vietnamese priest, airmen and Vietnamese children entering and 1eaving chapel at Thu Duc orphanage and Chaplain Walsh and priest at altar. 2) Vietnamese nuns and boys decorating tree. 3) Airmen, MP' s and Vietnamese boys in tug-of-war and playing volleyball. 4) Scenes of Catholic services in orphanage chapel. 5) Santa and MP escort arriving at orphanage and Santa and helpers handing out candy and gifts to children. 6) Vietnamese boys in orphanage dormitory. 7) Vietnamese nun preparing altar for service. 8) Shows unfinished chapel at Thu Duc orphanage. 9) Chaplain Walsh (Lt Col) talking with Vietnamese priest and nuns. 10) Airmen, MP's and Vietnamese children removing decorations and packages from truck and hanging decorations on building. 11) Medics treating children's minor injuries. 12) Airmen and blind Vietnamese boy playing guitars. 13) Vietnamese children playing with toys. 14) Two MP's with pythons draped around their necks. 15) Vietnamese priest and airmen looking at unfinished chapel. 1040' Total footage in reel. REEL 5: 1) Red Cross worker, Miss Gay Gehan, serving cake to airmen at party and decorating tree--also shows airmen wrapping presents. (Phan Rang AB) 2) Santa giving presents to Vietnamese children and children playing with toys. (Dong Ba Thin) 3) Scenes of truck arriving at orphanage and Vietnamese children being helped aboard truck, leaving truck at Dong Ba Thin, entering dining hall, eating meals and receiving presents from Santa. 1130' Total footage in reel. REEL 6: 1) Maj Sloan and missionary priest beside Christmas tree. (Phan Rang AB) 2) Vietnamese children receiving and eating refreshments and receiving presents from Santa. (Phan Rang AB) 3) Shows sign: 35TH AIR POLICE SQ. 4) Scenes of Christmas pallet being paradropped from C-123B for Special Forces camp. 5) Special Forces personnel driving to pallet, reading large card signed by Col Kelly (USA), dragging pallet to 3/4-ton truck and gathering colored cargo chutes. 6) Vietnamese children in chapel, airmen and MP's singing in choir and leaving chapel. (Thu Duc) 7) Blind Vietnamese boy playing guitar. 8) Airmen, MP's and Vietnamese children entering chapel, Chaplain Walsh (Lt Col) and Vietnamese priest walking to altar and speaking to congregation. (Thu Duc) 996' Total footage in reel. REEL 7: 1) Santa giving presents to Vietnamese children and talking with Vietnamese nuns. (Dong Ba Thin) 2) Children playing with toys, leaving dining hall, being helped aboard trucks and leaving Dong Ba Thin. 3) Officers and airmen singing carols at USO Club. (Tan Son Nhut AB) 4) Chaplain Corbitt (Capt) and Chaplain Williams (Capt) talking with ground crew at front of camouflaged RF-4C. (Tan Son Nhut AB) 5) Chaplain Pirozzi (Capt) and assistant assembling nativity scene outside hootch. (Tan Son Nhut AB) 6) Chaplain Wi1liam H. Reed (Capt) conducting service from rear of jeep. (Tan Son Nhut AB) 7) Officers and airmen singing carols at USO Club. (Tan Son Nhut AB) 848' Total footage in reel. REEL 8: 1) Lt Col Gerald Sonnenschein getting off motor scooter, entering supply building and giving wrapping paper to airmen. (Tan Son Nhut AB) 2) Airmen wrapping presents and loading Santa's bag -- group includes SSgt Young and A2C Witkowski of 600th Photo Sq. 3) Shows sign: WELCOME TO TAN SON NHUT BASE OPERATI0NS, ELEVATION 33, HEADQUARTERS 7TH AIR FORCE, LT GEN MOMYER, C0MMANDER (with unit insignia) HEADQUARTERS VNAF, AVM KY, COMMANDER (with unit insignia). 225' Total footage in reel.

Collection

Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations

Series

Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities