ATTACK ON TAN SON NHUT AIR BASE, VIETNAM Reel 2 · Part 1

Description

Coverage of Viet Cong attack on Tan Son Nhut AB on 31 January and rocket and mortar attack on 24 February. Shows AF Security Police, Army troops, and Vietnamese Marines deploying sweeping field, and manning sandbagged bunkers. Scenes of dead Viet Cong in fields, air strikes around perimeter by UH-1B's, damage to vehicles, aircraft, and buildings, and barracks hit by rocket and mortar rounds. (Note: 3 reels of 14" Magnetic Tape recorded at 712 IPS contain wild sound taken during defense of airfield.) REEL 1: 1) Series of scenes of Army troops moving across airfield as skirmishers. 2) MS's of dead Viet Cong around perimeter fence at Tan Son Nhut. 3) MS of Army troops around damaged bunker. 4) MS's of tanks and APC's parked along street, with 1st Division troops eating and resting around them. 5) Soldier removing ammunition bandolier from dead Viet Cong. 6) Soldiers digging with picks around perimeter and filllng sandbags. 7) Scenes of dead Viet Cong, damaged bunkers and APC's being fueled with diesel oil. 8) LS pan right across Army area at Tan Son Nhut showing soldiers filling sandbags, resting, operating field radio, erecting antenna, and cleaning 4.2 mortar. 463' Total footage in reel. REEL 2: 1) SP's crouching alongside road -- smoke rising in bg. 2) SP's moving out to sweep field, then looking at dead Viet Cong. 3) LS of UH-1B firing at Viet Cong positions -- tank parked in fg. 4) LS of tanks firing and smoke rising from Viet Cong positions. 5) Airmen and soldiers sitting on bunker and one man talking into radio. 6) Series of scenes of SP's starting sweep across field. 7) CU's of dead and wounded Viet Cong. 8) SP's crouched in grass along road -- shows cameraman in action. 9) Jeep with two flat tires driving down road. 10) Cameraman photographing dead Viet Cong. 11) Men taking cover behind truck near gate. 12) SP's searching perimeter area. 545' Total footage in reel. REEL 3: 1) Series of scenes of soldiers in sandbagged position around heliport, talking, and cleaning weapons (M-16) 2) Security Police standing by road with smoke rising in bg. 3) SP's lying on ground near RMK motor pool. 4) MLS pan left with T-39A taking off and ELS's of A-1 and UH-1B in flight overhead. 5) Two SP's driving away in jeep. 6) Troops debarking CH-47 and moving across heliport. 7) AV's of Tan Son Nhut showing smoke rising in bg. 8) Series of scenes of SP's around RMK area. 9) Series of scenes of SP's in bunker watching fire burning in bg. 10) Night scenes showing explosions in distance and flares dropping. 11) SP's checking traffic through main gate at Tan Son Nhut. 12) SP's in sandbagged bunker near terminal building. 13) Army brigadier general boarding staff car and driving out gate. 14) LS of UH-1B flying over heavy smoke. 15) SP's taking break in courtyard and sleeping. 16) MS of guard in slitted concrete guard post. 17) Vietnamese troops running to their positions. 717' Total footage in reel. REEL 4: 1) Series of scenes of damage to buildings caused by attack, including basketball court and chapel. 2) Series of scenes of damaged autos and heavy equipment. 3) CU's showing damage to C-130 aircraft (bullet holes) and C-47. 4) Series of scenes of barracks damage. 5) Series of scenes of damage to BX warehouse, mess nall, and base supply building. 6) CU's of damage to truck on flight line. 7) Repair work underway on warehouse. 8) Wrecked barracks building where four men died. 9) Flight line van showing bullet holes and flat tire. 10) MS's of barracks hit by rocket. 494' Total footage in reel.

Collection

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

Series

Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities