NKP Veterans

Thomas Schwennesen

Last updated 3 months ago

Don Screws

Last updated 3 months ago
Then Then
Now Now
Marital status: Married
Children: 2
Occupation: Retired
Comment: I served at NKP Dec 71" - Dec "72 with some of the bravest and finest "band of brothers" that have ever lived.  Had the privilege and honor of leading the last A-1 SAR using borrowed Skyraiders from the South Vietnamese.

Donald Screws

Last updated 3 months ago
Marital status: Married
Children: 2
Occupation: Retired DAL
Comment: Flew first flight out of NKP on 22 Jan 1972 to Barrell Roll; flew last A-1 SAR out of DaNang in support of Coachman 159 (7 survivors) 7 Nov 1972 landing in Bien Hoa to sign our planes over to the VNAF.  Soon, borrowed 6 A-1's from VNAF on hand receipts and flown back to DaNang to sit alert because A-7D's were not ready to handle a SAR mission.  15 Nov 1972 led flight of 6 Sandy's back to Bien Hoa for final drop-off of our beloved A-1's to the VNAF.     

Craig Secor

Last updated 3 months ago

Jim Seka

Last updated 3 months ago
Marital status: Married
Children: 2
Occupation: Retired teacher/coach
Comment: 1st Air Commando/Special Operations Squadron Operations Clerk March 68 - March 69

Steve Selleck

Last updated 3 months ago
Marital status: Married
Children: 2
Occupation: retired air traffic controller
Comment: I was stationed at NKP FEB 1969 - FEB 1970.  I was a radar tech at INVERT ops channel 89.  2 things stand out to me that year.  I was almost bitten by a king cobra at 3am in the morning Jan 1970 walking out of the radar shack.  Then on New years eve '69-'70 a friend of mine, staff Sgt Byrum got hit by a vehicle in fromt of the beer garden a few minutes before midnigt.  As he was laying in the road I was giving him CPR as the new year came in.  Initially he was not breathing and no heartbeat.  After a couple of minutes of CPR his breathing came back (shallow) with a heart beat.  It took a while for the EMT's to get on scene.  When I departed NKP on Feb 8, 1970 Staff sgt Byrum had never regained conscioness.  I've been wondering for the last 52 years what happenned to him.





We worked acft bombing the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos (Lots of them).  Worked search and rescue missions trying to pick up downed pilots before the NVA got them. (my favorite work).  Had a mig jet shoot down one of our helicopters on a search and rescue mission in Laos. All aboard helicopter killed.  Hooked up fighter bombers to kc135 tankers.  Very successful at that except during the monsoon season.  We didn't get all the downed pilots.  We got some. Some were captured by the NVA, and some lost their lives.  I really didn't know what bravery was until I worked at Invert ops with Navy, Air Force, and Army pilots.  When they flew down the trail in Laos they were flying into hell.





The first few months I was at NKP we were short staffed so to compensate for that we worked 13 hr night shifts and 11 hr day shifts.  alcohol  was cheap with beer at .10 cents a can.  Happy hour at the airmens club.........2 cans of beer .10 cents.  I had my fair share!





I got discharged at Travis AFB on return to the U.S.  After a couple of years working various jobs in Oregon,  I hired on to the FAA as an air traffic controller and stayed in that career until July 2007. Currently retired and enjoying grandkids.  God bless the U.S.A. !!!  

Steven Semple

Last updated 3 months ago
Marital status: Widowed
Children: 2
Occupation: Retired

Buck Sheward

Last updated 3 months ago

william simonson

Last updated 3 months ago
Marital status: Married
Children: 7
Occupation: retired USAF
Comment: Det 5, 621 TCS dec 71-Apr 72 transfered to Udorn RTAFB until Sept 73





Dec 74-15 Oct 75 1987 Comm Sq on last plane out





prior in country dec 67-sep70 Udorn 1973 Comm Sq., 1974 Comm Gp

James Siscel

Last updated 3 months ago