Billy [AKA the Greek] Bassakyros
WBASSAKYROS@worldnet.att.net

39th Batallion
My company was detached to the 5th SF, at Cung Son to build the airfield between 1966-67. I am attaching a photo of the market square and in the photo is a Sgt's with your group. It has been 30 years and cannot remember his name, sorry.

Cung Son Market A-221

During my tour in Vietnam, from June 66 to July 67, I was stationed with "B" Co. of the 39th Combat Engineer Battalion. The "B" Co. was always on the move, from Cam Ranh Bay to Chu Lai, and all points in between. Mine sweeping the inter-provincial and locate roads were a daily detail, along with building airfields, roads, housing, and earth moving, plus we supplied our own security. We made two trips to Cung Son to build the airfield. Our battalion's HQ was located at Tuy Hoa during our stay with the team at Cung Son.

My MOS during my tour was 05B20, and 12B20. Since I was in commo I was always in touch with other companies and outfits so I heard a lot over the airwaves. Once we left Cung Son and headed up north, I received a message that one of the Team leaders at Cung Son was on his way home when his aircraft was shot down, do you have any info. about this? Again please forgive me for forgetting his name, but as you can see his memory I will never forget. I spent many days up in the camp with the team and our C.O. coordinating the building they required. Our Capt's name was Edward B. Wenners, and as far as we know he made it home OK. All of us in the company are trying to locate him, but up till now no luck.

Our first visit to A-221 was during the monsoon season, and because of that we could only do the major work needed to build the airfield. During second visit we put down the membrain and finished all the turnarounds and drainage systems. Once we finished and were ready to return to Tuy Hoa by convoy, one of the recon teams returned to A-221 and said they had encounted large movements of VC in the area. Our CO then told me to get in contact with our HQ's to ask for air support for our return trip back to HQ's which was about 50 miles away. A-221's team leader advised us it would be prudent to do so, because we were traveling with all our equipment and it would be a slow go through the heavy forestation that surrounded route LTL/7B for 30 miles of the 50 mile trip. Because of Capt. Wenners, refusal to leave Cung Son until we receive support, he was almost brought up on charges and reduced in rank. He believed the reports from Team-A, and stood his ground. The next day, 4 Huey's arrived at Cung Son, 3 gunships and our Battalion XO in the 4th one. All hell broke out, between Capt. Wenners, and the XO, but finally we were granted airsupport on our return and arty cover from Tuy Hoa if we needed it. During the trip back we were ordered to recon by fire, from our vehicles to move back any VC in the area. Thanks to A-221 CO, our return was uneventful. I am also enclosing photo's of the return trip down LTL/7B, and the gunships over head. Who knows what would have happened if we moved out without airsupport, brought on by the intellegence report from the Team at A-221. We are indebted to them, and thank them for all they have done for "B" Co.

Please excuse me if I ran on, but I think that it is important to know what happened while we were at Cung Son, and maybe one of your guys will remember us, "B" Co. of the 39th Combat Engineer Battalion when we built the airfield.

Billy's Photos
Thumb Nail Page: B Bassakyros

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