Sgt Grit, ref Jim Macken’s letter on the old French resort at Ba Na west of Danang, here are a couple of pictures taken in 1968. 1st Recon Bn used Ba Na as a radio relay site for teams operating in the western mountains. It was a beautiful site that gave a commanding view of the mountains and the coastal plains. It was a fairly secure site (tho’ it was hit periodically, mostly after my time) and was a sort of in-country R&R for the recon teams, after humping all those vertical hills where we usually operated. It was also a lot cooler and more pleasant than the lowlands or the elephant grass. In the years since 1975, Ba Na has been rebuilt and is now a major resort and tourist attraction – you can google it for pictures and info. It looks great now, but there was something about the ‘old’ Ba Na that had more character. I guess you had to be there.
Fred Vogel
1st Recon Bn.
6/68 – 2/69
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