US Navy ATCU-100A Communications Station 
- Can Tho Vietnam - March 1966-?

"The rapid development of plans for increased river patrol force operations in South Vietnam created an urgent requirement to provide CTF 116 with a communications capability in the Can Tho area. An engineering team was in Vietnam conducting a survey to provide plans for permanent communications facilities at Can Tho. Pending completion of permanent communications facilities, an Air Transportable Communication Unit (ATCU 100A) from U. S. Naval Communication Station, Honolulu, was being modified for use at the Can Tho site by 15 March. Until permanent personnel were assigned by CTF 116, a total of two officers and thirty-four enlisted men from Honolulu and Japan would operate and maintain the unit."

From RM1 Chuck Monpas - "In early 1965 I was transferred to and given responsibility to ready air transportable communication unit ATCU-100A at Lualualei, Hawaii, which consisted of 1 supply van, 2 equipment vans and 3-500KW generators.  In Aug. 1965 I was informed that ATCU-100A was going to be deployed to Vietnam in 1966  and under command of CTF 116.  We deployed from Lualualei to the Philippines in Feb. 1966 and outfitted for further deployment to Can Tho, Vietnam.  Lt. Carter, Chief Scott and myself were were in charge of the deployment.." 

Photos and comments from Richard "Biz" Virlee
cantho-28.JPG (1955495 bytes)
Can Tho ATCU-100A patch		 cantho-36.JPG (211886 bytes)
One of the communication vans all sand bagged in. What a job filling sand bags in the heat....		 cantho-26.JPG (1453115 bytes)
Three generators to power the communications vans		 cantho-25.JPG (1906898 bytes)
Two communication vans
cantho-33.JPG (130719 bytes)
Picture at communications site.   Two sailors - unknown who they are.		 cantho-34.JPG (129324 bytes)
Picture at communications site.   Two sailors - unknown who they are.		 cantho-37.JPG (1390429 bytes)
Lt Carter and Chief Scott ??		 cantho-31.JPG (190738 bytes)
Airport with all steel runway - communications vans, antennas and generators were next to airport
cantho-35.JPG (109793 bytes)
Picture taken at communication site. Sailor from Yokosuka, Japan
Unknown name.		 cantho-32.JPG (202420 bytes)
South Vietnamese family lived at communication site. They lived in grass hut middle of photo		 cantho-29.JPG (1127047 bytes)
Richard "Biz" Virlee, RM3. - one of the sailors from Yokosuka, Japan		 cantho-30.JPG (227622 bytes)
Richard "Biz"Virlee, RM3 .  Ready to go to work at the communication site. Picture taken at Villa where he was staying in 1966

Photo from Bob Price

Photos from Steven Swanson
March 1966 near commo vans
cantho-bp-nam.JPG (862066 bytes)		 - at Subic Bay on the way to Vietnam
Frank Pintor, Pete Rungress
swanson-03.jpg (85602 bytes) 		Steven Swanson, Frank Pintor
swanson-01.jpg (100212 bytes)		 Top Row -
   Frank Guzman, Chuck Monpas, ?, Chief Scott, Lt. Carter
Bottom Row -
   ?, Pete Rungress, Frank Pintor
swanson-02.jpg (111594 bytes)

Photos and comments from Chuck Monpas

Can Tho Club
atcu-cantho-cm-01.jpg (56408 bytes)		 Cafe
atcu-cantho-cm-02.jpg (56100 bytes)		 Can Tho
atcu-cantho-cm-03.jpg (39105 bytes)		 Houseboats
atcu-cantho-cm-04.jpg (50286 bytes)
Market Day
atcu-cantho-cm-05.jpg (63405 bytes)		 Teeth for Sale
atcu-cantho-cm-06.jpg (51924 bytes)		 Swanson and Pintor hanging out
atcu-cantho-cm-07.jpg (45125 bytes)		 Market Day
atcu-cantho-cm-08.jpg (73886 bytes)
Neighborhood kids at the Comm site
atcu-cantho-cm-09.jpg (70582 bytes)		 Park Can Tho
atcu-cantho-cm-10.jpg (57038 bytes)		 Scene out front of the first villa
atcu-cantho-cm-11.jpg (63547 bytes)		 This pig was the king of the garbage pile near our 2nd villa
atcu-cantho-cm-12.jpg (32174 bytes)
Pete Rungess getting a close up...  Garbage pile in background was his domain...  Chased away any dogs that tried to infringe... ha!
atcu-cantho-cm-13.jpg (66745 bytes)		 One of the maids with I believe Maughan (?) standing near.
atcu-cantho-cm-14.jpg (39899 bytes)		  Getting ready to leave the Phillipines..  Chief Scott in Picture..  He made sure we had some trading stock for bartering --  Few cases of rotgut whiskey.
atcu-cantho-cm-15.jpg (32201 bytes) 		This was the first ‘Villa’ that we occupied after arrival.
atcu-cantho-cm-16.jpg (32898 bytes)
Getting ready to move to permanent home at Army facilities
atcu-cantho-cm-17.jpg (41263 bytes)		 First stage of setting up units
atcu-cantho-cm-18.jpg (28927 bytes)		 Generator Setup..
atcu-cantho-cm-19.jpg (29004 bytes)		 Installing 1 of many antennas..
atcu-cantho-cm-20.jpg (33510 bytes)
Antenna installation
atcu-cantho-cm-21.jpg (27724 bytes)		 Digging hole for Outhouse..  Cannot recall the names of the participants
atcu-cantho-cm-22.jpg (50496 bytes)		 The outhouse...  Seems we had to move it about every two weeks as it would fill up with water and all sorts of interesting bugs.
atcu-cantho-cm-23.jpg (28581 bytes) 		Constructed a shelter between the two communication vans..  It had a teletype set up and a few chairs... While working on the roof I passed out from excessive heat and fell to the ground..  Lucky no injuries except pride.
atcu-cantho-cm-24.jpg (34629 bytes)
On watch with his M-14..   Don’t recall name..
atcu-cantho-cm-25.jpg (55140 bytes)		 Myself at our 2nd villa...   Put the cage up as a deterrent.
atcu-cantho-cm-26.jpg (76204 bytes)		 Myself at the firing range...  Shooting M-14, .45 pistols and even a ‘Tommy Gun”
atcu-cantho-cm-27.jpg (56583 bytes)		 Frank Guzman at firing range.
atcu-cantho-cm-28.jpg (73305 bytes)
 Pintor and Rungess playing chess.
atcu-cantho-cm-29.jpg (34910 bytes)		 Got exceptionally muddy with all the monsoon rain..   Vietnamese women washing in the puddles? Generators and Fuel barrels in background.
atcu-cantho-cm-30.jpg (61506 bytes)		 Locals hanging clothes on a antenna longwire.
atcu-cantho-cm-31.jpg (57908 bytes)		 Chief (Beam and water) Scott standing near villa maid
atcu-cantho-cm-32.jpg (46438 bytes)
Finally ATCU-100 was all established.
atcu-cantho-cm-33.jpg (44457 bytes)		 -- -- --