Camp Goldberg, Qui Nhon, Vietnam

Camp Goldberg was located on a peninsula just south of Qui Nhon, Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam. According to the post sign, here were stationed the 117th AVN CO (Air Mobile LT), 140th CHFM, 256th SIG DET, and 130th MED DET. The camp consisted of a helicopter port, runway, hangers, supply building, offices, and barracks. It is best to let the veterans who have been stationed at Camp Goldberg or know something about it describe the area in their own words. Here are some excerpts from their correspondences.

Bill Sulowski, 140th Trans. Det, 1962-1963:

"While I did not know your brother, I was stationed with the 140th Trans Det (CHFM) at Camp Goldberg, Qui Nhon, RVN, from Nov 62-Sep 63, so I feel a certain kinship with all who served in that unit. Locating vets from the 140th has been difficult at best. The unit was in Vietnam from Dec 61-@ summer of 1972 but never had more than 50-60 personnel assigned to it. So over 10+ years, not more than about 600 men served with it in Vietnam."

"The town of Qui Nhon is on a peninsula which juts out west to east into the South China Sea. The mountains in which the four guys were killed are not part of Qui Nhon. They are across a small channel and are themselves on another peninsula. Quite possibly they were connected with Qui Nhon at one time."

"Have you seen Qui Nhon on a map? The runway and the camp were at the base of the peninsula. Runway was due north and south. You can see a very good view of it in the picture from the 498th web site.

"When I was in Qui Nhon, the 140th was quartered in the compound at Camp Goldberg. My understanding is that a hurricane tore up the compound around Dec 64. The 140th was moved to the hotel in town and that's where they lived. Although I never stayed there or remember seeing the hotel, I undoubtedly did see it when I was in town. I know where it was located and have a picture taken before the bombing and after also."

"I recognize the street with the mountains in the background where it says that four men had been killed. If you look closely, just below the mountains and roughly half way to the left, you will see a steeple. This is the Catholic church in Qui Nhon. This picture and another which seems to be full of mountain (close-up), seem to have been taken from the roof of the hotel. First photo looking east, second looking west. The picture of the Huey with the hill in back was taken on the flight line looking almost due north. I used to see that hill everyday when I left my hooch to go to work."

"Camp Goldberg was named after Chief Warrant Officer Joseph A Goldberg. He and two enlisted men, one from the 140th, James Everett Lane, and one from the 8th Trans Co, Harold Lee Guthrie, were killed when their helicopter was shot down by hostile action of the Viet Cong on 15 Jul 1962. These were the first army aviation personnel KIA in Vietnam. The compound was later dedicated to the memory of CWO Goldberg, the pilot. The two maintenance hangars were dedicated to the memories of Sp/5 Lane, the gunner, and Sp/5 Guthrie, the Crew Chief. The whole camp was known as Camp Goldberg."

"There is a great picture of Qui Nhon taken during the war. I'll be able to identify the area of the 8th/117th, 140th for you. I was a helicopter repairman. We worked on the old H-21 Flying Banana's. We had no Huey's while I was there. They started to arrive in Qui Nhon some months after I left. If your uncle was in helicopter maintenance, I'll be able to show you where he did most of his work. Almost everyone of us was in maintenance of one type or another. A few guys were in supply which we badly needed since without them we would have had no replacement parts for the choppers."

"Also, the following [are] persons who survived the tragedy which took Robert's life. First Sergeant Wesley Davis was with the 140th about 1 month before the hotel was blown up so he did not have enough time to become well acquainted with everyone. John D Sholly's tour overlapped with Robert's by about six or seven months. He was the company clerk and knew all the guys in the outfit. John came home in Nov of 64 and his replacement, Delmer Ferris was killed, also on 10 Feb 65. Abe Abendschein was seriously injured along with Sgt Davis. William Milton served from Feb 64-Mar 65 with the 140th."

Francis E. Betz, brother of Robert J. Betz who was killed on Feb. 10, 1965:

"My name is Francis E. Betz. I am the oldest brother of PFC Robert J. Betz. His life was cut short at 19, but his memory still lives on. Each day look at his pictures on my bookshelf, in my livingroom. I see him as I come and go from my home each day."

"I received your name from Bill Sulowski. I have tried for many years to find survivors and relatives of those who perished with my brother, but no results until today. It seems appropriate that within a few days of 10 Feb 1965, 36 Years later I find someone who was there. My journey has been a long one and even longer for my family. My parent a no longer living, but the two brother and two sister who continue to live on think about Bob."

"I served two tours in VN, 1 on the USS Monmouth County LST 1032 [1966] and the other with the Naval Assault Team in Da Nang [1967]. I returned to VN in 1994 searching for the location where Bob died. I came close, but it wasn't until my next two trips that I found the site where the bombing took place. Another Viet Cuong Hotel sits on this site with a sign, placed there by the VN government, telling about the people who died there [the number of people listed on this sign is not factual. They list officers and enlisted men, but now I know that this is a lie. It is not a positive sign, but I have chosen to look beyond old politics and work to help the children who need help."

I will add that Francis Betz is Chairman of VNHHOCF (Viet Nam Handicapped, Homeless, Orphaned Children's Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the children of Vietnam. He has made several visits to Qui Nhon, where he conducts his great work of helping children. His web site can be seen at http://www.vncap.org/.