AST#4, Asmara, Ethiopia



      

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Articles submitted by Jim St. Clair

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                                          Persian Gulf Survey



Photos By Elbert Dale

                                           







1965 Stars and Stripes Article submitted by Lou Chapman



Frank TaylorPhotos


John Redmond Photos   1964   1966



Greg EtzelPhotos


Bill BryanPhotos


These photos from Ethiopia were submitted by Roy MacDonagh

 


These photos from Ethiopia and Norah Island, Red Sea, were submitted by Jeff Flemming

  Guards More Guards Site 1

Flatbed to NorahNorah Map LCVP to Norah Floating in dugout Thompson and Storr Tents Warning Sign


 Rays  


This section was submitted by ACGS Pilot Kurt Brown

January, 1967, Navigator Bob Markutsa and 'Doc' Mullins, a visiting Flight Surgeon on the ramp in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, AST - 4 April, 1967 1st Lt Kurt Brown at Goda Army Camp, a very primitive 'military' installation. Ostriches ran freely around the camp. 'Control Tower' at Goda Army Camp. Kandahar, Ethiopia, Jan 1967. Dave Shew, (Flt Engineer), 'Doc' Mullins, 1st Lt Kurt Brown (Copilot), Larry Leveille, (Photo), Capt. Bill Duckwitz (Aircraft Commander). We were sent to Kandahar to bring back the body of an American professor (archeologist) who was killed in an accident. We had no idea of the condition of the body and brought 2 body bags. Doc came along to process the body. When we arrived the body had been prepared and was in a coffin. When we returned to Asmara, AST-4 personnel all came out to see what we had brought back. Larry changed into black civilian clothes, and got into the body bag. We dragged the bag out onto the ramp at Asmara. Doc slowly unzipped the bag under everyone's watchful eye, and Larry jumped out scaring the hell out of everyone! March, 1967, Flt Engineer Davey Shew and Photo Larry Leveille on the ramp at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

January, 1967, RC-130 on the ramp at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia February, 1967, Tessenie, Ethiopia, RC-130A 57-0515 resupplying a chopper, CH-3C 65-12793, that in turn resupplied the ground stations. These airports were nothing more than level strips of semi-arid desert, which were usually level enough to land on. Before landing we would make 2 low passes. The first was to scare people and animals off the strip, and the second was to check out the strip for ruts, rocks, or other landing problems. These landings were always challenging. ACGS pilots became expert at short, dirt field landings and takeoffs.  February, 1967, 100 miles south of Addis Ababa. One of our choppers made an emergency crash landing in the wilderness late in the afternoon. Early the next morning we went out searching for them. They had no radio, one crewman had a broken back and they heard lions circling the chopper at night. They got our attention with a signal mirror, and we found them. All turned out well. The silver speck on the photo is the downed chopper. ACGS TOOK CARE OF ITS OWN!



This section was submitted by former AST 4 Commander, Jim St. Clair

     

    


This section was submitted by Tom Seaford


RC-130A 57-0516 at Asmara Signpost at Asmara Enlisted Quarters at Asmara Another view of Enlisted Quarters Tom Seaford and Instrument repairman Tom Seaford and Welcome to AST#4 Sign



AST#4 Ethiopia, HIRAN Network Map Kent Sawyer(R-Front) & 3 others enroute to AST#4, Asmara 

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ClickHEREfor Johnny Watson's excellent Asmara pictures


ClickHEREfor some early 50's images by Jerry Pry



AST#4, Asmara, Ethiopia AST #4 HIRAN station w/HH-43 supply helicopter Marty Bak dropping supplies to Ethiopian Army from RC-130A Dropping mail to HIRAN site #21 from RC-130 RC-130A 54-1632 bringing supplies to Ethiopian Army

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Photos By Marty Bak



This section was submitted by Tom Hegre-1373rd Photographer-1965-1967

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'Lefty' O'Donnell and Lieutenant Markutza (not sure of the spelling) He was a navigator. Made captain while at AST-4. Playing shuffleboard in the snack bar.Tom Hegre Photo-1967 Part of Asmara on the way to the AST. We named it 'Beverly Hills.Tom Hegre Photo-1967' I think this was the medic. Don't remember his name. We all called him'Doc.' Very original, don't you think.Tom Hegre Photo-1967 Waiting for an aircraft coming in from Turner with all the Care packages of goodies coming from the family. Besides the goodies, new personnel were also coming in.Tom Hegre Photo-1967 A 1370th RC-130 coming in from Turner landing at Asmara with the goodies from home. Tom Hegre Photo-1967 I'm not sure who this is. His name must be Mike, that is what he has on his jacket. Tom Hegre Photo-1967


This person is unknown to me. I remember him, but not his name. Tom Hegre Photo-1967 This is the AST#4 mascot'Lobo' Nice dog. Tom Hegre Photo-1967 Parking the RC-130 in front of AST Headquarters. The aircraft just arrived from Turner. Tom Hegre Photo-1967 Unloading the RC-130 that just arrived from Turner. I don't know where the little boy came from. He must be the son of one of the wing personnel who were PCS at AST-4. Tom Hegre Photo-1967 Two unknown Photomappers playing Ping Pong in the AST#4 snack bar. I do know that the man on the left worked in the photo lab with me. Tom Hegre Photo-1967


AST #4 flight line from the snack bar Photo Lab guys-(L-R) Lefty O'Donnell, UNK, and Gereald Morgan Lefty O'Donnell and Willy Williams,UNK, and Gereald Morgan S/SGT Willy Williams Kagnew Station-1966 


Working on RC-130A More Work Direction sign at AST #4, Ethiopia S/SGT Tom Hegre Loading a truck with supplies for ground station 


Unloading RC-130A at a ground station somewhere in Ethiopia Still loading a truck Working on RC-130A 57-0515 engines Two RC-130A's with Lobo on guard Mail Call at AST #4 ground station


Two RC-130's parked on the ramp at AST #4, Ethiopia Unloading supplies at ground station near Addis Ababa Ground station near Addis Ababa Ground station near Addis Ababa Unloading supplies


Tom Hegre and AST#4 janitor The Club at Kagnew Station, Asmara, Ethiopia-1967 Street vendors selling cactus in Asmara Evacuating Americans from Yemen during Six-Day War-1967 American evacuees arrive at Asmara on 1370th PMW RC-130A Tom Hegre and Ethiopian LT with ostrich


 

     


Site 14 HH-43 crashHERE


Airstrip at Ginir, Ethiopia, with CH-3C and HH-43 helicopters More of Ginir Airstrip, Ethiopia AST #4 Ethiopia, Hiran Site #21 with incoming HH-43 HH-43 ready to land with supplies at AST #4 HIRAN Site #21 AST #4 HIRAN Site #21 on mountain top

Welcome to AST #4 HIRAN Site #21 with HH-43 pilot John Christianson AST #4, Ethiopia, HIRAN Site #14, Sheepdog 84 AST #4 Ethiopia, HIRAN Site #18 HH-43 lifts out the last man and equipment from AST #4 HIRAN Site #27

For MORE info, visit Johan Ragay's HH-43 Heli Site

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Great RC-130A shots by HH-43 Pilot Neil McCutchan

 

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  Final Mission

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Here are 3 pictures taken in Ethiopia. They were taken from the house where the flight crews were staying in Asmara.The date was June 1965, I think we were right across from the Peace Corps house.

Photos By Terry Gust



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