History of the 4th ASTA
July 1964 to December 1964

Written by John Towler
Edited and approved by William Buntyn and Gary Trippensee

FOREWORD

The 4th ASTA (Aerial Surveillance Target Acquisition) Detachment and the 23rd SWAD (Special Warfare Aviation Detachment) were merged and formed the 73rd Aviation Company on 26 December 1964 by General Order 24c, Headquarters US Army Pacific, dated 21 December, 1964

Note: There was a history of the 73rd Aviation Company written by several officers and approved by the Company Commander 73rd Aviation Company. It covered the period from 26 December 1964 - 31 December, 1965. This history does not even mention the merging of the 4th ASTA, nor does this report give any credit, nor mention any names of the personnel of the 4th ASTA, who were also members of the 73rd during this first year of operation.

The history of the 4th ASTA is dedicated to all the officers and men who served with the 4th ASTA, and to their service to their country while serving with the 73rd Aviation Company. Especially to Specialist David Demon, who gave the supreme sacrifice, and is still listed as Missing In Action.

The 4th ASTA Detachment was formed at Ft. Bragg, N.C. July, 1964, and was attached to the 82nd Aviation Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division for support. The 4th ASTA was officially made a unit of the Regular Army effective 14 October, 1964. The unit called for 14 officers, 3 WO's and 66 Enlisted Men.

The unit was located at Simmons Army Airfield, in two large hangers and the surrounding flight line. The entire unit, personnel, equipment, hangers, and airplanes, were protected by barbed wire fences and armed guards because of the classification of our mission, and our destination. The project also had a civilian designation of Yankee-Yankee-Uniform. This was an intelligence unit, and as such was initially attached partly to a civilian agency. The detachment was a company size unit with the following officers and enlisted men: Company Commander: Major William Pittard Executive Officer: Capt. Walter L. Dunegan Operations' Officer: Capt. William Duntyn Maintenance Officer: CW-3 Jay Dugger SLAR Platoon Leader: 1st Lt John Connelly IR Platoon Leader: Unknown Image Interpretation Platoon: Unknown

The additional aviators were 1st Lts Kenneth Lee, John Towler, Gary Trippensee, and Jerry Reed. (Jerry Reed did not accompany the unit to Viet Nam. He was assigned to fill a slot.)

The unit's 1st Sgt, Sublett I believe is the spelling of his name. He was Special Forces and was assigned to us to get us in shape. I remember he was tough as nails, and mean as a snake. He was constantly yelling and barking orders. He required everyone, officers included, to double time everywhere we went, including when we were only going to the hanger next door.

Most of the names of the Enlisted Men have faded from my memory over the past 29 years; however, some have stayed in touch. They are all recognized in this article. They, including all the men, played a significant roll in accomplishing this mission. One paid the supreme sacrifice-Sp-4 David Demmon disappeared on the night of 9 June, 1965. He was the TO with 1st Lt Charles Dale. They and the aircraft disappeared with no trace, and they are still listed as Missing In Action.

There were also several civilian technical representatives from the various manufacturers, such as Grumman, Lycoming, Motorola, Texas Instrument. These Tech Reps also went with the unit when it was deployed to Viet Nam. All the OV-1's were new from the factory. We had 2 SLAR and 4 IR aircraft. Each was equipped with the T-53, L-7 engines. We also had 1 OV-1 A model dual control, however, it remained state-side.

We had all the support equipment you could ask for. We had, at the time, one of the highest priorities for obtaining equipment, personnel and supplies. We also had a BG assigned to us, I believe his name was Tabor or Taber, who was a direct link to the Department of the Army through Major General York, 82nd Airborne Division Commander.

There were several instances where the commander of Simmons and the Bn Commander of the 82nd Avn Bn wanted to control our movements, supplies and equipment. They were told in a courteous manner that our mission was classified and just give us all the support we needed.

The unit's mission was to train in simulated combat operations. Operating from stage fields around the Carolinas the IR and SLAR aircraft flew simulated combat missions in planning for the actual missions once we arrived in country.

The detachment was organized with officers and enlisted men from all over the world. There was no other unit similar to this one. It was the first OV-1 IR and SLAR unit to be activated in the United States, trained and deployed as a complete unit to a combat zone, and was operationally ready the day it arrived. The training was from July, 1964 until October, 1964. During this four month period the assembly of men, equipment, and supplies was shaped into a combat unit ready for deployment to a combat zone.

There was not a single accident nor incident occurring from the forming of the unit in July, 1964 until its arrival at Vung Tau, South Viet Nam on 23 December, 1964. No supplies were lost, no personnel injured, no equipment damaged. The only incident, one might say, was to the author who had to drop his 300 gallon drop tanks in the bay off the coast at Vung Tau due to the right drop tank being full, and left tank empty. The aircraft could not be landed with one full and one empty tank. (The right drop tank did not transfer from the time of climb-out from Cubi Point, Naval Air Station, Philippines. The decision was made to continue on because we had more than enough fuel to make the crossing.) Farr, the CO, for many years afterward, wondered how we pulled this one off.

Also, at the time all the aircraft departed Simmons Army Airfield for the formation fly-by over the 82nd Airborne Divisions Hg's, I was on the right ring of the Company Commander's aircraft and as I pulled into tight formation I could clearly see the red streamers from the pins that were still in his drop tanks. I keyed my mike to tell him, whereupon he told me to keep my mouth shut and mind my own business.

When we were within two weeks of getting our orders to stop training, all the aircraft was to be flown, as near as possible, up to the 100 hour inspection. In order to do this it would require flying some of the aircraft six and eight hours per day. The CO decided the quickest way to do this would be to release us to fly long cross-country flights. Where does one or two young Lt's, each with a Six Million Dollar airplane, go to burn off these hours? The Company Commander stated, "Go anywhere you want to, stay in the United States, and stay out of jail." Some aircraft went to Miami, FL, then to Texas; others flew to the west coast, into Washington state and returned. All over the United States they flew, except for two, which were rumored to have flown to the Bahamas, then across Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans. At any rate, they all arrived back at Ft. Bragg for the 100 hour inspection. At the completion of the 100 hour inspection, all support equipment was made ready for shipment. The unit was placed in a stand-by status. The orders to depart were given around the latter part of October and, according to my flight records, all aircraft departed Simmons Army Airfield on 28 October, 1964, landed and refueled at Maxwell Field, Montogomery, AL. There we also remained overnight. Again memory escapes me, but I think it was due to the weather. Originally we filed for non-stop from Simmons to Las Vegas, NV.

The next day we departed Maxwell non-stop to Las Vegas; however, when we arrived at Nellis AFB no one wanted to go into town or do anything after eight hours setting on the ejection seat. We all, I assure you, had a good night's sleep. The next day we flew from Nellis to Alameda Naval Air Station, CA where Capt. William Buntyn was waiting for us.

All the pilots, and other crew members, stayed at Alameda for several more days, enjoying ourselves and making several trips into San Francisco.

Finally, orders came and all pilots were to proceed back to Ft. Bragg where we each had five days to get our families moved, settled, and report to the nearest military reservation to receive our individual orders. Many of the pilots were sent in several different directions, and by different transportation means, to arrive in country. Lt. Gary Trippensee and I traveled by civilian aircraft and arrived in Clark AFB, Philippines around December 5, 1964. The equipment, trucks, jeeps, and supplies, were loaded aboard train cars at Ft. Bragg and transported to Mobile, AL where it was all loaded aboard ships for transport to Viet Nam.

Cpt. William Buntyn, Sp-5 Buffington, and Sp-5 Charles Davis escorted the aircraft which was loaded aboard a jeep carrier, the USNS Core, and transported from Alameda to Cubi Point, Naval Air Station, Philippines. This crossing took approximately three weeks. The bulk of the other personnel was transported from Ft. Bragg to Seymour Johnson AFB, NC for transport to Viet Nam.

In the meantime, Lt. Towler and Trippensee were working their way from Clark AFB to Cubi Point, by way of Manila. Gary and I caught a civilian bus as the bus station in Angles City, outside Clark, and rode the four hour trip with the natives, all the chickens, and whatever else they wanted to place on the bus. We spent several nights in Manila. We contacted Cubi Point and were told a Navy S2 aircraft would arrive at Manila International airport to transport us to Cubi Point where we were to meet up with Cpt. Buntyn.

We were all joined at Cubi Point by Cpt. Charles Voughn, who was the maintenance officer for the 23 SWAD based at Vung Tau, South Viet Nam. The aircraft and support equipment was off loaded where all the protective coatings were removed. We had to test fly each aircraft and then fly each one for 25 hours before they would be released to be flown across the South China Sea. Captains Buntyn and Vaughn, Lt. Gary Trippensee and I had a joyous time flying the aircraft all over the Philippines. We made simulated gun runs on Corregidor island and flew into the mouth of one of the largest volcanoes in the world. We made several trips to Bagao, in then northern Philippines resort town, which was also the RR center. This was one of the bases that the Japanese used in WW II to train suicide pilots. The RR center had several beautiful hotels and two 18-hole golf courses.

When we had completed the 25 hours on each aircraft, they were inspected and made ready for the ferry flight to Vung Tau. We were joined by four pilots from the 23rd SWAD to assist us in the ferry flight. We all had a farewell party the day and night before departure.

Picture to be inserted here

(This picture depicts Sp-5 Davis and myself with this rebel flag; where Davis got it is still a mystery, giving a toast to the Southern States.) (The next picture was taken the next day on the flight across the South China Sea to Vung Tau. This shot was taken through the left window, which shows the other OV-1 and the C-97 in formation. The C-97 was our escort ship across the sea. This photograph has been used in several other articles written about the OV-1. I still have the negative which has one frame showing the picture of Sp-5 Davis and myself with the rebel flag and two frames later the picture of the OV-1 flying formation with the C-97)

All the pilots and crew members attended an over-water briefing, conducted by the Navy. We were taught when to release our parachutes before hitting the water, how to get into the life rafts, and other procedures to activate the emergency radios. We were also told these were shark-infested waters, which was very disturbing. We were told the escort ship had the same cruising speed as our aircraft and would escort us until we were able to home in on the NDB at Pan Theit; then the C-97 would proceed on to Saigon.

All six OV-1's departed Cubi Point NAS on 23 December, 1964 and arrived Vung Tau, Viet Nam four hours later. There was only one incident, as previously mentioned. Lt. John Towler had a problem getting the right drop tank to transfer fuel. This created a control problem; however, it was fairly easy to control at cruse, it was only upon landing that there would be a problem. Several attempts were made to land, however, on each approach the right wing could not be held level when the aircraft slowed. The decision was made to drop the tanks in the water of the Vung Tau coast. Sp-5 Charles Davis was in the right seat and was told on command to release the tank, using the manual jettison handle. The right drop tank, being full, released freely. The left drop tank being empty, the fins at the rear of the tank was forcing the tank to stay in place. Rocking the wings would not release it, however, yawing it did. The tank came loose and rolled and tumbled across the wing. Fortunately it did not strike any part of the aircraft. I do not know which way we yawed the aircraft. Later, we determined that had we yawed the other way, the rear of the tank would have made contact with the left prop. We made an uneventful landing. Some pilots with the 23rd Special Warfare Aviation Detachment, using OV-1-A model gun ships, who needed some practice, went out and sank it. We all closed in at Vung Tau, where we joined the members of the 23rd SWAD. (Cpt. William Buntyn flew the first ever IR mission against an armed enemy January, 1965.)

Where are all the officers and enlisted men today? Following is the whereabouts of some of the original members of the 4th ASTA:

Major William Pittard, Unit Commander, Unconfirmed Deceased

Capt. Walter Dunegan, Executive Officer, Retired full Colonel - now deceased.

Capt. William Buntyn, Operations Officer, Retired full Colonel, is now Vice President with an Oil and Gas Exploration Company, Oklahoma City, OK.

CW-3 Jay Dugger, Maintenance Officer, Retired from U.S. Army and was unconfirmed killed in a plane crash in NC.

Lt. John Connelly, Separated from the service and is now a Captain with American Airlines.

Lt. Kenneth Lee, Separated from the service, whereabouts unknown.

Lt. Gary Trippensee, Separated from the service, is now Project Manager for the S-31 program, Edwards AFB, CA.

Lt. John Towler, Separated from active military service, rejoined Georgia National Guard, Retired, and is now Vice President with Insurance Broker, Atlanta, GA.

Sp-5 Charles Davis, Retired from U.S. Army as Command Sgt. Major, is now Program Manager for an aviation company, St. Louis, MO.

Sp-6 Buffinton, Separated from active duty, joined Reserves; also retired as Aircraft Mechanic with Pan Am and is living in south FL.

The names and whereabouts of the other WO's and enlisted men are unknown, except for Sp-4 David Demmon. Perhaps some day he, too, will return.