This is a photo of a veteran of three wars. During WWII he flew bomber cover as a P-38 pilot. Atfer WWII and before the Korean War he went to helicopter school and learned to fly helicopters so during the Korean War he flew helicopter rescue missions. He had logged 3120 hours total flying time, 511 hours combat flying time, and 785 hours helicopter flying time. He passed on in 2011 at the age of 92. He is my uncle and I am thankful for his many years of service and since I cannot place him under the Rememberance profiles since he was not a sailor this is a way to honor him.
Chester E. Eckerman - Colonel, Retired USAF, veteran of World War II, Korean War, & Vietnam War. He flew 56 combat missions in World War II, 97 helicopter rescue missions in Korea, and was in country 361 days in Vietnam. He began his career in 1942 when it was the Army Air Corps as a private and retired in 1975 after 33 years of service as a Colonel. Recipient of Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Metal, Vietnam Service with 3 Campaign Stars, Republic of Korea Metal, Meritorius Service Metal, Presidential Unit Citation with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, American Campaign Metal, National Defense Service Metal, USAF Longevity Service Award with 4 Bronze Stars, United Nations Service Metal, Air Medal with 11 Oak Leaf Clusters, USAF Outstanding Unit Award with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, European-African Mid-East Campaign with 4 Battle Stars, Korean Service with 3 Battle Stars, Armed Forces Reserve Metal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Metal. He is my Uncle and I salute him.
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase II Campaign (66-67)
From Month/Year
July / 1966
To Month/Year
May / 1967
Description This Campaign period was from 1 July 1966 to 31 May 1967. The growing Coastal Force devoted most of its attention to amphibious raids, patrols of shallow inlets and river mouths, troop lifts, and blocking support for allied ground sweeps. For instance, during Operation Irving in October 1966, ground forces and junk units in II Coastal Zone killed 681 Viet Cong troops. In addition, the junkmen established a government presence among the fishermen and provided them with medical services and other assistance. Sometimes the Coastal Force sailors convinced Communist soldiers to desert their units.
The enemy, who often attacked the 27 vulnerable Coastal Force bases, overran the triangular-shaped fortifications of Coastal Group 15 at Cua An Hoa in July 1965 and of Coastal Group 16 at Co Luy in August 1967. Other bases, however, withstood repeated assaults. In doing so, these facilities played a part in the allied effort that denied the enemy easy access to the coastal regions.
Viet Cong mines also took their toll of the command's MLMS fleet, which worked to keep open the shipping channel to Saigon. In August 1966 and again in January 1967, enemy mines sank an MLMS in the Rung Sat. The River Force did not fully employ its strength. The political troubles of 1965 and 1966 in the Republic of Vietnam, in which high-ranking River Force officers figured prominently, damaged morale and distracted personnel from their military mission.
The navy and the army rarely launched joint amphibious assaults against the Viet Cong. Operations reflected the River Force's lack of technically skilled crewmen, the poor maintenance and repair of river craft, and the absence of inspired leadership. Usually, only half of the command's units were ready for combat action, and many of these boats were committed by the army to static guard, resupply, troop lift, or other nonoffensive duties.
The reliance on defense over offense reflected the historic Vietnamese strategy of husbanding resources until there was clear advantage over an enemy. The Vietnamese Navy's River Force sailors often fought hard and bravely, killing many of the enemy and suffering heavy losses of their own, but their valor and sacrifice was not rewarded with strategic success.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
July / 1966
To Month/Year
May / 1967
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories USS Kennebec AO-36
05-09 & 18-28 February 1967 11-19 March 1967 25 March - 03 April 1967 09-18 April 1967 05-15 May 1967
U.S.S. KENNEBEC (AO-36) c/o Fleet Post Office San Francisco 96601 A036/TAC:ao 1 June 1966
Dear Families & Friends of the KENNEBEC,
Since my last letter in February KENNEBEC has continued to perform her primary mission of supporting the U. S. 7th Fleet in the South China Sea. Your men have worked long hard hours, in the heat of the day and at times through most of the night. Their efforts have been consistently superb. Through their hard work and desire to do their very best, KENNEBEC has gained an enviable reputation for being able to do the job and do it well.
Statistics for the most part are boring but to give you an idea of what we have accomplished since we arrived in WestPac, KENNEBEC has replenished 332 ships, pumped more than 46,282,572 gallons of oil, transferred 1800 tons of fleet freight, 260 personnel, in accomplishing these tasks KENNEBEC has steamed 60,682 miles in support of operations from the Gulf of Tonkin to Bay of Siam. Quite an accomplishment for this elderly lady.
