“FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS” VIETNAM ERA U.S. AIR FORCE RESERVE FILM w/ BOB CRANE XD49324

Subscribe and consider becoming a channel member Want to support this channel and help us preserve old films? Visit Visit our website This film shows the mobilization of the National Guardsmen in 1968. It is hosted by actor Bob Crane who first appears at (:43). He was known for his role on the television program Hogan’s Heroes. He speaks from a deserted military base (probably March Field) as the troops had been sent to the Vietnam War (1:36). The film is presented by USAF (2:56). On January 25th, 1968 Lyndon B. Johnson mobilized eleven Air National Guard Squadrons (3:17). These men came from civilian backgrounds such as a police officer from the Niagara Falls, New York police department (3:39). Air Guardsmen bid their families farewell (4:21) as they head to locations such as Vietnam, South Korea and Japan. A rescue mission is practiced as a helicopter lifts a man from the water (4:52). A headline from the Denver Post tells viewers they were to deploy to secret destinations (5:28). The divisions were deployed at two week intervals beginning with the 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron (5:34). Buckley Space Force Base in Denver follows (5:35). Crates of supplies are loaded for transport including a spare engine (5:44). Ground vehicles are loaded up (5:50). Ground service personnel service all incoming fighter planes (6:06). Fighter pilots receive a briefing from their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Cherry (6:27). Other units from locations such as Sioux City say goodbye to their families (7:02). Strategic Air Command’s flying service station is depicted (8:02). The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker (8:17) rides along a group fighter planes. The process of inflight refueling is shown (8:24). The first stop for nearly all missions was Hickam Air Force Base (8:38). Ground crews arrive as North American F-100 Super Sabre’s touch down (8:47). The Stratotankers and Lockheed C-141 Starlifters take off again (8:55). The 120th Squadron arrives at Phan Rang Air Base (9:23). The base commander of all units in Vietnam was General William Momyer (9:37). Planes from Iowa’s 174th Tactical Fighter Squadron land at Phu Cat Air Base (9:56). Other squadrons were delivered to Tuy Hoa Air Base (10:11). Their mission was to support American and Southern Vietnamese ground forces (10:37). Bombs are dropped and the subsequent explosions captured (11:14). The NCO Crew Chief; Charles Moore of the Colorado Air National Guard is seen at (12:06). Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Young follows (12:18). Guardsmen enter a church for religious services (13:01) and splash in the ocean for recreational time (13:13). Others are pictured retrieving mail from the mail room (13:40) and listening to recordings from home at the tape facility (13:47). A female musician performs for servicemen (14:34). Men of the 174th and the 355th at Phu Cat Base dedicate down time to aiding a local village in rebuilding homes destroyed by Vietcong attacks (15:58). Flight surgeons devote time to treating the vulnerable such as one patient suffering with parasites (16:11). The 120th Squadron approached it’s 1,000th mission (17:46). The mission included a two plane strike and it was led by Major John L. France (18:02). He receives a weather briefing (18:12) and then delivers a briefing to the wingman (19:30). As the fighter crafts approached their target (21:05) they hear contact from the Forward Air Controller (21:05). The target is hit and the mission is accomplished (22:40). The group heads back to base (22:44) for a champagne toast to the event (23:24). Bob Crane returns to wrap the film up (26:44) produced by the Air and Space Audio Visual Service, Military Air Command. We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.“ This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
Back to Top