I was at U-Tapao from Jun 71 to Jun 72. The first nine months I was a walker in Preload. The pictures for the Preload area created a flood of memories. Preload slowed down around Apr. 72. My crew went to the line and picked up the fifth man. Whenever there was a "special load," our crew would go back to the Preload area. It was nice having that fifth man then! We were almost the last crew to really know Preload. Best Preload time was 42 750s in 17 min. We had a hell of a crew. The Jammer driver (my best friend) worked my a__ off! Lived on second floor of barracks closest to Airman's Club.

I was at UT off and on from 3 to 15 Sept.. Made a few trips to Diego Garrica. Guess I spent about 11 days and 13 nights at UT. U-Tapao is still a Royal Thai Navy Air Station. It is also classified as an International airport. Comments on Pattaya will explain. I saw no signs of a cargo operation. The Thais are flying their normal little ones plus P-3s (some pickled), Hawkers, and A-7s. We parked on the 135 ramp. The following will be short and choppy. Only way to fit it in.

B-52 Ramp has big factory built on north end. All revetments gone. Taxiways leading into the ramp are hardly visible. Jungle has grown between runway and ramp. There was a large Russian aircraft parked on the South end, but gone a few days later. Bomb dump and Preload are only identifiable by 3 gun towers left. Jungle has rest. Tanker ramp has flow through revetments large enough for two aircraft. These came from the B-52 ramp.

The terminal we used to enter and exit country is just south of the wash rack. That is now their International airport. The South end of the base has moved up to allow for a civilian road to run from the terminal west to the North/south road going through Kilosip, The U-2 hangers are still there, but look empty. Fire Dept. still same. Buddha mountain still visible from almost everywhere. It still has that one lone tree on the Southeast side. Much bigger now!

On base, almost all wood structures are gone. BX-gone, Mail Room-gone, bridge between clubs and BX-gone, Airman's Club-gone, NCO Club-hardly visible through growth, O Club empty and falling down, chapel is being used for something.

All the three story concrete barracks are being used by low ranking Thai Navy families.

Beach theater-gone, beach restaurant in now party house for Thai Navy. Outside Base, road in front is now four lane divided highway. Bong Chon (sp?) is still pretty much the same. Big movie house is gone. No GI's! New Land still there, but all Thai shops for Thais. Kilosip still same but all wooden structures that were bars are gone. The building the old "99 Club" is still there. Swan Lake hotel still there.

Pattaya is the biggest change. When I left in 72 it was still pretty much a small fishing village with a few hotels and bars. It is now 200,000 plus! Has 3,000 bars and countless "bar girls (and boys)." We stayed in a hotel right on the beach in Pattaya. The left & right seater, boomer and I flew our wives over to meet us. There was a time you could take a nice stroll along the beach at night. Now you can't even swim in the water it's so polluted. I missed going to the islands, but I understand they are still good. I would not recommend staying in downtown Pattaya with a conservative spouse. Main tourists are European and Russian. Most are middle aged single men there for the night life. One Russian didn't care much for my uniform. It's probably a good thing I don't understand Russian.

Made it to Bangkok and Chang Mai. They are still pretty much the same - just bigger. I still love the Thai people, food and Singha. I'll draw to a close now. If you would like me to put a shortened version of this on the registry, delete my last one and let me know what is important. I would enjoy letting everyone know how it is. Thanks again for the site and contacting me.