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http://115marinereunion.com/Chu_Lai_MAG_13_Aerial_1.jpg
Here's a closer view:
http://115marinereunion.com/Chu_Lai_MAG_13_Aerial_2.jpg
S/f
Huge difference from when we landed in 1965. There was sand and more sand. The SeaBees leveled the sand and graded "ladder-rite" which was a clay mix down and injected asphalt in it to stabilize the stuff. Next the aluminum inter-locking panels were laid down and anchored. First aircraft was A-4 Skyhawks and some UF-34s and 46s and Hueys. We built the bomb dump as I was in MABS-12 and became the III MAF or III MAB, forget which, when we arrived from Iwakuni, Japan. I trucked several thousand tons of bombs and ammo up from the AKs off the beach and brought in by LVMs (Higgins Boats). We set up living tents and belted 20mm ammo, installed fins both conventional and low drag on the bombs. The first of which were ones left over from Korea and WWII then we got the low drag MK81s (250 lbs) MK82s (500lbs) up to some 1000 lbers and 1000lb napalm which took about 100 gallons of mogas and powder mixed together. We had both 7shot 2.75" rocket pods and 19 shot pods and 5" Zuni (4 shot) pods and FS smoke and assorted fuzes and "daisey cutter" and some more special super secret **** that would kill lots of people. The A-4s had to use JATO bottles to launch with the bomb loads usually due to weight and heat. The second trip I was in VMGR-152 flying night missions with flares for nite ops out of Danang. Third trip I was the NCOIC of the Ordnance Shop with HML-167 at Marble Mountain. You might say I've been side to side and just about all over Northern South Vietnam. Spent 22 years in the Corps from the "Old" to the beginning of the "New". Been to Drill Instructors and Recruiting Schools and have even been an Instructor at Aviation Ordnance "A" School at NAS Jax, Florida at the end of 1965 thru 1966 and back to WESTPAC. Second to RVN and third WESTPAC. Was on I&I at NAS South Weymouth and returned to WESTPAS Jan of 1971 and ended up closing Marble Mountain in July, 1971.