U.S. Army - Air Force Radar & Communication Sites - Thailand

Hill 272 - Sattahip
Home | Looking for GI's | Hill 260 - Takhli | Hill 272 - Sattahip | Khao Khieo (Green Hill) Radar Site | Ko Kha Radar Site | Phu Mu Signal Site - APO 96310 | Warin Radio Station | Ramasun Station - APO 96386 | Contact Webmaster

Geographical Location:
Located on a hill near the city of Sattahip and Utapao Royal Thai Naval Air Base. Situated approximately 3 miles North between the city of Sattahip and Utapao Air Base. The neighboring mountain is Khao Sattahip.

searibbons.jpg

Units
 
1st Signal Construction/USASTRATCOM Long Lines Engineers
8th ORD Ammo
11th Signal
29th Signal Grp Det STRATCOM
55th Signal
207th Signal Det F Co
359th ADA
379th Signal D Co
426th Signal
442nd Signal Btn C Co
514th Signal
702nd Maint

 
Click on the Guestbook Below to Add Your Name 

star.gif

442nd Signal Company

207th Signal Company Detachment F "F" Troop
 
*The 207th was a detachment from the 442nd Signal Company. About 45 personnel manned the facility, 25 of those were Thai guards. It consisited of Microwave and Tropo sites and a generator. One person from a Tactical Communications Company also worked there. He had his equipment tucked away in the corner of the TWCS building and his own generator for remote starts. This information was submitted by William H. Dawson 1968-69.

The photos below were submitted by Bill Ostrom
, Hill 272, 1967 and Ron Sharp, Hill 272, 1971-72.

Story By Bill Ostrom

Hill 272 was a microwave communications site during the Vietnam War relaying info North to Si Racha.  
   1967-  Approximately 12 G.I's from USASTRATCOM LL Bn. Construction Engineers Camp Friendship, Korat went to Hill 272 Sattahip and began construction on the main barracks. We lived in two large tents with a third tent as a group area.  These arrangements were for the better part of a year.  We lived on the economy eating most meals down the hill at a local restaurant.  Bathing  facilities where open air on the side of the hill overlooking the valley toward Sattahip. The latrine was a 2 seater for friendship and convenience. Water for showers was extracted from a klong down the hill and transported to a tank above the living area.  The majority of building materials were brought down from Bangkok on the backs of the Hill's two deuce & 1/2's .It made for a nice trip pushing a large deuce along that two lane highway to Bangkok with the one lane bridges.  Upon return with a load and because of the grade we had to back up the hill to mantain steering ability.  One thing nice about Hill 272 in 1967 was when we went shopping at Utapao Air Base we didn't need ration cards.  We just purchased as much as we wanted and could afford. 
    While still working on the barracks we built a mess hall and for a short period of time we had a cook.  This didn't last long because of our small numbers it wasn't cost effective so we returned to the economy.  The mess hall became our open club.  Sometime after December 1967 this building was enlarged and turned into a full fledged club with movies etc.
     Getting back to the main barracks.  We mixed and poured over 100 cubic yds of cement using a 1/4 yd mixer.  Talk about a lot of work.  Again after 1967 the Hill grew in personnel and buildings.  I was gone but someone built another mess hall, Thai barracks, Thai mess hall and other assorted outbuildings.
      Somewhere along the way command changed our unit to 1st Signal Brigade 442.  I left the hill in Nov 1967 and never slept in the barracks as I was transferred to Camp Vayama.
     Hill 272 was turned over to the Thai's in 1972 and sometime after that it was completely dismantled and returned to its natural condition except for 2 empty towers. 

Photo Provided by Bill Ostrom
hill2721967-7.jpg
Hill 272 Barracks 1967

star.gif

Photo Provided by Bill Ostrom
hill2721967-4.jpg
Hill 272 Barracks 1967

Photo Provided by Bill Ostrom
hill2721967-2.jpg
Hill 272 Pad Construction 1967

Photo Provided by Ron Sharp
hill2721967-5.jpg
Model of Hill 272, 1971-72

Photo Provided by Bill Ostrom
hill2721967-3.jpg
Hill 272 Sign & Barracks Construction 1967

Photo Provided by Bill Ostrom
hill2721967-1.jpg
Hill 272 Barracks Construction 1967

Photo Provided by Ron Sharp
hill2721972.jpg
Hill 272 finished barracks 1972

 
Copyright© 2002-2020 us-seasia. This Website and all its contents are property of us-seasia. All rights reserved. Use of any material contained herein is strictly forbidden without the express written consent of the Webmaster or of the individual authors.