History of the 600Th Photo Sq. in RVN & Thailand from Jan67
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rg .o sq to o h p th 0 0 .6 w w w http://www.600thphotosq.org/ 1931 rg .o sq to o h p th 0 0 .6 w w w http://www.600thphotosq.org/ 1932 HISTORY OF THE 600TH PHOTOGRAPHIC SQUADRON 1 JANUARY 1967 - 31 JULY 1967 rg .o sq Prepared by to 2nd Lt Frank A Mellenoo h p th 0 0 .6 w w Approved by:w ALTERIO GALLERANI Colonel, USAF Commander http://www.600thphotosq.org/ 1933 CONTENTS Page Table of Contents .......................................................................................... ii List of Illustrations ........................................................................................ iv I. MISSION AND RESOURCES .................................................................... 1 A. Background ............................................................................................ 1 B. Mission ...................................................................................................rg 3 Combat Documentation .........................................................................o 4 Aircraft Gun Camera Photography .....................................................sq 4 Aircraft Camera Blisters and Pods .....................................................to 4 Aircraft Radar Scope Photography .....................................................o 4 KA-71A Strike Photography ................................................................h 4 p Motion Picture Laboratory ...................................................................th 5 Base Photographic Laboratories0 ........................................................... 5 0 C. Command ................................................................................................6 5 D. Organizationw ........................................................................................... 5 E. Personnelw ................................................................................................ 6 F. Equipmentw .............................................................................................. 7 G. Funds ...................................................................................................... 8 II. OPERATIONS ............................................................................................... 9 A. Background ............................................................................................ 9 B. Combat Documentary Photography ..................................................... 10 C. Motion Picture Laboratory ................................................................... 15 ii http://www.600thphotosq.org/ 1934 Page D. Still Photography .................................................................................. 16 E. Film Control .......................................................................................... 17 F. Editorial ................................................................................................. 18 G. Skypoint Photography .......................................................................... 19 III. ADMINISTRATION ..................................................................................... 22 IV. TRAINING.......................................................................................................rg 26 V. MAINTENANCE .............................................................................................o 28 VI. SUPPLY ..........................................................................................................sq 30 VII. FOOTNOTES .................................................................................................to 32 VIII. APPENDIX ....................................................................................................o 33 A. Lineage .................................................................................................h 33 p B. Key Personnel ......................................................................................th 34 C. List of Projects ....................................................................................0 35 0 D. Organizational Charts.6 .......................................................................... 42 E. Detachment w Reports ............................................................................. 47 Detachmentw 1 ....................................................................................... 48 Detachmentw 2 ...................................................................................... 50 Detachment 3 ...................................................................................... 52 Detachment 4 ...................................................................................... 54 Detachment 5 ...................................................................................... 55 Detachment 6 ...................................................................................... 56 Detachment 7 ...................................................................................... 57 iii http://www.600thphotosq.org/ 1935 Page Detachment 8 ........................................................................................ 61 Detachment 9 ........................................................................................ 64 Detachment 10 ...................................................................................... 66 Detachment 11 ..................................................................................... 68 Detachment 14 ..................................................................................... 69 Detachment 15 .....................................................................................rg 71 Detachment 16 ......................................................................................o 73 sq to o h p th 0 0 .6 w w w iv http://www.600thphotosq.org/ 1936 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1. CHARTS Page 600th Photo Sq Organizational Chart ........................................................... 42 Operations Organizational Chart .................................................................... 43 Administration Organizational Chart ............................................................. 44 Maintenance Organizational Chart ................................................................rg 45 Supply Organizational Chart ..........................................................................o 46 q 2. PHOTOGRAPHS s Official 600th Photographic Sq. Seal ..........................................................to Cover 600th Photographic Squadron Headquarters ato Tan Son Nhut Air Base ...............................................................................h 9a p ComDoc Photography. TSgt Roberth W. Hooper using Tyler Motion Picture Cameramountt ............................................................ 10a 0 ComDoc Photography. Cameraman0 in action ........................................... 10b ComDoc Photography.. 6 Cameraman filming medical team at Vietnamesew village ........................................................................... 10c Airman at workw in Motion Picture Laboratory ......................................... 15a Still Photography. Cameraman in action at Tan Sonw Nhut Air Base ................................................................................ 16a Airman at work in Still Photographic Laboratory ...................................... 16b 16c 600th Photographic Sq Airmen at the Thu Duc Orphanage ................... 24 v http://www.600thphotosq.org/ 1937 CHAPTER 1 MISSION AND RESOURCES BACKGROUND On 8 September 1965, Hq PACAF requested that Hq USAF provide the equipment and manpower needed to accomplish seven photographic missions in SEA. The rg seven listed areas of operation were: .o q A. Gun camera photography s B. Increased documentation of air strikes to C. Base photographic laboratories o h D. Increased documentation of Air pForce h activities t 0 E. Color motion picture0 processing at each fighter base .6 F. KA-60 strikew photography G. Scope wcamera photography ( 1 ) Air Forcew Hq directed APCS (now AAVS ) to develop and submit a study of manpower and equipment require- ments to meet the PACAF request and further as- sure that these functions would have a single manager. ( 2 ) 1 http://www.600thphotosq.org/ 1938 On 18 October 1965, APCS completed its study of this problem of establishing a single manager for SEA photography. A visual briefing was presented to Hq MATS ( now MAC ) on 19 October 1965, and to Hq USAF on 1 November 1965. ( 3 ) This presentation concluded with: "In brief, the solution is to establish a rg photographic squadron at Tan Son Nhut and nine .o q additional detachments located at Korat, Bien Hoa, s DaNang, Takhli, Ubon, Udorn, Cam Ranh Bay,t Phano Rang and Qui Nhon. The squadron and nineo detach- h ments would consist of a combat documentationp crew, h a base photographic laboratory andt as many of the 0 following specialized cells0 as local conditions require: .6 a. Gun cameraw cell b. Podw camera cell c. wScope photo cell d. KA-60 strike photo cell e. Motion picture laboratory ( 4 ) At the 1 November 1965 meeting, Hq USAF directed APCS to present initial detailed plans by 5 2 http://www.600thphotosq.org/ 1939 November for the establishment of two photo units in SEA. These two units would be an interim measure calling for a UMD increase of twelve slots for Det 5, 1352d Photo Gp. APCS formulated a plan, and the UMD slots were authorized. ( 5 ) rg On 10 December 1965, Hq USAF approved the APCS.o q plan 501, code named MORE PIX, was published ands distributed. In addition