" First Elements into Bangkok--5th RRU"

 By Paul P. Codinha

I was in the first group of men sent into Bangkok with the 5th RRU  (Provisional) in September 1959. To me, it all happened by accident.  My tour of duty was from July 1957 to July 1960. Having just come back from Tuslog Det. 4, Sinop, Turkey, I was assigned to Camp Walters, Mineral Wells, Texas about 75 miles west of Ft. Worth/Dallas. I was assigned to the 316th USASA.

My MOS was that of a cryptographer, and I thought I was going to stay at Camp Walters, Texas until my tours up. After all, they can’t send you overseas twice during a three-year tour. Want to bet?  They sent me to Bangkok on TDY, and that’s how they got around it.

37 men were transferred from various ASA bases in the states to Two Rock Ranch Station, Petaluma, California and on to the Philippine Islands under special orders dated September 15, 1959. From this group, a handful went on to   Bangkok.   Included   in   this   group were   the   following   men: Vernon S. McGee, MSGT; John W. Robinson, SFC; William L. Batchelor, SFC; Edward H. Jackson, SFC; William H. Arrington, SGT; James F. Keenann, SGT; Kenneth W. Canton, SP4; Walter H. ("Mike") Tipert, SP4; Samuel J. Parker, SP4; and myself, Paul P. Codinha, PFC.

We were the ones who went over to Bangkok from the PI during the first wave. As I recall, we went over in about two groups, one group arriving about a day or so before the other.

We were met in Bangkok by U. S. Ambassador U. Alex Johnson, who came to our house to greet us.  The people were very gracious to us, and you could walk down the streets of Bangkok without worrying. Major Ladd from Hawaii was the OIC.

We traveled to work by VW buses with Thai drivers while the compound was being built.  We really had an enjoyable stay there, even though we worked out of two-and-one-half ton trucks. The enlisted men were housed together; the NCOs were lodged in another house; and the OIC had his own house. We wore civilian clothes and received per diem in addition to our regular pay. We had special Thai badges in addition to our own, which provided diplomatic immunity. All in all, it was a wonder tour of duty that I will always remember.

I would be interested in hearing from any of the fellows who may have served with me at the 5th RRU in Bangkok.

Paul P. Codinha  ppcodinha@aol.com
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