ASAP > First DF Operators In Bangkok Thailand
By Michael Mulich

RELATED LINKS ASAP Building the 5th RRU

In October 1960 four 056s' were sent to Bangkok, Thailand to set-up the first DF site in Thailand.   Tom Wolf , Patrick McAvinew, Otis Duke and Mike Mulich were the first four.  We would be the only DF ops there for a year and a half.  We were getting $519.00 a month per-diem.

On our arrival all four of us were billeted at the house on Sawa Dee… . Were notified that the DF equipment had not arrived yet. The CO put us out painting the barbed wire stays on top of the security fence around the operations.  Very hot work. Spent all night at the nightclubs but after two hours painting the stays we would be completely sober again.

We had to go to the Embassy for a Welcoming party. They showed a film of the railroads of Thailand.. Otis Duke was sitting next to the ambassador's wife. He went to sleep during the movie with his head on her shoulder. Found out later that the CO would make you go to the party as punishment for infractions of the rules.

After about a year and a half I  WENT to Ubon to install a new DF site. Had to move the thing countless times to find an area where it would work. Iron ore all over the place.

The site in Bangkok was about 500 feet out in the rice paddies from the operations building very scary at night walking on that road. Snakes everywhere………..   

Mike Mulich
 

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And The Last?

Excerpted from Mike Benton/s Dury Roster Update:

I served a total of nearly 8 years in Thailand, and my final overseas assignment before retirement (in 1993) was as the very last Army/military (and DF) person assigned at what had originally been Sabertooth Det. - for the last year I WAS the DET.

I believe I may be the last Army DF'er to have trained , maintained and operated the AN/TRD-4A, AN/TRD-15, and AN/PRD-1 in the field (1987-1991).  I still have the data plate from the prototype AN/TRD-23.