James Shorten

James (Jones) Shorten

Me, Jim Roush, Don Bemis and George “Sonny” Hoffman. A-502, 5th Special Forces. Troung Doung, Vietnam. While on a mission. “The Phantom Team”

James Shorten Just landed after his first HALO jump in Vietnam. Training jump, Spec Ops base, SOA-B53. Oct. 1970 The jump was low at 11,500′. We opened up at 1,000′ feet. We couldn’t go higher due to aircraft clearance from Saigon, VietNam

Me, Jim Roush, Don Bemis and George “Sonny” Hoffman. A-502, 5th Special Forces. Troung Doung, Vietnam. While on a mission. “The Phantom Team”

Me-sitting-at-POW-snatch-mission.

Jim Jones / Shorten

While with A-502, Field mission, Vietnam 1968

While with A-502, Field mission, Vietnam 1968

Photo up with some newbies to Vietnam… 1969 Saigon, Vietnam

While in the US Navy)This photo was taken while I was stationed at Camp Tien Shau, Danang, Vietnam, back in 1966. I’m in an H34, I flew with MAG-16 (USMC) photo taken across the road from China Beach hospital. On my day’s off I would fly with the USMC, MAG-16 to help load and off load supplies and wounded so I could spend time in the bush.

This is Susie my dog while I was in DaNang, Vietnam… While with the Navy… I used to climb the mooring line 20 feet every day, you see it next to me…

Cambodia in 2002, when I went back and hiked with 6 Cambodian Rangers to the Cobra 84 crash site… We hiked 100 miles each way… a total of 23 days…

who doesn’t like blowing things up ??? Here I’m blowing tree with a 105 howitzer round… Sui Dau, Vietnam 1969

At A-502, 5th Special Forces, Camp Sui Dau, Vietnam, with Korean Special Forces. I don’t remember the other guys name, but the main camp would send guys down once in a while so they would get used to mortars and sniper fire in my CIDG camp… 1969

Sonny Hoffman, Lew Merrletti, later became the Director of the Secret Service, Spent 29 years in the Secret Service. Were still very good friends to this day, we talk daily… and me, on a mission at A-502, Vietnam… 1969

My brothers from CCC, Toby Todd, me, Ed Wolcoff, John Good.

My best friend in Vietnam Gary Stucki, Gary and I were at A-502 and CCC together. and Dale Hanson. Dale and I were at CCC and A-314 Underwater Operations together.

1970, on leave from Nam

On a mission at A-502

Same mission, I’m training a CCN team in prisoner snatch techniques. Rt. Mamba (CCN, school is B-53, Long than

The ox cart has mine making implements, We captured two NVA and three VC. Prisoner snatch mission. B-53 Vietnam.

I captured this Vietcong flag out of an enemy rucksack, It’s now in a museum. A few of the A-502 team members signed it. 1969, Nha Trang, Vietnam

The best way to ride in a chopper, unless it’s raining. The rain feels like you being shot with a fully automatic beebee gun

Ridding ladders, high above the ground. Over 4000′ plus up…

I didn’t like doing this. Ridding ladders was miserable. You can’t see it in the photo, but the ladders sway back and forth in the wind. You’re hooked into the ladder, which does help. But no fun…

Stings Back To Base

Strings 120′

I made three free falls while in Vietnam, SOA-B53 Long Tan -North, training jumps 1970

While at Dak To, we came under a 122mm Rocket attack. This big chunk of a rocket landed on the opposite side of a truck I was getting into, lucky it came apart in a large chunk, vs a lot of smaller pieces. It did rattle my brain and I have hearing loss from it. The first thing you do when a large rocket comes in like this, is you run and jump in the hole it makes and take cover. The chances of another hitting the same spot is nil. It’s a relief 😉 I was on Brightlight stand down, so I wrote on the rocket piece. Frank Greco took a photo of it and sent it to me around 20 years ago

If you’re in Nha Trang, Vietnam, and look to the west, this photo was taken on the tallest mountain, overlooking Nha Trang. 1969, A-502

Same mission, I’m training a CCN team in prisoner snatch techniques. Rt. Mamba (CCN, school is B-53, Long than

Big Moose Monroe

Sonny Hoffman

My best friend in Vietnam Gary Stucki, Gary and I were at A-502 and CCC together.

Billy Waugh and James Shorten

James Shorten bush on a POW snatch mission with Rt. Mamba.