Michael Chalifoux Quan Loi Video

Part 1
8:47 Minutes

Part 2
7:32 Minutes

Part 3
8:18 Minutes

Part 4
6:20 Minutes

Part 5
6:42 Minutes

Part 6
4:00 Minutes

Michael Chalifoux, following a tour in Germany, arrived in Di An, South Vietnam in June, 1966 where he was assigned as a truck driver with the 1st Infantry Division. He ran a number of convoys and for a period of time transported the bodies of fallen comrades to the Di An Airstrip for shipment home. "One day," as he describes, "I was loading bodies in my truck to take to the air strip; we were in Di An. I was told to get all my stuff, I was going to the field for 3 days. I spent 10 mo 18 days in Quan Loi, as a detail man. We landed by chopper in the jungle, I was there about 6 days before I got out of the jungle, and saw the French golf course/landing strip." It was at a place called Quan Loi that he and fellow soldiers walked out of the jungle onto a grass-covered, combination golf course/airstrip on the Terra Rouge Rubber Plantation. He was to spend the remainder of his tour at Quan Loi tending to the airstrip fuel dump and handling cargo from late 1966 to 1967.

Thanks to his aunt, who sent him a Super-Eight movie camera shortly after he arrived in Quan Loi, Mike was able to film around Quan Loi, An Loc and the nearby Montangard Village during the remaining months of his assignment there. His film of the Frenchmen's Swimming Pool is believed to be the first seen anywhere. Because of his status on the airstrip he was accepted and allowed to film almost everywhere and anyone - thus, he has film of the French plantation personnel landing their private airplane and de-planning; rare film of a Air America plane on the Quan Loi Airstrip loading cargo; film of downtown An Loc and Highway 13, along with various aircraft landings and take offs from Quan Loi Airstrip, to mention just a few. If you spent time in Quan Loi you will recognize and remember many things from these early days at Quan Loi. This historical film is a fine addition to the site. Total playing time is 41:65 minutes.

For ease of viewing the forty minute video, recently transferred to DVD, was re-edited into six shorter videos for presentation here via YouTube by John Wavra. Commentary by Mike Chalifoux and John Wavra was recorded via Skype and added to each of the videos. Mike's videos are truly unique and we thank him for sharing them with us.

Michael Chalifoux Then and Now
1st Infantry Division 1966 - 1967

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