Air Rescue Nakon Phanom

Two Sikorsky “Jolly Green Giant” helicopters (HH-[5]3[EF}) on alert at Nakom Phanom (NKP) Airbase in far Northeast Thailand on the Mekong River border with Laos (1972). NKP was very close in air distance to North Vietnam and therefore logical location for staging air rescue operations for downed crewmembers in enemy territory. Rescue crews could be scrambled for immediate takeoff where time was of the essence. All aircrewmembers were trained in techniques to guide rescue aircraft to their downed location using small portable radios and less sophisticated signaling devices (hopefully not giving away their location to the enemy at the same time). Photo also shows typical wooden airbase structure with corrugated metal roof raised off ground with concrete blocks, and having few windows. Also notice ground cart in far left of photo … auxiliary carts of this type were commonly used to provide backup electricity and compressed air to aircraft. This appears to be an electrical power cart that was probably used to help guarantee fast start of the cocked and loaded Jolly Green in an emergency response.