177thUSASAOpnCo

ASA Crest ASA Patch Chet Swanson
177th US Army Security Agency Operations Company
Camp Humphreys (K-6)
Pyong Taek, Korea

177th USASA Opns Co Area
177th USA Opns Co, 1968
This photo is of the mess hall (left), the NCO Club (the two Quonset huts just right of center), and the motor pool (far right behind NCO Club). The Vill (Anchong-ri) is barely visible in the background behind the mess hall.

Chet 1966 Chet 1968 Arriving in Korea in September, 1966, I was soon assigned to CRS-K (Comm Center) at the 177th USA Opns Co at Camp Humphreys. With a 6 month TDY to Vietnam I stayed with the 177th until July, 1968 when I returned to CONUS (the States) for an assignment at the CONARC Comm Center. The photo on the left was taken winter of 1966 while I was still a PFC, and the photo on the right was taken the fall of 1967, shortly after I returned from my TDY to Vietnam. See some more photos from the 177th. By then I was a SP4. School trained as a 32G (Crypto Repair) at Fort Monmouth, NJ, I worked in that MOS and as a 32D (Fxd Station Control) at CRS-K.

177th USA Opns Co Area
177th USA Opns Co, 1968
This photo is of the main barracks area for the company. Separated from the main post, the company consisted of three basic areas. Barracks and administrative areas were in this section, the mess hall, NCO Club, and motor pool were to the right of this photo's area, and the operations area was about 1/4 mile to the left of this photo's area.

I remember the Vill, and in particular our ASA club, Duffy's. The trick parties were wild and certainly fun, and the girls were gorgeous. On a general, unofficial ASA web page run by Mike "Maddog" Doran there is a photograph of Duffy inside the club. Mike's page is excellent with lots of good information and you should check it out. Some of the other clubs were the Top Cat and the Club 7 (777?). In March, 1967 I was asked if I'd like to spend 90 days TDY in Vietnam. So, off I went, returning to Korea and the 177th 180 days later in September. After getting married I had to leave the Comm Center and worked in the Mess Hall while the Army decided just what to do with me. For the next several months, until my return to CONUS, I drove the ration truck to the supply point at Osan AFB picking up rations for the company.

July, 1968 I came down on orders for the Comm Center at CONARC at Fort Monroe, VA. I spent the next 14 months station at Fort Monroe, the only active Army post with a moat surrounding the main area of the post.