Three photos of VC-47B Dakota, serial number 43-49500, tail code eW, 415th Transport Squadron. Apparently this C-47 crashed at Vung Tau. According to someone who whitnessed events (name known to me - Leon) the pilot lost control, banged into a watch tower and crashed. What so special about this flight was that on board there were many embassadors and diplomats of countries allied to South VietNam, who flew to Vung Tau for recreation on SVN Government invitation. It is not known whether there were any casualties, though there were a lot of embassadors limping and hopping around injured...

’eW’ was one of President Ngo Dinh Diem VIP planes, but President Diem did not personally travel in this C-47. Whenever he flew around ’eW’ usually flew along and landed ahead of the Presidential C-47. ’eW’ used to transport the presidential cargo and VIP staff. After President Diem’s death, the plane was detached to Gen. Ðo Cao Tri, after Gen Tri’s death the VNAF took the plane back and used it for VIP transportation. ’eW’ was among the best maintained C-47's in VNAF C-47 fleet. The stripe along the fuslage was red. Here's a photo of this plane in better times. (photos: www.seawolf-hal3.org. Visit www.seawolf-hal3.org for more Vietnam photos)