Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base AMSL | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Da Nang Air Base (
Early history
On 22 September 1940, the Vichy Government signed an agreement with Japan allowing the Japanese to station troops in Tonkin and use three airfields there.[1] On 14 July 1941, the Japanese sent the French an ultimatum demanding the use of bases in Annam and Cochinchina, the French acquiesced and by late July, the Japanese occupied Cam Ranh Bay, Bien Hoa Air Base and Tourane Airfield.[1]: 39–40
In late 1944, the Fourteenth Air Force based in southern China began raiding Japanese bases throughout Indochina and on 12 January 1945, the United States Third Fleet launched attacks on Japanese coastal bases including Da Nang.[1]: 68–9
Indochina War (1945–1954)
Tourane Airfield was used by the
In December 1950, pursuant to the
In 1953, the US Eighteenth Air Force C-119s were deployed to Tourane to support French military operations. A number of these aircraft crewed by civilians later flew in support of French forces in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.[4] In 1953/54 the French laid a NATO-standard 7,800-foot (2,400 m) asphalt runway at Tourane.[2]: 52
In January 1954, the USAF delivered a further 16 B-26s and 3 RB-26s to Tourane, and in February assigned USAF maintenance and supply personnel to Tourane on temporary duty to support B-26 operations.[2]: 17 On 19 March the USAF deployed the 1808th Airways and Air Communications Service Squadron to Indochina with 60 enlisted men and one civilian at Tourane.[5]: 117 On 6 April the USAF delivered 11 B-26s to Tourane for loan to the French.[5]: 130 The USAF delivered 18 C-47s to Tourane on 9 April to replace aircraft losses.[2]: 24 Later in April VMA-324 delivered 25 F4U/G Corsairs to the French Air Force at Tourane.[6]: 71
Following the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu and in anticipation of the
On 14 June 1954 Viet Minh troops captured five USAF airmen of the 315th Air Division stationed at Tourane while they were on an unauthorized beach outing. They were held at a small camp about 60 miles (97 km) south of Tourane that was ringed by mines and pits with bamboo stakes. The airmen remained in captivity until 31 August when they were released to the French as part of a prisoner exchange.[5]: 156
On 19 July 1954 the USAF 6424th Air Depot Wing detachment that had supported French B–26 operations at Tourane completed its closeout and was inactivated.[5]: 165
On 6 September the last of the B-26s and C-119s on loan to the French departed from Tourane.[2]: 31
Republic of Vietnam Air Force use (1955–1970)
By the end of the Indochina War, the French had established a small Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) consisting of 2 squadrons of
In November 1955, the RVNAF 1st Liaison Squadron moved to Da Nang AB from Huế.[2]: 272
In October 1961, the 2nd Helicopter Squadron was activated at Da Nang AB.[2]: 273
In December 1961 the 3rd Liaison Squadron was activated at Da Nang AB.[2]: 273
In mid-1962, the RVNAF 2nd Fighter Squadron equipped with T-28s became operational at Nha Trang Air Base and began detaching 6 aircraft to Da Nang AB.[2]: 132
In January 1963, the 2nd Helicopter Squadron was redesignated the 213th Helicopter Squadron, the 1st Liaison Squadron was redesignated the 110th Liaison Squadron and the 3rd Liaison Squadron was redesignated the 114th Liaison Squadron.[2]: 273
In February 1964, the 516th Fighter Squadron equipped with 15 A-1 Skyraiders moved to Da Nang AB from Nha Trang AB.[2]: 274 On 15 March 1964 the RVNAF established a Tactical Wing Headquarters at the base.[2]: 211 In May the 217th Helicopter Squadron was established at the base.[2]: 274
On 8 February 1965, RVNAF commander Nguyễn Cao Kỳ led VNAF A-1s from the base on a retaliatory raid against North Vietnamese targets.[7]
On 2 March 1965, 20 A-1s from the base participated in the first attacks of Operation Rolling Thunder, striking the Vietnam People's Navy base at Quảng Khê.[8] On 14 March the VNAF led by General Kỳ participated in attacks on barracks on Hòn Gió island.[8]: 85
In August 1965, 4 USAF B-57Bs operating from the base were nominally transferred to the RVNAF becoming their first jet aircraft.[7]: 88
In 1970, the RVNAF units at Da Nang AB were reorganized as the First Air Division with responsibility for Military Region I.[9] Also during that year the RVNAF began building family housing at the base for its personnel.[9]: 214
United States military use (1962–1972)
Da Nang Air Base was used as a primary entry point for American service members flying into Vietnam fighting in the Vietnam War. It was used by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) as well as the US Air force (USAF).[10]
US Army use
From January 1962 until September the
In 1965, as a result of an Army study on future mortuary support, the Commander in Chief, Pacific directed that the mortuary mission be transferred to United States Army Vietnam effective 1 July 1966. On 20 June 1967 a stand-by mortuary at the base was placed in operation.[12]
USAF use
In January 1962, the USAF
On 15 June 1962, 12 C-123s from the
In early 1962, the base runway was asphalt covered and 7,900-foot (2,400 m) long while the taxiways and parking areas were covered in Pierced steel planking (PSP).[13]
In April 1963, the 777th Troop Carrier Squadron equipped with 16 C-123s was transferred to the base and later that year the base's existing Mule Train operations were redesignated as the
In early 1964, the
On 5 August 1964, following the Gulf of Tonkin incident, 6 F-102s from the 509th Fighter Squadron and 8 F-100s from the 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron (615th TFS) deployed to Da Nang AB from Clark Air Base in the Philippines.[2]: 229 The F-100s were proposed to be used for a strike against the Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) Phúc Yên Air Base as part of the US response to the incident, however approval for the strike was denied.[2]: 230–2
Commencing in December 1964, Da Nang AB was used to support
In February 1965, 12 F-100s from the
On 2 March 1965, F-100s, F-105s and VNAF A-1s from the base participated in the first attacks of Operation Rolling Thunder, striking the naval base at Quảng Khê, losing 2 F-100s in the attack.[8]
By March 1965, with the base overcrowded by the arrival of new squadrons, a major expansion was approved. In August 1965, the OICC directed RMK-BRJ to construct a second 10,000-foot (3,000 m) parallel runway and paved taxiways and parking areas.[13]: 149–150 [7]: 26–8 The second runway opened in July 1966.[7]: 158
In March 1965, the
On the early morning of 1 July 1965, the PAVN and Vietcong launched a mortar and sapper attack on the base, destroying one F-102 and two C-130s and damaging a further two F-102s and one C-130.[14] The PAVN/VC had killed a guard undetected and then used his unsecured telephone to divert US troops to the far side of the base.[15]
In July, the 436th Tactical Fighter Squadron (436th TFS) replaced the 476th TFS.[7]: Appendix 1 In October the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron replaced the 436th TFS.[7]: Appendix 1 In November the 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron (390th TFS) equipped with F-4s deployed to the base.[7]: Appendix 1
The 1972d Communications Squadron was designated and organized at Da Nang Airport on 20 August 1965, as part of the 1964th Communications Group, Air Force Communications Service.[16]
On 1 January 1966, the 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron equipped with the F-5A Skoshi Tiger moved to the base for trial operations over North Vietnam and Laos.[7]: 89–90 The F-5s returned to Bien Hoa in early February and returned to Da Nang AB from 20 February to 10 March when they returned again to Bien Hoa and were redesignated as the 10th Fighter Squadron.[7]: 125
On 8 January 1966, the
In February 1966, the 480th Fighter Squadron deployed to the base.[7]: Appendix 1 In July Detachment 3, 405th Fighter Wing equipped with F-102s deployed to the base.[7]: Appendix 1
In April/May 1966, following civil unrest in Da Nang, all USAF personnel were moved from off-base housing into barracks on the base.[7]: 175
In May 1966, the base supported Operation Carolina Moon an unsuccessful attempt to destroy the Thanh Hóa Bridge with mines dropped from C-130s.[8]: 258–9
By September 1966, the 20th TASS had replaced most of its O-1s with the O-2A with many of these forward deployed to smaller bases close to the DMZ.[7]: 242
In October, the
In March 1967, elements of the 9th Air Commando Squadron equipped with O-2Bs began operating from the base.[7]: 243
During the Tet Offensive attacks in northern I Corps, many of the detached 20th TASS units returned from their forward bases to the security of Da Nang AB, resulting in longer transit and reduced on-station times for their forward air control missions.[9]: 30–1
On 20 September 1969 a USAF F-4 returning from a strike mission collided with an Air Vietnam Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster (registration XV-NUG) 3 km (1.6 nmi; 1.9 mi) northwest of the airport, taking off part of the C-54's wing, the C-54 crashed into a plowed field, killing 74 of the 75 people on board and two people working in the field.[19]
On 8 April 1970, the PAVN shelled and rocketed the base killing one Airman and one Marine and damaging barracks and communications facilities.[9]: 246
(AFCS G-73, 18 May 1965, amended by G-105, 4 August 1965);
By 1972, with Vietnamization at an advanced stage, Da Nang AB was one of only four major USAF bases remaining in South Vietnam with the 366th TFW based there.[9]: 305 When the Easter Offensive began on 30 March 1972 the USAF moved quickly to build up its tactical fighter strength in Vietnam, on 3 April 9 F-4s were deployed to Da Nang AB as part of Operation Commando Fly, these aircraft were soon joined by an additional 9 F-4s and formed the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron (35th TFS).[9]: 338
On 9 April, a
In late May, the 366th TFW began moving from Da Nang AB to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, with the personnel of the 390th TFS returning to the US while their aircraft were transferred to other squadrons in Thailand.[9]: 345 The 35th TFS redeployed to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base.[9]: 345
On 13 March 1973 the 1972d Communications Squadron at the base was reassigned and moved to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
USMC use
In early September 1962,
The ARVN, RVNAF, USAF and USMC established a joint Air Support Operations Center at Da Nang AB to coordinate air support within I Corps.[6]: 80–2 This was later supplemented by an Aviation Headquarters Operations Centre to oversee Army and USMC aviation.[6]: 117
On 11 January 1963,
On 1 February 1964,
On 7 February 1965, following the
On 8 March 1965, in coordination with the amphibious landing of the
On 10 April, F-4Bs from VMFA-531 landed at Da Nang AB, this would be the first USMC fighter-bomber squadron deployed to Vietnam.[14]: 25 On 16 April Marine Air Support Squadron 2 (MASS-2) was deployed to Da Nang AB to provide tactical air control for Marine aviation units and the following day VMCJ-1 equipped with EF-10Bs deployed to the base. The USMC fixed wing units were designated Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11).[14]: 27
In early May 1965, the 9th MEB was redesignated as the 3rd Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) and a 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW) advanced headquarters was established at Da Nang AB. III MAF and 1st MAW controlled all USMC units in Vietnam which now comprised the enclaves at Da Nang, Chu Lai Base Area and Phu Bai Combat Base.[14]: 36
In mid-July,
On 15 October, VMFA-115 replaced VMFA-513, on 1 December VMFA-323 replaced VMFA-542 and on 19 December VMF(AW)-312 deployed to the base.[14]: 150 A detachment of four KC-130 tankers from VMGR-152 was also stationed at Da Nang AB to support USMC squadrons.[14]: 157
On 25 January 1966, the Vietcong attacked Da Nang AB with 120mm mortars killing one Marine.[22]
In late 1966,
: 264–5On 27 February 1967, the PAVN launched a rocket attack hitting the base with more than 50 140mm rockets in one minute, a further rocket attack took place on 15 March.[23]: 77 On 14 July the PAVN launched another rocket attack firing over 50 122mm rockets destroying 10 aircraft, barracks and a bomb dump, damaging a further 40 aircraft and killing 8 Americans and wounding 176.[23]: 108–9
On the morning of 3 January 1968, the Vietcong launched more than 50 122mm rockets at the base destroying a Marine F-4B and two USAF aircraft and damaging 17 others.[24]
At the beginning of 1968, USMC units at Da Nang AB included VMCJ-1, VMF (AW)-235, VMF (AW)-242 and VMFA-122.[24]: 459 During the Tet Offensive together with other attacks on US and ARVN facilities in the Da Nang area, on the night of 29 January the Vietcong fired rockets at the base and then at 02:30 on 30 January they launched a sapper and mortar attack on the south of the base killing 4 Marines.[24]: 145–6 At 03:30 a renewed rocket attack on the base began with 55 122mm rockets hitting within 20 minutes killing 3 Marines and wounding 11 and destroying 5 aircraft and damaging a further 14.[24]: 147–8
In January 1969, USMC units at Da Nang AB included VMCJ-1, VMF (AW)-242,
At the beginning of 1970, USMC units at Da Nang AB included VMCJ-1,
Beginning in January 1971, as part of Operation Keystone Robin Charlie the 1st MAW headquarters and VMFA-115 departed Da Nang AB for
On 31 January 1971, 8 PAVN rockets hit the base igniting a 50,000 gallon fuel tank and damaging two KC-130s. On 21 February another rocket attack destroyed a C-130.[26]: 213
On 6 April 1972, USMC squadrons returned to Da Nang AB to confront the PAVN Easter Offensive, with VMFA-115 and VMFA-232 redeploying to the base under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 15 (MAG-15).[27]: 153–5 On 12 April the base was hit by 122mm rockets killing 14 Vietnamese civilians.[28] On 14 April VMFA-212 arrived at the base followed the next day by H&MS-15.[27]: 157 On 24 April the base was hit by PAVN 122mm rockets, prompting a call for Marines to provide base security, and on 25 May the 3rd Battalion 9th Marines was deployed to the base.[27]: 158–9 From 16 June, MAG-15 began moving to Royal Thai Air Base Nam Phong, while USMC operations at Da Nang AB were reduced to rearming and refueling.[27]: 164–70 On 18 August 1972 the PAVN fired 43 rockets at the base, hitting the base and adjacent housing and killing 27 South Vietnamese civilians and one U.S. airman, wounding 24 civilians and 21 U.S. airmen and destroying two aircraft with ten damaged.[29] On 26 January 1973, the date before the Paris Peace Accords were to come into effect, two MAG-15 F-4s were damaged by PAVN rocket fire as they rearmed at Danang AB.[27]: 216
Capture of Da Nang Air Base (1975)
On 11 March 1975, faced with the PAVN invasion and the collapse of the South Vietnamese positions in the Central Highlands, President
By 26 March, Huế and all of Quảng Trị,
The PAVN attack began on the morning of 28 March with an artillery barrage on the city. Probing attacks quickly penetrated the ARVN defenses, and the fragile ARVN discipline collapsed as soldiers began to desert their positions and seek refuge for themselves and their families. On the night of 28 March, Trưởng received intelligence that an all-out PAVN assault against the city would commence the next morning; he decided to abandon Da Nang, and ordered his forces to move to beaches for evacuation by sea.[30]: 327–8
On the morning of 29 March, two World Airways Boeing 727s flew from Saigon to Da Nang to attempt to pick up more refugees. When the first 727 landed at Da Nang AB it was mobbed as 270 people pushed into the plane; all but 3 were ARVN. As the aircraft attempted to take off, it was hit by a grenade which jammed the flaps. The main runway was blocked by trucks, and the pilot was forced to take off from a taxiway. A number of ARVN soldiers hung onto the undercarriage and in the wheel wells, preventing the retraction of the landing gear; four of them survived the flight back to Saigon.[31]: 81–2
The PAVN entered the outskirts of Da Nang by mid-morning on 29 March, and were in complete control of the city by the afternoon.[30]: 328 At Da Nang AB the PAVN captured 10,000 tons of air munitions worth $18 million, various ground radar equipment and 176 aircraft, including an F-5E, 5 F-5As, 24 A-37s and 80 UH-ls.[33]
On 7 April the first VPAF transport aircraft began landing at Da Nang AB to support PAVN operations further south.[30]: 366 In mid-April the VPAF formed the Quyet Thang ("Determined to Win") Squadron at Da Nang AB and began preliminary training of pilots on captured RVNAF A-37s. The squadron would carry out the bombing of Tan Son Nhut Air Base on 28 April.[34]
Accidents and incidents
- On 16 March 1970 a U.S. Navy EC-121 Warning Star #145927 of VQ-1 crashed on landing. The aircraft struck a hangar and caught fire killing 22 of the 28-man crew.[35]
References
- ^ ISBN 9780375756474.
- ^ (PDF) from the original on 23 July 2020.
- ^ "Escadron de chasse 01.091 " Gascogne "" (in French). French MoD. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ "18TH AIR FORCE FACT SHEET". United States Air Force. 12 January 2016. Archived from the original on 23 April 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Williams, Kenneth (2019). The US Air Force in Southeast Asia and the Vietnam War A Narrative Chronology Volume I: The Early Years through 1959 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ .
- ^ ISBN 9780912799513. Archived from the original(PDF) on 27 November 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ ISBN 9781508779094. Archived from the original(PDF) on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ^ ISBN 9781478118640.
- ^ Hoffman, David. "Interview - Bill Ehrhart (Making sense of the sixties)". www.wdehrhart.com. Hoffman and Ehrhart. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ ISBN 0-85045-572-3.
- .
- ^ ISBN 9781461097235.
- ^ ISBN 1494287552.
- ^ Fox, Roger P (1979). Air Base Defense in the Republic of Vietnam 1961 - 1973 (PDF). Office of Air Force History. p. 40.
- OCLC 49946668. Archived from the original(PDF) on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
- ^ ISBN 9780970867100.
- ISBN 9781410222640.
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-54D-10-DC (DC-4) XV-NUG da Nang Airport (DAD)". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ISBN 978-1410224712. Archived from the original(PDF) on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ISBN 978-1555716257.
- ^ ISBN 9781494285159.
- ^ ISBN 978-1494285449.
- ^ ISBN 0160491258.
- ^ ISBN 978-1494287627.
- ^ ISBN 978-1482384123.
- ^ .
- ^ "United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam 1972-1973 Command History Volume 1" (PDF). United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. 15 July 1973. p. 44. Retrieved 25 April 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Shelling at Danang kills 27 civilians and American". The New York Times. 19 August 1972. p. 3.
- ^ ISBN 9781594035722.
- ^ ISBN 0939526166.
- ISBN 0912799285.
- .
- ISBN 9780811706964.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - ^ "Headquarters MACV Monthly Summary March 1970" (PDF). Headquarters United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. 11 July 1970. pp. 34–5. Retrieved 15 March 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force
- This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
External links