Phu Cat Air Base
Encyclopedia
Phu Cat Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force
(VPAF) (Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam) military airfield in Vietnam
. It is located 17.7 miles (28.5 km) northwest of Qui Nhon
in Binh Dinh Province
.
The base was one of four new major air bases constructed by the United States
in 1966-1967 during the Vietnam War
and it was used by the South Vietnamese Air Force (SVNAF) and the United States Air Force
during the Vietnam War
in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam.
It was seized by the Vietnam People's Army
in April 1975 and has been in use by the VPAF ever since. Along with its use as a military airfield, a regional civilian airport operates from the facility, serving Qui Nhon.
. These were replaced in the late 1980s by aircraft from the Soviet Union. Today some abandoned MiG-21 and MiG-17 airframes are on a corner of the airfield.
Although listed as an active VPAF base, recent imagery shows the parking ramp empty of aircraft and the base appears to be closed with no evidence of active use of the facility and activity.
by the RED HORSE
civil engineering
squadrons of the USAF.
On 16 February 1966, during the initial survey to locate a new air base on the coastal plains of central Vietnam, Lt Col William H. Bordner, a USAF civil engineer officer, was killed when he triggered a phosphorus mine on Hill 151, an elevation rising out of the plain a kilometer west of the future airbase site. He and a party of engineers had been transported to the hill from Qui Nhon by a helicopter of the Army's 161st Aviation Company. The main thoroughfare of the base site was named "Bordner Boulevard", and Hill 151 became unofficially known as "Bordner Hill".
The site for the new air base was selected in March and designated Base X. In April, troops of the Republic of Korea Army
's Capital ("Tiger") Division cleared the base area of Viet Cong forces. On 1 May, a Korean subcontractor of the RMK-BRJ construction consortium (Raymond International, Morrison-Knudson
; Brown and Root; J.A. Jones Construction
), arrived to build a camp for contractors and ROK security units. By 1 June, a temporary 3000-foot dirt airstrip and a few barracks were completed. Construction of roads, utilities, the airfield complex, bomb dump, and control tower continued until the northeast monsoon
temporarily halted work in September.
The RED HORSE contingent constructed a camp for the 819th CES (Heavy Repair), tasked to build the base but still training at Forbes Air Force Base
, Kansas
. A 55-man advance party from the 819th CES arrived directly from the United States on 6 August, followed by the entire squadron a month later, and began construction of all vertical structures on the base.
On 20 December 1966, concrete pouring commenced on the main runway; although several records were set for the most concrete poured in a single day in Vietnam, the runway did not open for operations until May 1967, and temporary runway remained in use until August. By October, all military personnel were living in permanent structures. During January 1967, as construction of the main runway, taxiways, barracks, and other infrastructure progressed, more Air Force personnel and units arrived.
With its opening in 1967, Phu Cat became a major operational base. The USAF forces stationed there were under the command of the Seventh Air Force
, United States Pacific Air Forces
(PACAF). Phu Cat was the location for TACAN station Channel 87 and was referenced by that identifier in voice communications during air missions. Its military mail address was APO San Francisco 96368.
was organized at Phu Cat to become the host unit. The 37th TFW received its manpower and equipment from various units transferred from the United States and elsewhere, and tactical operations did not commence until mid-April when headquarters components became operational.
Its attached squadrons were:
The 416th TFS was deployed from the 3d TFW at Bien Hoa AB
, Det 1, 612th TFS from the 35th TFW at Phan Rang. On 15 April, the 37th TFW began combat operations with strikes by 416th TFS en route from Bien Hoa Air Base
to their new home. On 8 June, Det 1., 612th TFS began operations, also after flying a mission en route from their former home at Phan Rang. By 28 February 1968, the F-100 squadrons of the 37th TFW completed 18,000 combat hours and 13,000 combat sorties without a major aircraft accident.
In the spring of 1968, these two squadrons were augmented to a total of four by two additional squadrons deployed from CONUS
:
The 174th TFS consisted of federalized Air National Guard personnel and 22 F-100C aircraft from the 185th Tactical Fighter Group
of the Iowa ANG at Sioux City MAP. The draw on assets to the 185th TFG was such that it was unable to continue operations CONUS.
The 355th TFS was a regular Air Force unit of the 354th TFW at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina
, 50% of whose personnel assets were composed of activated ANG members from the 119th TFS
(New Jersey ANG
) and 121st TFS
(D.C. ANG
). The 355th deployed TDY to Phu Cat on 14 May 1968, with 13 of its 30 pilots ANG members. The transfer became permanent on 26 June 1968, at which time all TDY members were offered the opportunity to volunteer for a full year's tour. All 13 ANG pilots volunteered, one of whom was killed in action a month later. By Christmas 1968, 87% of the squadron's support personnel were ANG members. Five of the ANG pilots also volunteered as Misty FACs. In all, air guard pilots were awarded 23 Silver Star
s, 47 Distinguished Flying Crosses
, and 46 Bronze Stars for valor while stationed at Phu Cat.
Pilots were temporarily detached from their parent units for four-month tours, flying reconnaissance, FAC, and search-and-rescue missions over Laos
and North Vietnam
using the call sign Misty. The aircraft were crewed by a pair of volunteer pilots, both of whom had to have logged at least 25 combat sorties and 1,000 flying hours before joining the programme. The back-seater carried a comprehensive set of detailed maps, a handheld 35-mm 'strike camera' (actually an SLR with a telephoto lens), and handled communications with the fighter-bombers. The front-seater found the targets and marked them, using the Misty F-100F's armament of two seven-shot white phosphorus rockets. The Misty FAC F-100Fs also flew reconnaissance and ResCAP missions, acting as on-scene controllers and co-ordinators during combat SAR missions. Missions often involved inflight refuelling and could last up to six hours, with four inflight refuelling contacts.
Misty pilots were an elite group, their number including two future USAF Chiefs of Staff (Ronald Fogleman
and Merrill McPeak) and the round-the-world record breaker, Dick Rutan
.
The mission was hazardous, and many aircraft were hit by ground fire as they orbited the target area at low level. Seven Misty FAC pilots were killed in action and four more became POWs. The Misty "Fast FACs" of Project Commando Sabre transferred from Phu Cat AB on 1 May 1969 when the F-100s were being phased out of Phu Cat in favor of F-4 Phantom IIs.
Phu Cat was notable as the testing ground for Project Safe Side, an Air Force initiative to defend its own installations by restructuring its air base defense forces. During construction, internal base security was provided by the severely understrength 37th APS, then having only 240 APs assigned and forced to augment its ranks with 100 non-security airmen from the 37th Combat Support Group and 162 from the 819th CES. The 1041st Security Police Squadron (Test), an experimental infantry-type air police unit, was deployed to Phu Cat in the first half of 1967 to increase ground defense security.
The 14th Special Operations Wing
, based at Nha Trang Air Base
, stationed three separate detachments of gunship squadrons at Phu Cat AB:
From Phu Cat, the detachments performed close and direct air support, interdiction, unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations, escort for convoy and defoliation operations, and flare drops. The 4th and 17th SOS detachments operated in-country in support of U.S. and ARVN troops in contact and for airbase defense. The 18th SOS Stingers were used in a truck-hunting role to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail
. Because their one-hour loiter time flying from Phu Cat was unacceptable, the 18th SOS was relocated to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base
after less than two months of operations.
, based at Phan Rang Air Base
, operated a detachment of UC-123
Operation Ranch Hand
aircraft at Phu Cat AB between May 1967 and December 1970 to conduct aerial herbicide spraying for vegetation defoliation. Its parent organization went by several designations while based at Phu Cat: 12th Air Commando Squadron (Defoliation), 12th Special Operations Squadron (1 August 1968); and A Flight, 310th Tactical Airlift Squadron (30 September 1970) as units were reorganized and consolidated in Southeast Asia.
During 1969, approximately 90 aircraft were assigned to Phu Cat AB. Those included the fighters of its tactical fighter squadrons, AC-47 Spooky
gunships, C-7 Caribou
airlifters, EC-47N/P electronic warfare planes, UC-123
Ranch Hand
aircraft, RF-101C
and RF-4C Phantom II
photo reconnaissance planes, and two HH-43B Pedro rescue helicopters of Detachment 13, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron
.
1969 also marked the transition from F-100 to F-4 combat aircraft at Phu Cat. In April, the 416th TFS and it's F-100s, including the Misty FACs, were transferred to Tuy Hoa Air Base
, while Det 1., 612th TFS was returned to the 35th TFW, now at Phan Rang. The Iowa ANG personnel and aircraft returned to CONUS in May. Personnel of the 355th TFS (almost entirely air guardsmen) completed their tours that same month, and replacements were assigned to Tuy Hoa, where the 355th now bedded down.
Two F-4D squadrons were transferred with personnel and aircraft from Da Nang Air Base
:
when the 12th TFW was moved without personnel or equipment from Cam Ranh Bay Air Base
on 1 April 1970, to replace the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing and its units.
Its assigned squadrons were:
On 8 October 1971, the 389th TFS flew its last scheduled combat sortie in Southeast Asia. On 15 October, the 389th TFS was deactivated in place and transferred without equipment and personnel to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
. On 26 October, the deployment of 389th TFS aircraft to Holloman AFB, New Mexico
started when the first cell of six F-4Ds departed Phu Cat AB at 0645 local time, with the second cell of six leaving 30 minutes later. Crews for the CONUS redeployment were selected from F-4 units throughout Southeast Asia, with 13 of the 24 crew members from the 12th TFW.
On 20 October, the 480th TFS flew its last combat mission, which was also the last combat sortie for 12th TFW. 480th TFS F-4Ds were also originally scheduled for redeployment to Holloman AFB, however, instead were distributed to bases throughout Southeast Asia: Clark AB, Philippines
; Ubon AB
and Udon AB
, Thailand
; Da Nang AB
; and Inspection and Repair as Necessary facilities (IRAN) at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base
Taiwan
.
The 12th TFW was inactivated in place on 17 November 1971.
361st Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron and EC-47N/P aircraft (Tail Code: AL) moved from Nha Trang to Phu Cat, operating in conjunction with Detachment 1, 6994th Security Squadron on Airborne Radio Direction Finding
(ARDF) missions. Tactical control of the 361st TEWS transferred to the 483rd TAW (see below) on 31 August 1971, and the squadron was inactivated two months later.
The 460th TRW also used Phu Cat as a forward operating location (FOL) for RF-101C Voodoo
and RF-4C Phantom
aircraft of Detachment 1, 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
, attached to the wing for photo reconnaissance of North Vietnam, from May 1967 to 31 December 1970.
The 483rd Tactical Airlift Wing
was activated on 15 October 1966 as the 483rd Troop Carrier Wing, operating six squadrons of C-7 Caribou
light transports to provide intra-theater airlift of cargo and personnel to specified organizations, including remotely-located U.S. Army Special Forces camps. Two squadrons were based at Phu Cat AB beginning 1 January 1967 and were the first flying units at the base, operating from the original 3000-foot dirt strip. The original tent maintenance area was known colloquially as "Ellisville" until August 1967, when the 483rd TAW units moved to permanent ramp space and facilities.
Operational airlift squadrons at Phu Cat were:
The 537th Troop Carrier Squadron was formed from aircraft of the former U.S. Army 17th Aviation Company at An Khe
, with a detachment remaining at that location. The 459th Troop Carrier Squadron was formed from the 92d Aviation Company at Qui Nhon, with detachments of five aircraft at Da Nang and four at Pleiku. These troop carrier units were all redesignated tactical airlift units on 1 August 1967. The 459th TAS ceased operations on 15 May 1970 as part of the U.S. drawdown of forces in Vietnam and inactivated in place on 1 June, while the 537th TAS (which used the call sign "Soul") remained until its inactivation 31 August 1971.
were activated at Phu Cat AB on 18 November 1971 to administrate services provided to the Air Force personnel remaining at the base.
The 537th TAS was inactivated at Phu Cat AB on 31 August 1971 and its C-7 aircraft were transferred to the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF). A number of former 537th TAS C-7 crews remained at Phu Cat AB after 1 September 1971 as instructors to the organizing VNAF 429th Transport Squadron (TS), activated at Phu Cat AB on 1 March 1972.
Phu Cat AB was officially turned over to the Vietnamese Air Force on 1 January 1972. A number of US Air Force instructors were relocated to Phu Cat AB to train VNAF A-37 Dragonfly
light attack units.
The 6259th ABS was inactivated in February 1973 after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords
.
aircraft were transferred in place to the newly formed SVNAF 427th Transport Squadron. As the inventory of Vietnamese Caribus increased, additional C-7 squadrons, the 492th and 431st, were formed. In March 1973, the 427th and 431st squadrons were transferred to Da Nang Air Base
.
During the 1972 NVA Easter Offensive, VNAF units at Phu Cat Air Base were effective in halting the attacks down Highway 19 from Kontum/Pleiku toward Qui Nhon. Several VNAF units in other regions shifted detachments to Phu Cat AB. Phu Cat AB VNAF units also provided support for the South Vietnamese ground counteroffensive which began in July. During another NVA offensive into Binh Dinh province in 1973, Phu Cat Air Base VNAF units responded aggressively and effectively, both in stemming the attacks and in the subsequent South Vietnamese ground counteroffensive.
By 1974, Phu Cat Air Base was under the command of the SVNAF 6th Air Division, Headquartered at Pleiku Air Base
. SVNAF units at Phu Cat included:
realized the time was right to achieve its goal of re-uniting Vietnam under communist rule, launched a series of small ground attacks to test U.S. reaction.
By 14 March, South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
decided to abandon the Central Highlands region and two northern provinces of South Vietnam and ordered a general withdrawal of ARVN forces from those areas. Instead of an orderly withdrawal, it turned into a general retreat, with masses of military and civilians fleeing, clogging roads and creating chaos.
By 6 March 1975 Route 19 between Pleiku and Qui Nhon was cut in several places by NVA forces. That forced retreating ARVN and refugees columns onto undeveloped roads leading out of the highlands. VNAF 6th Air Division planes from Phu Cat Air Base dropped supplies to the columns and provided fire support to slow the NVA advance.
During evacuation of Pleiku throughout the night of 14 March, VNAF C-130s shuttled in and out of Pleiku moving equipment and people to Phu Cat Air Base. When VNAF 6th AD commander arrived at Phu Cat Air Base from Pleiku he was designated the senior military commander for the area. Thus the base became a focal point for South Vietnamese ground and air combat operations.
VNAF troops fought as soldiers in defending the airfield at Phu Cat after ARVN soldiers pulled out. Targets struck by the A-37Bs were so close to the airfield that pilots hardly had time to get the gear up before dropping bombs. As the area became untenable, aircraft were evacuated to Bien Hoa and Phan Rang. Phu Cat Air Base and Qui Nhon fell to NVA forces on 31 March 1975.
Vietnam People's Air Force
The Vietnam People's Air Force is the air force of Vietnam. It is the successor of the former North Vietnamese Air Force and the absorbed Republic of Vietnam Air Force following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975.-Beginning-1964 :The first Vietnamese aircraft were two trainers, a de Havilland...
(VPAF) (Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam) military airfield in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. It is located 17.7 miles (28.5 km) northwest of Qui Nhon
Qui Nhon
Qui Nhơn , also Quy Nhơn, is a coastal city in Binh Dinh province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of 286 km². Quy Nhon is the capital of Bình Định province. As of 2009 its population was 280,900. Historically, the commercial activities of the city...
in Binh Dinh Province
Binh Dinh Province
Bình Định is a province of Vietnam. It is located in Vietnam's South Central Coast region.-Administration:Binh Dinh is divided into one city and 10 districts:*An Lão*An Nhơn*Hoài Ân*Hoài Nhơn*Phù Cát*Phù Mỹ*Tuy Phước*Tây Sơn*Vân Canh...
.
The base was one of four new major air bases constructed by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1966-1967 during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and it was used by the South Vietnamese Air Force (SVNAF) and the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam.
It was seized by the Vietnam People's Army
Vietnam People's Army
The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...
in April 1975 and has been in use by the VPAF ever since. Along with its use as a military airfield, a regional civilian airport operates from the facility, serving Qui Nhon.
Overview
Phu Cat Air Base is located along the coast, with the airfield located about 14 miles (22.5 km) inland. After April 1975, the Vietnam People's Air Force operated various captured SVNAF aircraft from the base, including Cessna A-37a and Bell UH-1 HueyUH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...
. These were replaced in the late 1980s by aircraft from the Soviet Union. Today some abandoned MiG-21 and MiG-17 airframes are on a corner of the airfield.
Although listed as an active VPAF base, recent imagery shows the parking ramp empty of aircraft and the base appears to be closed with no evidence of active use of the facility and activity.
History
Phu Cat Air Base was constructed in the former South VietnamSouth Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
by the RED HORSE
Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers
United States Air Force Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers units are the Service's equivalent of the USMC Combat Engineers and Navy Seabees....
civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
squadrons of the USAF.
On 16 February 1966, during the initial survey to locate a new air base on the coastal plains of central Vietnam, Lt Col William H. Bordner, a USAF civil engineer officer, was killed when he triggered a phosphorus mine on Hill 151, an elevation rising out of the plain a kilometer west of the future airbase site. He and a party of engineers had been transported to the hill from Qui Nhon by a helicopter of the Army's 161st Aviation Company. The main thoroughfare of the base site was named "Bordner Boulevard", and Hill 151 became unofficially known as "Bordner Hill".
The site for the new air base was selected in March and designated Base X. In April, troops of the Republic of Korea Army
Republic of Korea Army
The Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...
's Capital ("Tiger") Division cleared the base area of Viet Cong forces. On 1 May, a Korean subcontractor of the RMK-BRJ construction consortium (Raymond International, Morrison-Knudson
Washington Group International
Washington Group International was an American corporation which provided integrated engineering, construction and management services to businesses and governments around the world. Based in Boise, Idaho, it had approximately 25,000 employees working in over 40 states and more than 30 countries...
; Brown and Root; J.A. Jones Construction
J.A. Jones Construction
J.A. Jones Construction was a heavy construction company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Operating internationally since the 1950s, it merged with Germany's Philipp Holzmann AG in 1979....
), arrived to build a camp for contractors and ROK security units. By 1 June, a temporary 3000-foot dirt airstrip and a few barracks were completed. Construction of roads, utilities, the airfield complex, bomb dump, and control tower continued until the northeast monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
temporarily halted work in September.
The RED HORSE contingent constructed a camp for the 819th CES (Heavy Repair), tasked to build the base but still training at Forbes Air Force Base
Forbes Air Force Base
Forbes Field, previously Forbes Air Force Base, is a joint-use civil-military airport operated by the Topeka Airport Authority located approximately south of Topeka, Kansas....
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. A 55-man advance party from the 819th CES arrived directly from the United States on 6 August, followed by the entire squadron a month later, and began construction of all vertical structures on the base.
On 20 December 1966, concrete pouring commenced on the main runway; although several records were set for the most concrete poured in a single day in Vietnam, the runway did not open for operations until May 1967, and temporary runway remained in use until August. By October, all military personnel were living in permanent structures. During January 1967, as construction of the main runway, taxiways, barracks, and other infrastructure progressed, more Air Force personnel and units arrived.
With its opening in 1967, Phu Cat became a major operational base. The USAF forces stationed there were under the command of the Seventh Air Force
Seventh Air Force
The Seventh Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea....
, United States Pacific Air Forces
United States Pacific Air Forces
Pacific Air Forces is a Major Command of the United States Air Force. PACAF is also the air component of the United States Pacific Command . PACAF is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base Hawaii. It is one of two USAF Major Commands assigned outside of the Continental United States, the other...
(PACAF). Phu Cat was the location for TACAN station Channel 87 and was referenced by that identifier in voice communications during air missions. Its military mail address was APO San Francisco 96368.
37th Tactical Fighter Wing
On 1 March 1967, the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing37th Training Wing
The 37th Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.The 37th TRW provides basic military, professional and technical skills, and English language training for the Air Force, other military services, government agencies, and...
was organized at Phu Cat to become the host unit. The 37th TFW received its manpower and equipment from various units transferred from the United States and elsewhere, and tactical operations did not commence until mid-April when headquarters components became operational.
Its attached squadrons were:
- 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 15 April 1967 - 27 May 1969 (F-100D/F Tail Code: HE)
- Det 1, 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron612th Tactical Fighter SquadronThe 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, stationed at Torrejon Air Base, Spain. It was inactivated on 1 October 1991.-History:...
: 8 June 1967 - 13 April 1969 (F-100D/F Tail Code: HS)
The 416th TFS was deployed from the 3d TFW at Bien Hoa AB
Bien Hoa Air Base
Bien Hoa Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about 20 miles from Saigon near the city of Bien Hoa within Dong Nai Province....
, Det 1, 612th TFS from the 35th TFW at Phan Rang. On 15 April, the 37th TFW began combat operations with strikes by 416th TFS en route from Bien Hoa Air Base
Bien Hoa Air Base
Bien Hoa Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about 20 miles from Saigon near the city of Bien Hoa within Dong Nai Province....
to their new home. On 8 June, Det 1., 612th TFS began operations, also after flying a mission en route from their former home at Phan Rang. By 28 February 1968, the F-100 squadrons of the 37th TFW completed 18,000 combat hours and 13,000 combat sorties without a major aircraft accident.
In the spring of 1968, these two squadrons were augmented to a total of four by two additional squadrons deployed from CONUS
Contiguous United States
The contiguous United States are the 48 U.S. states on the continent of North America that are south of Canada and north of Mexico, plus the District of Columbia....
:
- 174th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 14 May 1968 - 11 May 1969 (Iowa Air National GuardIowa Air National GuardThe Iowa Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Iowa. It is, along with the Iowa Army National Guard, an element of the Iowa National Guard.-Units:The Iowa Air National Guard consists of the following units:...
) (F-100C Tail Code: HA) - 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 3 February 1968 - 15 May 1969 (F-100D/F Tail Code: HP)
185th Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 185th Air Refueling Wing is a unit located at Sioux Gateway Airport, Iowa, which is located just west of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.-Mission:...
of the Iowa ANG at Sioux City MAP. The draw on assets to the 185th TFG was such that it was unable to continue operations CONUS.
The 355th TFS was a regular Air Force unit of the 354th TFW at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 50% of whose personnel assets were composed of activated ANG members from the 119th TFS
119th Fighter Squadron
The 119th Fighter Squadron flies the F-16C Fighting Falcon. It is a unit of the New Jersey Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 177th Fighter Wing. The commander of the squadron is Lt. Col...
(New Jersey ANG
New Jersey Air National Guard
The New Jersey Air National Guard consists of almost 2300 Guardsmen from New Jersey.The New Jersey Air National Guard is governed through the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs....
) and 121st TFS
121st Fighter Squadron
The 121st Fighter Squadron flies the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon. It is a unit of the District of Columbia Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 113th Wing.-Mission:...
(D.C. ANG
District of Columbia Air National Guard
The District of Columbia Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. federal district of Washington, D.C. It is, along with the District of Columbia Army National Guard, an element of the District of Columbia National Guard.-Mission:...
). The 355th deployed TDY to Phu Cat on 14 May 1968, with 13 of its 30 pilots ANG members. The transfer became permanent on 26 June 1968, at which time all TDY members were offered the opportunity to volunteer for a full year's tour. All 13 ANG pilots volunteered, one of whom was killed in action a month later. By Christmas 1968, 87% of the squadron's support personnel were ANG members. Five of the ANG pilots also volunteered as Misty FACs. In all, air guard pilots were awarded 23 Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
s, 47 Distinguished Flying Crosses
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
, and 46 Bronze Stars for valor while stationed at Phu Cat.
"Misty" Forward Air Controllers
The wing gained forward air controller on 25 June 1967, under the classified project Commando Sabre. The use of airborne forward air controllers (FACs) to direct and correct the efforts of tactical aircraft close air support aircraft had proved invaluable in Vietnam, although their piston-engined 0-2 Skymasers were slow and vulnerable, The obvious solution was to put a FAC in the back seat of two-seat F-100F aircraft, and in 1967 the Commando Sabre programme was instituted to do just that.Pilots were temporarily detached from their parent units for four-month tours, flying reconnaissance, FAC, and search-and-rescue missions over Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
and North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
using the call sign Misty. The aircraft were crewed by a pair of volunteer pilots, both of whom had to have logged at least 25 combat sorties and 1,000 flying hours before joining the programme. The back-seater carried a comprehensive set of detailed maps, a handheld 35-mm 'strike camera' (actually an SLR with a telephoto lens), and handled communications with the fighter-bombers. The front-seater found the targets and marked them, using the Misty F-100F's armament of two seven-shot white phosphorus rockets. The Misty FAC F-100Fs also flew reconnaissance and ResCAP missions, acting as on-scene controllers and co-ordinators during combat SAR missions. Missions often involved inflight refuelling and could last up to six hours, with four inflight refuelling contacts.
Misty pilots were an elite group, their number including two future USAF Chiefs of Staff (Ronald Fogleman
Ronald Fogleman
Ronald Robert Fogleman is a retired General in the United States Air Force who served the 15th Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 1994 to 1997, and before that, from 1992 to 1994 as Commander-in-Chief of the United States Transportation Command.-Air Force career:A 1963 graduate from the United...
and Merrill McPeak) and the round-the-world record breaker, Dick Rutan
Dick Rutan
Richard Glenn "Dick" Rutan is an aviator who piloted the Voyager aircraft around the world non-stop with co-pilot Jeana Yeager...
.
The mission was hazardous, and many aircraft were hit by ground fire as they orbited the target area at low level. Seven Misty FAC pilots were killed in action and four more became POWs. The Misty "Fast FACs" of Project Commando Sabre transferred from Phu Cat AB on 1 May 1969 when the F-100s were being phased out of Phu Cat in favor of F-4 Phantom IIs.
Security Forces
- see: Phu Cat Air Base Security ForcesPhu Cat Air Base Security ForcesPhu Cat Air Base Security Forces of the United States Air Force were Air Police and Security Police squadrons responsible for the air base ground defense of Phu Cat Air Base in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War....
Phu Cat was notable as the testing ground for Project Safe Side, an Air Force initiative to defend its own installations by restructuring its air base defense forces. During construction, internal base security was provided by the severely understrength 37th APS, then having only 240 APs assigned and forced to augment its ranks with 100 non-security airmen from the 37th Combat Support Group and 162 from the 819th CES. The 1041st Security Police Squadron (Test), an experimental infantry-type air police unit, was deployed to Phu Cat in the first half of 1967 to increase ground defense security.
14th Special Operations Wing
14th Flying Training Wing
The 14th Flying Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.-Mission:...
, based at Nha Trang Air Base
Nha Trang Air Base
Nha Trang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located northwest of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province....
, stationed three separate detachments of gunship squadrons at Phu Cat AB:
- C Flight, 4th Special Operations Squadron4th Special Operations SquadronThe 4th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates AC-130U Spooky aircraft providing special operations capability.-Mission:...
(AC-47 SpookyAC-47 SpookyThe Douglas AC-47 Spooky was the first in a series of gunships developed by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War...
, Tail Code EN) from April 1967 to November 1969; - B Flight, 18th Special Operations Squadron (AC-119K StingerFairchild AC-119|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Hobson, Chris. "Vietnam Air Losses, USAF/USN/USMC, Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973." North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2001. ISBN 1-85780-1156....
) from 31 December 1969 to 1 March 1970; and - A Flight, 17th Special Operations Squadron17th Special Operations SquadronThe 17th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 353d Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It operates MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft providing special operations capability...
(AC-119G ShadowFairchild AC-119|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Hobson, Chris. "Vietnam Air Losses, USAF/USN/USMC, Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973." North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2001. ISBN 1-85780-1156....
) from 12 April to 29 December 1970.
From Phu Cat, the detachments performed close and direct air support, interdiction, unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations, escort for convoy and defoliation operations, and flare drops. The 4th and 17th SOS detachments operated in-country in support of U.S. and ARVN troops in contact and for airbase defense. The 18th SOS Stingers were used in a truck-hunting role to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Ho Chi Minh trail
The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam through the neighboring kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia...
. Because their one-hour loiter time flying from Phu Cat was unacceptable, the 18th SOS was relocated to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base
Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base
Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force base, the home of 2nd Air Division/23rd Wing Air Combat Command.The 231 Squadron "Hunter" is assigned to Udorn, equipped with the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet-A.-History:...
after less than two months of operations.
315th Tactical Airlift Wing
The 315th Tactical Airlift Wing315th Airlift Wing
The 315th Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force Reserve. It is stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, in the City of North Charleston, South Carolina...
, based at Phan Rang Air Base
Phan Rang Air Base
Phan Rang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located north-northwest of Phan Rang-Thap Cham in Ninh Thuan Province....
, operated a detachment of UC-123
C-123 Provider
The C-123 Provider was an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force...
Operation Ranch Hand
Operation Ranch Hand
Operation Ranch Hand was a U.S. Military operation during the Vietnam War, lasting from 1962 until 1971. It was part of the overall herbicidal warfare program during the war called "Operation Trail Dust"...
aircraft at Phu Cat AB between May 1967 and December 1970 to conduct aerial herbicide spraying for vegetation defoliation. Its parent organization went by several designations while based at Phu Cat: 12th Air Commando Squadron (Defoliation), 12th Special Operations Squadron (1 August 1968); and A Flight, 310th Tactical Airlift Squadron (30 September 1970) as units were reorganized and consolidated in Southeast Asia.
F-4 Phantom II
AC-47 Spooky
The Douglas AC-47 Spooky was the first in a series of gunships developed by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War...
gunships, C-7 Caribou
De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou
The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou is a Canadian-designed and produced specialized cargo aircraft with short takeoff and landing capability...
airlifters, EC-47N/P electronic warfare planes, UC-123
C-123 Provider
The C-123 Provider was an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force...
Ranch Hand
Operation Ranch Hand
Operation Ranch Hand was a U.S. Military operation during the Vietnam War, lasting from 1962 until 1971. It was part of the overall herbicidal warfare program during the war called "Operation Trail Dust"...
aircraft, RF-101C
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
and RF-4C Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
photo reconnaissance planes, and two HH-43B Pedro rescue helicopters of Detachment 13, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron
38th Rescue Squadron
The 38th Rescue Squadron is part of the 347th Rescue Group at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It operates various fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft conducting search and rescue missions.-Mission:...
.
1969 also marked the transition from F-100 to F-4 combat aircraft at Phu Cat. In April, the 416th TFS and it's F-100s, including the Misty FACs, were transferred to Tuy Hoa Air Base
Tuy Hoa Air Base
Tuy Hoa Air Base is a former air force base in Vietnam, being closed in 1970. It was built by the United States between 1965-1966 and was used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam. It was seized by the Vietnam People's Army in April...
, while Det 1., 612th TFS was returned to the 35th TFW, now at Phan Rang. The Iowa ANG personnel and aircraft returned to CONUS in May. Personnel of the 355th TFS (almost entirely air guardsmen) completed their tours that same month, and replacements were assigned to Tuy Hoa, where the 355th now bedded down.
Two F-4D squadrons were transferred with personnel and aircraft from Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
:
- 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 15 June 1969 - 31 March 1970 (F-4D Tail Code: HB)
- 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 15 April 1969 - 31 March 1970 (F-4D Tail Code: HK)
12th Tactical Fighter Wing
Continued drawdown of United States forces from Vietnam resulted in the inactivation of 37th TFW at Phu Cat AB on 31 March 1970. The wing assets remained and were re-designated as the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing12th Flying Training Wing
The 12th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas...
when the 12th TFW was moved without personnel or equipment from Cam Ranh Bay Air Base
Cam Ranh Air Base
Cam Ranh Air Base is located on Cam Ranh Bay in the province of Khanh Hoa, Vietnam. It was one of several South Vietnamese Air Force air bases built and used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War...
on 1 April 1970, to replace the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing and its units.
Its assigned squadrons were:
- 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 31 March 1970 - 15 October 1971 (F-4D Tail Code: HB)
- 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 31 March 1970 - 17 November 1971 (F-4D Tail Code: HK)
On 8 October 1971, the 389th TFS flew its last scheduled combat sortie in Southeast Asia. On 15 October, the 389th TFS was deactivated in place and transferred without equipment and personnel to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. On 26 October, the deployment of 389th TFS aircraft to Holloman AFB, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
started when the first cell of six F-4Ds departed Phu Cat AB at 0645 local time, with the second cell of six leaving 30 minutes later. Crews for the CONUS redeployment were selected from F-4 units throughout Southeast Asia, with 13 of the 24 crew members from the 12th TFW.
On 20 October, the 480th TFS flew its last combat mission, which was also the last combat sortie for 12th TFW. 480th TFS F-4Ds were also originally scheduled for redeployment to Holloman AFB, however, instead were distributed to bases throughout Southeast Asia: Clark AB, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
; Ubon AB
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility and is the home of Wing 21 of the RTAF 2nd Air Division. It is located in East-Central Thailand, near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in the Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is approximately 305 miles North-East of Bangkok...
and Udon AB
Udon Thani International Airport
Udonthani International Airport is an airport located near the city of Udon Thani in Udon Thani Province in the northeast region of Thailand. It is approximately 280 miles northeast of Bangkok...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
; Da Nang AB
Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
; and Inspection and Repair as Necessary facilities (IRAN) at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base is a Republic Of China Air Force base located on Taiwan. It is the home to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, with three squadrons of Ching-kou air-defense /attack fighters...
Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
The 12th TFW was inactivated in place on 17 November 1971.
460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
On 10 September 1969, the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing's460th Space Wing
The 460th Space Wing is located at Buckley Air Force Base, east of Aurora, Colorado. Since the 460th was redesignated on 1 October 2004, the wing has delivered global infrared surveillance, provided worldwide missile warning and tracking for homeland defense purposes, and provided expeditionary...
361st Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron and EC-47N/P aircraft (Tail Code: AL) moved from Nha Trang to Phu Cat, operating in conjunction with Detachment 1, 6994th Security Squadron on Airborne Radio Direction Finding
Radio direction finder
A radio direction finder is a device for finding the direction to a radio source. Due to low frequency propagation characteristic to travel very long distances and "over the horizon", it makes a particularly good navigation system for ships, small boats, and aircraft that might be some distance...
(ARDF) missions. Tactical control of the 361st TEWS transferred to the 483rd TAW (see below) on 31 August 1971, and the squadron was inactivated two months later.
The 460th TRW also used Phu Cat as a forward operating location (FOL) for RF-101C Voodoo
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
and RF-4C Phantom
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
aircraft of Detachment 1, 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
45th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 45th Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 55th Operations Group and stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.-Overview:...
, attached to the wing for photo reconnaissance of North Vietnam, from May 1967 to 31 December 1970.
483rd Tactical Airlift Wing
483d Composite Wing
The 483d Composite Wing was a tactical airlift and composite wing assigned to Pacific Air Forces during the Vietnam War. It was the host organization at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base South Vietnam from 1970–1972....
was activated on 15 October 1966 as the 483rd Troop Carrier Wing, operating six squadrons of C-7 Caribou
De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou
The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou is a Canadian-designed and produced specialized cargo aircraft with short takeoff and landing capability...
light transports to provide intra-theater airlift of cargo and personnel to specified organizations, including remotely-located U.S. Army Special Forces camps. Two squadrons were based at Phu Cat AB beginning 1 January 1967 and were the first flying units at the base, operating from the original 3000-foot dirt strip. The original tent maintenance area was known colloquially as "Ellisville" until August 1967, when the 483rd TAW units moved to permanent ramp space and facilities.
Operational airlift squadrons at Phu Cat were:
- 459th Tactical Airlift Squadron (Tail Code: KE)
- 537th Tactical Airlift Squadron (Tail Code: KN)
The 537th Troop Carrier Squadron was formed from aircraft of the former U.S. Army 17th Aviation Company at An Khe
An Khe
"An Khe" is the 102nd The West Wing episode and 14th of the fifth season. It originally aired on NBC February 18, 2004. Events circle around the rescue of five US pilots shot down over North Korea. Written by John Wells and directed by Alex Graves, the episode contains guest appearances by Philip...
, with a detachment remaining at that location. The 459th Troop Carrier Squadron was formed from the 92d Aviation Company at Qui Nhon, with detachments of five aircraft at Da Nang and four at Pleiku. These troop carrier units were all redesignated tactical airlift units on 1 August 1967. The 459th TAS ceased operations on 15 May 1970 as part of the U.S. drawdown of forces in Vietnam and inactivated in place on 1 June, while the 537th TAS (which used the call sign "Soul") remained until its inactivation 31 August 1971.
USAF Inactivation
With the inactivation of the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, the 6259th Air Base Squadron and 6259th USAF DispensaryClinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
were activated at Phu Cat AB on 18 November 1971 to administrate services provided to the Air Force personnel remaining at the base.
The 537th TAS was inactivated at Phu Cat AB on 31 August 1971 and its C-7 aircraft were transferred to the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF). A number of former 537th TAS C-7 crews remained at Phu Cat AB after 1 September 1971 as instructors to the organizing VNAF 429th Transport Squadron (TS), activated at Phu Cat AB on 1 March 1972.
Phu Cat AB was officially turned over to the Vietnamese Air Force on 1 January 1972. A number of US Air Force instructors were relocated to Phu Cat AB to train VNAF A-37 Dragonfly
A-37 Dragonfly
The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is a United States light attack aircraft developed from the T-37 Tweet basic trainer in the 1960s and 1970s...
light attack units.
The 6259th ABS was inactivated in February 1973 after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords
Paris Peace Accords
The Paris Peace Accords of 1973 intended to establish peace in Vietnam and an end to the Vietnam War, ended direct U.S. military involvement, and temporarily stopped the fighting between North and South Vietnam...
.
VNAF use of Phu Cat Air Base
When the Vietnamization program ended USAF control of the base in 1971, Phu Cat was turned over to the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) on 1 January 1972. As part of the transfer of the base, the remaining USAF C-7 CaribouDe Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou
The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou is a Canadian-designed and produced specialized cargo aircraft with short takeoff and landing capability...
aircraft were transferred in place to the newly formed SVNAF 427th Transport Squadron. As the inventory of Vietnamese Caribus increased, additional C-7 squadrons, the 492th and 431st, were formed. In March 1973, the 427th and 431st squadrons were transferred to Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
.
During the 1972 NVA Easter Offensive, VNAF units at Phu Cat Air Base were effective in halting the attacks down Highway 19 from Kontum/Pleiku toward Qui Nhon. Several VNAF units in other regions shifted detachments to Phu Cat AB. Phu Cat AB VNAF units also provided support for the South Vietnamese ground counteroffensive which began in July. During another NVA offensive into Binh Dinh province in 1973, Phu Cat Air Base VNAF units responded aggressively and effectively, both in stemming the attacks and in the subsequent South Vietnamese ground counteroffensive.
By 1974, Phu Cat Air Base was under the command of the SVNAF 6th Air Division, Headquartered at Pleiku Air Base
Pleiku Air Base
Pleiku Air Base is a former air force base in Vietnam. It was established by the South Vietnamese Air Force in 1962 at an undeveloped airstrip, and was used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam. It was seized by the Vietnam People's...
. SVNAF units at Phu Cat included:
- 82d Tactical Wing
- 532d Fighter Squadron A-37
- 241st Helicopter Squadron CH-47A
- 243d Helicopter Squadron UH-1
- Det A 259th Helicopter Squadron Bell UH-1H (MEDEVACMEDEVACMedical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
) - 429th Transportation Squadron C-7
Capture of Phu Cat Air Base
In early 1975 North VietnamNorth Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
realized the time was right to achieve its goal of re-uniting Vietnam under communist rule, launched a series of small ground attacks to test U.S. reaction.
By 14 March, South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
Nguyen Van Thieu
Nguyễn Văn Thiệu was president of South Vietnam from 1965 to 1975. He was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam , became head of a military junta, and then president after winning a fraudulent election...
decided to abandon the Central Highlands region and two northern provinces of South Vietnam and ordered a general withdrawal of ARVN forces from those areas. Instead of an orderly withdrawal, it turned into a general retreat, with masses of military and civilians fleeing, clogging roads and creating chaos.
By 6 March 1975 Route 19 between Pleiku and Qui Nhon was cut in several places by NVA forces. That forced retreating ARVN and refugees columns onto undeveloped roads leading out of the highlands. VNAF 6th Air Division planes from Phu Cat Air Base dropped supplies to the columns and provided fire support to slow the NVA advance.
During evacuation of Pleiku throughout the night of 14 March, VNAF C-130s shuttled in and out of Pleiku moving equipment and people to Phu Cat Air Base. When VNAF 6th AD commander arrived at Phu Cat Air Base from Pleiku he was designated the senior military commander for the area. Thus the base became a focal point for South Vietnamese ground and air combat operations.
VNAF troops fought as soldiers in defending the airfield at Phu Cat after ARVN soldiers pulled out. Targets struck by the A-37Bs were so close to the airfield that pilots hardly had time to get the gear up before dropping bombs. As the area became untenable, aircraft were evacuated to Bien Hoa and Phan Rang. Phu Cat Air Base and Qui Nhon fell to NVA forces on 31 March 1975.
Post 1975 VPAF use
With its capture, Phu Cat Air Base became a Vietnam People's Air Force base. It is unclear what extent the former USAF facilities were used, although aerial imagery shows that a large amount of the station was torn down over the years, the large base simply being too big for the VPAF. Many former streets remain transversing what is now brush and other vegetation where the base buildings once stood. A few of the hangars remain standing, others have been torn down. The large aircraft parking ramp and all of the concrete aircraft shelters remain, although the shelters appear to have been left unused. Steel and sand revetments also remain on the ramp. A new structure, apparently the civil airport terminal has been constructed along with a car parking lot is located on one end of the ramp.See also
- Republic of Vietnam Air ForceVietnam Air ForceThe Vietnam Air Force began with a few hand-picked men chosen to fly alongside French pilots during the State of Vietnam era. It eventually grew into the world’s sixth largest air force at the height of its power, in 1974...
- United States Air Force In South VietnamUnited States Air Force In South VietnamWhat began as a military aid program by the United States in 1950 to assist the French in subduing communist rebels in French Indochina, became, by 1965 an all-out war between South Vietnam and North Vietnam in which the United States was deeply involved...
- United States Pacific Air ForcesUnited States Pacific Air ForcesPacific Air Forces is a Major Command of the United States Air Force. PACAF is also the air component of the United States Pacific Command . PACAF is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base Hawaii. It is one of two USAF Major Commands assigned outside of the Continental United States, the other...
- Seventh Air ForceSeventh Air ForceThe Seventh Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea....