Phan Rang Air Base is a
Vietnam People's Air ForceThe 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
VietnamVietnam – 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 5.2 miles (8.4 km) north-northwest of
Phan Rang-Thap ChamPhan Rang-Tháp Chàm, also called Panduranga, is a new city in Vietnam and the capital of Ninh Thuan province. The community has a population of 161,000 , of which 91,000 live in the main city....
in
Ninh Thuan ProvinceNinh Thuận is a province in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam .-History:The Cham principality of Panduranga had its center in Ninh Thuan Province, but also included much of what is now Binh Thuan Province. Panduranga became the political centre of Champa after the fall of Vijaya in 1471...
.
Initially built by the
Imperial Japanese Army-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
about 1942, the airfield was also used by the
French Air ForceThe French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
( (ALA) during the
First Indochina WarThe First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
then abandoned in 1954. The
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rebuilt the airfield in 1965 and it was used by the South Vietnamese Air Force (SVNAF) and the
United States Air ForceThe 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 WarThe 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 ArmyThe 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.
Overview
Phan Rang Air Base is located along the coast, with the airfield located about 3 miles (4.8 km) inland. The station facilities are located near the base of rugged jungle-clad mountains to the west. Near the entrance to the base are ruins of a Cham temple, reportedly built in the 12th Century.
After April 1975, the VPAF operated various captured SVNAF Cessna A-37a and
Bell UH-1 HueyThe 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...
helicopters at the base until about 1998. They were replaced by Russian
Sukhoi Su-30MK2VThe Sukhoi Su-30 is a twin-engine, two-seat military aircraft developed by Russia's Sukhoi Aviation Corporation. It is a multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions.The Su-30 started out as an internal development project in the Sukhoi Su-27 family...
s, a variant of the Su-30MK2 tailored to VPAF requirements. Additionally, 12 earlier models
Sukhoi Su-27SKThe Sukhoi Su-27 is a twin-engine supermanoeuverable fighter aircraft designed by Sukhoi. It was intended as a direct competitor for the large United States fourth generation fighters, with range, heavy armament, sophisticated avionics and high manoeuvrability...
and 3 Su-27UBK were in the VPAF service at Phan Rang.
The base may be closed as it is no longer listed as an active base by the VPAF, and aerial imagery shows the facility to be devoid of aircraft and activity.
History
The airfield at Phan Rang was used by the
JapaneseThe , was the land-based aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army. As with the IJA itself, the IJAAF was developed along the lines of Imperial German Army Aviation so its primary mission was to provide tactical close air support for ground troops while maintaining a limited air interdiction...
during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the late 1940s and early 1950s the
French Air ForceThe French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
used the same 3,500-foot runway, and abandoned the facility when French control over Indochina ended in 1954. To accommodate the expanding war in South Vietnam in 1965, the United States moved engineering and construction equipment to the abandoned French Colonial airfield located near Phan Rang in 1965.
Phan Rang Air Base was quickly expanded in 1965 to accommodate both United States and South Vietnamese Air Force fighter and helicopter units. The modernized airfield consisted of two 10,000-foot runways 04L/22R concrete and 04R/22L AM-2 planking with parallel taxiways and covered and open aircraft revetments along with several ramps and parking aprons on both sides of the runways. They were constructed with asphalt and AM-2 pierced steel aprons. In addition, a large support base was constructed with a large control tower, fire rescue units, maintenance facilities, supply warehouses, munitions storage, barracks and a wide variety of support buildings including service clubs and recreation facilities. The APO for Phan Rang Air Base was APO San Francisco, 96321
USAF Use During The Vietnam War
The USAF forces stationed there were under the command of the
United 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...
(PACAF)
Seventh 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....
. In addition, the
United States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, and Marine Corps had aviation and other support units stationed at Phan Rang.
366th Tactical Fighter Wing
The
366th Tactical Fighter Wing was the first permanent USAF organization to be stationed at Phan Rang Air Base, arriving on 20 March 1966 from
Holloman Air Force BaseHolloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
New MexicoNew 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...
. The wing was composed of a mixture of
F-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
and F-4C Phantom II squadrons, deployed from several
Tactical Air CommandTactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
wings:
- 352d Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 352d Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force fighter squadron. Its last assignment was with the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, being stationed at Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam. It was inactivated on July 31, 1971....
, F-100D/F, deployed from the 354th TFW (Tail Code: VM)
- 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron, F-4C, component of the 366th TFW
- 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 401st Operations Group, stationed at Torrejon Air Base, Spain. It was inactivated on 1 January 1992-History:...
, F-100D/F, deployed from the 401st TFW (Tail Code: VP)
- 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, stationed at Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam. It was inactivated on 15 July 1971-History:...
, F-100D/F, deployed from the 401st TFW (Tail Code: VZ)
On 10 October 1966, the F-100-equipped
612th 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:...
was activated at Phan Rang, composed of former
Colorado Air National GuardThe Colorado Air National Guard is based at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora. The COANG was founded June 27, 1923 and consisted of the 120th Aero Observation Squadron as a part of the Colorado Army National Guard...
aircraft which had deployed to Japan and were sent as additional aircraft to Vietnam when their deployment ended. Logistical difficulties in supporting both F-100 and F-4 aircraft at the same base led to the decision to move the 389th TFS to
Da Nang Air BaseDa 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...
, where F-4Cs were already stationed, and to make Phan Rang an all F-100 base.
Missions flown by the 366th TFW consisted generally of two types—MiG-CAP patrols to protect strike aircraft from attack by marauding
North VietnamThe 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...
ese fighters and fighter-bomber strikes carried out with iron bombs against ground targets. The MiG patrols and attacks in North Vietnam were taken over by the F-4s and F-105s based in
ThailandThailand , 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...
, which could carry a larger bomb load further and faster. In addition, the F-105 was built to take the extreme structural loads of low-level, high-speed flight, whereas the F-100 was not. Consequently the F-100D fighter bombers generally operated only in
South VietnamSouth 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...
where the F-100 turned out to be a very effective ground support aircraft, and beat back many enemy attacks.
As former 366th TFW squadrons were at
Da Nang Air BaseDa 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...
(390th, 480th) already, it was decided to perform a name-only reassignment and move the 366th TFW to Da Nang as the host unit there, and reassign the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing which was assigned to Da Nang to Phan Rang to become the host unit. This realignment was effective on 1 October 1966 in an administrative change, with no personnel reassignments. The move made the 366th an entirely F-4 Wing at Da Nang, leaving Phan Rang to be an F-100 base.
35th Tactical Fighter Wing
The
35th Tactical Fighter Wing took over as the host unit at Phan Rang on October 10, 1966, being transferred from
Da Nang Air BaseDa 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...
. The move from Da Nang made the 35th TFW an entirely F-100 wing. The 35th sustained continuous air operations there until they moved from Vietnam, together with the RAAF's No. 2 Squadron of Canberra bombers as at the end of May 1971. Units assigned to the 35th TFW upon transfer to Phan Rang were:
- 352d Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 352d Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force fighter squadron. Its last assignment was with the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, being stationed at Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam. It was inactivated on July 31, 1971....
: October 10, 1966 – July 31, 1971 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VM)
- 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 401st Operations Group, stationed at Torrejon Air Base, Spain. It was inactivated on 1 January 1992-History:...
: October 10, 1966 – July 31, 1971 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VP)
- 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, stationed at Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam. It was inactivated on 15 July 1971-History:...
: October 10, 1966 – July 31, 1971 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VZ)
- 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 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:...
: October 10, 1966 – January 8, 1967 and April 14, 1969 – March 15, 1971 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VS)
- 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron: April 30, 1968 – April 18, 1969 (F-100C/F Tail Code: VS) (TDY Deployed from the Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
Air National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
)
The 352d TFS was deployed from the 354th TFW at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina; the 614th and 615th TFS were deployed from the 401 TFW at
England Air Force BaseEngland Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located Northwest of Alexandria and about Northwest of New Orleans....
, Louisiana. Another attached component, actually a de facto squadron, was the
F-100The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
-equipped 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron. When the 612th deployed to Japan, the 120 TFS deployed from the
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
Air National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
in April 1968, remaining until April 1969. With its Air National Guard personnel returning to the United States, the squadron was re-designated the 612th TFS.
Missions included air support of ground forces, interdiction, visual and armed reconnaissance, strike assessment photography, escort, close and direct air support, and rapid reaction alert. It struck enemy bases and supply caches in Parrot's Beak just inside the
CambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n border, April–May 1970 and provided close air support and interdiction in support of South Vietnamese operations in
LaosLaos 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 Cambodia, January–June 1971.
B-57 Tactical Bombers
In October 1966, combat attrition in the B-57 force plus the increasing availability of higher performance fighters to carry out the air war against North Vietnam caused the 8th and 13th Bombardment Squadrons to be withdrawn from operations against the North at Da Nang Air Base and relocated to Phan Rang. At Phan Rang, the squadrons ended their rotational TDY's from Clark AB, Philippines and were assigned permanently to the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing.
From their new base, the Canberras carried out attacks against Communist forces in the Central Highlands and supported US ground troops in the so-called "Iron Triangle". In April 1967, the USAF Canberras were joined by the Canberra B.20s of No 2 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force.
While there, the B-57s operated alongside the Canberra B.20s of No 2 Squadron of the
Royal Australian Air ForceThe Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
.
- 8th Tactical Bombardment Squadron: October 12, 1966 – 15 November 1969 (B-57B/C/E Tail Code: PQ)
- 13th Tactical Bombardment Squadron: October 12, 1966 – January 15, 1968 (B-57B/C/E Tail Code: PV)
- 2 Squadron
No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. From its formation in 1916, it has operated a variety of aircraft types including fighters, bombers, and Airborne Early Warning & Control.-World War I:No...
, Royal Australian Air ForceThe Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
: April 19, 1967 – June 4, 1971 (Canberra B.20)
Late in 1967, three of the 13th Bomb Squadron's B-57Bs (52-1518, 52-1580, and 52-3860) were experimentally fitted with a low light level television system carried in a pod underneath the port wing. Operational trials with this equipment took place between December 1967 and August 1968, mostly over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The results of the trials were sufficiently encouraging that the USAF awarded a contract to Martin and Westinghouse to modify 16 B-57Bs as night intruders under the designation B-57G. In January 1968, the 13th Bomb Squadron was inactivated and its B-57s were returned to the United States for modification as B-57G night intruders for use in Vietnam under a project known as Tropic Moon.
The squadron was reactivated and deployed to Ubon RTAFB, Thailand with eleven B-57Gs in September 1970. The 8th BS was left in permanent residence at Phan Rang. The main emphasis was again on night interdictions against the
Ho Chi Minh TrailThe 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...
. By November 1969, the 8th BS's strength was down to only 9 aircraft, and it was decided that it was time to retire the B-57B from active service. The surviving aircraft were sent back to the United States in September and October and put into storage at Davis Monthan AFB. The 8th was moved to Bien Hoa AB and re-designed as the
8th Attack Squadron and re-equipped with the Cessna A-37B Dragonfly and given a counter-insurgency (COIN) mission.
The Australian Canberras continued operations from Phan Rang AB until they were withdrawn in 1971 and returned to
RAAF Base AmberleyRAAF Base Amberley is a Royal Australian Air Force base located southwest of Ipswich, Queensland and southwest of Brisbane. It is currently home to No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron , No. 33 Squadron and No. 36 Squadron...
, west of Brisbane, Queensland.
315th Air Commando Wing
The
315th Air Commando Wing (Troop Carrier)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...
moved to Phan Rang from
Tan Son Nhut Air BaseTan Son Nhut Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. It is located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
on June 15, 1967 and became a tenant unit supported by the 35th Combat Support Group. Initially designated as the
315th Air Commando Wing, it was redesignated the
315th Special Operations Wing on August 1, 1968. Squadrons assigned were:
- 12th Special Operations Squadron: June 15, 1967 – September 30, 1970 C-123B/K)
- 19th Special Operations Squadron
The 19th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It conducts crew training for AC-130 and MC-130 aircraft.-World War II:...
: June 15, 1967 – June 30, 1971 (C-123B/K Tail Code: WE)
- 309th Special Operations Squadron: June 15, 1967 – July 31, 1970 (C-123B/K Tail Code: WH)
- 310th Special Operations Squadron: June 15, 1967 – January 15, 1972 (C-123B/K Tail Code: WM)
- 311th Special Operations Squadron: June 15, 1967 – October 15, 1971 (C-123B/K Tail Code: WV)
The 315th flew the C-123K variant of the Provider, modified with the addition of two J85 jet engines. These jet engines increased the C-123B's payload weight by a third, shortened its takeoff distance, improved its climb rate, and gave a much greater margin of safety should one of the piston engines fail.
Operations included aerial movement of troops and cargo, flare drops, aeromedical evacuation, and air-drops of critical supplies and paratroops. The wing expanded its mission with the added responsibility of the control of the interdiction operations being conducted by the 8th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) and the psychological warfare and visual reconnaissance operations of the 9th SOS.
In 1971–1972 the unit helped to train C-123 aircrews for the South Vietnamese Air Force and the Wing gained control over close air support missions flown by Cessna
A-37The Cessna T-37 Tweet is a small, economical twin-engine jet trainer-attack type aircraft which flew for decades as a primary trainer for the United States Air Force and in the air forces of several other nations...
Dragonfly aircrews. The wing was redesignated as the
315th Tactical Airlift Wing on January 1, 1970, and remained that way until the Wing’s deactivation on March 31, 1972.
Counter-Insurgency aircraft
The 8th Bomb Squadron was reactivated in 1970 as the 8th Special Operations Squadron at Phan Rang which was equipped with Cessna A-37B Dragonfly counter-insurgency aircraft. The 9th Special Operations Squadron was activated with
O-2 SkymasterThe O-2 Skymaster is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster utilized as an observation and forward air control aircraft...
observation and forward air control (FAC) aircraft.
- 8th Special Operations Squadron
The 8th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates CV-22 Osprey in support of special operations.-Mission:...
: September 30, 1970 – 15 January 1972 (A-37B Tail Code: CG)
- 9th Special Operations Squadron
The 9th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The squadron operates MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft in support of special operations. The 9th SOS specializes in the use of night vision goggles and close interval formation tactics...
: August 15, 1970 – February 29, 1972 (O-2)
The 8th SOS A-37 Dragonfly aircraft primarily flew close air support, night interdiction and forward air control missions in South Vietnam and southern Laos. The Dragonfly was especially well suited for troops in contact situations where its accuracy and loiter time made it a favorite of the FAC's as well as ground troops and commanders. with the ability to carry its own weight in munitions, it was able to carry a combat configuration of 4 Mk82 500 lb bombs, 2 pods of rockets, and a load of gun ammo. In close range missions, the A-37 could actually get bombs on target faster than the F-100 Super Saber since the "Hun" had to burn off some fuel before it could go to work. It could also hit the target, climb up to pattern altitude and return to make another pass quicker than any other fighter.
The
O-2 SkymasterThe O-2 Skymaster is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster utilized as an observation and forward air control aircraft...
s of the 9th SOS flew low-level missions just over the top of the jungle canopy. They crews radioed for the A-37 strike aircraft after spotting the enemy. They marked the target with smoke grenades or white-phosphorus rockets to pinpoint targets for the close air support aircraft to strike. After directing the fighter-bombers' attacks, the FAC would fly low over the target to assess the damage
On 15 January 1972, the 8th Special Operations Squadron was reassigned to
Bien Hoa Air BaseBien 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....
as part of the USAF drawdown at Phan Rang. The 9th SOS was inactivated with the turnover of the base to the VNAF.
14th Special Operations Wing
The
14th Special Operations Wing operated from Phan Rang from October 15, 1969, transferring operational squadrons from
Nha Trang Air BaseNha 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....
and became a tenant unit supported by the 35th Combat Support Group.
The 14th SOW conducted "Project Gunship" and "Project Black Spot" operations, designed to give the Air Force a self-contained night attack capability to seek out and destroy targets along the
Ho Chi Minh TrailThe 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...
.
C-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
s,
C-119 Flying BoxcarThe Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
s,
C-123 ProviderThe 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...
s and older-model C-130A Hercules were fitted with a series of gunports along the sides of their fuselages and modified to carry high-capacity, rapid fire weapons to attack the enemy at night. Operations included close and direct air support, interdiction, unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations, psychological warfare (including leaflet dropping and aerial broadcasting) and flare drops Squadrons assigned were:
- 4th Special Operations Squadron
The 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:...
: October 15, 1969 – December 15, 1969 (AC-47D)
- 9th Special Operations Squadron
The 9th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The squadron operates MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft in support of special operations. The 9th SOS specializes in the use of night vision goggles and close interval formation tactics...
: October 15, 1969 – September 30, 1971 (AC-47D)
- 15th Special Operations Squadron
The 15th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft in support of special operations.-Mission:...
: October 15, 1969 – October 31, 1970 (AC-130A)
- 17th Special Operations Squadron
The 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...
: October 15, 1969 – September 30, 1971 (AC-119K)
- 18th Special Operations Squadron: October 15, 1969 – August 25, 1971 (AC-119K)
- 90th Special Operations Squadron: October 31, 1970 – September 1, 1971 (AC-123K)
- 20th Special Operations Squadron
The 20th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon AFB, New Mexico. It operates CV-22 Osprey aircraft in support of special operations.-Mission:...
: October 15, 1969 – September 1, 1971 (CH-3, UH-1)
Flying from Phan Rang Air Base sorties were flown over target areas consisting of the Mekong Delta and the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The aerial gunships destroyed trucks, attacked enemy encampments, ammunition dumps and other ground targets using night vision equipment. It also trained South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) personnel in AC-119 operations and maintenance, February–August 1971, and transferred some of its AC-119s to the South Vietnamese Air Force during August and September 1971 as part of a phase-down for inactivation.
USAF withdrawal
The 35th TFW was inactivated on 31 July 1971 as part of the general drawdown of United States forces in South Vietnam. The wing's remaining resources passed to the 315th Tactical Airlift Wing on 31 July 1971 when the 35th Wing inactivated in
Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. The 35th TFW was later reactivated at
George Air Force BaseGeorge Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located within city limits, 8 miles northwest of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. The facility was closed by the Base Realignment and Closure 1992 commission at the end of the Cold...
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on October 1, 1971. The 612th TFS and 614th TFS were deactivated in place on 31 July 1971 and were reassigned back to the
401st Tactical Fighter Wing, now assigned to Torrejon Air Force Base
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The 352d TFS and the 615th TFS were deactivated in place along with the 35th TFW, standing down from operations on 26 June 1971.
For its wartime combat duty in Southeast Asia, the 35th TFW was awarded the
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with PalmThe Vietnam Gallantry Cross was a military decoration of South Vietnam which wasestablished in August 1950. Also known as the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Gallantry Cross was awarded to any military personnel who have accomplished deeds of valor or displayed heroic conduct while fighting an...
and the Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI. campaign streamers.
The 315th TAW inactivated shortly afterwards in place on 30 September 1971 as part of the US withdrawal from
South VietnamSouth 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...
, and jurisdiction of Phan Rang Air Base was turned over to the South Vietnamese government.
VNAF Use of Phan Rang Air Base
After the American withdrawal from the base in 1971, the VNAF
92d Tactical Wing at
Nha TrangNha Trang is a coastal city and capital of Khanh Hoa province, on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is bounded on the North by Ninh Hoà district, on the East by the South China Sea, on the South by Cam Ranh town and on the West by Diên Khánh district...
moved to Phan Rang Air Base, operating A-37s, and UH-1 helicopters.
In addition to the operational missions, the VNAF 920th Training Squadron operated T-37Bs for initial jet training for its aviation cadets. American policy in Vietnam after 1970 was aimed at self-sufficiency for the VNAF so the South Vietnamese could maintain the level of security that had been won jointly by the United States and South Vietnam. The United States would continue to provide material support for the defense of South Vietnam, but it was expected that the VNAF would have the capability to use United States equipment effectively. If that capability could be developed, the VNAF would be judged self-sufficient.
However, this training had to be halted in June 1974 for lack of logistic support and financial reasons due to United States aid reduction.
Units at Phan Rang Air Base were under the command of the VNAF
2d Air Division at
Nha Trang Air BaseNha 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....
.
92d Tactical Wing
- 524th/534th/548th Fighter Squadron A-37
- Det D 259th Helicopter Squadron Bell UH-1H (Medevac)
Capture of Phan Rang Air Base
In early 1975
North VietnamThe 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.
On 8 January the North Vietnamese Politburo ordered a major People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) offensive to "liberate" South Vietnam by NVA cross-border invasion. By 14 March, attacks by North Vietnamese forces led South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu 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.
Panic mounted and observers overhead watched in horror as survivors plodded south suffering terrible heat and thirst. As the war in South Vietnam entered its conclusion, the SVNAF pilots at Phan Rang flew sortie after sortie, supporting the retreating South Vietnamese Army after it abandoned
Cam Ranh BayCam Ranh Bay is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in the province of Khánh Hòa. It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, approximately 290 kilometers / 180 miles northeast of Hồ Chí Minh City / Saigon.Cam Ranh is...
on April 14. For two days after the ARVN left the area, the Wing Commander at Phan Rang fought on with the forces under his command.
The last of the SVNAF 2d Air Division abandoned the airfield with the remaining flyable airplanes, leaving four A
C-119sThe Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
which had flown in from Da Nang and two
A-37sThe Cessna T-37 Tweet is a small, economical twin-engine jet trainer-attack type aircraft which flew for decades as a primary trainer for the United States Air Force and in the air forces of several other nations...
. The SVNAF had several squadrons of students from Phan Rang flying A-37s at England AFB, Louisiana. Approximately 187 A-37Bs were assigned to Phan Rang AB when the North Vietnamese invasion took place. Many A-37s managed to fly south and later managed to fly to the USAF-controlled
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy AirfieldU-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield is a military airfield of the Royal Thai Navy located approximately southeast of Bangkok, near Sattahip on the Gulf of Siam...
, Thailand, where Ninety-two were recovered.
ARVN Airborne troops were sent in for one last attempt to hold the airfield, but the defenders were finally overrun on April 16 and Phan Rang Air Base was lost to the North Vietnamese Army.
At dusk on April 28, three VPAF captured A-37s were flown from Phan Rang and bombed Tan Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon, destroying a number of aircraft on the flight line. There are conflicting stories about who was actually flying these aircraft. One source insists they were VPAF pilots who were communists, another says they were captured SVNAF pilots who were forced to fly the mission in return for the safety of their families. NVA General Van Tien Dung claimed the A-37s were flown by North Vietnamese Air Force pilots.
Whatever the case, the A-37s escaped. despite being pursued by several SVNAF F-5s. Although the physical damage to Ton Son Nhut Air Base was not extensive, the threat of further air strikes eliminated Ton Son Nhut AB for fixed-wing evacuation flights, further lowering what little morale remained in the capital.
Post 1975 VPAF use
With its capture, Phan Rang 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. In addition the 04L/22R runway was inactivated, and today is almost obliterated. A few of the hangars remain standing, others have been torn down. The large aircraft parking ramp and concrete aircraft shelters remain, although the shelters appear to have been left unused. Steel and sand revetments also remain on the ramp.
The captured aircraft at Phan Rang AB were later used by the Vietnam People's Air Force in missions over
CambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and during the China conflict in 1979. The A-37s flew most of the ground support missions in those conflicts, being more suited to the role than the MiG-17s and MiG-21s which were used as interceptors against the USAF in North Vietnam. Several squadrons of captured UH-1H Hueeys were also operated by the VPAF for many years from Phan Rang.
These aircraft were maintained by cannibalization and/or black market smuggling of spare parts. They were phased out of service in the 1980s and 1990s, in all probability due to lack of spares. Some of the aircraft were shipped to
VietnamVietnam – 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 –...
's allies like
CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
,
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the
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and East Germany. Others were sold to private foreign owners, although probably a dozen or so UH-1s still remain in VPAF service.
See also
- Republic of Vietnam Air Force
The 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 Vietnam
What 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 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...
- 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....
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