- Chu Lai
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Ontos on Chu Lai beach search for a defensive position shortly after descending from the landing crafts aboard the USS Thomaston. June 1965. Navy.
Chu Lai is a sea port, urban and industrial area in Dung Quat Bay, Núi Thành district, Quang Nam province of Vietnam. The city is served by Chu Lai Airport.
Contents
Vietnam War
Chu Lai was a United States Marine Corps base from 1965 - 1971 during the Vietnam War. Roughly 56 miles (90 km) southeast of Da Nang, the base had an air field to supplement the major base at Da Nang. It wasn't named for any local geographic feature; it was the Chinese name of Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak, commanding general of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.[1][2]
Da Nang Air Base was the first major airfield used by the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. Shortly after conventional ground forces began arriving in country in 1965, it became necessary to open a second airfield because of the heavy traffic into and out of Da Nang. Charles R. Gibson was selected to be the head engineer of the base. He and his crew broke ground in December and the base was officially operational as of June 1, 1965, when three A4-C Skyhawks from VMA-225 landed. It was involved in Operation Starlite on August 18, 1965, when the Marines made a pre-emptive strike on gathering Viet Cong forces who were preparing to attack the base.[2][3] By mid-October 1965, the base was home to over 80 A-4 Skyhawks from Marine Aircraft Group 12. Marine Aircraft Group 13 was also based at Chu Lai from September 1966 until September 1970, with three F-4 Phantom squadrons. The Marines departed Chu Lai on October 13, 1970, turning control over to the United States Army.[4]
Chu Lai was also home to the Americal Division from approximately 1967 until 1971.
Other than the runway and several concrete revetments for fighter aircraft nothing remains of the U.S. Military presence. Nature has reclaimed the home of the SeaBees on Ky Ha Peninsula. The nearby heliport, once home to several U.S. Army aviation units, including F/8th Cav(BlueGhost) has been reclaimed by sand dunes.
Kia Plant
Since 2001,[5] Kia Motors has manufactured automobiles at its Chu Lai Plant as part of a joint ventured with Truong Hai Automobile Co.[6] The site covers 320 hectares (790 acres), and Truong Hai was the first private company in Vietnam to manufacture automobiles, and the first to achieve an annual output of 5,000 automobiles.[5] The facility expanded in 2003 on 38 hectares (94 acres) in Tam Hiep Industrial Park with an investment of VND1,900 billion.[5] In 2007, Truong Hai Automobile Co. Ltd became Truong Hai Automobile Joint Stock Company (Thaco), with automobiles marketed as Thaco-Kia.
Coordinates: 15°24′44″N 108°42′16″E / 15.412275°N 108.704478°E
See also
Notes
- ^ Coram, Robert (November 2010). Brute: The Life of Victor Krulak, U.S. Marine (1st ed.). Little, Brown & Co, Hachette Book Group. p. 295. ISBN 978-0-316-75846-0.
- ^ a b Cardella, Master Sgt. Sal (Aug 20, 2010). "This Week in Marine Corps History: Marines continue to live by ‘first to fight’ motto". Quantico Sentry. MCB Quantico. http://www.quantico.usmc.mil/Sentry/storyview.aspx?SID=4428&_r=rss. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
- ^ "Battle of Chu Lai". The official archives, records, documents, and files of the United States Marine Corps' participation in the Vietnam War from 1960 to 1975, including all documented USMC operations and activities in Vietnam by unit or command which can be reviewed, printed, copied or downloaded. Site includes 291 page unit index.. http://www.thevietnamfiles.com/ChuLai.cfm. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
- ^ "Chu Lai Marine Aviation". Military.com. http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5671946761/m/4720082232001. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
- ^ a b c "Truong Hai Auto: A Powerful Economic Group". Vietnam Business Forum, November 12, 2008. http://vibforum.vcci.com.vn/news_detail.asp?news_id=14447.
- ^ "Kia-branded trucks roll out from central region". Vietnam.net, 17/11/2004. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/biz/2004/11/347045/.
References
- Web
External links
Categories:- Defunct United States Marine Corps facilities
- United States Marine Corps in the Vietnam War
- United States military bases of the Vietnam War
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