Phan Rang Air Base

Infobox Airport
name =Phan Rang Air Base
nativename =

---

image-width =300
caption = Phan Rang Air Base - June 1968
IATA =PHA
ICAO =

type =military
owner =Vietnamese Air Force
operator =
city-served =Phan Rang-Thap Cham
location =
elevation-f = 102
elevation-m = 32
website =
r1-number = 04L/22R
r1-length-f = 10,500
r1-length-m = 3,200
r1-surface = Concrete
r2-number = 04L/22R
r2-length-f = 10,500
r2-length-m = 3,200
r2-surface = Currently Disused
footnotes =

Phan Rang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) "(Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam)" military airfield located in the central coastal area, near the city of Phan Rang-Thap Cham within Ninh Thuan Province, about 50 miles (80 km) south of Nha Trang in Southern Vietnam. The VPAF flew various captured Cessna A-37Bs, T-37s and Bell UH-1s at the basae until about 1998, being replaced by Russian aircraft after that.

During the Vietnam Wars (1966-1975), the base was used by the Republic of Vietnam Air Force Force (VNAF). The United States used it as a major base from 1966 through 1971, stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there. The APO for Phan Rang Air Base was APO San Francisco, 96321

VNAF Use of Phan Rang Air Base

After the American withdrawal from the base in 1971, the VNAF 92d Tactical Wing at Nha Trang 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.

Known VNAF Units At Phan Rang (June 1974 Table Of Organization)

Units at Phan Rang Air Base were under the command of the VNAF 2d Air Division at Nha Trang Air Base.

92d Tactical Wing
* 524th/534th/548th Fighter Squadron A-37
* Det D 259th Helicopter Squadron Bell UH-1H (Medevac)

USAF Use During The Vietnam War

The airfield at Phan Rang was used by the Japanese during World War II. In the late 1940s and early 1950s the French Air Force used the same 3,500 foot runway. To accommodate the expanding Vietnam War, Phan Rang Air Base was quickly expanded by the USAF in 1966 to accommodate both American and South Vietnamese fighter and helicopter units.

The airfield consisted of two 10,000 ft concrete runways 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. The USAF forces stationed there were under the command of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Seventh Air Force.

366th Tactical Fighter Wing

The 366th Tactical Fighter Wing was the first host unit at Phan Rang. It was transferred from Holloman Air Force Base New Mexico on 20 March 1966. At Phan Rang, the 366th TFW consisted of the following operational squadrons:

* 352nd Tactical Fighter Squadron: 15 Aug – 10 Oct 1966 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VM):Attached from 354th TFW, Myrtle Beach AFB South Carolina
* 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 14 Mar - 10 Oct 1966 (F-4C)
* 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 18 Sep – 10 Oct 1966 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VP):Attached from 401st TFW England AFB Louisiana
* 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 16 Jul – 10 Oct 1966 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VZ):Attached from 401st TFW England AFB Louisiana

On 10 October 1966, the 389th TFS and the 366th wing designation were transferred to Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam, in an administrative transfer giving the 366th new personnel, equipment, and facilities. 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 10 October 1966, being transferred from Da Nang Air Base. 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.

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 Cambodian border, April-May 1970 and provided close air support and interdiction in support of South Vietnamese operations in Laos and Cambodia, January-June 1971.

The 35th TFW was inactivated on 31 July 1991. The wing's remaining resources passed to the 315th Tactical Airlift Wing (see below). The 35th TFW was later reactivated at George Air Force Base California on 1 October 1971.

Operational Units Of The 35th TFW

F-100 Super Sabre
* 352nd Tactical Fighter Squadron: 10 Oct 1966 - 31 Jul 1971 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VM)
* 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 10 Oct 1966 - 31 Jul 1971 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VP)
* 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 10 Oct 1966 - 31 Jul 1971 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VZ)
* 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 10 Oct 1966 - 8 Jan 1967 and 14 Apr 1969 - 15 Mar 1971 (F-100D/F Tail Code: VS)
** 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron 30 Apr 1968 - 18 Apr 1969 (F-100C/F Tail Code: VS):TDY Deployed from the Colorado Air National Guard

The 614 and 615 TFS were deployed squadrons from the 401 TFW at England Air Force Base Louisiana and were reassigned to Phan Rang from Da Nang in October 1966. Another attached component, actually a de facto squadron, was the F-100-equipped 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron. When the 612th deployed to Japan, the 120 TFS deployed from the Colorado Air National Guard in April 1968, remaining until April 1969. With its personnel returning to CONUS, the squadron was re-designated the 612 TFS.

The 612th and 614th TFSs 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 Spain. The 352d and 615th TFSs were deactivated in place along with the 35th TFW, standing down from operations on 26 June 1971.

B-57 Canberra
* 8th Tactical Bombardment Squadron: 12 Oct 1966 - 15 Jan 1968 (B-57B/C/E Tail Code: PQ)
* 13th Tactical Bombardment Squadron: 12 Oct 1966 - 15 Jan 1968 (B-57B/C/E Tail Code: PV)

Deployed from the 405th TFW at Clark AB, Philippines.

Other Units
* 8th Special Operations Squadron: 30 Sept 1970 - 31 Jul 1971 (A-37B Tail Code: CG)
* 2 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force: 19 Apr 1967 - 4 Jun 1971 (MK-20 Canberra)

The 35th TFW gained an A-37B squadron (8th Special Operations Squadron) in September 1970.

Also attached to the wing at Phan Rang was Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Squadron No. 2, equipped with MK-20 Canberra bombers, which provided day and night bombing, photo strike assessment, and close air support primarily for 1st Australian Task Force in Phuoc Tuy Province.

315th Tactical Airlift Wing

The 315th Air Commando Wing (Troop Carrier) moved to Phan Rang from Tan Son Nhut Air Base on 15 June 1967. Initially designated as the 315th Air Commando Wing, it was redesignated the 315th Special Operations Wing on 1 August 1968.

The 315th performed C-123 airlift operations in Vietnam. Operations included aerial movement of troops and cargo, flare drops, defoliation missions, 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-37 Dragonfly aircrews.

The wing was redesignated as the 315th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 January 1970, and remained that way until the Wing’s deactivation on 31 March 1972.

Operational Units Of The 315th ACW/SOW/TAW

* 12th Special Operations 15 Jun 1967 - 30 Sep 1970 C-123B/K)
* 19th Special Operations 15 Jun 1967 - 30 Jun 1971 (C-123B/K Tail Code: WE)
* 309th Special Operations 15 Jun 1967 - 31 Jul 1970 (C-123B/K Tail Code: WH)
* 310th Special Operations 15 Jun 1967 - 15 Jan 1972 (C-123B/K Tail Code: WM)
* 311th Special Operations 15 Jun 1967 - 15 Oct 1971 (C-123B/K Tail Code: WV)
* 8th Special Operations 31 Jul 1971 - 15 Jan 1972 (A-37B Tail Code: CG)
* 9th Special Operations 15 Aug 1970 – 29 Feb 1972 (O-2)

The 9th, 19th, 309th and 311th SOS were deactivated in place.

The 8th and 310th SOS were reassigned on 15 Jan 1972. The 8th to Bien Hoa Air Base and the 310th to Tan Son Nhut Air Base.

14th Special Operations Wing

The 14th Special Operations Wing operated from Phan Rang from 15 October 1969, transferring operational squadrons from Nha Trang Air Base.

Flying the C-123K, operations included close and direct air support, interdiction, combat airlift, aerial resupply, visual and photographic reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations, psychological warfare (including leaflet dropping and aerial broadcasting), forward air control (FAC) operations and escort, search and rescue, escort for convoy and defoliation operations, flare drops, civic actions, and humanitarian actions.

The wing provided maintenance support for a number of tenants. Trained South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) personnel in AC-119 operations and maintenance, Feb-Aug 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.

The wing deactivated in place on 30 September 1971 as part of the US withdrawal from South Vietnam.

Squadrons assigned were:

* 4 Special Operations: 15 Oct 1969 - 15 Dec 1969 (AC-47D Tail Code: EN)
* 9 Special Operations: 15 Oct 1969 - 30 Sep 1971
* 15 Special Operations: 15 Oct 1969 - 31 Oct 1970 (C-130)
* 17 Special Operations: 15 Oct 1969 - 30 Sep 1971 (AC-119)
* 18 Special Operations: 15 Oct 1969 - 25 Aug 1971 (AC-119)
* 20 Special Operations: 15 Oct 1969 - 1 Sep 1971 (CH-3, UH-1)
* 90 Special Operations: 31 Oct 1970 - 1 Sep 1971
* 604 Special Operations: 15 Oct 1969 - 1 Mar 1970

Emblems of USAF Units at Phan Rang Air Base

1966
35th_Tactical_Fighter_Wing
1966-1971
315th_Special_Operations_Wing
1967-1972
14th_Special_Operations_Wing
1969-1971

Capture Of Phan Rang Air Base

In early 1975 North Vietnam 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. The NVA general staff plan for the invasion of South Vietnam called for 20 divisions, because, by 1975, the Soviet-supplied North Vietnamese Army was the fifth largest in the world. It anticipated a two year struggle for victory.

By 14 March, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu 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.

On 30 March 100,000 South Vietnamese soldiers surrender after being abandoned by their commanding officers. The large coastal cities of Danang, Qui Nhon, Tuy Hoa and Nha Trang are abandoned by the South Vietnamese, yielding entire northern half of South Vietnam to the North Vietnamese.

As the war in South Vietnam entered its conclusion, the pilots at Phan Rang flew sortie after sortie, supporting the retreating South Vietnamese Army after it abandoned Cam Ranh Bay on 14 April. For two days after the ARVN left the area, the Wing Commander at Phan Rang fought on with the forces under his command. Airborne troops were sent in for one last attempt to hold the airfield, but the defenders were finally overrun on 16 April and Phan Rang Air Base was lost.

The last of the 2d Air Division abandoned the airfield with the remaining flyable airplanes, leaving four AC-119s which had flown in from Da Nang and two A-37s to the North Vietnamese.

At dusk on 28 April, three captured A-37s, flown from Phan Rang bombed Tan Son Nhut 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 VNAF pilots who were communists, another says they were VNAF pilots who were forced to fly the mission in return for the safety of their families, and 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 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.

ee also

* Republic of Vietnam Air Force
* United States Air Force In South Vietnam
* United States Pacific Air Forces
* Seventh Air Force

References

* Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. CD-ROM.
* Martin, Patrick (1994). Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History. ISBN 0887405134.
* Mesco, Jim (1987) VNAF South Vietnamese Air Force 1945-1975 Squadron/Signal Publications. ISBN 0-89747-193-8
* Mikesh, Robert C. (2005) Flying Dragons: The South Vietnamese Air Force. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 0764321587
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/wings_groups_index.asp USAF Historical Research Division/Organizational History Branch - 35th Fighter Wing, 366th Wing]
* [http://vnaf.net/ VNAF - The South Vietnamese Air Force 1951-1975]
* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present]

External links

* [http://www.defence.gov.au/Raaf/history/airforce_history/asia.htm SE Asia and Vietnam War History: Royal Australian Air Force]
* [http://airwarvietnam.com/raafno2.htm No. 2 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force]
* [http://www.gasbo.net/vietnam/vietnam.htm 2 Squadron VietNam Pages]
* [http://www.b-57canberra.org/vietnam.htm The B-57 in Vietnam]
* [http://www.71stsos.com/miscPhanRangphotos.html Photos from Phan Rang Air Base (Spring, 1969)]
* [http://www.71stsos.com/phanrangmemorabilia.html "B" Flight, Phan Rang(Happy Valley) Memorabilia]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/8161 315th Special Operations Wing]
* [http://donstaylor1.tripod.com/index.htm Phan Rang Air Base Early "Gray Eagle" Period]
* [http://www.veloasia.com/library/stories/nettleton.html A Pilot Returns, by John Nettleton]
* [http://www.1882nd.com/index.html 1882nd Communications Squadron Phan Rang AB]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrHt34mo6Ro Phan Rang Air Base, 1965-1970 (Video)]

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