Tan son nhut air base archives this day in aviation. The united states used it as a major base during the vietnam war 19591975, stationing army, air force, navy, and marine units there. Tan son nhut ab air base was a huge military installation located outside of saigon. The whole thing started at tan son nhut air base on tuesday, jan. Tan son nhut air base, the center of air force operations in south vietnam. The 90th replacement battalion relieved the small, prewar, processing center at camp alpha on tan son nhut airport in saigon and was joined the following year, on august 31, 1966, by the 22nd replacement battalion at cam ranh bay. Tan son nhut was the busiest airport in the world at the time. Tan son nhut s beer bars were where many of us had our first close encounters with vietnamese women.
The office of air force history is reissuing this book in revised form because of demand. Tan son nhut, a republic of vietnam airbase near saigon, was the scene of the last evacuation of americans before the southern capital fell in april of 1975. Although official accounts state 8 people died in the crash, harp said he has never seen an accurate listing of how many were on the aircraft. Mitchell allan lang designed this beautiful classic air force security police ring and has generously donated a sterling silver version of the ring. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Usaf patch advisors south vietnam air force iv air division patch 1960s vietnam made bevo weave used 70mm by 64mm two and three quarter inches by two and one half inches. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you selected. After a vietcong attack on tan son nhut airbase on april, 1966 us air force soldiers examine the wreckage of a transport plane.
Covers activities of usaf personnel at tan son nhut airbase. Following the war, tan son nhut air base was taken over as a base for the vietnam peoples air force. It took a serious and coordinated effort on the part of the ground crew, and believe it or not, blue eagle ii was in the air and on the air in less than a month. For years after tet 1968, tan son nhat air base came under attack many times from attempted enemy penetration, gunfire, and rockets. Usaf patch 8 aps aerial port squadron mobility operations branch mob team delta playboys tan son nhut 1968 vietnam made emb on twill cut edge 71mm by 60mm two and three. The wing was first organized in 1966 as the 377th combat support group at tan son. Stories of the base and assigned units will be posted here.
It was located near the city of saigon in southern vietnam. The 7th air force command headquarters and the military assistance command vietnam macv headquarters were located on base. The 90th replacement battalion relieved the small, prewar, processing center at camp alpha on tan son nhut airport in saigon and was joined the following year, on august 31, 1966, by the. Timeline world history documentaries recommended for you. The tan son nhut association has been established to respect all of those service personnel from the air force, army, navy, marines and coast guard, as well as the many civilians who served at any time during the vietnam conflict at the great airdrome at tan son nhut, air base, saigon, republic of vietnam.
Tan son nhut air base was one of the major air bases used for offensive air. Tan son nhut air base scenes, vietnam 19681969 youtube. On tan son nhut airbase, saigon, vietnam, 1967 vietnam. The united states air force southeast asia, 19611973. Many or most of the girls at the beer bars also mess. Ingwaldson us army spec e5 and i was stationed at tan son nhut air base in saigon, south vietnam from june 1965 to june 1966.
Air force pilots were sent to fly as advisors in the republic of vietnam air force vnaf 43rd air transport group at tan son nhut air base. These photos were taken by an us air force sergeant stationed at tan son nhut air base in saigon during 1965. Jan 31, 2014 harp, a flier with 1,200 hours in the air, remembered the tense, chaotic vision of tan son nhut air base as the south vietnamese government collapsed before the advancing north vietnamese army. Jack fuller, the vietnam war, and the fragments of a book. The bombing of tan son nhut air base occurred on april 28, 1975, just two days before the fall of saigon. Tan son nhut airbase in vietnam vietnam war, vietnam, saigon. Armys 34 cavalry, in the early hours of the attack the entire base may have been in danger.
Shows air force security police, army troops, and vietnamese marines in action. Tan son nhut airbase saigon 1971 photo by mike vogt vietnam. Traynor iii, lockheed aircraft corporation, lockheed c5a galaxy, mary therese klinker, operation babylift, regina claire aune b. The travesty of bunker 051 took less than 25 minutes before being. Tan son nhut afld later, ab, south vietnam, 1 jul 19651 jul 1971. Saigon 1966 by tom briggs vietnam history, vietnam war. The photos are of street scenes in saigon and surrounding area as well as planes on the air base. A letter from home, red alert at tan son nhut during tet.
Getting the staff organized was a considerable challenge, since many of the officers had a difficult time making their way to macv headquarters on the 31st. Despite the magnitude of the riot, history has paid little attention to the incident. The accident marked the second operational loss and first fatal crash for the c5 galaxy fleet, and is the. In may 1965 the douglas a1 skyraider equipped 522nd fighter squadron was activated at the base. Usaf patches united states air force patch badges vietnam sea. I was assigned to the united states army, republic of vietnam for a 1year tour of duty. The 377th air base wing is a wing of the united states air force based at kirtland air force base, new mexico. Air force security service formed ardf squadrons at tan son nhut air base, nha trang air base, and pleiku air base to conduct ec47 direction finding operations.
Following the fall of saigon, it was taken over as a. This book explores the unique problem of defending air bases during the. Air force security service formed ardf squadrons at tan son nhut air base, nha trang air base, and pleiku air base to conduct ec47 direction. If not for the work of the united states air force 377th security police squadron the u. See more ideas about vietnam war, vietnam and vietnam war photos. Tan son nhut became the major civil and republic of vietnam and u. During the vietnam wars 19551975, the base was used by the republic of vietnam air force vnaf. Tan son nhut air base 4 april 1975 april 4, 2020 aviation 680218, air force cross, aircraft accident, airmans medal, cn 5000021, cheney award, dennis w. The first enemy rounds that hit tan son nhut air base struck at approximately 2 a. Air rescue service, 1 jul 1965 attached to 2 air division for operational control, 1 jul 1965c.
Just 19 when he arrived, the horrors he witnessed would forever. Mar 23, 2014 on tan son nhut airbase, saigon, vietnam, 1967 stay safe and healthy. Attack on tan son nhut air base, vietnam 1968 during the tet. Also shows approach and landing at tan son nhut ab and arvn h34s and vnaf a1es, a1hs and c47s parked on ramp. The long binh jail was established in summer 1966, when the stockade was moved from its original location at pershing field, the sports field by tan son nhut air base, where the prisoner capacity had been about 140. Attack on tan son nhut air base, vietnam 1968 during the. The bombing operation was carried out by the vietnam peoples air force vpaf quyet. The long binh jail was established in summer 1966, when the stockade was moved from its original location. Tan son nhut air base was one of the major air bases used for offensive air operations within south vietnam and for the support of united states army and army of the republic of vietnam arvn ground operations. On april, 1966 the viet cong launched a mortar attack on tan son nhut air base that badly damaged blue eagle ii and damaged blue eagles iii and vi to a lesser extent as well. Tan son nhut air base ho chi minh city, vietnam airport. If not for the work of the united states air force 377th security police squadron the.
On 4 april 1975, a lockheed c5a galaxy participating in the first mission of operation babylift crashed on approach during an emergency landing at tan son nhut air base, south vietnam. There were a couple of busses at the bien hoa air base patiently awaiting our arrival to take us to our next. The attack by vietcong vc sappers supported by mortar fire was repulsed by. Viet cong attack on tan son nhut air base 1966 wikipedia. The sapper and mortar attack on tan son nhut air base occurred during the early hours of 4 december 1966. Eleven months and nineteen days by john bowen vietnam. Tan son nhut air base 19551975 was a republic of vietnam air force rvnaf facility. It was activated on 1 january 1993, when air force materiel command assumed responsibility for operating the base from air mobility command. Vietnam march april may 1968 tan son nhut air base duration. The travesty of bunker 051 took less than 25 minutes before being overwhelmed by nva. Aftermath of attack on tan son nhut airbase, possibly during the tet offensive.
Tan son nhut airport saigon 196672 photos supplied by mostly 2comp ord2aod diggers on their tour of duty in vietnam. The tan son nhut association has been established to respect all of those service personnel from the air force, army, navy, marines and coast guard, as well as the many civilians who. The bombing operation was carried out by the vietnam peoples air force vpaf quyet thang squadron, using captured republic of vietnam air force rvnaf a37 dragonfly aircraft flown by vpaf pilots and rvnaf defectors led by nguyen thanh trung who had bombed the presidential palace in. Air force, organizing the squadrons into wings, with one wing located in each of the four corps tactical zones at c. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to.
China post 1 china post 1 is an american legion post, unique in that, it is a post the only post within the american legion operating in exile. The united states used it as a major base from 1961. Tan son nhut air base and nearby saigon were in the thick of it. Just 19 when he arrived, the horrors he witnessed would forever shape him. Huston maj gen, usaf chief, office of air force history. During the early morning hours a group of 60 viet cong emerged from the jungle. A typical day at the tan son nhut airport in saigon 1968. It was also the headquarters of the svnaf 5th air division.
Harp, a flier with 1,200 hours in the air, remembered the tense, chaotic vision of tan son nhut air base as the south vietnamese government collapsed before the advancing. This book explores the unique problem of defending air bases during the vietnam war. Air base defense in the republic of vietnam, 19611973. Tan son nhut airbase in vietnam saigon vietnam, south vietnam, vietnam war. The largest airplanes, lockheed c5as and boeing 747s could. The entire wikipedia with video and photo galleries for each article. For the vnaf thirtyfive long years of war had come to an end. The bombing operation was carried out by the vietnam peoples air force vpaf quyet thang squadron, using captured republic of vietnam air force rvnaf a37 aircraft flown by vpaf pilots and rvnaf defectors led by nguyen thanh trung who had bombed the presidential palace in saigon, less.
The photos are of street scenes in saigon and surrounding area as well as. Air base defense in the republic of vietnam, 19611973 dtic. Get the best deals on air base when you shop the largest online selection at ebay. For those who prepared vietnams fallen, a lasting dread. Looking forward to your story, photographs, patches, post in this section. Covers activities of usaf personnel at tan son nhut airbase, maintenance crew relief shift taking over on flight line, 8th aerial port squadron activities, c3b aircrew arriving at the base, scenes of maintenance men working on f. Bien hoa air base is a vietnam peoples air force khong quan nhan dan viet nam military airfield located in southcentral southern vietnam about 20 miles 30 kilometers from saigon near the city of bien hoa within dong nai province. From may 1968 to july 1970, the army sergeant came of age in the u. However, how men express those principles in a friendship has have gone through fascinating changes in the course of human history. Known svnaf units at tan son nhat june 1974 tan son nhut air base was the headquarters of the south vietnamese air force. Tan son nhut air force museum ho chi minh city 2020 all you.
Tan son nhut ab vietnam history of the sea air war. The wing has been the host unit at kirtland since january 1993. All are personal photos not appearing anywhere else in books or in the national archives. Duty at tan son nhut air base, republic of vietnam i started working in pallet assembly, cant remember the actual name of the section. I remember building a lot of pallets of transfer cases from the base mortuary as well as class a ammo and general cargo. Tan son nhut air base usaf police alumni association. View all hotels near tan son nhut air force museum on tripadvisor. After the battle, kerwin recalled, that led to the establishment of a trailer park at the new headquarters at tan son nhut air base, a few miles to the north. This dvd offers excellent documentation of viet cong attack on tan son nhut air base on 31 january and rocket and mortar attack on 24 february 1968. The cause was ascribed to loss of flight control due to explosive decompression and structural failure. To assist military personnel of all eras and their families whenever and wherever.