Binh Thuy Air Base  | |
|---|---|
| Part ofRepublic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) Pacific Air Forces (USAF) Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) | |
 Binh Thuy in 1967 | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Air Force Base |
| Controlled by |  Vietnam People's Air Force.svg) Republic of Vietnam Air Force United States Air Force |
| Condition | Captured 1975 by PAVN, later used as a military airfield/civil airport |
| Location | |
  Binh Thuy Air Base | |
| Coordinates | 10°05′07″N105°42′43″E / 10.0852°N 105.712°E /10.0852; 105.712 (Binh Thuy AB) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1965 |
| In use | 1965–present |
| Battles/wars |  Vietnam War |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | 4th Air Division (RVNAF) 22nd Tactical Air Support Squadron (USAF) |
Airfield information | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 3 m / 10 ft | ||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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Binh Thuy Air Base (also known asCan Tho Air Base andTrà Nóc Air Base) was aUnited States Air Force (USAF),United States Navy,Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) andVietnam People's Air Force (VPAF)(Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam) military airfield used during theVietnam War. It is located 7 km northwest ofCần Thơ in theMekong Delta.[1]
Since June 1962 USAF units had supported RVNAF operations atCần Thơ Airfield.[2]
In mid-1963Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) proposed the construction of a 6,000-foot (1,800 m) runway at Cần Thơ to replace the existing 3,000-foot (910 m) runway atSóc Trăng Airfield which was unsuitable for night and wet weather operations with a projected US$4.5 million construction cost and a 2-year construction period.[2]: 177
In January 1964 given the need for heavier aircraft to be available for quick reaction air support in the Mekong Delta,CINCPAC approved the construction of a new airfield at Cần Thơ for a cost of US$2.5 million to be ready within one year.[2]: 184
Construction of the new airfield began in February 1964.[3] The selected site was low-lying swampland adjacent to theBassac River and theSeabees operated a dredge on the Bassac 22 hours a day to produce landfill for the site.[3]: 64–5 However the quality of the fill produced was poor and when the project passed to construction contractorRMK-BRJ they resorted to bringing in sand from elsewhere, eventually moving over 680,000 cubic yards of fill to create the 6,000 ft asphalt runway, taxi ramps and headquarters building.[3]: 151
On 8 May 1965 the22nd Tactical Air Support Squadron equipped with 30O-1 Bird Dogs was established at Binh Thuy.[4][5]
In June 1965 the base became a forward operating location forAC-47Spooky gunships of E Flight of the4th Air Commando Squadron.[6]: 35
On 15 September 1965 Detachment 10,38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron equipped with 2HH-43F helicopters deployed to the base to support flight operations.[7]
On 20 February 1966 a VC mortar attack on the base was stopped by fire from one of the base's AC-47s as was another mortar attack on 8 July.[6]: 41–2
On 14 October 1967 following the activation of the14th Air Commando Squadron atNha Trang Air Base the AC-47s of E Flight, 4th Air Commando Squadron were replaced by 5 AC-47s of D Flight 14th Air Commando Squadron.[6]: 56
During theTet Offensive,Viet Cong (VC) forces attacked the base with mortar and rocket fire and on 13 February launched a ground attack on base which was repulsed by USAF Security Police for no US or South Vietnamese losses.[8]
On 26 June 1969, all AC-47s of D Flight,3rd Special Operations Squadron which had absorbed the assets of 14th Air Commando Squadron, were flown to Nha Trang Air Base for transfer to the RVNAF.[6]: 70
On 20 December 1969 Detachment 10, 38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron was disbanded.[7]: 113
On 15 January 1970 the 22nd Tactical Air Support Squadron left Binh Thuy and moved toBien Hoa Air Base.[5]
In February 1970 as part of the process ofVietnamization the USAF began handing over control of Binh Thuy to the RVNAF 4th Air Division and this was completed by the end of the year.[8]
On 25 September 1967HA(L)-3 Detachment 7 was activated at the base,[9] they would remain here until their deactivation in March 1972.[10]
On 19 April 1969Light Attack Squadron 4 (VAL-4) began combat operations, flying air support for theMobile Riverine Force in the Mekong Delta. The missions included patrol, overhead air cover, scramble alert and gunfire/artillery spotting.[11] On 31 March 1972 VAL-4 conducted its last combat mission prior to its disestablishment on 10 April 1972.[12] On 11 April 1972 the US Navy Base at Binh Thuy was handed over to theRepublic of Vietnam Navy.[13]
In October 1964 the RVNAF 520th Fighter Squadron equipped withA-1Hs was formed at Bien Hoa AB, however due to delays in construction of the base it was only in December that they were able to start deploying a 5 aircraft detachment daily from Bien Hoa AB to Binh Thuy.[2]: 237–9
On 7 May 1967 an attack on the base destroyed 4 A-1Hs and 2UH-34s.[6]: 54
By 1969 with the transfer of AC-47s to the RVNAF, 6 AC-47s of the 817th Combat Squadron were maintained on ground alert at the base.[6]: 252–3
As the southernmost RVNAF base, Binh Thuy remained operational until the end of theVietnam War. In the1975 Spring Offensive, theArmy of the Republic of Vietnam21st Division defended Binh Thuy from the attacking PAVN. On the morning of 30 April 1975 Binh Thuy based jets carried out the last known air strike of the war destroying twoT-54 tanks of thePeople's Army of Vietnam10th Division as they attempted to attackTan Son Nhut Air Base.[14]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.10°05′07″N105°42′43″E / 10.0852°N 105.712°E /10.0852; 105.712
