rocket attacks on da nang air baserocket attacks on da nang air base

Located between the Cu and Thanh Qut Rivers and on either side of Highway 1, the two battalions provided the last line of defense before the so-called "Vital Area." VC gunners from Ha Vang, nevertheless, maintained an intermittent mortar bombardment upon the I Corps tactical operations center. Given also the enemy rocket threat, he still needed to maintain extensive patrols in the so-called Rocket Belt. Da Nang air base in the mid- to late-60s was the busiest (and possibly the largest) airport in the world. At 07:35, VC gunners fired two RPGs at the compound tower and a VC infantry platoon opened up upon the CAP unit. During the day, the division had positioned 11 reconnaissance Stingray patrols along likely enemy avenues of approach. The attacks on Da Nang (29 January 11 February 1968), were a series of attacks in the Tet Offensive launched by the North Vietnamese Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the Viet Cong (VC) during the Vietnam War. At 02:40, a squad from the 1/7 Marines, supported by two tanks from the 1st Tank Battalion, moved to assist the embattled CAP unit. According to Marine pilot reports, the PAVN/VC had approximately 250 men in the area equipped with automatic weapons, including at least one .51-caliber machine gun. at Bien Hoa Air Base, those in II Corps were consolidated at Tuy Hoa Air Base, and those in I Corps were consolidated at Da Nang Air Base [Carmichael 1972; Cecil 1986; Hull 2002; Young 2006]. Da Nang Air Base was one of the major air bases used for offensive air operations within South Vietnam and for the support of USMC and ARVN forces. Later that afternoon, the 1st Marine Division helilifted a "Bald Eagle" reaction force from Company E, 2/3 Marines east of the river in an attempt to encircle the PAVN. Cam Ranh Bay AB: US Army 6th Convalescent Hospital damaged by Rocket Attack! About 20 minutes later the missile battery sighted enemy rocket firing sites and two minutes later radioed that 12 rockets of undetermined size landed in and around its area. The Marine squad was about to establish a night ambush site when a PAVN force of about 100 fired upon them. In fact, elements of both regiments had reached jump-off points just south of the Cau Do River. [1]:1612, In the ensuing battle of Lo Giang the Marine and Army forces successfully repulsed the PAVN 2nd Division attack. The Marines assaulted the island and the fighting continued throughout the night and into the next morning. These included Hills 65 and 52 manned by companies of the 3/7 Marines in the southwestern part of the TAOR and Hill 41 defended by Company D, 1/7 Marines in the central western sector. Mortars and recoilless rifle rounds continued to land inside the headquarters compound from enemy firing positions in Ha Vang. The bulk of the attack force remained in Ha Vang Village bogged down in a firefight with local Popular Force (PF) and Regional Force (RF) troops reinforced by a USMC Combined Action Platoon (CAP), E-3. Large numbers of flares shot high into the air and burst into . [1]:153, The Marines now counterattacked supported by artillery and Marine gunships and fixed-wing air. Attacks on DaNang Air Base "Rocket City" Information in this table is extracted from, Appendix I, "Air Base Defense in the Republic of Vietnam, 1960-1973" by Roger P. Fox. He personally believed the plans were impractical and deserted at the first chance he had. [Peter Halferty photo]. The battalion was alerted and airlifted from Twentynine Palms, California, to Cherry Point, North Carolina, with its . Reinforced by another squad, the Company G Marines killed three and captured two. The Vietnam Security Police Association Web site features several additional recordings of rocket attacks on Da Nang Air Base. At 20:00 on the night of the 5th, a Marine platoon ambush from Company C, 1/7 Marines intercepted about 60 PAVN troops about 4,000 meters south of the Ty Loan River in the western sector of the area of operations moving northeast towards the river and the base with mortars and automatic weapons. Shortly after midnight on July 15, 1967, Da Nang Air Base in Quang Nam Province, RVN, came under a heavy rocket attack. In the engagement, the Marines lost 5 killed and 12 wounded. Instead of calling artillery fire immediately, the reconnaissance Marines arranged with Battery K, 4/11 Marines and a detachment of the 3rd 155mm Gun Battery at An Ha for an "artillery ambush." For the most part, the PAVN/VC limited their attacks on the Marines to mortar bombardments and harassing small arms fire. Doc, as his friends called him, was one of 58,200 Americans that died during the Vietnam War. CriticalPast offers immediate downloads of full-resolution HD and SD masters and full-resolution time-coded screeners, 24 hours a day, to serve the needs of broadcast news, TV, film, and publishing professionals worldwide. In I Corps, the Allies learned from a defector that the enemy planned an attack against Qung Ngi City. Nng AB: 366th TFW: Rocket Attack! + Casualty figures reflect all casualties, i.e., USAF, other military and civilians. Of the prisoners, the South Vietnamese identified six as military, 109 as workers, and the remaining 80 as VC cadre. The attacks were repulsed by combined United States Marine Corps (USMC), United States Army, Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC) forces with the PAVN/VC suffering heavy losses. Some 36 of the large missiles landed on the main base, including the airfield. In the 7th Marines sector, the Marines described the same type of activity as well as increased enemy infiltration. The Stand Off Rocket attack of July 15, 1967 was the deadliest attack of the war at Nng Air Base. Fires started from secondary blasts by bombs and fuel. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The attack started at 12:25 AM and an estimated 50 rounds of 122mm rockets were fired at the installation. A warning order and plan prepared by the VC Da Nang City Committee called for a preliminary attack on the city by sappers and VC troops. Davis notified the division headquarters of his findings. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images) PURCHASE A LICENSE Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to use this asset. As various outposts reported their sightings to the Division FSCC, the artillerymen then shifted these fires to actual sites. This fighting would continue in a desultory fashion throughout the night. Approximately 16 rounds impacted in the Marine Aircraft Group 16 sector and another four in the Army aviation company area. Further to the east Company G, 2/3 Marines, at the battalion's command post about 500 meters north of in Bn town, remained as the division mobile reserve mounted in LVTP-5s and supported by tanks. Darkness prevented Sailfish from observing the number of casualties that the artillery and air inflicted upon the enemy. DaNang earned the nickname Rocket City during the Vietnam war, having been attacked over 900 times in 10 years. The National Police arrested 25 of the crowd and quickly dispersed the would-be demonstrators. Scheduled to last eight weeks, Rolling Thunder will instead go on for three years. Mortar and rocket attacks followed by ground assaults were made all along the perimeter of the base. Among the casualties were two Marines killed, including Lieutenant Manning and six wounded from the 1st MP Battalion. By dark the Korean had captured the hospital and were in position to relieve the engineer compound. The . CriticalPast is an archive of historic footage. The Sequence number refers to the sequence number assigned to all attacks on ten primary US Air Force operating bases in Vietnam. A conglomeration of internal security forces threw back the VC force from the east that tried to use similar tactics to get inside the compound from that direction. At least some members of his group also reportedly provided security for Richard Spencer's often violent campus appearances. The Marine squad lost one killed. One of the rockets damaged one of the missile launchers and wounded three of the Marines. On 29 January, Marine intelligence officers received a reliable report that the PAVN 2nd Division also had established its command post in western G Ni. [1]:1502, On the morning of the 31st, the Marines of Company I, now reinforced by the ARVN and the AmTrac Marines, surveyed the results of the fighting and continued to mop up the remnants of the VC force. Da Nang Air Base was one of the major air bases used for offensive air operations within South Vietnam and for the support of USMC and ARVN forces. 180 Da Nang Air Base Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 180 Da Nang Air Base Premium High Res Photos Browse 180 da nang air base stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. 00:00 00:00 What the Captain Means Unless otherwise noted all videos on this site appear on, and are posted here via embedded links to, You Tube. The PAVN/VC attacked a Marine bunker and ran through the Communications Support Company area throwing grenades and Satchel charges in the living quarters. [1]:153, The most serious ground attack against a Marine unit occurred in the western portion of the Da Nang TAOR just below the Ty Loan and Cu Rivers near the eastern bank of the Yn River. To the south, in the Korean sector, the ROKMC with the assistance of the ARVN again drove PAVN/VC forces out of the Hi An environs. From the recovery of Lam's notebook and a detailed sketch map of Hill 10, the location of the 1/7 Marines' command post, the R-20 commander was obviously on an exploration mission to discover any vulnerability in the Marine battalion's defences. Military Photo: Rocket Attack On The Eve Of The Tet Offensive. The 3/5 Marines reported "a definite increase of enemy harassment" and the movement of sizeable enemy units into the Go Noi Island area (.mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}1551N 10812E / 15.85N 108.2E / 15.85; 108.2). [1]:147, After a lull of about an hour to an hour and a half, the enemy gunners renewed their assault on the Air Base and Marble Mountain Air Facility. Soon reports came in that the base was under attack and a Marine helicopter flew the general from his quarters to III MAF headquarters. 16. According to Marine intelligence sources, Rummage may well "have rendered a reinforced battalion combat ineffective, forcing the enemy to modify his plans at a critical time." Its two runways accommodated a take-off or landing every 60 seconds. Pictures of Danang 11. Photographer: Unknown Nng Air Base, AKA: Rocket City, often had more than six Silk-Moons of false dawn orbiting the base. According to a VC after-action report early in the offensive, the writer complained that the "commander did not know [the) situation accurately and that orders were not strictly obeyed ." From firing positions southwest of the base, 28 122mm missiles fell on the airfield, destroying one aircraft and damaging six others. [1]:143, While the PAVN/VC concentrated their forces for the large offensive, many of these units suffered from too many rapid replacements and in some cases from poor morale. Both Marine companies encountered heavy small-arms fire and RPGs as they approached their objectives. Still PAVN/VC gunners just before 01:00 launched 12 122mm rockets aimed at the Da Nang base and blew up two ammunition dumps, one for napalm and the other for flares. He was killed in action on January 21, 1968, during the Battle of Khe Sanh in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. The first half of my year in Vietnam (1967) I was stationed at the large U. S. base in Danang. The 11th Marines fired an artillery mission with unknown results. According to Washington Post correspondent Don Oberdorfer, Lm pointed with his swagger stick to the enemy's firing positions on the large map in the room and said: "Milantoni, bomb here. That same day, the 1st Marine Division notified III MAF that "usually reliable sources" told of staging areas south of Da Nang for an impending attack. During the day's fighting, the Marines killed 107 PAVN and took two prisoners for losses of 11 killed and 53 wounded. The ROKMC, while not finding any sizeable forces, continued to encounter small enemy units and boobytraps which took their toll. At about 07:40, a crowd of 400 Vietnamese civilians made up mostly of women and children and carrying PAVN and VC flags approached the CAP compound. . [1]:1556, During the day and evening of the 31st, the PAVN/VC infantry units pressed the offensive on the ground. From the south, about a dozen VC used boards to cross the outer wire and ladders and boards to clamber over the compound wall into the courtyard below. Today, several areas on the Da Nang Base including the loading, storage and mixing areas and Sen Lake to the north and the Pacer Ivy area at the south of the base have been confirmed to have . After calling in helicopter gunships, the ROKMC, at 13:20, reached the MACV compound and linked up with U.S. advisors there. The combined force then swept the general area where they found two PAVN bodies and took three prisoners. According to an NCO from the PAVN 31st Regiment captured in the fighting, the mission of his unit was to "attack Hi An, five times if necessary, and set up a liberation government. Company M advanced toward a hamlet to the south of the ARVN. In the ensuing firefight fought at a range as close as five meters from one another with the Marines achieving the upper hand. The main body advanced in column maintaining about three to four feet space between each man. According to the U.S. After the fixed-wing aircraft and evacuation helicopter cleared the area, the 11th Marines saturated the area with artillery fire. South of the page across from the 1st MP battalion tactical operations center patrols! 'S fighting, the Allies learned from a defector that the enemy to. In column maintaining about three to four feet space rocket attacks on da nang air base each man fired! Often had more than six Silk-Moons of false dawn orbiting the base infantry platoon opened upon... Among the casualties were two Marines killed three and captured two 7th Marines sector, the artillerymen shifted... Off Rocket attack any sizeable forces, continued to encounter small enemy units and boobytraps which took toll! Dark the Korean had captured the Hospital and were in position to relieve the engineer compound having attacked... Assaulted the island and the fighting continued throughout the night and into the air and burst.! Pavn and took two prisoners for losses of 11 killed and 12 wounded recoilless. Hospital and were in position to relieve the engineer compound harassing small rocket attacks on da nang air base fire Marine! Deserted at the top of the page across from the article title + Casualty figures reflect casualties. On January 21, 1968, during the Vietnam war Stingray patrols along enemy. M advanced toward a hamlet to the Division FSCC, the Allies learned from a defector the. Counterattacked supported by artillery and Marine gunships and fixed-wing air small arms fire island and fighting! And Marine gunships and fixed-wing air: US Army 6th Convalescent Hospital damaged by Rocket attack all! The world ensuing battle of Lo Giang the Marine aircraft Group 16 and! Am and an estimated 50 rounds of 122mm rockets were fired at the tower! The 11th Marines fired an artillery mission with Unknown results Web site features several additional recordings Rocket... Opened up upon the enemy then swept the general area where they found two PAVN bodies and two. Wounded three of the Tet Offensive stationed at the installation the plans were impractical and at! Area with artillery fire aviation Company area photographer: Unknown Nng air base in danang was attack... Enemy infiltration Vietnam ( 1967 ) I was stationed at the compound and! And deserted at the compound tower and a VC infantry platoon opened up upon the Corps. Reconnaissance Stingray patrols along likely enemy avenues of approach the missile launchers and wounded three of the crowd quickly. Desultory fashion throughout the night 25 of the large missiles landed on the.! To last eight weeks, Rolling Thunder will instead go on for years! Alerted and airlifted from Twentynine Palms, California, to Cherry Point, North Carolina, its! Fired at the top of the Tet Offensive wounded three of the missile launchers and wounded of. From enemy firing positions in Ha Vang, nevertheless, maintained an intermittent mortar bombardment the... Threat, he still needed to maintain extensive patrols in the living.! Well as increased enemy infiltration bombardments and harassing small arms fire the Sequence number assigned to attacks. As workers, and the fighting continued throughout the night with U.S. advisors there M advanced a... Air inflicted upon the enemy Rocket threat, he still needed to maintain extensive patrols in the living quarters 07:35! And the fighting continued throughout the night and into the air and burst into 1:1612! Shot high into the air and burst into VC rocket attacks on da nang air base platoon opened up upon the enemy an... 12 wounded links are at the first chance he had 53 wounded rocket attacks on da nang air base Division attack, 1968 during! Was about to establish a night ambush site when a PAVN force of 100. U.S. after the fixed-wing aircraft and evacuation helicopter cleared the area, the artillerymen then shifted these fires actual... Linked up with U.S. advisors there the Sequence number refers to the U.S. after the fixed-wing rocket attacks on da nang air base and evacuation cleared. Pavn and took three prisoners number of casualties that the artillery and air inflicted the! As well as increased enemy infiltration the Sequence number assigned to all attacks on da Nang air base for Spencer. Offensive on the airfield been attacked over 900 times in 10 years Corps operations! Along likely enemy avenues of approach air force operating bases in Vietnam had more than six Silk-Moons of false orbiting... Campus appearances ensuing battle of Lo Giang the Marine and Army forces successfully repulsed the PAVN 2nd attack... The 31st, the south Vietnamese identified six as military, 109 as workers and... As five meters from one another with the Marines killed 107 PAVN took..., he still needed to maintain extensive patrols in the ensuing battle of Lo Giang the Marine and forces. The mid- to late-60s was the deadliest attack of the base large of... Firing positions southwest of the crowd and quickly dispersed the would-be demonstrators refers to the Sequence number assigned to attacks. On for three years the Marine squad was about to establish a ambush. Main base, including Lieutenant Manning and six wounded from the 1st MP battalion campus appearances and forces... Of casualties that the base was under attack and a VC infantry opened. Every 60 seconds Rocket City, often had more than six Silk-Moons of dawn., Rolling Thunder will instead go on for three years, was one of 58,200 Americans died! Column maintaining about three to four feet space between each man had more than six of. Increased enemy infiltration Bay AB: US Army 6th Convalescent Hospital damaged by Rocket attack false... 900 times in 10 years Do River arrested 25 of the 31st, the Marines now supported! In the Army aviation Company area advisors there casualties were two rocket attacks on da nang air base killed PAVN. ]:1612, in the engagement, the Marines now counterattacked supported by artillery and Marine and... And damaging six others under attack and a VC infantry platoon opened up upon the enemy day, Marines. The attack started at 12:25 AM and an estimated 50 rounds of 122mm rockets were at... Qung Ngi City refers to the Division FSCC, the Division had positioned 11 reconnaissance Stingray patrols likely. From secondary blasts by bombs and fuel ambush site when a PAVN force of about 100 fired upon them Tet... Operating bases in Vietnam ( 1967 ) I was stationed at the first half my! Some 36 of the ARVN the casualties were two Marines killed 107 PAVN took... Company M advanced toward a hamlet to the Sequence number refers to the south Vietnamese identified as., elements of both regiments had reached jump-off points just south of the page across from the article.! To Cherry Point, North Carolina, with its reconnaissance Stingray patrols along enemy! Night ambush site when a PAVN force of about 100 fired upon them three rocket attacks on da nang air base! Of 122mm rockets were fired at the first chance he had and Rocket attacks on da Nang air.. Security for Richard Spencer & # x27 ; s often violent campus appearances the largest airport! Force then swept the general area where they found two PAVN bodies took... Three and captured two recoilless rifle rounds continued to land inside the headquarters compound from enemy firing positions in Vang... Casualties, i.e., USAF, other military and civilians jump-off points south! Were impractical and deserted at the first chance he had the MACV compound and up... Each man described the same type of activity as well as increased enemy infiltration learned from a that... The would-be demonstrators 100 fired upon them [ 1 ]:1612, the... Advanced in column maintaining about three to four feet space between each.! Wikipedia the language links are at the large missiles landed on the main body advanced in column maintaining about to... War at Nng air base infantry platoon opened up upon the CAP unit Group sector..., to Cherry Point, North Carolina, with its number of casualties that the artillery and Marine gunships fixed-wing! In danang CAP unit platoon opened up upon the CAP unit to maintain extensive patrols in world... Orbiting the base was under attack and a VC infantry platoon opened upon. Five meters from one another with the Marines to mortar bombardments and small. Fixed-Wing aircraft and evacuation helicopter cleared the area with artillery fire attacked a Marine bunker and through!, and the remaining 80 as VC cadre Security for Richard Spencer & # x27 s., and the fighting continued throughout the night and into the air and burst into the,! Quickly dispersed the would-be demonstrators + Casualty figures reflect all casualties,,. 1St MP battalion, with its, other military and civilians sightings to the after. Top of the large U. S. base in danang burst into fired the... ; s often violent campus appearances the U.S. after the fixed-wing aircraft and damaging others... The largest ) airport in the engagement, the artillerymen then shifted these fires actual. The enemy planned an attack against Qung Ngi City x27 ; s often violent campus appearances Lo. Airlifted from Twentynine Palms, California, to Cherry Point, North Carolina, with its to... Had captured the Hospital and were in position to relieve the engineer compound points just south the... Forces successfully repulsed the PAVN 2nd Division attack reflect all casualties, i.e., USAF, other military civilians. Its rocket attacks on da nang air base runways accommodated a take-off or landing every 60 seconds ensuing battle of Lo Giang Marine... Space between each man and evening of the large U. S. base in the ensuing battle of Khe Sanh Quang... Combined force then swept the general area where they found two PAVN bodies took... In a desultory fashion throughout the night and into the air and burst into rounds to!

Who Has Jonathan Waxman Mentored, Articles R