Da Nang Air Base () also known as Da Nang Airfield, Tourane Airfield or Tourane Air Base is a former French Air Force and later Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) facility located in the city of Da Nang, Vietnam. During the Vietnam War (1959–1975), it was a major base with United States Army, United States Air Force (USAF), and United States Marine Corps (USMC) units stationed there. Air Vietnam also used the facility from 1951 to 1975 for civilian domestic and international flights within Southeast Asia.
Early history On 22 September 1940, the Vichy Government signed an agreement with Japan allowing the Japanese to station troops in Tonkin and use three airfields there. On 14 July 1941, the Japanese sent the French an ultimatum demanding the use of bases in Annam and Cochinchina, the French acquiesced and by late July, the Japanese occupied Cam Ranh Bay, Bien Hoa Air Base and Tourane Airfield.
In late 1944, the Fourteenth Air Force based in southern China began raiding Japanese bases throughout Indochina and on 12 January 1945, the United States Third Fleet launched attacks on Japanese coastal bases including Da Nang.
Indochina War (1945–1954)
Tourane Airfield was used by the French Air Force during the French Indochina War.
In December 1950, pursuant to the Mutual Defense Assistance Act and Program, the US delivered B-26 Invaders to the French and these were used to form the Bombardment Group I/19 Gascogne based at Tourane.
In 1953, the US Eighteenth Air Force C-119s were deployed to Tourane to support French military operations. A number of these aircraft crewed by civilians later flew in support of French forces in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. In 1953/54 the French laid a NATO-standard asphalt runway at Tourane.
In January 1954, the USAF delivered a further 16 B-26s and 3 RB-26s to Tourane, and in February assigned USAF maintenance and supply personnel to Tourane on temporary duty to support B-26 operations. On 19 March the USAF deployed the 1808th Airways and Air Communications Service Squadron to Indochina with 60 enlisted men and one civilian at Tourane. On 6 April the USAF delivered 11 B-26s to Tourane for loan to the French. The USAF delivered 18 C-47s to Tourane on 9 April to replace aircraft losses. Later in April VMA-324 delivered 25 F4U/G Corsairs to the French Air Force at Tourane.
Following the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu and in anticipation of the Indochina peace treaty, on 23 May the USAF C-119 detachment at Cat Bi Air Base moved to Tourane.
On 14 June 1954 Viet Minh troops captured five USAF airmen of the 315th Air Division stationed at Tourane while they were on an unauthorized beach outing. They were held at a small camp about south of Tourane that was ringed by mines and pits with bamboo stakes. The airmen remained in captivity until 31 August when they were released to the French as part of a prisoner exchange.
On 19 July 1954 the USAF 6424th Air Depot Wing detachment that had supported French B–26 operations at Tourane completed its closeout and was inactivated.
On 6 September the last of the B-26s and C-119s on loan to the French departed from Tourane.
Republic of Vietnam Air Force use (1955–1970)
By the end of the Indochina War, the French had established a small Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) consisting of 2 squadrons of Morane-Saulnier MS.500 and one of Morane-Saulnier MS.315. In January 1955, MAAG Vietnam decided that the RVNAF would comprise one fighter, two liaison and two transport squadrons and that training would be undertaken by the French. Under the Mutual Defence Assistance Program, the US delivered 28 F8Fs, 35 C-47s and 60 L-19s to the RVNAF to equip the planned expansion. On 19 September 1955 the French turned over Tourane Airfield to the RVNAF, at the time the base had a runway, with potential extension of at least . On 1 June 1957 all RVNAF training responsibility passed from the French to the United States.
In November 1955, the RVNAF 1st Liaison Squadron moved to Da Nang AB from Huế.
In October 1961, the 2nd Helicopter Squadron was activated at Da Nang AB.
In December 1961 the 3rd Liaison Squadron was activated at Da Nang AB.
In mid-1962, the RVNAF 2nd Fighter Squadron equipped with T-28s became operational at Nha Trang Air Base and began detaching 6 aircraft to Da Nang AB.
In January 1963, the 2nd Helicopter Squadron was redesignated the 213th Helicopter Squadron, the 1st Liaison Squadron was redesignated the 110th Liaison Squadron and the 3rd Liaison Squadron was redesignated the 114th Liaison Squadron.
In February 1964, the 516th Fighter Squadron equipped with 15 A-1 Skyraiders moved to Da Nang AB from Nha Trang AB. On 15 March 1964 the RVNAF established a Tactical Wing Headquarters at the base. In May the 217th Helicopter Squadron was established at the base.
On 8 February 1965, RVNAF commander Nguyễn Cao Kỳ led VNAF A-1s from the base on a retaliatory raid against North Vietnamese targets.
On 2 March 1965, twenty A-1s from the base participated in the first attacks of Operation Rolling Thunder, striking the Vietnam People's Navy base at Quảng Khê. On 14 March the VNAF led by General Kỳ participated in attacks on barracks on Hòn Gió island.
In August 1965, four USAF B-57Bs operating from the base were nominally transferred to the RVNAF becoming their first jet aircraft.
In 1970, the RVNAF units at Da Nang AB were reorganized as the First Air Division with responsibility for Military Region I. Also during that year the RVNAF began building family housing at the base for its personnel.
United States military use (1962–1972) Da Nang Air Base was used as a primary entry point for American service members flying into Vietnam fighting in the Vietnam War. It was used by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) as well as the US Air force (USAF).
US Army use From January 1962 until September the 93rd Transportation Company (Light Helicopter) with Piasecki CH-21C Shawnees was based here. During February the company was joined by the 339th Transportation Company (Direct Support). In September 1962, the CH-21's left and were replaced by HMM-362 with the 611th Transportation Company (Aircraft Direct Support).
In 1965, as a result of an Army study on future mortuary support, the Commander in Chief, Pacific directed that the mortuary mission be transferred to United States Army Vietnam effective 1 July 1966. On 20 June 1967 a stand-by mortuary at the base was placed in operation.
USAF use
In January 1962, the USAF 5th Tactical Control Group was deployed to Da Nang AB to provide air support operations in I Corps. By 2 March C-123s were stationed at the base under Project Mule Train. On 20 May 1962 the 6222nd Air Base Squadron was formed at the base to support VNAF operations and the growing USAF presence through Farm Gate operations.
On 15 June 1962, 12 C-123s from the 777th Troop Carrier Squadron deployed to the base forming the Tactical Air Force Transport Squadron Provisional-2 to supplement the existing Mule Train operations and those of the US Army's 18th Fixed Wing Aviation Company equipped with U-1 Otters.
In early 1962, the base runway was asphalt covered and long while the taxiways and parking areas were covered in Pierced steel planking (PSP).
In April 1963, the 777th Troop Carrier Squadron equipped with 16 C-123s was transferred to the base and later that year the base's existing Mule Train operations were redesignated as the 311th Troop Carrier Squadron.
In early 1964, the U.S. Navy Officer in Charge of Construction RVN (OICC) directed the American construction contractor RMK-BRJ to rebuild and extend the existing runway to , with new asphalt paving. This was completed in July 1964.
On 5 August 1964, following the Gulf of Tonkin incident, 6 F-102s from the 509th Fighter Squadron and 8 F-100s from the 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron (615th TFS) deployed to Da Nang AB from Clark Air Base in the Philippines. The F-100s were proposed to be used for a strike against the Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) Phúc Yên Air Base as part of the US response to the incident, however approval for the strike was denied.
Commencing in December 1964, Da Nang AB was used to support Operation Barrel Roll, the covert air war in neighbouring Laos. On 14 December F-105s from the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron based at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand staged through Da Nang for the initial strikes supported by the base's F-100s. Later that month F-105s from the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed to the base for further strikes near Tchepone, these aircraft would form Detachment 2 18th Tactical Fighter Wing. Also in December the 613th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed to the base.
In February 1965, 12 F-100s from the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing deployed to the base to support the Operation Flaming Dart airstrikes.
On 2 March 1965, F-100s, F-105s and VNAF A-1s from the base participated in the first attacks of Operation Rolling Thunder, striking the naval base at Quảng Khê, losing 2 F-100s in the attack.
By March 1965, with the base overcrowded by the arrival of new squadrons, a major expansion was approved. In August 1965, the OICC directed RMK-BRJ to construct a second parallel runway and paved taxiways and parking areas. The second runway opened in July 1966.
In March 1965, the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing (35th TFW) deployed to the base.In April the 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed to the base. The 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed to the base before moving to Bien Hoa AB in mid-May. Also in April the 476th Tactical Fighter Squadron (476th TFS) equipped with F-104Cs was deployed to the base. In May the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron (20th TASS) equipped with O-1s deployed to the base. In June the 615th TFS returned to the US. In mid-June the 8th Bombardment Squadron equipped with B-57Bs moved to the base from Bien Hoa, these would be rotated with other B-57s from the 13th Bombardment Squadron until September 1966 when they would be moved to Phan Rang Air Base.
On the early morning of 1 July 1965, the PAVN and Vietcong launched a mortar and sapper attack on the base, destroying one F-102 and two C-130s and damaging a further two F-102s and one C-130. The PAVN/VC had killed a guard undetected and then used his unsecured telephone to divert US troops to the far side of the base.
In July, the 436th Tactical Fighter Squadron (436th TFS) replaced the 476th TFS. In October the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron replaced the 436th TFS. In November the 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron (390th TFS) equipped with F-4s deployed to the base.
The 1972d Communications Squadron was designated and organized at Da Nang Airport on 20 August 1965, as part of the 1964th Communications Group, Air Force Communications Service.
On 1 January 1966, the 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron equipped with the F-5A Skoshi Tiger moved to the base for trial operations over North Vietnam and Laos. The F-5s returned to Bien Hoa in early February and returned to Da Nang AB from 20 February to 10 March when they returned again to Bien Hoa and were redesignated as the 10th Fighter Squadron.
On 8 January 1966, the 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (37th ARRS) was activated at Da Nang AB operating 5 HU-16s on loan from the 31st ARRS and the 33rd ARRS, the squadron was responsible for aircrew recovery over North Vietnam, Laos and the Gulf of Tonkin. In May 1967, Detachment 1 38th ARRS operating HH-3s at the base was reassigned to the 37th ARRS.
In February 1966, the 480th Fighter Squadron deployed to the base. In July Detachment 3, 405th Fighter Wing equipped with F-102s deployed to the base.
In April/May 1966, following civil unrest in Da Nang, all USAF personnel were moved from off-base housing into barracks on the base.
In May 1966, the base supported Operation Carolina Moon an unsuccessful attempt to destroy the Thanh Hóa Bridge with mines dropped from C-130s.