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Da Nang Air Base
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For the civil use of the facility, see
Da Nang International Airport
.
Da Nang Air Base
Part of
Vietnam People's Air Force
(VPAF)
Republic of Vietnam Air Force
(RVNAF)
Pacific Air Forces
(USAF)
Da Nang Air Base
Coordinates
16°02′38″N
108°11′58″E
Type
Air Force Base
Site information
Condition
Joint Civil/Military Airport
Site history
Built
1930s
In use
1930s–Present
Battles/wars
World War II
First Indochina War
Vietnam War
Airfield information
IATA
:
DAD
ICAO
:
VVDN
Summary
Elevation
AMSL
33 ft / 10 m
Runways
Direction
Length
Surface
ft
m
17L/35R
11,483
3,500
Asphalt
17R/35L
10,000
3,048
Asphalt
Da Nang Air Base
(
Vietnamese
:
Căn cứ không quân Đà Nẵng
) (1930s–1975) (also known as
Da Nang Airfield
,
Tourane Airfield
or
Tourane Air Base
) was a
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.
Contents
Early history
[
edit
]
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.
[1]
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.
[1]
:39–40
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.
[1]
:68–9
Indochina War (1945–1954)
[
edit
]
Tourane Airfield in 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.
[2]
:7
[3]
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
.
[4]
In 1953/54 the French laid a NATO-standard 7,800-foot (2,400 m) asphalt runway at Tourane.
[2]
:52
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.
[2]
:17
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.
[5]
:117
On 6 April the USAF delivered 11 B–26s to Tourane for loan to the French.
[5]
:130
The USAF delivered 18
C-47s
to Tourane on 9 April to replace aircraft losses.
[2]
:24
Later in April
VMA-324
delivered 25
F4U/G Corsairs
to the French Air Force at Tourane.
[6]
:71
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.
[5]
:149
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 60 miles (97 km) 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.
[5]
:156
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.
[5]
:165
On 6 September the last of the B-26s and C-119s on loan to the French departed from Tourane.
[2]
:31
Republic of Vietnam Air Force use (1955–1970)
[
edit
]
RVNAF
A-1
at Da Nang AB in 1967
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
.
[2]
:36
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.
[2]
:49–50
On 19 September 1955 the French turned over Tourane Airfield to the RVNAF, at the time the base had a 7,850 feet (2,390 m) runway, with potential extension of at least 1,000 feet (300 m).
[5]
:208–9
On 1 June 1957 all RVNAF training responsibility passed from the French to the United States.
[2]
:50
In November 1955, the RVNAF 1st Liaison Squadron moved to Da Nang AB from
Huế
.
[2]
:272
In October 1961, the 2nd Helicopter Squadron was activated at Da Nang AB.
[2]
:273
In December 1961 the 3rd Liaison Squadron was activated at Da Nang AB.
[2]
:273
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.
[2]
:132
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.
[2]
:273
In February 1964, the 516th Fighter Squadron equipped with 15
A-1 Skyraiders
moved to Da Nang AB from Nha Trang AB.
[2]
:274
On 15 March 1964 the RVNAF established a Tactical Wing Headquarters at the base.
[2]
:211
In May the 217th Helicopter Squadron was established at the base.
[2]
:274
On 8 February 1965, RVNAF commander
Nguyễn Cao Kỳ
led VNAF A-1s from the base on a
retaliatory raid against North Vietnamese targets
.
[7]
On 2 March 1965, 20 A-1s from the base participated in the first attacks of
Operation Rolling Thunder
, striking the
Vietnam People's Navy
base at
Quảng Khê
.
[8]
On 14 March the VNAF led by General Kỳ participated in attacks on barracks on Hòn Gió island.
[8]
:85
In August 1965, 4 USAF
B-57Bs
operating from the base were nominally transferred to the RVNAF becoming their first jet aircraft.
[7]
:88
In 1970, the RVNAF units at Da Nang AB were reorganized as the First Air Division with responsibility for
Military Region I
.
[9]
Also during that year the RVNAF began building family housing at the base for its personnel.
[9]
:214
United States military use (1962–1972)
[
edit
]
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).
[10]
US Army use
[
edit
]
From January 1962 until September the
93rd Transportation Company (Light Helicopter)
with
Piasecki CH-21C Shawnee's
was based here.
[11]
:20
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)
.
[11]
:21
USAF use
[
edit
]
F-100Ds of the
416th Fighter Squadron
at Da Nang AB in 1965
64th FIS F-102A landing at Da Nang AB, 1966
Northwest Airlines
Boeing 707
at Da Nang AB in September 1966
Da Nang AB in the late 1960s
37th ARRS
HH-53s
at Da Nang AB c.1970
In January 1962, the USAF
5th Tactical Control Group
was deployed to Da Nang AB to provide air support operations in
I Corps
.
[2]
:106
By 2 March
C-123s
were stationed at the base under
Project Mule Train
.
[2]
:108
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.
[2]
:101
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
.
[2]
:110–1
In early 1962, the base runway was asphalt covered and 7,900-foot (2,400 m) long while the taxiways and parking areas were covered in
Pierced steel planking
(PSP).
[12]
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
.
[2]
:167–71
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 10,000 ft (3,000 m), with new asphalt paving. This was completed in July 1964.
[12]
:66
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.
[2]
:229
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.
[2]
:230–2
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
,
[2]
:256–7
these aircraft would form Detachment 2
18th Tactical Fighter Wing
.
[2]
:256–7
Also in December the
613th Tactical Fighter Squadron
deployed to the base.
[7]
:Appendix 1
In February 1965, 12 F-100s from the
3rd Tactical Fighter Wing
deployed to the base to support the
Operation Flaming Dart
airstrikes.
[2]
:274
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.
[8]
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 10,000-foot (3,000 m) parallel runway and paved taxiways and parking areas.
[12]
:149–150
[7]
:26–8
The second runway opened in July 1966.
[7]
:158
In March 1965, the
35th Tactical Fighter Wing
(35th TFW) deployed to the base.
[7]
:Appendix 1
In April the
615th Tactical Fighter Squadron
deployed to the base.
[7]
The
416th Tactical Fighter Squadron
deployed to the base before moving to
Bien Hoa Air Base
in mid-May.
[7]
:Appendix 1
Also in April the
476th Tactical Fighter Squadron
(476th TFS) equipped with
F-104Cs
was deployed to the base.
[7]
:Appendix 1
In May the
20th Tactical Air Support Squadron
(20th TASS) equipped with
O-1s
deployed to the base.
[7]
:Appendix 1
In June the 615th TFS returned to the US.
[7]
:55
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
.
[7]
:Appendix 1
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.
[13]
In July, the
436th Tactical Fighter Squadron
(436th TFS) replaced the 476th TFS.
[7]
:Appendix 1
In October the
435th Tactical Fighter Squadron
replaced the 436th TFS.
[7]
:Appendix 1
In November the
390th Tactical Fighter Squadron
(390th TFS) equipped with
F-4s
deployed to the base.
[7]
:Appendix 1
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.
[7]
:89–90
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.
[7]
:125
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.
[14]
[15]
In May 1967, Detachment 1
38th ARRS
operating
HH-3s
at the base was reassigned to the 37th ARRS.
[14]
:274
In February 1966, the
480th Fighter Squadron
deployed to the base.
[7]
:Appendix 1
In July Detachment 3,
405th Fighter Wing
equipped with F-102s deployed to the base.
[7]
:Appendix 1
In April/May 1966, following civil unrest in Da Nang, all USAF personnel were moved from off-base housing into barracks on the base.
[7]
:175
In May 1966, the base supported
Operation Carolina Moon
an unsuccessful attempt to destroy the Thanh Hóa Bridge with mines dropped from C-130s.
[8]
:258–9
By September 1966, the 20th TASS had replaced most of its O-1s with the
O-2A
with many of these forward deployed to smaller bases close to the
DMZ
.
[7]
:242
In October, the
366th Tactical Fighter Wing
deployed to the base from Phan Rang replacing the 35th TFW which moved down to Phan Rang.
[7]
:Appendix 1
By December 1966 7 F-4 squadrons were operating from the base.
[7]
:160
In March 1967, elements of the
9th Air Commando Squadron
equipped with O-2Bs began operating from the base.
[7]
:243
During the
Tet Offensive
attacks in northern
I Corps
, many of the detached 20th TASS units returned from their forward bases to the security of Da Nang AB, resulting in longer transit and reduced on-station times for their forward air control missions.
[9]
:30–1
On 20 September 1969 a USAF F-4 returning from a strike mission collided with an
Air Vietnam
Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster
(registration XV-NUG) 3 km (1.6 nmi; 1.9 mi) northwest of the airport, taking off part of the C-54's wing, the C-54 crashed into a plowed field, killing 74 of the 75 people on board and two people working in the field.
[16]
On 8 April 1970, the PAVN shelled and rocketed the base killing one Airman and one Marine and damaging barracks and communications facilities.
[9]
:246
By 1972, with
Vietnamization
at an advanced stage, Da Nang AB was one of only 4 major USAF bases remaining in South Vietnam with the 366th TFW based there.
[9]
:305
When the
Easter Offensive
began on 30 March 1972 the USAF moved quickly to build up its tactical fighter strength in Vietnam, on 3 April 9 F-4s were deployed to Da Nang AB as part of Operation Commando Fly, these aircraft were soon joined by an additional 9 F-4s and formed the
35th Tactical Fighter Squadron
(35th TFS).
[9]
:338
In late April, a
B-52
made an emergency landing at the base after a hit by an
SA-2 missile
over North Vietnam knocked out 3 of its engines.
[17]
In late May, the 366th TFW began moving from Da Nang AB to
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base
, with the personnel of the 390th TFS returning to the US while their aircraft were transferred to other squadrons in Thailand.
[9]
:345
The 35th TFS redeployed to
Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base
.
[9]
:345
USMC use
[
edit
]
SHUFLY UH-34s of
HMM-163
at Da Nang AB in September 1962
F-4Bs of
VMFA-115
at Da Nang AB in January 1966
F-8E of
VMF(AW)-232
taking off from Da Nang AB c.1967
In early September 1962,
HMM-163
codenamed "SHUFLY", one of the first
United States Marine Corps
(USMC) helicopter units to serve in Vietnam, was redeployed with its support units from
Marine Aircraft Group 16
(MABS-16) from
Sóc Trăng Airfield
to Da Nang Airfield, completing the redeployment by 20 September.
[6]
:73–4
HMM-162 was tasked with supporting ARVN operations in I Corps,
[6]
:79
and conducted their first combat operation deploying units from the ARVN
2nd Division
on 18 September 1962.
[6]
:82
The ARVN, RVNAF, USAF and USMC established a joint
Air Support Operations Center
at Da Nang AB to coordinate air support within I Corps.
[6]
:80–2
This was later supplemented by an Aviation Headquarters Operations Centre to oversee Army and USMC aviation.
[6]
:117
On 11 January 1963,
HMM-162
replaced HMM-163 at Da Nang AB and in April a reconnaissance platoon from the
3rd Marine Division
was deployed to provide base security.
[6]
:111–2
Later in April the US Army's 68th Aviation Company equipped with armed
UH-1Bs
began operations from the base.
[6]
:115
On 8 June 1963
HMM-261
replaced HMM-162.
[6]
:116
On 2 October
HMM-361
replaced HMM-261.
[6]
:120
On 1 February 1964,
HMM-364
replaced HMM-361 at Da Nang AB, together with its combat support missions HMM-364 was tasked with training VNAF personnel in helicopter operations as it was intended that they would be the last USMC helicopter unit deployed to Vietnam and would depart by 30 June.
[6]
:146–7
Following harassment attacks on the Marine compound, on 24 March a platoon from
1st Battalion 9th Marines
was deployed to Da Nang AB to increase base security.
[6]
:147
By late May it had become clear that 30 June departure date was unrealistic and so in late June HMM-364 turned over their helicopters to the new VNAF 217th Squadron, HMM-162 returned to Da Nang.
[6]
:155–6
On 21 September the USMC evacuated Da Nang AB as
Typhoon Tilda
approached, the Marines returned to their damaged base on 23 September.
[6]
:159–60
On 29 September 1/9 Marines was replaced by a platoon from Company E
2nd Battalion 9th Marines
.
[6]
:160–1
In early October HMM-162 was replaced by
HMM-365
.
[6]
:161
On 26 November E/2/9 Marines was replaced by the reinforced Company L
3rd Battalion 9th Marines
.
[6]
:164
On 7 February 1965, following the
Attack on Camp Holloway
, US President
Lyndon B. Johnson
ordered
retaliatory airstrikes against North Vietnam
and the deployment of
HAWK missiles
to South Vietnam to defend against any attacks by the
Vietnam People's Air Force
(VPAF). The USMC
1st Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion
based on
Okinawa
was ordered to deploy to Da Nang. Arriving by C-130 on 8 February, two of 1st LAAM's HAWK batteries were fully operational by February 18.
[13]
:4–6
On 8 March 1965, in coordination with the amphibious landing of the
9th Marine Regiment
at
Red Beach
north of Da Nang,
[18]
the
1st Battalion 3rd Marines
landed at Da Nang AB from
Naha Air Base
, this marked the first deployment of US combat troops to South Vietnam.
[13]
:14
On 9 March HMM-365 was replaced by HMM-162.
[13]
:15
The
9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade
(9th MEB) were tasked with defending Da Nang AB, while overall responsibility for defending the Da Nang area remained with the ARVN, SHUFLY was absorbed into
Marine Aircraft Group 16
(MAG-16), part of 9th MEB.
[13]
:16
On 10 April,
F-4Bs
from
VMFA-531
landed at Da Nang AB, this would be the first USMC fighter-bomber squadron deployed to Vietnam.
[13]
:25
On 16 April
Marine Air Support Squadron 2
(MASS-2) was deployed to Da Nang AB to provide tactical air control for Marine aviation units and the following day
VMCJ-1
equipped with
EF-10Bs
deployed to the base. The USMC fixed wing units were designated
Marine Aircraft Group 11
(MAG-11).
[13]
:27
In early May 1965, the 9th MEB was redesignated as the
3rd Marine Amphibious Force
(III MAF) and a
1st Marine Aircraft Wing
(1st MAW) advanced headquarters was established at Da Nang AB. III MAF and 1st MAW controlled all USMC units in Vietnam which now comprised the enclaves at Da Nang,
Chu Lai Base Area
and
Phu Bai Combat Base
.
[13]
:36
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.
[13]
:56–7
In mid-July,
VMFA-513
relieved VMFA-531 and
VMFA-542
was also deployed to Da Nang AB. On 7 August given the overcrowding at the base, the helicopters of MAG-16 moved to the new
Marble Mountain Air Facility
, on the Tiensha Peninsula across the Da Nang River from Da Nang AB.
[13]
:149
On 15 October,
VMFA-115
replaced VMFA-513, on 1 December
VMFA-323
replaced VMFA-542 and on 19 December
VMF(AW)-312
deployed to the base.
[13]
:150
A detachment of four
KC-130
tankers from
VMGR-152
was also stationed at Da Nang AB to support USMC squadrons.
[13]
:157
On 25 January 1966, the Vietcong attacked Da Nang AB with 120mm mortars killing one Marine.
[19]
In late 1966,
VMF (AW)-242
equipped with
A-6As
was deployed to Da Nang AB.
[19]
:264–5
On 27 February 1967, the PAVN launched a rocket attack hitting the base with more than 50 140mm rockets in one minute, a further rocket attack took place on 15 March.
[20]
On 14 July the PAVN launched another rocket attack firing over 50 122mm rockets destroying 10 aircraft, barracks and a bomb dump, damaging a further 40 aircraft and killing 8 Americans and wounding 176.
[20]
:108–9
On the morning of 3 January 1968, the Vietcong launched more than 50 122mm rockets at the base destroying a Marine F-4B and two USAF aircraft and damaging 17 others.
[21]
At the beginning of 1968, USMC units at Da Nang AB included VMCJ-1,
VMF (AW)-235
, VMF (AW)-242 and
VMFA-122
.
[21]
:459
During the
Tet Offensive
together with other attacks on US and ARVN facilities in the Da Nang area, on the night of 29 January the Vietcong fired rockets at the base and then at 02:30 on 30 January they launched a sapper and mortar attack on the south of the base killing 4 Marines.
[21]
:145–6
At 03:30 a renewed rocket attack on the base began with 55 122mm rockets hitting within 20 minutes killing 3 Marines and wounding 11 and destroying 5 aircraft and damaging a further 14.
[21]
:147–8
In January 1969, USMC units at Da Nang AB included VMCJ-1, VMF (AW)-242,
VMFA-334
and VMFA-542.
[22]
On 23 February 1969 as part of the
Tet 1969
attacks, a PAVN rocket attack destroyed a 450,000 gallon fuel tank beside the base and damaged an A-6.
[22]
:97
On 7 October as part of
Operation Keystone Cardinal
, a farewell ceremony took place at the base to mark the departure of the
3rd Marine Division
from South Vietnam.
[22]
:166–7
At the beginning of 1970, USMC units at Da Nang AB included VMCJ-1,
VMF (AW)-225
, VMF (AW)-242 and VMFA-542.
[23]
In late January 1970 as part of Operation Keystone Bluejay VMFA-542 departed Vietnam and
VMO-2
moved to the base from Marble Mountain Air Facility.
[23]
:271
In July–August as part of Operation Keystone Robin Alpha, VMCJ-1 and VMF (AW)-242 departed Vietnam while the withdrawal of
Marine Aircraft Group 13
from
Chu Lai Air Base
saw the relocation of VMFA-115 and
VMA-311
to Da Nang AB as part of MAG-11.
[23]
:271
During 1970 Marine engineers constructed 170 "Wonderarch" concrete and steel aircraft protection shelters at Da Nang AB and Marble Mountain Air Facility.
[23]
:326–7
Beginning in January 1971, as part of Operation Keystone Robin Charlie the 1st MAW headquarters and VMFA-115 departed Da Nang AB for
MCAS Iwakuni
while VMO-2 returned to the US, leaving MAG-11 with two squadrons, VMF (AW)-225 and VMA-311 and other assorted assets, by 22 June 1971 all USMC aviation units had left South Vietnam.
[23]
:273
On 31 January 1971, 8 PAVN rockets hit the base igniting a 50,000 gallon fuel tank and damaging two KC-130s. On 21 February another rocket attack destroyed a C-130.
[23]
:213
On 6 April 1972, USMC squadrons returned to Da Nang AB to confront the PAVN Easter Offensive, with VMFA-115 and VMFA-232 redeploying to the base under the command of
Marine Aircraft Group 15
(MAG-15).
[24]
:153–5
On 12 April the base was hit by 122mm rockets killing 14 Vietnamese civilians.
[25]
On 14 April
VMFA-212
arrived at the base followed the next day by H&MS-15.
[24]
:157
On 24 April the base was hit by PAVN 122mm rockets, prompting a call for Marines to provide base security, and on 25 May the 3rd Battalion 9th Marines was deployed to the base.
[24]
:158–9
From 16 June, MAG-15 began moving to
Royal Thai Air Base Nam Phong
, while USMC operations at Da Nang AB were reduced to rearming and refueling.
[24]
:164–70
On 26 January 1973, the date before the
Paris Peace Accords
were to come into effect, two MAG-15 F-4s were damaged by PAVN rocket fire as they rearmed at Danang AB.
[24]
:216