VSPA.com: K-9: U.S. Air Bases and MWD Sections in South-East Asia: First Line of Defense.

Photo Above Courtesy of Scott Baker

A1C Bob Woodsen and his dog at Phu Cat AB, January 1967

Click Photo To View War Dog Video

VSPA K-9 Section
"First Line of Defense"

During the Vietnam War, the defense of Air Force bases mirrored the conflict itself: There was no rear echelon once the entire country became a battlefield. Air Force bases relatively, unaffected by ground forces in past wars, were no longer considered safe havens. They, too, suffered from costly ground assaults and mortar shelling.

Within easy reach of North Vietnamese troops, Air Force bases in Vietnam and Thailand were attacked 478 times from 1964 to 1973. One hundred and fifty-five Americans were killed and 1,702 wounded, along with 375 allied aircraft being destroyed and 1,203 damaged. In fact, more U.S. planes were lost in ground action (101) than in dogfights with MIGs (62).

Bien Hoa Air Base, located 15 miles north of Saigon, was the first U.S. air base in Vietnam to taste the damage a small, well-trained force can inflict. A hit-and-run mortar attack destroyed five B-57 bombers and damaged 15 others. The Viet Cong, in less than five minutes, wiped out an entire squadron.

The attack hammered home a hard message. To fight in the air, the Air Force had to be able to fight on the ground." Above Published in AF Times

US Air Bases in SEA

Viet Nam	Thailand
Bien Hoa Air Base	Don Muang RTAFB
Binh Thuy Air Base	Ko Kha Radar RTAS
Ban Me Thout AB No AF Dogs	Korat RTAFB
Cam Ranh Bay AB Air Base	Nakhon Phanom RTAFB
Da Nang Air Base	Takhli RTAFB
Dong Ha Airfield No AF Dogs	Ubon RTAFB
Monkey Mountain, No AF Dogs	Udorn RTAFB
Nha Trang Air Base	U-Tapao RTAFB
Phan Rang Air Base
Phu Cat Air Base	Special Gift To Thailand
Pleiku Air Base
Qui Nhon Air Base, No AF Dogs
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tuy Hoa Air Base	Non-VSPA Websites
	Thailand K-9 Handlers
Project Safeside	USAF History

VSPA K-9 Memorial

Military Dog History

History WWI & WWII	Pacific Theater	Vietnam To Present	Top Dog

Paw Across The Pacific	PACAF Commando Plug	National Geographic Story	VFW Story

Super Dogs	Soldiers' Keepers: Dogs of War	Patrol Ver. Sentry	Your dog's fate.

Steadfast Sentinel	Dog School	1st Patrol Dog Class	Last Sentry Dog

Why Dogs?	PD Replacements ?		Death of a Warrior

Stories of SEA
(Southeast Asia)

Blackie # 129X	Dusty #770E	King #326F	35th ISPD

Stories: Da Nang	Stories: Da Nang 2	Stories: Phan Rang	Story : Pleiku

Snake Stories!	Barracks of SEA	Sugar Comes Home	GI Named K-9

Ubon - Story	Story of Lex Loci	Dog Training	Attack Training

U-T Stars and Stripes		Veterinarians	Rex's Dentist

Cold Nose-Brave Hearts Legendary War Dogs

from Elks magazine Courtesy of Don (Jack) Kelly Korat RTAFB 'Nov 71-72'

Nemo - Hero of Tan Son Nhut	Attack on Bien Hoa, AB, RVN

Attack on Phan Rang AB, RVN	Attack on Ubon, RTAFB

Attack on U-Tapao	Attacks on Da Nang AB, RVN

To submit stories or photos.

Downloads

DOD Puppy Program	The Night Beat TSN	Sentry Dog Manual

USAF History of MWD	Parade Article	NKP, RTAFB Booklet

Kirkuk Paper	Agent Orange Report	Iraq Map

Dogs in PACAF	Cold Nose-Brave Hearts Legendary War Dogs	Last Sentry Dogs

	K-9 Presentation

Handlers & Dogs of SEA

The Handlers of South-East Asia (SEA) worksheet list all Air Force handlers assigned to Viet Nam & Thailand Bases. Also known US Navy handlers at Naval Support Activities Da Nang & Cam Ranh Bay AB are listed. Over 4,000+ Tour Assignments for handlers are listed.
The Dogs of SEA Worksheet list all known dogs assigned to Viet Nam & Thailand Air Force/Navy bases and some Army dogs used in Thailand. The list also specifies the dogs that were returned in 1975-76 to the DOD Dog Center, Lackland AFB, Texas. Over 1,600 + dogs are listed by name, brand number, and bases assigned.
Both worksheets show multiple tours/assignments of handlers and dogs. Please send ma any additions to our records.

Adoption of; Military & Civilian Dogs

Adopt Military Dogs

Adoption of Rambo

Adoption/Supporting Deployed Handlers

Supporting Deployed Troops

Feed the dawgs!

History of Viet Nam

Vietnam The Country	French Legacy	Dien Bien Phu

RVN Military		Who you calling Ho?

Issues !

Missing In America	Attack on America

War Crimes	Tibet's Gamble

Do you have health problems?

Chemical Exposure	Testicular Cancer Risk ?
Agent Orange in Thailand ?	Malathion Exposure

Bulletin Boards

K-9 Bulletin Board

Chemical Exposure

K-9 News Articles

News from the Sandbox

News from CONUS (Stateside Bases)

K-9 Reunions

Texas Handlers	Da Nang Handlers	U-Tapao Handlers

	Korat Handlers

Links of Interest

USAF Bases in SEA & Topics of Interest

Memorial Why dogs?

MWD History Your dog's fate! New K-9

Chemical Exposure Testicular Cancer Risk?

Adoption: Adopting Dogs Adopting Handlers

Bulletin Boards: K-9 Issues Chemical Exposure

Submit stories/photos Links

The story of Nemo

Veterinarians

VSPA is an association for USAF Vietnam War Veterans who served in Vietnam or Thailand from 1960-1975, as Air Police / Security Police or as an Augmentee. Visit the main pages for information on joining.

Website Last Updated on 06/12/2011