The city of Da Nang is located on the coast of the South China Sea. It is 764 kilometers South of Hanoi and 964 kilometers North of Saigon. Da Nang borders Thua Thien - Hue Province to the north, Quang Nam Province to the south and southwest, and the Pacific Ocean to the east. Early in the Viet Nam War the city had been the site of a large Vietnamese Air Base. The French had built the base when Viet Nam was a colony. Several large concrete bunkers remained from their conflict with the communist. American involvement in the war was expanded when General Westmoreland ordered US Marines to land at Da Nang. The air and navy base was considered too important. On March 8, 1965 units of the 2nd and 3rd battalions, 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade landed from a Navy Task force of four ships. The marines came ashore in full battle gear prepared for an immediate battle. Instead, they were greeted by Vietnamese girls greeted them, hanging leis of yellow dahlias and red gladioli around their necks. The Mayor of Da Nang and the Vietnamese General were on the beach to welcome them. The marines erected a defensive perimeter around the airfield. The first Air Force C-130 transports soon landed, diving sharply to avoid small arms fire. They contained the 1st Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment from Okinawa. The marines could scarcely believe that this was a war-torn nation. Peaceful rice fields, villages, and bamboo groves were located close to the base. The marines soon learned that in Viet Nam the war happened after nightfall. During the first night the sounds of grenades, mortars, and gunfire erupted. Air Force personnel arrived, with Security Police assuming responsibility for their share of the base perimeter. Tents were erected and construction was started on the base infrastructure. Within several years the base had all the comfort of home. Including bunkers to offer protection from the rocket and mortar attacks. In 1967 or 1968 a second runway was built parallel to the original runway. Da Nang Air Base was described as the busiest airport in the world. Transport aircraft and fighters took off and landed around the clock. The base had two bomb dumps located inside the base and two large POL tank farms. Both the Air Force and the Marines had larger bomb dumps located off base. These would be destroyed at least twice during the war. The VC often aimed their rockets at the POL tanks and ammo/bomb dumps. Aircraft from the base supported Marine units in the northern section of South Viet Nam. Both the Air Force and Marine Air Wing at Da Nang flew F-4 Phantom fighters. The Air Force also used C-130 "Hercules" and C-127 "Caribou" transport aircraft to supply the small firebases in the highlands. The base was also home for one of the famous "Spooky" aircraft. Over it's lifetime, four Security Police units were assigned to Da Nang. Usually when these changes occurred, all personnel remained, just the unit name (or number) was changed. It's a military thing! Da Nang was the home of the 28th, 35th, 366th, and the 6498th. In 1968-69, The Security Police moved out of tents and lived in barracks built by the French.
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