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U-Tapao RTAFB
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Royal Thai Air Base
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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
U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Field is located south of Bangkok
near Sattihip, Thailand. This was a major Air Force asset during the Viet
Nam conflict. The base was home for B-52 bombers, KC-135 aircraft
refueling tankers, and even a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. In 1965, the Strategic
Air Command (SAC)
began a long nine-year effort in Southeast Asia to provide bomber
support to American & Allied forces. The bombers TDY to U-Tapao were
from several stateside bases. The bombers flew during the massive
"Arc Light" and "Linebacker II" operations. Day
after day, B-52s would take off from U-Tapao dropping bombs on North
Vietnamese and Viet Cong supply areas.
H. L. Hartford, Sentry Dog Handler said, “ During the
morning hours, as the B-52's were returning to base, I recall what we
called the line up of B-52's approaching the Air Base from a bombing
mission. As they lined up, one after another turned on their landing
lights, and at times you could see like pearls on a string with as
many as seven to ten sky-lit jewel B-52's approaching. One by one they
touched down, as if a new babe safe in its mother's arms. “
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Contributors
Vernon Anderson Dave Broeker
Jack Caldwell John Crabb
Tommy Cockroft Fred Cobb Benjamin Cox
Bill
Cummings
Gil Cymballlis Dick Frost H. L. Hartford Larry Haynie
Frank McKinley Mike
Monger Carl Newcomb John O'Donnell
Greig Parker Janie Steinmasel
Thomas Swartz Jim Watson
Larry Zacker
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