Vietnam War-Stories.com: Sapper Attack! by Don Graham, 31st SPS, Tuy Hoa AB. 29 Jul. 1968. 1995-2024

Tuy Hoa Air Base
SAPPER ATTACK!
July 29, 1968
by: Don Graham
31st Security Police Squadron
1968-69

The attack of 29Jul 1968 occurred a little after midnight. Viet Cong soldiers were killed between the flight line and the perimeter fence while apparently trying to reach a small village just outside the base possibly named UAT LAM.

Photos by Tuy Hoa Air Base photographers
DET 8 600th PHOTO SQ AAVS

Photo 1 - Members of the 31st SPS check out a fighting hole dug by Viet Cong outside the perimeter fence between Oscar-7 (tower) and Golf-16 (bunker). VC used this fox hole to support sappers on base trying to escape after their attack.

Photo by, Dick Larsen

An HC-130P "Crown" Hercules from the 39th ARRS parked in the Tuy Hoa revetment area. Two aircraft like this were completely destroyed in the July 29th attack after satchel charges were thrown into the aircraft.

Photo 2: What's left of a C-130 after a satchel charge attack.

Photo 4 - Aerial view of killing field, a few of the bodies of dead sappers can be seen. They were running from bottom right to top left and were picked off one at a time. Most sapper's died in the sand trying to escape to village at top left of photo.

BELOW PHOTOS ARE GRAPHIC WOUNDS: Sappers 1-4 were killed in the areas between the flight line and perimeter fence, and were carrying assorted weapons such as AK47s, Bangolore Torpedo mines, B40 Rockets, homemade grenades and satchel charges.

Sapper 1: Killed between the flight line and the perimeter fence.

Sapper 2:
Shot down as he attempted exfiltration of Tuy Hoa Air Base. His AK-47 lays where it fell.

Unexploded homemade Improvised Explosive Device (IED)
fragmentation grenade fell near a dead Viet Cong soldier.

Sapper 3: Killed approaching perimeter fence--Bangolore Torpedo mine in tow.

Sapper 4: Killed while running barefoot through heavy sand--satchel charge bag still strapped to his back.

Sapper 5: Shot dead scurrying beneath base perimeter's concertina wire fence.

Sapper 6: Viet Cong made it under the base perimeter's concertina wire only to die of wounds.
His B-40 Rocket abandoned inside the base, laying on the wire with its nose near
blood soaked ground.