The only Marine casualties were two men who failed to vacate their "hootches" in time. Company M advanced toward a hamlet to the south of the ARVN. Fourteen aircraft, six pieces of ground support equipment , five buildings, and another two vehicles sustained damage of one sort or another. If we went a week without a few rockets coming we knew something was in the works. Both Marine companies encountered heavy small-arms fire and RPGs as they approached their objectives. Even in the face of the artillery, the PAVN continued their advance upon the Marine positions. It also served to block one of the principal avenues of approach to Da Nang from the south. According to III MAF figures, from 29 January through 14 February at Da Nang, Marines sustained 124 killed and more than 480 wounded. The NVA launched hundreds of rocket attacks on DaNang Airbase trying to hit the bomb dump. One sapper was captured. At 08:30 a CAP saw a number of VC attempting to swim across the Cu to the island. In the ensuing firefight fought at a range as close as five meters from one another with the Marines achieving the upper hand. [1]:157, About 5,000 meters to the northwest, later that night, a squad from Company C, 1/7 Marines encountered an enemy force possibly from the same PAVN regiment. Rockey then ordered a platoon from his Company K to reinforce Company G. By the end of the day, the elements of the four Marine companies had established their night positions. Finally, according to Marine intelligence officers, another "very reliable source" flatly stated "that the time of attack throughout MR (Military Region) 5 would be" at 01:30 and no later than 02:00 on 30 January. [1]:146, At 03:30, on the other side of the main Da Nang Bridge, MPs noticed two VC in the water and several sampans approaching. Before his death, however, the Vietnamese identified himself as Major Nguyen Van Lam, the commanding officer of the R-20th c Lp Battalion. 1969. . During the day, the division had positioned 11 reconnaissance Stingray patrols along likely enemy avenues of approach. [ Bob Kaatman photo ] One of the first caches of bombs to explode. Although authorizing the ceasefire, he warned all American commanders to be unusually alert because of "enemy increased capabilities ." As various outposts reported their sightings to the Division FSCC, the artillerymen then shifted these fires to actual sites. Reinforced by the remainder of Company L and two platoons from Company M together with two tanks and an LVTP-5, the Marines engaged the PAVN. The company arrived at its dispositions at 01:00 the following morning . Remains of 45-1102; sandbag detail later. Two LVTH-6s from the Marine 1st Armored Amphibian Company attached to the 11th Marines responded to a call from the U .S. Joining up with the squad from the 1/7 Marines and some newly arrived ARVN troops, the tanks then relieved the CAP garrison. In the town itself, 10 civilians caught in the crossfire, sustained wounds, but no civilians died as a result of the battle. The attacks on Da Nang (29 January 11 February 1968), were a series of attacks in the Tet Offensive launched by the North Vietnamese Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the Viet Cong (VC) during the Vietnam War. Guards beat off the . Da Nang Air Base was one of the major air bases used for offensive air operations within South Vietnam and for the support of USMC and ARVN forces. That same day, the 1st Marine Division notified III MAF that "usually reliable sources" told of staging areas south of Da Nang for an impending attack. Firing 290 105mm shells, the tractor artillery reportedly killed about 80 of the PAVN attackers caught in the open. Use big bombs." Nearly 11 million liters of Agent Orange were handled on the base. In the Da Nang sector, during the early morning hours of 30 January, PAVN/VC gunners took under mortar and rocket fire 15 different Allied units and installations. Glasgow, Steve: YN3: Mar 20, 1969 - Mar 20, 1970: US Navy Post Office @ China Beach: . artillery and air, the ARVN successfully contained the PAVN/VC units in the Nam and Lin Chiu regions. Marble Mountain Air Facility supported USMC helicopter operations throughout southern I Corps. Under pressure from the South Vietnamese relief forces and the Marine MP platoon, the VC retreated with the allies in pursuit. Da Nang air base attacked in Vietnam by 40mm rockets 7 miles away, 47 killed many from local village (partial newsreel) Addeddate 2005-04-08 19:44:43 Color b&w Identifier 1967-03-03_Airbase_Shelled . On the ground a patrol from Company A, 1/7 Marines, operating below the battalion's command post on Hill 10, saw about 10 PAVN soldiers just south of the Ty Loan River preparing positions. During the next few days, Task Force Miracle conducted sweeps in its sector and encountered relatively little resistance . The Northern Sector Defense Command rapidly assembled its reaction company and deployed one platoon to the division command post. Rockey, the 3/5 Marines commander, commented on the "increasing frequency and ferocity" of enemy contacts. Within the city itself, VC cadre were to force the "inhabitants into the street for demonstrations and prepare the people for continuing political struggle against the government as well as kill GVN and ARVN cadre. At 02:30 on the 30th at in Bn, elements of the R-20th and V-25th struck the subsector headquarters defended by the 15th Popular Forces Platoon and the 708 Regional Forces Company. The Front announced that the 1968 Tt greeting of "Chairman Ho [Chi Minh] is actually a combat order for our entire Army and population. [1]:1423, From other sources, the Marine command learned of other ominous measures taken by the PAVN/VC forces in the Da Nang sector. Cleaning up and repairs at Gunfighter Village. He later confided to Davis, "Bill, your phone call was right on the money! Both the 2/3 Marines to the east of the Army task force and the 3/5 Marines to the south, also reported relatively little enemy activity in their sectors. In addition to the VC R-20th Battalion, south of Da Nang, the VC 1st and PAVN 3rd Regiments both part of the 2nd Division started to deploy toward G Ni Island. In addition, the 1st Marine Division alerted one company to participate in the relief of Hi An, if needed. The III MAF Command Center later that evening radioed MACV in Saigon: "Although the enemy has suffered heavy losses within his local and main force VC units during the past two days, he still possesses a formidable threat utilizing [PAVN] troops poised on the periphery of the Da Nang TAOR. The U.S. major remonstrated that the site was relatively close to the compound, but Lm insisted that the air strikes be flown. A third C-123 squadron was stationed at Da Nang Air Base in 1963 and a fourth at Tan Son Nhut in October 1964 following the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August. Only the 7th Marines to the west experienced an increase in incidents as PAVN/VC troops moved through the western TAOR to return to their mountain strongholds in Base Area 114 and through Charlie Ridge into Happy Valley. In the engagement, the Marines lost 5 killed and 12 wounded. PAVN/VC fired rockets at both the Da Nang Air Base and Marble Mountain Air Facility. They later found four PAVN dead. The bulk of the attack force remained in Ha Vang Village bogged down in a firefight with local Popular Force (PF) and Regional Force (RF) troops reinforced by a USMC Combined Action Platoon (CAP), E-3. At the briefing, the division G-2 or intelligence officer, told the assembled officers that "they are finally going to come out and fight. By daybreak, the engineers held their own and the situation in Hi An was at a stalemate. This platoon under First Lieutenant John E. Manning departed the airbase about 04:15 and arrived in the blocking positions about 05:15. *** The first time that rockets were used in the Republic of Vietnam by the Viet Cong/North Vietnamese Army. During the night, VC resistance dwindled to sniper fire on the ROKMC positions. [1]:158, During the day of 1 February, the number of incidents between allied and PAVN/VC forces fell from those of the two previous days. The United States Air Force took control of the base in the late 1960s. The enemy had also planned to hit the main airfield at Da Nang. After their breaching of the outer defenses, the VC squad fired B-40 rockets at the headquarters building, but then fought a delaying action, waiting for reinforcements which never came. Attacks on DaNang Air Base "Rocket City" Information in this table is extracted from, Appendix I, "Air Base Defense in the Republic of Vietnam, 1960-1973" by Roger P. Fox. The area around Nng, especially military installations, was subject to rocket attacks since that February. The PAVN/VC attacked a Marine bunker and ran through the Communications Support Company area throwing grenades and Satchel charges in the living quarters. Further, the National Police reported that VC local leaders from Qung Tn, Qung Nam and Qung Ngi Provinces met in a base area in the hills of northern Qung Ngi to plan attacks on Chu Lai and on Qung Ngi City. According to Washington Post correspondent Don Oberdorfer, Lm pointed with his swagger stick to the enemy's firing positions on the large map in the room and said: "Milantoni, bomb here. Other units included the 402nd Sapper Battalion, the VC V-25th Battalion and other VC local forces. This information should also include any information involving plane crashes at the Da Nang base in early 1968. The AC-47 then called in Marine fixed-wing attack aircraft which dropped Napalm with "outstanding coverage of target." General Walt's staff received word on 27 October that a VC main force battalion was moving out of its base in "Happy Valley," 10 miles southwest of Da Nang, and heading towards the base. The struggle for Hi An would continue into the following day. With the departure of the 5th Marine Regiment to support operations further north in I Corps, there was only one Marine infantry regimental headquarters in the extensive Da Nang Tactical area of responsibility (TAOR). (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images) PURCHASE A LICENSE Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to use this asset. Liked the Oriental rock bands came to the Club: Air Force rocket attacks in Vietnam Share 9 posts gleyhjr 44 Aug 30, 2010 #1 The following link is a list of all rocket attacks on Air Bases by date: Hope this helps someone needing a stressor of a rocket attack on a Air Base http://www.afhra.af.mil/timelines/index.asp George Binh Thuy AB RVN Sept 1968-Sept 1969 JimM44 683 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines was in the north, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines was in the center and 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines was in the south. According to the U.S. In both these sectors support troops doubled as infantry, manning fixed defensive positions and conducting patrols. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [1]:154, South of Da Nang, in Hi An, on the 30th, the ROKMC, reinforced by elements of the ARVN 51st Regiment, tried to tighten the loop and began preparations to retake the city. On 2 February, the Marines received a report that the PAVN 2nd Division had moved its headquarters 4 miles (6.4km) north, to a position above Route 4, from its previous location on Go Noi Island. With both fixed-wing and helicopter gunships and more than 120 artillery pieces ranging from 4.2-inch mortars to 175mm guns, Robertson was confident that he could counter any threat that the enemy posed to Da Nang despite the thinness of his manned defenses. The artillerymen sustained two wounded and some equipment damage, but escaped relatively unscathed. Under cover of darkness, elements of the VC R-20th and V-25th Battalions had crossed the Cu River and penetrated the Ha Vang village complex. A 19-year-old sentry assigned to a listening post at a U.S. air base gets caught in the crossfire during a Viet Cong attack. 15 July 1967Unknown number of VC attacks Da Nang air base in Quang Nam Province with an estimated 50 rounds of suspected 122mm rockets. To the south of the Air Base, other PAVN/VC main force units attacked the District Town of in Bn and the provincial capital of Qung Nam, Hi An, on Route 4. On 29 January, a local village chief told the security officer of the Naval Support Activity at Camp Tiensha that about 300 VC would attack the Marble Mountain transmitter that night. Some of the VC in the hamlet fled south, but encountered a platoon from Company E, 2/7 Marines coming up to reinforce the Allied forces in the Nam O area. In the morning when searching the battle area, the Marines would find "ample evidence of enemy casualties, but only two enemy bodies." Still PAVN/VC gunners just before 01:00 launched 12 122mm rockets aimed at the Da Nang base and blew up two ammunition dumps, one for napalm and the other for flares. The VC R-20 and V-25th Battalions had struck again at Hi An, engaging both the Korean Marine Brigade and the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the ARVN 51st Regiment. Rocket attacks in 1972 Da Nang Vietnam a425couple Aug 29, 2017, 4:51:30 PM to Rocket attack 72 redhorse compound DaNang on: August 24, 2009, 08:06:45 pm Does anyone remember the date of. [1]:153, The Marines now counterattacked supported by artillery and Marine gunships and fixed-wing air. According to intelligence reports, on 15 January, Group 44, the forward headquarters of the PAVN/VC Military Region 5, moved from the hills in western Qung Nam Province, to an advance position on G Ni Island. The Marines evacuated the survivor to the Naval Support Activity hospital where he died of his wounds. The Marines and PF troops killed 22 VC and took another 23 prisoner. [1]:142, While activity in the Army's 23rd Infantry (Americal) Divisions areas of operations in Qung Ngi and Qung Tn Provinces was somewhat diminished, there was enough enemy in northern and central I Corps to cause concern for both the American and South Vietnamese commands. One of the nicest persons died there on the day he was turning his outside plant tool kit. Army personnel were wounded. It didn't take long to get out of bed when the first rocket struck nearby. Other disturbing intelligence tended to confirm this analysis. With the departure of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in mid-January for Phu Bai Combat Base, the 3/7 Marines extended its area of operations to include An Hoa Combat Base to the south. Two of the mortar attacks hit the 1st Cavalry Division helipad near the Force Logistic Command area in the Red Beach Base Area destroying two helicopters and damaging eight others and killing one U.S . He personally believed the plans were impractical and deserted at the first chance he had. They collected some 200 people that they detained for further questioning. 149 likes. At 18:35, Recon team Ice Bound, positioned in the mountains about 8 miles (13km) northwest of Da Nang observed an enemy rocket unit prepare a firing position for their missiles. Da Nang air base in the mid- to late-60s was the busiest (and possibly the largest) airport in the world. At first light, a Marine reaction force found enemy blood trails. The first U.S. air strikes also occur against the Ho Chi Minh trail. According to Marine intelligence reports, on 9 February, the 2nd Division moved its headquarters back to the Go Noi from its more forward positions. Some 36 of the large missiles landed on the main base, including the airfield. * The first attack was made by both mortars and sappers. The crowd scattered only to gather on the fringes of Red Beach Base Area. According to documents captured later, the two VC assault companies were to pull out at first light, but became bogged down in the city. 15 January 1968 U-10D Courier 66-14334 unit unknown, USAF, base unknown A mortar attack on the airfield at Luang Prabang in Laos destroyed a U-10D Courier. The main body advanced in column maintaining about three to four feet space between each man. [1]:1445, About 02:30, the PAVN/VC struck the perimeters of the Da Nang base itself. One of the rockets damaged one of the missile launchers and wounded three of the Marines. Headquarters Marines quickly manned their defenses and called in artillery illumination and a fire mission. The Marine squad was about to establish a night ambush site when a PAVN force of about 100 fired upon them. from Vice: That day, Mr. Trump hosted a ceremony to honor law enforcement officials who had provided security for the inauguration. All attacks from 02/27/67 forward were by rockets. "[1]:159, The heaviest action occurred in the 3/5 Marines and 4th Battalion, 51st ARVN sectors along Highway 1. bagram air base distance to chinairidescent telecaster pickguard. At about 07:40, a crowd of 400 Vietnamese civilians made up mostly of women and children and carrying PAVN and VC flags approached the CAP compound. Two members of a VC engineering company, also in the Da Nang area, later recounted that nearly 80 percent of their unit was from North Vietnam. [1]:157, There were two serious incidents in the 7th Marines sector. Again the crowd dispersed and this time did not recongregate. The 11th Marines fired an artillery mission with unknown results. (L to R) Attack of 13 April 1972. Americal Division artillery operating in the Qu Sn sector took the PAVN/VC forces under fire, but did not shell Duy Xuyn town because of the civilian population there. Air Vietnam also used the facility from 1951 to 1975 for civilian domestic and international flights within Southeast Asia. . [1]:149, About 5,000 meters to the east, in Hi An, however, PAVN/VC forces gained somewhat the upper hand. [1]:1478, The Marine response to the bombardments was rapid, the 11th Marines artillery units "initiated counter-rocket fires" at suspected avenues of approach. A high number of casualties were Vietnamese civilians living in a village just east of Da Nang Air Base. [1]:153, The most serious ground attack against a Marine unit occurred in the western portion of the Da Nang TAOR just below the Ty Loan and Cu Rivers near the eastern bank of the Yn River. *** The first time that rockets were used in RVN by the Viet Cong/North Vietnamese Army. The Koreans kept one company at the MACV compound for security and prepared for a sweep to clear out the city in the morning. [1]:163, The official PAVN history records the attack as follows:[3]. From May 1968 to July 1970, the Army sergeant came of age in the U.S. Army mortuary at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Saigon. Menu. With part of the force establishing blocking positions north of the hamlet, the rest of the provisional company and Rangers moved through Nam O. 1970, 1st Marines, AFVN, Armed Forces Vietnam Network, Assassination . The attack began about 1 A.M. and the United States command said the missiles were Sovietbuilt 122mm rockets, each weighing about 100 pounds. He arrived with 19 other soldiers, eight of whom were embalmers. While making for a loud and colorful pyrotechnic display, the explosions caused no casualties and no damage to any of the aircraft. DaNang Air Base was known as "rocket city" for the number of attacks that occurred there between 1965 and 1973. The Marines and PF troops fired at armed members of the crowd who appeared to be directing the march. The South Vietnamese quickly rushed the newly arrived ARVN 5th Ranger Battalion into the area. ** The first two attacks on DaNang were by mortars. At 16:00, one of the Stingray units, using the codename Saddle Bag, situated in the mountains just south of a bend in the Thu Bn River below An Ha Combat Base, about 20 miles (32km) southwest of the Da Nang, reported observing about 75 enemy soldiers wearing helmets and some carrying mortars. NASM.2018.0025 The Truong Son and the Mekong River are moving. Behind the Marine and Korean lines, the ARVN 51st Regiment deployed in support of the South Vietnamese Revolutionary Development program. At Da Nang, III MAF knew that the PAVN/VC were on the move. The area the rockets were fired from was called the "Rocket Belt". They also mortared and rocketed MAG-13 at Chu Lai on 31 January 1968. On the afternoon of 7 February Marine helicopters deployed the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment into the hamlet of Duong Son (1) (155852N 1081124E / 15.981N 108.190E / 15.981; 108.190) 2km south of Cau Do. Finally the PAVN broke contact at 20:00 and disappeared. [1]:147, Major General Raymond Murray, the III MAF deputy commander, remembered that he heard a "hell of a lot of racket" and "woke up [to] the airfield at Da Nang being rocketed." Marine counter-rocket fire from the 11th Marines and 1st Tank Battalion resulted in five secondary explosions. [1]:153, South of the Hi Vn Pass, in the northern portion of the Da Nang TAOR, in the 2/7 Marines sector, the PAVN were able to close Highway 1 temporarily, but failed to penetrate Allied defenses. Base orientation brochure, Perimeter, Tent City. Click here to view those.. Update: 12 December 2020. After counting 500 men pass their position, Rummage called in the artillery. from The New York Times: Police officers provided security for the marchers, and the march concluded peacefully at Maltepe, Istanbul (where . Survived many Rocket Attacks. A reluctance to cause undue damage to the historic town and avoid civilian casualties was suggested as a reason for the slow ROKMC advance. Mortars and recoilless rifle rounds continued to land inside the headquarters compound from enemy firing positions in Ha Vang. All clips are licensed royalty-free, worldwide, in perpetuity. "[1]:163, During the Tet Offensive in Da Nang, both sides experienced heavy casualties. In a sweep of the area, the defenders found ammunition clips and bloodstains. It wrapped around the base and city. The PAVN obviously were bringing the local VC main force units up to strength, even if to do so they had to bring in replacements from the north. In the pursuit, which amounted to a rout, the VC lost nearly 100 dead. March 2, 1965 - Operation Rolling Thunder begins as over 100 American fighter-bombers attack targets in North Vietnam. Location: Da Nang Vietnam. On 11 February, Cushman observed the 2nd Division "appeared to be withdrawing from contact southward" and ordered his subordinate commanders to continue to press the attack. However, because we did not have a firm grasp on the situation, our preparations had been cursory, the movement of our forces forward to seize attack positions had not been well organized and because enemy forces were too numerous and responded fiercely when we attacked, the forces that attacked the city on the night of 29-30 January were unable to seize their assigned objectives. CriticalPast is your source for imagery of worldwide events, people, and B-roll spanning the 20th century. It was the worst attack on Danang since July 5,. By the afternoon of the 31st, the Marines and Rangers had completed their sweep. After a brief firefight, the VC troops withdrew taking any casualties with them. The Marines lost one helicopter and sustained damage to 29 others. At Duy Xuyn, however, the PAVN/VC overran the town, forcing the district chief to flee and take refuge with the Koreans. 45 USAF/USMC KIA, 10 aircraft destroyed , 41 aircraft damaged, and 13 barracks destroyed. 16. From their night positions, Company G observers saw large numbers of PAVN approaching them from the north. mms, from May of 69 to May of 70. Despite the Marine patrolling, PAVN sappers, probably from the 2nd Sapper Battalion, blew three bridges and one culvert over Highway 1 in the pass area. . Among the casualties were two Marines killed, including Lieutenant Manning and six wounded from the 1st MP Battalion. Beginning their attack about 03:00, two companies of the V-25th Battalion used the noise of firecrackers set off and general firing by Tt celebrants to cover their approach. He ordered the 3rd Amphibian Tractor Battalion to form a blocking position on the southeastern bank of the Vien Dien River. Rocket attack on the Da Nang Air Base that took place, Da Nang, Vietnam, January 30, 1968. They were ordered to the area to bolster defenses around the air base at Da Nang against possible VietCong attacks. Robertson later praised the Security and Communications platoons of the 1st Marine Division Headquarters Battalion for their efforts in the defense. Airbase Shelled: Soviet Rockets Used in Attack (film #111 on Universal Newsreels). At 02:40, a squad from the 1/7 Marines, supported by two tanks from the 1st Tank Battalion, moved to assist the embattled CAP unit. Surprised by the initial assault, the engineers fell back, giving up half the camp to the attackers. The helicopter burned upon crashing, but the crew and most of the patrol were able to get out. According to the prisoner accounts, they were from the PAVN 3rd Battalion, 31st Regiment and confirmed that "Da Nang itself was the ultimate objective. The PAVN/VC rocket troops fired in two bursts, one at 03:42, followed by a second barrage three hours later. Additional intelligence tended to confirm the enemy was about to initiate something big. At 07:35, VC gunners fired two RPGs at the compound tower and a VC infantry platoon opened up upon the CAP unit. In the attack on the I Corps headquarters and in the defense of Ha Vang village the Allies sustained losses of nine dead and several wounded. Four died there. DaNang earned the nickname Rocket City during the Vietnam war, having been attacked over 900 times in 10 years. Firing from well-concealed and dug-in firing positions, the PAVN machine gunners and infantry took a heavy toll of the Marines. A Company E, 2/3 Marines squad patrol in its regular area of operations just east of the confluence of the Thanh Qut and Vnh in River came under attack from an estimated squad of enemy. Rockey then directed Company G of the 3rd Marines, also attached to him, to move up along the banks of the Bau Xau River toward a blocking position southwest of the ARVN base to seal any escape route in that direction. [1]:1601, On the morning of 7 February, Westmoreland called for a special meeting of the senior U.S. commanders in I Corps. Built by the Colonial French government of Indochina in 1949, it became a training school for Vietnamese pilots. Newsreel reporting on a rocket attack on the Da Nang military base being used for US Marine Corps operations. They later found three enemy bodies at the site wearing black pajamas under their green utilities.

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