Cam Ranh Bay ( Vietnamese : Vịnh Cam Ranh ) is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in Khánh Hòa Province . It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang , approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) northeast of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon).
108-653: Cam Ranh Air Force Base is located on Cam Ranh Bay in Khánh Hòa province , Vietnam . It was one of several air bases built and used by the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Vietnam War . Cam Ranh Air Force Base was part of the large Cam Ranh Bay logistics facility built by the United States. It was the major military seaport used by the United States for the offloading of supplies, military equipment and as
216-562: A North Vietnamese trawler was discovered landing munitions and supplies at nearby Vũng Rô Bay in February 1965; the incident led the United States to develop Cam Ranh as a major base. The United States Air Force operated a large cargo/airlift facility called Cam Ranh Air Base , which was also used as a tactical fighter base. It was one of three aerial ports where United States military personnel entered or departed South Vietnam for their 12-month tour of duty. The United States Army operated
324-599: A US serviceman was killed by Panamanian soldiers. Operation Just Cause , the United States invasion of Panama saw MAC C-141s being flown performing an Army combat parachute drop. The drop formation included C-130s as well as C-141s. The US forces quickly overwhelmed the Panamanian military and soon captured the Panamanian dictator, Manuel Noriega , and brought him to the United States to stand trial. Beginning in World War II , special operations utilizing transport aircraft were
432-797: A demanding track across the Mediterranean , and to missiles and sabotage, as they were off-loading in Israel . The airlift proved key to the Israeli victory. It had not only brought about the timely resupply of the Israeli armed forces but also provided a series of deadly new weapons put to good use in the latter part of the war. These included the AGM-65 Maverick , the BGM-71 TOW anti-tank weapons and extensive new electronic countermeasures equipment that warded off successful attacks on Israeli fighters. Reflecting on
540-909: A few individuals formerly associated with intelligence activities came out semi-covertly through the Air America terminal. On two days, 21 and 22 April, sixty-four hundred persons left Tan Son Nhut for Clark AB aboard thirty-three C-141s and forty-one C-130s. Operations were around-the-clock, the C-141s landing by day and the C-130s generally by night. Other C-141s and the contract carriers meanwhile moved those refugees already at Clark eastward to Guam and Wake Island . Nearly all aircrews reported tracer fire and airbursts with some bursts reaching to eighteen-thousand feet. On 26 and 27 April, twelve-thousand persons left Tan Son Nhut for Clark AB aboard forty-six C-130 and twenty-eight C-141 flights. The intensifying enemy fire forced
648-530: A high of 5,000. The Russian government continued the earlier Soviet arrangement in a 1993 agreement that allowed for the continued use of the base for signal intelligence, primarily on Chinese communications in the South China Sea. By this time, Russian aircraft had been withdrawn, with only support personnel for the listening station remaining. In June 2001, the Vietnamese government announced that following
756-631: A major Naval base. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force units all had compounds and units assigned to the Cam Ranh Bay facility from its opening in 1965 until its closure in 1972 as part of the drawdown of United States military forces in South Vietnam. Between 1979 and 2002, the facility was used by the Soviet Navy and the Russian Navy . In April 1965 CINCPAC instructed an engineering survey for
864-507: A major port facility and depot at Cam Ranh. The United States Navy flew various aircraft from Cam Ranh and other bases, conducting aerial surveillance of South Vietnam's coastal waters. The APO for Cam Ranh Air Base was APO San Francisco 96326. In May 1972, Cam Ranh facilities were turned over to the South Vietnam government. In 1963, Admiral Harry D. Felt , the U.S. Commander in Chief, Pacific ( CINCPAC ) foresaw that pier facilities at
972-704: A month. Living conditions at the base remained spartan with cramped quarters and shortages of water and electricity. On 31 March 1970, as part of the Vietnamization process, the 12th TFW was reassigned to Phù Cát Air Base . The air base was also used for strategic and tactical airlift. Cargo and personnel would arrive from the United States into the logistics facilities at Cam Ranh Bay by ship and also by large Military Air Transport Service / Military Airlift Command (MAC) transport aircraft, and then be transferred to tactical airlift for movement within South Vietnam. Outgoing cargo and personnel would also be processed through
1080-618: A new airfield at Cam Ranh Bay. In mid-1965, the American construction consortium RMK-BRJ was directed by the Navy Officer in Charge of Construction RVN (OICC RVN) to construct a new airfield at Cam Ranh Bay, starting with a temporary 10,000-foot (3,000 m) runway consisting of 2.2 million square feet (200,000 square meters) of AM-2 aluminum matting to accommodate jet fighter-bombers. By September, RMK-BRJ had employed 1,800 Vietnamese workers for
1188-726: A part of the USAAF mission. Troop Carrier Command (TCC) C-47 squadrons worked with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in Europe, Asia and other regions flying clandestine missions behind enemy lines. In the 1950s, the MATS Air Resupply And Communications Service (ARCS) controlled special operations forces during the Korean War and throughout the 1950s supporting both DoD as well as CIA activities. MATS worked closely with
SECTION 10
#17328551699181296-525: A peninsula, Cam Ranh AB was one of the most secure USAF bases in South Vietnam and only came under attack from the mainland on the eve of 4 March 1968 when twenty-seven incoming rounds of 75mm recoilless rifle fire hit the base proper within a five minute period. The only damage sustained was the ignition of a large fuel bladder stockpile adjacent to the main runway. Given its security and attacks on other air bases, many transport aircraft from other less secure bases operated from Cam Ranh in early February. With
1404-542: A response to the Iraq invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, President Bush responded by dispatching American armed forces to Saudi Arabia to protect the kingdom and the oilfields vital to the western industrial nations. The 82nd Airborne Division began moving by air from its base at Fort Bragg , North Carolina to the Saudi desert. MAC's entire force of C-141s and C-5s was dedicated to
1512-802: A resurgence of emphasis on long-range special operations teams whose mission would be primarily to conduct operations such as the rescue of hostages. A new special operations force was created under the Ninth Air Force, and based at Hurlburt Field , Florida , but the mission soon transferred to the Military Airlift Command where it became the Twenty-Third Air Force on 10 February 1983. Twenty-Third Air Force units both in Europe ( Rhein-Main Air Base , RAF Mildenhall ) and Japan ( Yokota Air Base supported various clandestine missions throughout
1620-517: Is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base , Illinois . Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of the Air Force until 1974, when Air Force tactical airlift units in the Tactical Air Command (TAC) were merged into MAC to create a unified airlift organization. In 1982, the heritage of
1728-463: The 14th Aerial Port Squadron was activated at the base to manage the airfield. In 1966 a new ramp was constructed on the west side of the airfield to handle airlift operations. Cam Ranh remained as the Air Force's primary airlift base in South Vietnam until it closed. MAC aircraft also operated into Cam Ranh. The 6485th Operations Squadron based at Tachikawa Airfield (and later moved to Clark Air Base ) stationed 4 C-118 Liftmasters on rotation at
1836-619: The Army of the Republic of Vietnam and RVNAF airstrikes by 14:00 they had captured the entire base area. In 1979, the Soviet Union started leasing the base rent-free from Vietnam under a 25-year leasing treaty. The base, aside from serving as a communications and signal-intelligence collection centre, eased Soviet logistical support of its naval forces that were deployed in the South China Sea and
1944-489: The European and North African AORs. These were: Annual Exercise REFORGER deployments of United States Army forces to West Germany was intended to ensure that NATO had the ability to quickly deploy forces to West Germany in the event of a conflict with the Soviet Union . MAC C-5 and C-141 aircraft transported entire units of Army infantry, artillery and mechanized personnel yearly after some forces were withdrawn back to
2052-632: The Israeli Armed Forces ' stocks of munitions and other consumables were rapidly drained. One of the most critical but least celebrated airlifts in history unfolded over a desperate 32 days in the fall of 1973. Operation Nickel Grass was the United States' effort to ship thousands of tons of materiel over vast distances into the midst of the most ferocious fighting the Middle East had ever witnessed. MAC C-141 and C-5 transport aircraft went in harm's way, vulnerable to attack from fighters, as they carved
2160-516: The Warsaw Pact . Some 20 ships were berthed daily at the base, along with six attack submarines. In addition, Soviet Naval Aviation (A-VMF) stationed MiG-23 fighters, Tupolev Tu-16s , Tupolev Tu-95s , and Tupolev Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance aircraft at Cam Ranh Air Base. From 1982 to 1989, the 169th Guards Mixed Aviation Regiment, Soviet Naval Aviation, flew Tu-16 and Tu-16K tankers (1st Squadron); Tu-95RTS and Tu-142M were flown 1982–1993 with
2268-520: The World War II Air Transport Command (ATC) (1942–1948) and the postwar Military Air Transport Service (MATS) (1948–1966) were consolidated with MAC, providing a continuous history of long range airlift. Inactivated on 1 June 1992, most of MAC's personnel and equipment were reassigned to the new Air Mobility Command (AMC), with a smaller portion divided between U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and
SECTION 20
#17328551699182376-626: The fall of Saigon and the unification of North and South Vietnam, Cam Ranh Bay became an important Cold War naval base for the Soviet Pacific Fleet . In 1979, the Soviet government signed an agreement with Vietnam for a 25-year lease of the base. Cam Ranh Bay was the largest Soviet naval base outside the Soviet Union, allowing it to project increased power in the East Sea. By 1987, they had expanded
2484-566: The 1968 Tet Offensive , MAC transports airlifted additional troops from the 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell , Kentucky to South Vietnam , supporting a buildup of forces in South Korea in response to the seizure of the United States Navy intelligence-gathering ship USS Pueblo (AGER-2) by North Korea in January 1968. Undoubtedly the most important development of MAC during
2592-519: The 1980s, flying specially-equipped MC-130s. On 22 May 1990, Twenty-Third Air Force was redesignated as Air Force Special Operations Command ( AFSOC ) and elevated to the major command (MAJCOM) level, with all Air Force special operations aircraft, installations and personnel, to include those "operationally-gained" special operations aircraft, installations and personnel in the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard , transferred to AFSOC. As
2700-693: The 316 TAW at Langley was inactivated in 1975 with one squadron from the 316th reassigned to the 62d MAW at McChord AFB and the rest of the wing's aircraft reassigned throughout MAC, AFRES and the Air National Guard . MAC also assumed command of Tactical Airlift Wings at Clark AB (374 TAW) in the Pacific and the 513 TAW at RAF Mildenhall and the 435 TAW at Rhein-Main AB in Europe , with these MAC overseas wings becoming tenant units under PACAF and USAFE . During
2808-400: The 483rd was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations (21 January – 12 May 1968; 1 April – 30 June 1970) and three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with combat "V" device (1 January – 30 April 1967; 1 May 1967 – 30 April 1968; 1 July 1970 – 31 December 1971). Beginning on 1 January 1972, the 483d Tactical Airlift Wing phased down its activities, and active flying ended by 31 March. The unit
2916-424: The 6th CC where they could recover and, if needed, receive further treatment which did not require hospitalization. The "wards" were typical wooden US Army Vietnam-type barracks. Some patients, based on the status of their injuries, were initially admitted to an Intensive Care ward. They were nothing like what one would view as an Intensive Care ward in a regular hospital. They were the normal barracks type "wards," but
3024-582: The C-141s. Further releases of Americans in Hanoi followed the pattern of the first day. Releases took place on 18 February and on seven dates in March, ending with the final repatriation of the last sixty-seven men on 29 March 1973. With the impending Fall of Saigon and the evacuation of American nationals from South Vietnam in April 1975, the Air Force started evacuation flights out of Tan Son Nhut AB. Operation Babylift ,
3132-740: The C-5's existence, and allowed the Air Force to move forward with their proposed upgrade to the C-5B variant. It was found during the Vietnam War that there was a large duplication of aerial port facilities and mission objectives between MAC, Tactical Air Command (TAC) and Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). A study group recommended the consolidation of all tactical airlift forces as a cost-saving measure under MAC. On 1 December 1974, all TAC C-130 Tactical Airlift Wings were reassigned to MAC. In 1975, PACAF and USAFE Tactical Airlift Wings were also reassigned to MAC, thus ending
3240-456: The Cam Ranh Base. They started by establishing a quarry and then building a road leading from the quarry to the base through the desert sand using red laterite soil for a base and crushed granite rock for a topping. Once the roads were in place to carry heavy equipment, the engineers lengthened the existing pier to 600 feet (180 m) to provide an additional berth for deep-water freighters. By
3348-623: The Common Service Airlift System. New air bases opened at Da Nang AB and Cam Ranh AB in January 1966, and later at Pleiku, Bien Hoa and Phu Cat Air Bases, reducing the need for redistribution. Major unit movements by MAC aircraft from the United States usually required further airlifts to operating areas by in-country transports. Introduction of the C-5 Galaxy transport in the summer of 1970 created new problems of in-country distribution, since C-5 deliveries were massive, and, initially
Cam Ranh Base - Misplaced Pages Continue
3456-475: The Defense Mapping Agency in 1972), and Aeromedical Transport Wing (AMTW). In addition to these organizations, MAC supported select USAF Special Operations forces originally organized under MATS on an as-required basis until 1984, when all USAF Special Operations under Tactical Air Command (TAC) were transferred to MAC's 23rd Air Force (23AF). USAF Special Operations forces remained part of MAC until
3564-720: The Indian Ocean. The base was especially important given the nature of the Soviet Union's Pacific bases in the Far East , which, unlike the warm-water Cam Ranh Base, were restricted to various degrees due to ice. The first Soviet naval ships arrived at the base in March 1979. In addition to the two piers, the Soviets added five more, as well as building two dry docks, installations to admit nuclear submarines, fuel and weapons storage facilities, and barracks. Under Soviet administration, Cam Ranh became its largest naval base for forward deployment outside
3672-549: The Iraqis out of Kuwait. With the end of the Cold War the Air Force reorganized its command structure. A lesson learned from the 1990 Gulf War was that the division of forces as then existed in the USAF led to confusion in actual combat operations. The emphasis on rapid force deployment led the Air Force to reorganize its major commands, with MAC being inactivated on 1 June 1992. Most of
3780-635: The Naval Air Reserve. However, some naval aircrews formerly assigned to MATS continued to fly USAF C-130Es for MAC until 1968, when all MAC C-130s were transferred to Tactical Air Command as part of the theater troop carrier mission being reassigned. In addition, MAC continued the missions of several other activities formerly under MATS: the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (ARRS); Air Weather Service (ARS); Special Air Mission (SAM); Air Photographic and Charting Service (ACIC) (Reassigned to
3888-565: The Special Air Mission (SAM) of providing global airlift, logistics, aerial port and communications for the President , Vice President , and senior government leaders as tasked by the White House and Chief of Staff of the Air Force . The 89th Military Airlift Wing , stationed at Andrews AFB , Maryland carried out this mission on a worldwide basis. When the 1973 October War began,
3996-532: The U.S. Air Force. In 1966, four DeLong piers were added to the port. In January 1966, the OICC RVN tasked RMK-BRJ with construction of the Army Ammunition and Logistic Support Facility, consisting of thirty 40-foot (12 m) by 220-foot (67 m) concrete slabs for warehouses and six 140-foot (43 m) by 220-foot (67 m) slabs, 122 ammunition hardstands, and 10 miles (16 km) of roads. This work
4104-563: The U.S. Naval Air Facility, Cam Ranh Bay, and the basing there of P-2 Neptune and P-3 Orion patrol aircraft. That summer, the commander of the coastal surveillance force and his staff moved their headquarters from Saigon to Cam Ranh Bay and set up operational command post to control the Operation Market Time effort. Country wide coordination also was enhanced with establishment of the Naval Communications Station. In
4212-543: The USAF Special Air Warfare Center (later, USAF Special Operations Force) in the 1960s and early years of the Vietnam War . After 1964, Special Operations were assigned to Tactical Air Command 's Ninth Air Force , and when the war in Vietnam ended, the special operations forces were cut back along with the rest of the military. The ill-fated Operation Eagle Claw Iranian rescue mission in April 1980 led to
4320-413: The USAF. By the end of 1966, RMK-BRJ and OICC RVN completed construction of an additional 10,000-foot (3,000 m) concrete runway and taxiway at the air base.Once the concrete runway was built, the original AM-2 runway was to be removed and replaced with a new concrete runway. In addition between June and September US Army engineers built fuel storage areas and 30 miles (48 km) of roads and lengthened
4428-513: The United States. Reforger was conducted annually until just after the end of the Cold War . In addition, Operation Bright Star deployment airlifts to Egypt , beginning in 1981 were flown by MAC C-5 and C-141 aircraft. Bright Star was a series of biennial combined and joint training exercises by American and Egyptian forces. These deployments were designed to strengthen ties between the Egyptian and American militaries and demonstrate and enhance
Cam Ranh Base - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-508: The Vietnam War era, the C-141A was found to "bulk out" (e.g., exceeded max cubic foot in the cargo bay) before it "massed out" (e.g., exceeded max gross weight of cargo in the cargo bay), meaning that it often had additional lift capacity that went wasted because the cargo hold was too full. To correct the perceived deficiencies of the original model and utilize the C-141 to the fullest of its capabilities,
4644-661: The Vietnam War was the use of the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter as an airborne ambulance evacuating casualties out of South Vietnam to hospitals in Japan , the Philippines and the United States . Generally, patients requiring hospitalization for thirty days or more were moved to offshore hospitals; others were sometimes evacuated to keep an empty-bed reserve of fifty percent in Vietnam. Military Airlift Command transports carried
4752-599: The Vietnam War. On 2 October 2016, US Navy ships USS John S. McCain and USS Frank Cable made the first port visit to Cam Ranh Bay since 1975. Cam Ranh remains a major base of the Vietnam People's Navy , being the headquarter of the 4th Regional Command , headquarter of Vietnam Naval Air Force and home to Vietnam's only submarine base. Ba Ngoi Port is an international commercial port located within Cam Ranh Bay, which has advantageous natural conditions and potential for developing seaport services, such as:
4860-451: The ability of the Americans to reinforce their allies in the Middle East in the event of war. In 1983 the United States invaded the tiny island of Grenada . Code-named Operation Urgent Fury , the invasion tasked MAC for planning a military combat operation using its tactical M/ C-130 wings. Though the outcome of the conflict was assured, many problems occurred during the assault. There
4968-505: The airlift of some two thousand mixed-blood orphans and children of American servicemen and Vietnamese women, most of them destined for homes in the United States, was initiated. Unfortunately, the Babylift missions were marred by the crash of a MAC C-5A shortly after takeoff on 4 April, killing 155 persons, most of them children. Most of the American and some Vietnamese refugees departed openly aboard military or contract-jet transports, but
5076-420: The airlift, including Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard aircraft and crews who were called to active duty. MAC C-130s were deployed to Saudi Arabia to support the arriving ground forces as they arrived in-country by air and by ship. Fortunately, Iraq made no move against Saudi Arabia, and the United States and an international coalition was able to build up a massive military force that eventually drove
5184-512: The base destroyed two 420,000-gallon jet fuel storage tanks. On 24 May 1971 PAVN/VC sappers penetrated the base and blew up storage tanks containing 1.5 million gallons of aviation fuel. On 25 August 1971 a VC sapper attack on the base's tri-service ammunition storage area destroyed over 6000 tons of munitions with a value of more than US$ 10 million. On 16 September 1970 the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron equipped with HC-130Ps relocated from Tuy Hoa Air Base to Cam Ranh. In March 1971
5292-419: The base for casualty evacuation. On 8 July 1966 the 903d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron was established at Tan Son Nhut AB and it maintained a detachment at Cam Ranh. In November 1966 the first MAC C-141 Starlifter landed at Cam Ranh AB. In April 1967 medical evacuation flights began from the base to Andrews Air Force Base . On 15 October 1966 the 483rd Troop Carrier Wing was activated at Cam Ranh under
5400-537: The base to four times its original size and often made mock attacks in the direction of the Philippines , according to intelligence of the United States Pacific Fleet . Analysts suggested that the Vietnamese side also saw the Soviet presence there as a counterweight against any potential Chinese threat. The Soviet Union and Vietnam officially denied any presence there. However, as early as 1988, then-Soviet foreign minister Eduard Shevardnadze had discussed
5508-596: The base. [REDACTED] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Cam Ranh Bay Cam Ranh is considered the finest deepwater shelter in Southeast Asia. The continental shelf of Southeast Asia is relatively narrow at Cam Ranh Bay, bringing deep water close to land. Since 2011–2014, Vietnamese authorities have hired Russian consultants and purchased Russian technologies to re-open Cam Ranh Bay (a former United States and later Soviet military base) as
SECTION 50
#17328551699185616-422: The bay would reopen to foreign navies after a three-year project to upgrade the port's facilities. Vietnam has hired Russian consultants to direct the construction of new ship-repair facilities, which are scheduled to be available to foreign warships. The United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta visited Cam Ranh Bay in June 2012, the first visit by an American official of cabinet rank to Vietnam since
5724-400: The beginning the shore facilities at Cam Ranh Bay were extremely limited, requiring interim measures to support assigned naval forces. Army depots provided common supplies, while Seventh Fleet light cargo ships USS Mark and USS Brule (AKL-28) delivered Navy-peculiar items from Subic Bay in the Philippines. Until mid-1966 when shore installations were prepared to take over
5832-467: The buildings left by the Americans, leaving what could be categorized as a deteriorating ghost town of abandoned buildings. The Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) used the airfield as a storage facility for many of their A-1 Skyraiders , while their replacement jet F-5s and A-37s were used in operations against the PAVN from other, smaller bases. On 3 April 1975 the PAVN 10th Division advanced on Cam Ranh Bay and despite scattered resistance from
5940-483: The buildup of combat units. In time, the Cam Ranh Bay facility accomplished major vessel repair and dispensed a greater variety of supply items to the anti-infiltration task force. In addition the naval contingent at the Joint Service Ammunition Depot issued ammunition to the coastal surveillance, river patrol and mobile riverine forces as well as to the Seventh Fleet's gunfire support destroyers and landing ships. Seabee Maintenance unit 302 provided public works assistance to
6048-451: The concentration at Cam Ranh Bay of Market Time headquarters and forces during the summer of 1967, the demand for base support became extraordinary. Accordingly, the Naval Support Activity Saigon, Detachment Cam Ranh Bay, was redesignated the Naval Support Facility, Cam Ranh Bay, a more autonomous and self-sufficient status. A greater allocation of resources and support forces to the shore installation resulted in an improved ability to cope with
6156-430: The decision to stop C-141 landings at Saigon at nightfall on the twenty-seventh, while C-130 flights continued. On 29 April all US fixed-wing evacuation flights from Tan Son Nhut were stopped due to North Vietnamese artillery fire. MAC subsequently supported Operation New Life (April 1975 – September 1975), the transport to Guam of Vietnamese refugees and their subsequent resettlement. Inherited from MATS, MAC assumed
6264-639: The depth of anchorage area, airtight and wide bay, nearby International Marine route (about 10 km), Cam Ranh Airport (about 25 km), National Highway No.1A (about 1.5 km) and National Railway (about 3 km). Therefore, it has been an important centre of marine traffic covering the economic zone of south Khanh Hoa and neighbouring provinces for a long time. 11°59′53″N 109°13′10″E / 11.998153°N 109.219372°E / 11.998153; 109.219372 Videos of Cam Rahn's development can be found at: Ghost town Military Airlift Command The Military Airlift Command ( MAC )
6372-585: The early spring of 1975 North Vietnam realized the time was right to conquer South Vietnam , so they launched a series of small ground attacks to test U.S. reaction. With the fall of the Central Highlands and the northern provinces of South Vietnam, a general panic had set in. By 30 March, order in the city of Da Nang and in Da Nang harbor had completely broken down. Forward North Vietnamese forces fired on American vessels in Da Nang harbor and sent sappers ahead to destroy port facilities, and refugees sought to board any boat or craft afloat. Initially, Cam Ranh Bay
6480-563: The end of the year, the Army engineers had added equipment storage platforms, a petrol-oil-lubricants storage area, and port cantonment and support facilities. Also in mid-1965, the American construction consortium RMK-BRJ and engineers of the Navy Officer in Charge of Construction RVN returned to construct a new airfield starting with a temporary 10,000-foot (3,000 m) runway with 2.2 million square feet (200,000 square meters) of AM-2 aluminum matting to accommodate jet fighter-bombers. By September, they had employed 1,800 Vietnamese workers for
6588-433: The entire fleet of 270 in-service C-141As were stretched, adding needed payload volume. These modified aircraft were designated C-141B . Additional 'plug' sections were added before and after the wings, lengthening the fuselage by 23 ft 4 in (7.11 m) and allowing the carriage of 103 litters for wounded, 13 standard pallets, 205 troops, 168 paratroopers , or an equivalent increase in other loads. Also added at this time
SECTION 60
#17328551699186696-724: The establishment of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) in 1990. Established at the height of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War , MAC provided long-range strategic airlift from bases in the United States to Military Airlift Support Squadrons (MASS) located on Pacific Air Forces bases in the Pacific AOR. These were: In addition, MAC operated MASS Squadrons on Non-CONUS bases in both Alaska and Hawaii: By 1968, MAC military and contract transports were hauling 150,000 passengers and 45,000 tons of cargo monthly to and from Southeast Asia . At first, MAC transports to Vietnam landed regularly only at Tan Son Nhut AB, necessitating considerable transshipment within Vietnam by
6804-472: The expiration of Russia's lease in 2004, Vietnam would "not sign an agreement with any country to use Cam Ranh Bay for military purposes". On 17 October that year, the Russian government announced that it would withdraw from Cam Ranh Bay completely before its rent-free lease was to expire in 2004, due to what was assumed to be a dwindling defense budget. The reversion of the base back to Vietnamese control took place on 2 May 2002. On 25 November 2014, an agreement
6912-676: The finest military airlift aircraft in history, not the expensive military mistake as it had been portrayed in the media. Since its introduction in 1970, the C-5A had been plagued by problems. The Air Force claimed to have rectified the problems, but the C-5A was still viewed by the press as an expensive failure. During Nickel Grass, C-5s carried 48% of the total cargo in only 145 of the 567 total missions. The C-5A also carried "outsize" cargo such as M60 Patton tanks, M109 howitzers , ground radar systems, mobile tractor units, CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters, and A-4 Skyhawk components; cargo that could not fit in smaller aircraft. This performance justified
7020-421: The first Sea-Land ship arrived in November 1967. In January 1970, the port received its first containerized shipment of ammunition on Sea-Land's "Azalea City". The depot was operated by the 504th Army Depot. Power ships anchored in the lower harbor provided electricity to the Support Command facilities. Cam Ranh Bay became the center of coastal air patrol operations with the establishment in April 1967 of
7128-530: The first returnee moved from the release desk, one of the C-130 flight engineers quickly moved to clear the way, leading the former prisoner by the arm. Taking the cue, the other C-130 crewmen in the same way escorted each man to the waiting C-141. Over and over, returnees expressed their deepest appreciation at having been greeted by a "brother-in-arms" and, in those first few moments of freedom, welcomed home by their own countrymen. A total of 116 Americans were released at Gia Lam that day and all were flown to Clark by
7236-539: The following day. On 8 November 1965 the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing was assigned to the base, being deployed from MacDill Air Force Base , Florida. The 12th TFW was the first permanently assigned F-4 Phantom II wing assigned to Southeast Asia. Operational squadrons of the wing at Cam Ranh were: From Cam Ranh AB the wing carried out close air support, interdiction, and combat air patrol activities over South Vietnam, North Vietnam and Laos . Heavy rainfall and strong onshore winds from December 1965 to March 1966 undermined
7344-719: The globe-wings-arrows emblem of MATS into its shield. Although MATS was under the operational control of the United States Air Force, the 4-digit USAF Military Air Transport Service units at all levels were considered major command (MAJCOM) provisional units by USAF due to MATS being a Department of Defense Unified Command. Under the USAF lineage system, they did not possess a permanent lineage or history and were discontinued upon inactivation. AFCON (HQ Air Force-controlled) units were activated under MAC, to which USAF personnel and equipment formerly assigned to MATS MAJCOM units were reassigned effective 8 January 1966. No formal lineage or history between former MATS MAJCOM units and MAC AFCON units
7452-411: The inactivation of the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, the 483rd became the host wing at Cam Ranh Bay on 31 March 1970. In mid-1970 the 903d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron moved to the base. On 9 July 1970 the first MAC C-5 Galaxy landed at the base, due to security and congestion issues at other bases it was initially the only base used by the C-5. On 30 August 1970 a Viet Cong (VC) rocket attack on
7560-412: The invasion allowed the South Vietnamese forces to defeat the invaders for the moment. By the terms of the 1973 Paris Peace Accords , the cease-fire was to become effective in Vietnam the morning of 28 January 1973, Saigon time. American prisoners in North Vietnam were to be released and the last 23,700 American troops withdrawn from Vietnam within sixty days. Planning for Operation Homecoming ,
7668-499: The invasion of British Malaya and British Borneo (today Malaysia ) in 1942. In January 1945 U.S. Naval Task Force 38 destroyed most Japanese facilities in an action called Operation Gratitude , after which the bay was abandoned. In 1964, United States Seventh Fleet reconnaissance aircraft, the seaplane tender Currituck , and Mine Flotilla 1 units carried out hydrographic and beach surveys and explored sites for facilities ashore. This preparatory work proved fortuitous when
7776-595: The invasion. Beginning on 21 April, MAC C-141s began shuttling passengers and cargo between Tan Son Nhut AB and the other main in-country bases, principally Da Nang AB, Bien Hoa AB, and Pleiku AB. Planes and crews were based for one or more nights at Tan Son Nhut and performed two or more days of in-country work before departing for offshore destinations. This C-141 effort permitted the Vietnam Air Force and PACAF C-130s to concentrate on drops, unit hauls, and deliveries to forward locations. The rapid American response to
7884-577: The large aerial port facility. In November 1965 315th Air Division C-130E squadrons based in Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan and the Philippines began "shuttle" missions out of the airfield. C-130s from Tan Son Nhut Air Base and Nha Trang Air Base made pickups at Cam Ranh, as did C-123s . In May 1966 C-130As formerly used for flareship operations at Da Nang Air Base began operations from Cam Ranh and by November 1966 13 C-130As were based there. On 1 December 1965
7992-528: The last "B" model aircraft in April 1989. A third C-5 variant, the C-5C was developed for transporting large cargo. Two C-5As (68-0213 and 68-0216) were modified to have a larger internal cargo capacity to accommodate large payloads, such as satellites for use by NASA and the National Reconnaissance Office. After the Vietnam War ended, MAC returned to a training role, though it continued to operate
8100-568: The listening station remaining. On 17 October that year, the Russian government announced that it would withdraw from Cam Ranh Bay completely before its rent-free lease was to expire in 2004. The reversion of the base back to sole Vietnamese control took place on 2 May 2002. That same day, the Russian flag was lowered for the last time. On October 7, 2016, Russia indicated it was reconsidering if possible to return to naval facilities in Vietnam. Though as of 2024, their hasn’t been any talks of such between
8208-596: The many dispersed Naval Support Activity, Saigon detachments. As a vital logistic complex, Cam Ranh Bay continued to function long after the Navy's combat forces withdrew from South Vietnam as part of the Vietnamization of the war. However, between January and April 1972 the Naval Air Facility, and the Naval Communications Station turned over their installations to the Republic of Vietnam Navy and were duly disestablished. By
8316-400: The mission for the return of Americans held by North Vietnam, was given to the Military Airlift Command. C-141s of the 63d Military Airlift Wing , stationed at Norton AFB , California were given responsibility for bringing out the men. On 11 February, two C-130s of TAC's 374th Tactical Airlift Wing flew from Ching Chuan Kang Air Base , Taiwan to Clark AB as primary and spare ships for
8424-691: The more serious cases from Clark AB to the United States, and, in 1966, began making patient pickups in Vietnam. On 30 March 1972, North Vietnam launched an all-out invasion of South Vietnam , which came to be known as the Easter Offensive . The "Vietnamization" policy of the United States had resulted in the vast majority of US ground combat forces been withdrawn from South Vietnam with PACAF's tactical air units also being reduced. Military Airlift Command's C-141 force, accustomed to operating in and out of Vietnam from offshore were utilized for movement of large numbers of men and amounts of materiel to oppose
8532-610: The movement of the support team to Hanoi the next day. A second C-130 left Tan Son Nhut AB carrying members of the international commission to Hanoi to oversee the repatriations. This C-130 arrived at Gia Lam Airport about one hour before the C-130 from Ching Chuan Kang arrived. On the ground at Gia Lam, the C-130 crew met the airport manager and went indoors for tea offered by the North Vietnamese. The first of three C-141s flown in from Clark landed soon after and repatriation began. As
8640-486: The natural deep-water bay at Cam Ranh might be useful in the future. At the direction of the Navy's Officer in Charge of Construction RVN (OICC RVN), the American construction consortium RMK was directed to begin construction of a 350-foot (110 m) long pier and causeway. This project was completed in mid-1964. In mid-1965, military engineers of the U.S. Army 35th Engineer Construction Group debarked at Cam Ranh Bay via LST's to set up camp and start building roads for
8748-456: The newly created Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The heritage of MAC (and its predecessor organizations) was officially consolidated into AMC in 2016. MAC was the USAF successor organization to the Department of Defense 's Military Air Transport Service (MATS), with MATS having been disestablished on 8 January 1966. MAC's emblem reflected its predecessor's history by incorporating
8856-646: The operation's vital contribution to the war effort, Reader's Digest would call it "The Airlift That Saved Israel." The airlift taught the Air Force many lessons, large and small. With refueling denied for MAC airlift flights bound for Israel by France and West Germany , Lajes Field in the Azores had to be used instead. The Air Force established an immediate requirement for aerial refueling to become standard practice in MAC so that its airlifters could operate without forward bases, if necessary. The C-5 Galaxy proved to be one of
8964-482: The patients were more closely monitored. When well enough, patients were moved to a regular ward, from which they were ultimately discharged when recovered enough to return to duty with their units. Shortly after midnight on 7 August 1969 a Viet Cong sapper attack on the base penetrated the north perimeter and the sappers threw Satchel charges into the 6th CC killing 2 Americans and wounding 98 and damaging 19 buildings for no VC losses. The Cam Ranh Support Command
9072-456: The pier before handing over the work to RMK-BMJ. In July 1965 it was planned that three fighter squadrons would be deployed to Cam Ranh Air Base once it was completed in October. On 28 October 1965 an advance party of the 43rd Tactical Fighter Squadron arrived at the base, the squadron equipped with F-4C Phantom II fighter-bombers arrived on 1 November and began flying missions over South Vietnam
9180-485: The planes could land only at Cam Ranh Bay. Eventually, however, C-5s could unload at Tan Son Nhut and elsewhere. Primarily, MAC transports carried high-value cargo such as aircraft and equipment parts, while MAC civilian-contract flights transported passengers to and from the combat zone. In the winter of 1965–66, MAC conducted Operation "Blue Light," the deployment of elements of the 25th Infantry Division from Hickam AFB , Hawaii to Pleiku , South Vietnam . During
9288-507: The port, and added a DeLong pier to the causeway at the ammunition depot. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Army maintained the 6th Convalescent Center (6th CC) at Cam Ranh Bay enabling most wounded soldiers to be treated in country. Only those who required advanced treatment not available in Vietnam got sent out of country. Injured and wounded soldiers whose injuries had received initial treatment, usually at an evacuation hospital unit, but who could not immediately return to duty, were sent to
9396-454: The possibility of a withdrawal from Cam Ranh Bay, and concrete naval reductions were realised by 1990. As the original 25-year lease was nearing its end, the Vietnamese government announced that following the expiration of Russia's lease in 2004, Vietnam would "not sign an agreement with any country to use Cam Ranh Bay for military purposes". By this time, almost all personnel and naval vessels had been withdrawn, with only technical support for
9504-511: The previous year, enabling the refueling of the Tu-95 strategic bombers conducting flights in the Asia-Pacific region. On 19 May 2004, after major reconstruction, Cam Ranh International Airport received its first commercial flight. Cam Ranh remains a minor base of the Vietnam People's Air Force , housing the 920th Training Squadron. Vietnam Naval Air Force also operates a small VTOL runway within
9612-483: The recently activated 834th Air Division to operate the former US Army CV-2 Caribous (later redesignated C-7A) which were transferring to the USAF. Squadrons assigned to the 483rd TAW were: In January 1967 the 483rd Consolidated Maintenance Squadron formed at the base. On 15 August 1967 the C-130 detachments from the 315th Air Division were assigned to the 834th Air Division as Detachment 2 and by 4 January 1968 this force numbered 35 C-130A/Cs. Due to its location on
9720-471: The regiment's 2nd Squadron; and MiG-23MLD, late 1984–1989 (3rd Squadron). From November 1986 to December 1993 the regiment reported directly to the Soviet Pacific Fleet . During the 1980s many Tokyo Express flights went to and from the base, sometimes violating Japanese airspace. By 1989 offensive weapons, including the MiG-23s and Tu-16s, had been withdrawn and the number of personnel was halved to 2,500 from
9828-514: The replacement of wing sections. During the early 1980s, the C-5A force was retrofitted with a new wing to strengthen the aircraft and allow it to carry additional cargo loads. Also, a shortage of airlift capability was addressed with the introduction of the C-5B, The first C-5B incorporating significant improvements such as strengthened wings and updated avionics was delivered to Altus Air Force Base in January 1986. C-5B production concluded with delivery of
9936-410: The sand base of the original aluminum mat runway and taxiways at the base, necessitating constant maintenance to smooth out bumps and replace damaged matting. On 26 October 1966 and on 23 December 1967, US President Lyndon B. Johnson landed at the base on his only Presidential visit to South Vietnam , meeting US military personnel. By December 1966 Cam Ranh AB reached over 27,000 aircraft movements
10044-599: The site of a new naval maintenance and logistics facility for foreign warships. Historically, the bay has been significant from a military standpoint. The French used it as a naval base for their forces in Indochina . It was also used as a staging area for the 40-ship Imperial Russian fleet under Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky prior to the Battle of Tsushima in 1905, and by the Japanese Imperial Navy in preparation for
10152-548: The squadron moved to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base . Commencing in September 1971 the C-7 squadrons at the base began to be inactivated. On 1 December 1971, the wing was reassigned from the 834th Air Division directly to Headquarters, Seventh Air Force at Tan Son Nhut AB. It gained a tactical electronic warfare mission in mid-1971 and a special operations mission in the autumn of 1971. These squadrons were: For its service in Vietnam,
10260-480: The task, messing and quartering of personnel were handled by APL-55, anchored in the harbor. Also, a pontoon dock was installed to permit the repair of the coastal patrol vessels. Gradually the Naval Support Activity Saigon , Detachment Cam Ranh Bay, improved the provision of maintenance and repair, supply, finance, communications, transportation, postal service, recreation, and security support. While
10368-414: The theater troop carrier mission as it had existed since the beginning of World War II. As a result, MAC became the controlling Major Command for C-130 wings at Little Rock and Pope AFB and the 433 TAW at Kelly AFB became a MAC tenant unit. With the impending arrival of the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing (1 TFW) from MacDill AFB and their standup of USAF's first F-15 Eagle aircraft at Langley AFB ,
10476-443: The two countries. After the Russian withdrawal, the United States negotiated with Vietnam to open Cam Ranh Bay to calls by foreign warships, as it previously had done with the ports of Haiphong in northern Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City in the south. In a move that security commentators say is aimed at countering China's build-up of naval power in the South China Sea, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung announced on October 31, 2010, that
10584-476: The work, over half of whom were women. The Army engineers and the civilian constructors shared equipment and expertise. The runway was completed in 50 days, with Admiral U.S.G. Sharp, CINCPAC, laying the last AM-2 plank on 16 October 1965. A 1.3 million square feet (120,000 square meters) cargo apron using pierced steel planking, airport facilities and utilities, mess halls, and 25,000 square feet (2,300 square meters) of living quarters were also prepared for use by
10692-467: The work, over half of whom were women. The runway was completed in 50 days, with Admiral U.S.G. Sharp , CINCPAC, laying the last AM-2 plank on 16 October 1965. The airfield was opened for U.S. Air Force operations on 1 November 1965. A 1.3 million square feet (120,000 square meters) cargo apron using pierced steel planking, airport facilities and utilities, mess halls, and 25,000 square feet (2,300 square meters) of living quarters were also prepared for use by
10800-499: The worldwide route structure to support United States interests around the world. With the tactical airlift mission now part of MAC, emphasis on tactical operations was increased. While C-130s were assigned an increased logistical role C-141 and C-5 crews were given training in tactical procedures as more emphasis was placed on deployment. In addition to the forces in the Pacific, MAC operated air transshipment facilities on USAFE bases in
10908-501: Was a boom receptacle for inflight refueling which gave the C-141 truly intercontinental range. The conversion program took place between 1977 and 1982, with first delivery taking place in December 1979. It was estimated that this stretching program was the equivalent of buying 90 new aircraft, in terms of increased capacity. During its development phase, problems with the C-5 had been discovered, including structural problems that required
11016-521: Was chosen as the safe haven for these South Vietnamese troops and civilians transported by boat from Da Nang. But, even Cam Ranh Bay was soon in peril. Between 1 and 3 April, many of the refugees just landed at Cam Ranh reembarked for further passage south and west to Phú Quốc Island in the Gulf of Siam, and ARVN forces pulled out of the facility. On 3 April 1975, North Vietnamese forces captured Cam Ranh Bay and all of its military facilities. Four years after
11124-465: Was completed by June 1966, and then RMK-BRJ turned to construction of a new 10,000-foot (3,000 m) concrete runway and taxiway at the air base. Later in 1966, RMK-BRJ filled in swamp land with sand at the southern end of the peninsula and constructed a naval base for Operation Market Time coastal patrols. On 1 January 1966, the 20th and 39th Engineer Battalions and the 572nd Light Equipment Company arrived at Cam Ranh Bay to construct another pier at
11232-607: Was confusion among the initial assault force of special operations MC-130s and conventional airlifter C-130s, confusion that resulted in a lightly armed force of US Army Ranger headquarters troops parachuting onto the airfield at Point Salines without their heavier weapons. Once the airfield was secured, C-141s began landing with 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers to reinforce the Rangers. During Christmas Week 1989, MAC transports dropped paratroopers onto key military points in Panama after
11340-417: Was ever made. With the establishment of MAC by the USAF, plans were also made to discontinue the role of the United States Navy within the new command. MATS' shore-based naval air transport squadrons (VR) were assigned back to the Navy upon its inaction, most being converted to organic Operational Support Airlift (OSA) roles for the Navy and renamed as fleet logistics support squadrons, primarily residing in
11448-512: Was inactivated and Cam Ranh Air Base was turned over to the South Vietnamese government on 15 May 1972, ending USAF use of the facility. After the turnover to the South Vietnamese the base was largely abandoned. It was, quite simply, much too big for the Vietnamese to use. The base was slowly looted for its usable equipment, such as air conditioners, desks, refrigerators, and other furniture along with windows, doors and corrugated tin roofs from
11556-456: Was signed during a visit to Sochi by Nguyễn Phú Trọng , that established standards of use of Russian warships in the port of Cam Ranh: Russian ships would only have to give prior notice to the Vietnamese authorities before calling on Cam Ranh Bay, while other foreign navies would be limited to only one annual ship visit to Vietnamese ports. In January 2015, Russia's Defense Ministry said that Russian Il-78 tanker aircraft had used Cam Ranh Bay in
11664-420: Was the logistical organization controlling the port and depot at Cam Ranh. As of 31 July 1970, its authorized strength was 7,927, assigned 7,848. The 124th Transportation Command ran the port and truck transportation units. The port had 5 piers, 4 for general cargo (including one with Sea-Land cranes) and one further north for ammunition, plus a jetty for tankers. Sea-Land installed its cranes on pier 4 in 1967;
#917082