Plieku is a market town in the central highlands of Vietnam. One particular unit in the 633rd CSG, the Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, assisted in the maintenance and sortie generation out of Pleiku. Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 68-15753 The Army purchased this helicopter 0769 Total flight hours at this point: 00001058 Date .
Additionally its central location on the plateau between Kon Tum in the north Bun Ma Thut to the. Trips into town were always exciting because you never knew who would be there or what would be going on. Life of natives in a village in Pleiku, Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The 633rd supported many different units: the 1st Air Commando Squadron, a flying unit of 25 A-1 Skyraiders and four U-10 Super Couriers, the 9th Air Commando Squadron, which flew 18 O-2 Skymasters and six C-47 Skytrains, and the U.S. Armys 4th Infantry Division. It also doe, This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsTdsCRoH2E, http://189thahc.org/welcome_to_pleiku_photos.html. South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu reviews RVN (Republic of Vietnam) troops at Pleiku Air Base in Vietnam. (Courtesy Photo), The U.S. Army Transportation Museum at JBLE-Eustis is closed until Dec. 7 due to lobby construction.
The Pleiku Airbase Association The Vietnam War: 11 Major Battles - warhistoryonline Nha Trang Air Base is a military airfield in Vietnam, located 1.7 miles (2.7 km) northwest of Nha Trang in Khnh Ha Province. A base was first established in December 1964 by the 5th Special Forces Group Detachment A-214 to monitor communist infiltration along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. United States. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam ARVN base northwest of Pleiku in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. According to retired Senior Master Sgt. Chandler Baker
[13]:216, Pleiku AB was one of the 2 operating bases of the RVNAF 6th Air Division, the other being Ph Ct Air Base.[14]. Color guard marches past the review stand. President Thieu talks to a Vietnamese officer. Shopping Cart |
Another rocket attack on 26 May damaged 2 more EC-47s. The soldiers hold flags. Staff Sergeant John A. Jakovac 50th Infantry Regiment Missing . During the stay at Pleiku, the squadron maintained a forward SAR alert unit at Da Nang Air Base from 1 April 1968 - 1 September 1969. Lieutenant Colonel Richard L. Harris, 16 December 1965-13 July 1966. In 1974, the RVNAF had the following units assigned to Pleiku Air Base: By the early spring of 1975 North Vietnam realized the time was right to achieve its goal of re-uniting Vietnam under communist rule, and so launched a series of small ground attacks to test U.S. reaction. No aircraft were lost in the air, but three A-37s at Pleiku were destroyed by 122mm rockets on 11 March when the PAVN rocketed the airfield. [6] On 15 September 1965 this detachment was redesignated as Detachment 9, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. President Johnson orders immediate reprisals, as 49 US Navy jets attack North Vietnam. On March 15, 1970, the 633rd CSG and Pleiku Air Base was turned over to the former Republic of Vietnam Air Force under the Vietnamization program Operation Corona Harvest. [12][11] During the stay at Pleiku, the squadron maintained a forward SAR alert unit at Da Nang Air Base from 1 April 1968 1 September 1969. On the airfield, the NVA had destroyed an 0-1, a CH-47, and ten UH-1s, although three damaged Hueys had managed to escape. I was with 633 SOW 6th SOS at Pleiku Air Force Base was not in the Army but so many Army camps surrounded us. American soldiers do their own laundry, in February 1968 in the Camp Holloway, near Pleiku, during the Vietcong Tet offensive. Major General Peers in a jeep as it drives away.
People's Army of Vietnam Special Forces - Wikipedia Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Camp Enari served as the base for the 4th Infantry Division from September 1966 until February 1968 and from April 1968 until February 1970.[2]. 1966-72 Camp Enari was established near Dragon Mountain (Ni Hm Rng) and Highway 19, 12km southeast of Pleiku. Douglas A-1G Skyraider' releases BLU-27 incendigel bombs (like napalm) followed by explosions in grove of trees 55 miles south southwest of Pleiku in support of Operation MacArthur. During the four-day battle the VNAF flew over 200 sorties, inflicting heavy losses on the NVA, but to no avail. In late 1967 US. This led to Johnson authorizing the use of strategic bombing of the North by the U.S. Air Force, an . President Johnson orders immediate reprisals, as 49 US Navy jets attack North Vietnam. However, the situation significantly escalated since 6 February 1965, the VC attacked the U.S. compound in Pleiku, leaving eight Americans dead and . Sergeant 633rd SPS Pleiku AB 1967-1968. By Staff Sgt. Pleiku was strategically important during the Vietnam War because it was the primary terminus of the military supply logistics corridor extending westwards along Highway 19 from the coastal population centre and port facilities of Qui NhnAdditionally its central location on the plateau between Kon Tum to the north Bun Ma Thut to the south and the North Vietnamese Armys. On 1 September 1967, the squadron relocated to Nha Trang Air Base, where unit was being broken up and the pilots were transferred to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base. Without the persistence and dedication of founding members John Riley and John Pike of the 633rd Air Base Wing (Motor Pool), the Pleiku Air Base Association would not exist, we thank and remember them for the organization they created in which so many Pleiku veterans have participated. After the seizure of the base by the PAVN in 1975, the captured RVNAF aircraft were either destroyed or flown out to other airfields and Pleiku Air Base was abandoned, apparently remaining so for many years.
Fort Benning | Maneuver Center of Excellence Libraries | MCoE HQ Mesco, Jim (1987) VNAF Republic of Vietnam Air Force 19451975 Squadron/Signal Publications. There are 9 soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division Vietnam that have been identified and recovered. [2]:171, In March 1962 the II Air Support Operations Center became operational at the base. Three miles outside of the city the US maintain a base called Camp Galloway. That task eventually led to the formation of our Association and the locating of over 550 former officers and enlisted airmen. The 633d Combat Support Group was activated at the base on 14 March 1966 taking over the duties of the provisional 6234th Air Base Squadron which had managed construction and other activities at the base after the RVNAF moved to Nha Trang. Military Assistance CommandVietnam MACV placed a 50000-watt AM radio transmitter in Pleiku to broadcast to the northern provinces of South Vietnam. Dump was located in the southeast corner of the base. At Pleiku airfield, the small ARVN garrison came under attack and was forced to defend the control tower, preventing attempts to fly in reinforcements. My Account |
Famous Battles in Vietnam: Pleiku, Khe Sanh and Hamburger Hill Did you serve in 359 TRANSPORTATION CO. PLEIKU, VIETNAM? - VetFriends During this meeting Thieu made the decision to attempt an orderly withdrawal from the Central Highlands around Kontum and Pleiku in order to conserve forces and regroup for a counter-attack. Jeep stops and officers at the review stand. At Pleiku airfield sixty-four aircraft were abandoned with little effort to destroy them before evacuating and large quantities of fuel and ordnance were left behind undamaged and ready for the PAVN to use. On the night of 9 March 1975, the PAVN struck the city and Pleiku airfield with artillery, mortars, and rockets. On the night of February 6-7a detachment of Vietcong soldiers infiltrated the base and started shooting American soldiers. The Japanese Ambassador makes a speech at a podium. Unfortunately for the South Vietnamese, the commander of the region, General Phu, misinterpreted this order and directed an immediately evacuation of both cities. The APO for Pleiku was APO San Francisco, 96318. The remainder of the Division arrived the following month and set up base camp at Cu Chi, northwest of Saigon. They set fire to it. The commander of the 6th Air Division at Pleiku, BG Pham Ngoc Sang was given forty-eight hours to evacuate the airfield and immediately requested UH-1s, CH-47s, and C-130s to fly RVNAF personnel and their dependants out of Pleiku. [8]:172 In September 13 barracks housing 900 men were completed and in October a further 10 barracks were completed. Pleiku, Vietnamese Play Ku, city, central Vietnam, located in the central highlands. Crew Members: P W1 FAHY T . Villagers gathered near a well which is under construction.
8th Transportation Gp Vietnam . This page was last edited on 16 January 2023, at 10:21. 68 OPCON 28th INF. After the 1973 Paris Peace Accords, Pleiku Air Base became a center of reconnaissance in the Central Highlands, with the SVNAF monitoring communist activity and treaty violations. South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu reviews Montagnard troops at Plei Me in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The RVNAF established the 72d Tactical Wing at the base with the 530th Fighter Squadron equipped with A-1 Skyraiders, along with two UH-1H helicopter assault squadrons (229th, 235th) and the 118th Liaison Squadron, with Cessna O-2A, U-17 forward air controller/light reconnaissance aircraft. [14]:75. Ban Me Thuot controlled Highways 14 and 21, vital lines of communication from the southern Central Highlands to Saigon and the coast. Jim Wade, 15th Aerial Port Squadron air freight. According to Collins, while the 633rd was at Pleiku, they engaged in many community relations activities, including the Security Police Squadrons efforts to help construct the Montagnard, the indigenous tribe in the area, Police Academy. [1]:1712, Camp Enari served as the base for the 4th Infantry Division from September 1966 until February 1968 and from April 1968 until February 1970.[2]. On the airfield, the PAVN had destroyed an O-1, a CH-47, and ten UH-1s, although three damaged UH-1s had managed to escape. Life on the base - Pleiku. This was the second in a series of retaliations launched because of communist attacks on US.
Ronald Alan McMillan Collection - Interview / Recording | Library of It was established by the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) in 1962 at an undeveloped airstrip, and was used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam. South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu and Vietnamese Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky visit Plei Me High School and review Montagnard troops in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Location: Pleiku South Vietnam Date: 1968 Duration: 2 min 37 sec Sound: No Color: Color Clip Type: Unedited Language: None Clip: 65675075474 Douglas A-1G Skyraider drop two Mk.82 bomb on open flat terrain in support of Operation MacArthur in Vietnam. The bombs explode on the terrain, 30 miles east, to the southwest of Pleiku, on 10 September. American Army and Air Force civil engineering units resurfaced and extended to 6000ft (1829 m) runway and the base was jointly used for both VNAF and USAF air activities, but never reached the saturation and population proportions of the major air bases of the coastal lowlands. It is now a Vietnamese Army base and the most you will be able to do is drive or walk by the entrance gates and will not see anything that is familiar. A girl mills banana leaves. The 633rd Special Operations Wing was activated at Pleiku on 15 July 1968.
25th Infantry Division - US Army - Vietnam By the next afternoon, over half of Ban Me Thuot was in enemy hands, despite fierce resistance from ARVN defenders. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Pleiku was strategically important during the Vietnam War because it was the primary terminus of the military supply logistics corridor extending westwards along Highway 19 from the coastal population center and port facilities of Qui Nhn. The base was named for 1st Lieutenant Mark Enari, the first 4th Infantry Division member awarded the Silver Star (posthumously) in Vietnam, who was killed in action on 2 December 1966.
Camp Enari | Military Wiki | Fandom 50 years ago: Army executes rapid buildup in Vietnam The unit was originally designated as the 633rd Combat Support Group when it was activated at Pleiku . A sign on a building frame reads 'Welcome to Pleiku Air Base'.
What happened to the military bases in Vietnam? RVN (Republic of Vietnam) soldiers stand in formation at Pleiku Air Base. Featured Collections |
"A Lot Of Ways To Die": 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division In Vietnam The squadron was reassigned to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand in early 1967, engaging in special operations primarily in Laos. After the seizure of the base by the North Vietnamese in 1975, the captured South Vietnamese military aircraft were either destroyed or flown out to other airfields and Pleiku Air Base was abandoned, apparently remaining so for many years.
1st battalion, 8th infantry, 4th infantry division vietnam A bulldozer on a road. Pleiku is at the crossroads of several upland highways, including the road north to Cong Tum and the road west to Stng Trng, Cambodia. Today, the facility has been redeveloped as Pleiku Airport, In January 1962, the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam requested the Department of Defense contract construction agent, the U.S. Navy Officer in Charge of Construction RVN (OICC), to design and construct a 6,000-foot (1,800m) runway at Pleiku.
Pleiku AB South Vietnam 1966 - 1972. 300th RRC - Pleiku Vietnam 1968-1970. No FEAR Act, An official website of the United States government, Pleiku departure; 50 years later, veterans recall memories, The 633rd Combat Support Group headquarters at Pleiku Air Base, Republic of Vietnam. Thompson would later retire as a chief master sergeant. [1]:219, The base was turned over to South Vietnamese control on 15 April 1970.[3]. CRITICALPAST.COM:
Join Tomato Lovers & Participate in the Ukrainian Tribute Growout! [1]:32 The airfield was completed on 20 June 1962. The 633rd Dispensary provided critical care and defended against deadly tropical diseases in the country. VIETNAM. On January 5, 1967, Viet-Cong forces attacked the perimeter and overran the South Vietnamese army outpost. It was a stay that began in June 1956 when the original 16 members of the 14th Special Forces Operational Detachment entered Vietnam to train a cadre of indigenous Vietnamese Special . Sgt. [8]:176, The 9th Air Commando Squadron was activated at Pleiku on 25 January 1967 flying special operations missions using modified C-47s and O-2B Skymasters. As the years pass and the number of our Vietnam era members diminish, we have opened our Association to include any service member, from any branch of the military, that served at or around Pleiku Air Base during the Vietnam war. Although the design had not yet been started, the OICC tasked RMK-BRJ, the construction contractor, to begin work on 19 January. The 62d Wing was moved to Nha Trang Air Base in January 1965 where expansion of its air units could be supported more easily, leaving behind a detachment of support aircraft.
The U.S. Army 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam | SOFREP Topographical map of Pleiku, in the central highlands of Vietnam. A nurse attempts to comfort a wounded U.S. Army soldier in a ward of the 8th army hospital at Nha Trang in South Vietnam on February 7, 1965. ZA 182-527 Pleiku Ammo Supply Point Plei Mrong Rd.
U.S. Army Special Forces in Vietnam - Spec Ops Magazine Benjamin Barto, flight chief, the APS returned fire and pushed back the assailants, preventing the destruction of several air frames. United States A-1 E aircraft of United states 1st Air Commando Squadron during the Vietnam War. Color Guard at the ceremony.
Pleiku Air Base is a former air force base in Vietnam. The base was named for 1st Lieutenant Mark Enari the first 4th Infantry Division member. However the explosion destroyed a large area including the hooch we shared with the marine cooks. [11] Its mission was to provide close air support, day and night interdiction, and visual and photo reconnaissance. An AC-47 attempted to drive them out but the damage was done and the storage area went high order. Vietnam Deployments. The USAF forces stationed at Pleiku were under the jurisdiction of the Seventh Air Force, United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). Army Photo RECONNECTING = PRICELESS Pleiku Air Base is a former air force base in Vietnam. In August 1966, led by the 2nd Brigade, the 4th Infantry Division's ("Ivy Division"a play on the Roman numeral IV) headquarters closed in on the central highlands of Vietnam. FAQs - How to Order |
1967 Viet-Cong forces attacked the perimeter and overran the South Vietnamese army outpost. In 1988, four Pleiku Air Base veterans got together in a small town in Pennsylvania for a backyard picnic, where they decided to take up the task of searching for any and all veterans of Pleiku Air Base. By Aviel Smolka asmolka@newsargus.com.
Camp Holloway, Pleiku | DestiMap | Destinations On Map - Veteran J. Reuter. Red Dust Everywhere. The People's Army of Vietnam Special Forces Arms (Vietnamese: Binh chng c cng), officially the Special Operation Force Arms or Special Operation Arms, is the elite combat armed service of the People's Army of Vietnam, led by the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army.It is uniquely organized, equipped, and trained with special fighting skills, bravery and heroism, resourcefulness . After the 1973 Paris Peace Accords, Pleiku AB became a center of reconnaissance in the Central Highlands, with the RVNAF monitoring PAVN activity and treaty violations. My primary duties were aircraft radio and communications repair and maintenance, said retired Staff Sgt. Heroin, in the 250milligram clear plastic vials that are universal in Vietnam, is freely available in Pleiku,. The attack killed nine U.S. servicemen and wounded 128 others which led to the sending of conventional American combat forces to Vietnam. The USAF forces stationed at Pleiku were under the jurisdiction of the Seventh Air Force, United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). ft. and 1,654 rolls of microfilm. With its diverse units, a wide variety of propeller-driven aircraft operated from the base, along with a large number of helicopters. 1967, Viet-Cong forces attacked the perimeter and overran the South Vietnamese army outpost. Color guard lined up as jeep moves past them. Click to Report BROKEN LINKS or Photos or Comment.
Radio operator had hazardous duty in Vietnam Web Template Donated By Templates In Time - Web Development Donated By davidcdalton.com. At Pleiku, it was the operational flying component of the 663d. (Courtesy Photo), U.S. Air Force Capt (Dr.) Donald R. Nelson, 633rd Combat Support Group Dispensary, checks an ill Montagnard girl on a visit to Plei Piom village, Republic of Vietnam.
Pleiku departure; 50 years later, veterans recall memories The last American units left Pleiku AB in 1972, after which the SNVF used the facility. From May, 1966 to June, 1972, Fort Lewis trained 302,000 soldiers and deployed them overseas, including the 4th and 9th Divisions. Being in Pleiku was a pretty nice gig, except for the bloodshed.
On September 25,. The day Ban Me Thuot fell, President Nguyn Vn Thiu called an emergency high level meeting at Cam Ranh Bay. Privacy Policy2023 CriticalPast LLC. [2]:275 The RVNAF 114th Liaison Squadron moved to Pleiku in 1963. (AP) It was established by the South Vietnamese Air Force SVNAF in 1962 at an undeveloped airstrip and was used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam.
20thEngineers.com - Vietnam A man comes out of the well. [2]:275, In late 1964 a detachment of two Kaman HH-43 Huskie (B variants) were stationed at the base for rescue and local search and rescue. The Central Highlands area in South Vietnam, consisting of 12 provinces, and the largest of the four corps in size. United States 4th Infantry Division change of Command ceremony at camp Enari in Pleiku, South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The base was named for 1st Lieutenant Mark Enari, the first 4th Infantry Division member awarded the Silver Star . The troops blow up the barracks of US military advisors at Pleiku, killing 8 Americans and wounding 126.
52nd Artillery Group - Vietnam War Pleiku departure; 50 years later, veterans recall memories The large aircraft parking ramp remains but is largely abandoned, along with the jet taxiway which is unused. Click to Report BROKEN LINKS or Photos, or Comment. IV Corps Flags on a stand. On May 15, 1967, the unit was redesignated as the 633rd Security Police Squadron, receiving additional equipment for their enhanced force protection mission. Famous Battles In Vietnam Pleiku Units. Over those years, an OCE (Office of the Chief of Engineers) Liaison Officer routinely traveled to . 2023 CriticalPast LLC. The Pleiku Airbase Association Dear Members In 1988, four Pleiku Air Base veterans got together in a small town in Pennsylvania for a backyard picnic, where they decided to take up the task of searching for any and all veterans of Pleiku Air Base. Tea Plant.
Records of the United States Forces in Southeast Asia, 1950-1975 Maps of Heavily Sprayed Areas and Dioxin Hot Spots - The Aspen Institute I remember a trio-elec. It was hard to believe this small plot was a USAF Base and this small village is where I would be for at least the next year, but it was better than some other places I had heard about, said retired U.S. Air Force Tech. This variety grows best when grown alone and can reach up to 12 feet tall. Pleiku Air Base: Base Map. Their main customers were the 1st Air Cav at An Khe, the provincial capital of Pleiku in the Central Highlands, and a Republic of Korea army base located at Song Cau. Contents 1 History 11 1966-72 2 Current use 3 References History 1966-72 Camp Enari was established near Dragon Mountain Ni Hm Rng and Highway 19. During its active service, the 633d flew combat missions, including air support for ground forces, air cover for transports, day and night interdiction, combat search and rescue support, armed reconnaissance, and forward air control. A large number of soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division lined up on a field. But much of time we would just hang at the fire station on off days because thats where the action was.. Also troubleshot issues on the aircraft including O-2, AC-47, various A-1 (single and 2- seat), and the odd [C-130], AC-130, or AC-119 that came through.. Eight US soldiers were killed and as many as 100 were wounded. The unit was originally designated as the 633rd Combat Support Group when it was activated at Pleiku in April, 1966., . Jarhead03 2,171 4 Sep 21, 2011 #2 The base was named for 1st Lieutenant Mark Enari, the first 4th Infantry Division member awarded the Silver Star (posthumously) in Vietnam, who was killed in action on 2 December 1966. Hide. The VC cut the wire right in front . He began by picking up an ace of spades playing card. The unit flew combat missions, including air support for ground forces, air cover for transports, day and night interdiction, combat search and rescue support, armed reconnaissance, and forward air control. As Veterans Day approached, retired Southeastern School teacher and U.S. Air Force veteran Dan Richard sat to answer questions and reminisce of his military days and life in general.