Phan Rang - Pete

[DeadlyDaring]

Some genaeral info for you Pete on the Australians at Phan Rang

Caribou aircraft of RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam (renamed No. 35 Squadron on 1 June 1966-‘Wallaby Airlines’) that arrived at Vung Tau on 8 August 1964. The unit operated ‘in country’ until 26 February 1972.

The second RAAF unit to deploy was No. 9 Squadron, which arrived at Vung Tau with Iroquois helicopters during May 1966.

In 1968, Squadron Leader Brian Dirou and armament personnel modified their aircraft to carry a forward-mounted 7.62 mini-gun, a rocket launcher and two M60 door-mounted machine guns.

The final operational squadron to deploy to Vietnam was No. 2 Squadron. The squadron flew Canberra bombers out of Phan Rang Air Base from April 1967 until June 1971. and served with the United States Air Force’s 35th Tactical Fighter Wing.

Phan Rang had been developed by detachments from Australia’s. 5th Airfield Construction Squadron between 1966–68.

Eight Canberra jet bombers of 2 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), landed at Phan Rang air base in South Vietnam in April 1967

The first of the squadron’s Canberra bombers landed at Phan Rang on 19 April and flew their first mission on 23 April.

2 Squadron RAAF was also awarded the United States Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with bronze "V" device for combat valour (more commonly referred to as USAFOUA(V) while attached to the USAF 35th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phan Rang Air Base in II Corps.


Chronological Log of 2Sqn RAAF

February, 1967
Prior to deployment of 2 Sqn to Phan Rang, South Vietnam, the squadron's strength was doubled to 280 personnel and detachment “B" of 5 ACS (Airdrome Construction Squadron). In conjunction with the USAF 554 “Red Horse” civil engineering squadron, they designed and built the accommodation for the arrival of aircraft and personnel in April 1967.

February, 1967
Prior to deployment of 2 Sqn to Phan Rang, South Vietnam, the squadron's strength was doubled to 480 personnel and detachment “B" of 5 ACS (Airdrome Construction Squadron). In conjunction with the USAF 554 “Red Horse” civil engineering squadron, they designed and built the accommodation for the arrival of aircraft and personnel in April 1967.

19 April, 1967
The first Canberra Bombers arrive at Phan Rang airbase.

23 April, 1967
First missions flown, after which eight missions a day were flown with eight aircraft. This was the highest serviceability rate of any aircraft on Phan Rang. Night missions were flown to start with, beginning at 08:00pm.

31 January, 1968
North Vietnam troops attacked more that 100 sites throughout Vietnam To coincide with the Buddhist New Year or “TET”. This period usually fell about the end of January to beginning of February.

February 1968
2 Sqn supported the air power campaign mounted by the US forces to prevent the enemy from over running the Bien Dien Phu base. This was also the site of a major defeat of the French forces in 1954.

5 May, 1968
2 Sqn domestic living quarters was bombarded with rockets and mortars on 25th November, 1968. Canberra A84-232 was hit by ground fire near their target and the navigator Pilot Officer John Ellis was wounded by flying Plexiglas from the nose cone of the aircraft.

Note: During the period 1967–68. 2 Sqn personnel under the guidance of the Squadron Chaplin, Squadron Leader Pat Mc Cormick, MBE, assisted the local Vietnam community with projects such as health, education, water etc.


Other Australian forces at Phan Rang Air Base
Australian Civil Affairs Unit (1 Aust CA Unit)]
110 Signal Squadron Saigon Detachment for Phan Rang
Headquarters Australian Force Vietnam (HQ AFV)

[Bill Farnie]

Bien Dien Phu ????? Isn't Bien Dien Phu located in what became North Vietnam????

[pete v]

thanks for the information about the Australians at Phan Rang. I met a lot of the enlisted folks at their club. I do know that they were a great bunch of guys. I wish that I had kept some kind of log or journal of those times. Just didn't seem important at the time.

Pete

[DeadlyDaring]

Originally Posted by Bill Farnie

Bien Dien Phu ????? Isn't Bien Dien Phu located in what became North Vietnam????

There are many written mistakes in hisory this is but a very small part of one of them... to my research it may have been Khe Sanh Quang Tri Province, (Operation Niagara)... but who really knows in all what has been written and all of the confusion

[Packo]

Great MC Colors!

Can someone put up the Psyco Vets MC Colors for DD?

Pack

[Boats]

Pete - keeping a log. I don't think anyone really had the time to keep a log. I think back on my service and I know I didn't have time to log any events - except in my head. Any free time went into find a few beers and to investigate the locals. I know what you mean though - it would add more facts to the faded memories. I can recall many things but the old brain can't really clearly put all the issues together any more. Details are always abit scewed. I do recall with clarity those issue that almost cost me my life but I know there were many more I'd like to remember but just can't get all the pieces together.

Lots of issues are parked somewhere inside me that on very rare occassions may surface and there are many I'd like to forget.

Pete hope you have a swell day.

[frisco-kid]

Phan Rang was the main basecamp for the 101st while I served with them from JUN66-JUN67. They had been there since they first got in-country in JUL65. At that time it was just the 1st Bde. I don't know exactly when, but they moved up to what was to become Camp Eagle up by Phu Bai after the rest of the division came over starting in late '67.

Although it was our main basecamp, we didn't see much of it. I was there for about my first 10 days in-country while processing in and going through P-Training. After that I was sent to my company up by Dak To in the Central Highlands. I didn't see it again until late OCT or early NOV66 when I was sent to the Bn. hospital for a bad case of jungle rot. By then we were somewhere around Tuy Hoa. After being sent back to my company in a couple of weeks, I didn't return until late JAN or early FEB67 when we returned to get re-outfitted. We had just spent a couple of months around Kontum. We were there for a couple of weeks and I didn't return until the end of JUN67 to DEROS out. We were at Duc Pho by then. Never got to fraternize with the Air Force guys, U.S. or Aussie.

During my 2nd tour, while doing security for convoys, got to eat at the AF NCO club a couple of times while we delivered some fuel to them. You boys lived large and ate GOOD.


DeadlyDaring: It was the Battle of DIEN BIEN PHU in N. Vietnam in 1954. BIG difference from Khe Sanh. Thank you, and all of our other allies, for your service.