sattahip, thailand during vietnam war

For the next several years, a minimum of four F-102 interceptors were kept on alert at Don Muang. B-52 missions from Andersen and Kadena, however, required long mission times and aerial refuelling en route. [14][15][16] The 11,500-foot (3,505m) runway was opened on 6 July 1966 and the first aircraft to land was a Royal Thai Air Force HH-16 helicopter, then a USAF C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft. In January 1967, negotiations between the US and Thai government started to base them at U-Tapao. All foreign troops, paramilitary forces and foreign military personnel would be removed from Laos in the "shortest possible time". The Royal Thai government's desire to avoid publicity led to the formation of a policy to downplay the United States' presence and not draw attention to its tactical air units in Thailand. They were 281st MP's stationed at Ft. Campbell Kentucky and served at Sattahip Thailand 1966-1967. Vietnam War, (1954-75), a protracted conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, against the government of South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. [28]:1823. [10], In 2015, a Politico article reported that the United States Government rented space at U Tapao from a private contractor for use as a "major logistics hub for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars." By early 1962, about 60 Thais had enlisted in Lao units; all on the CIA payroll. The remaining members of the flight had jobs on the ground in intelligence, communications, flight engineering, loading and operations. At this time 51 B-52s were based at U-Tapao. [28]:2458 The crew which had been taken to the Cambodian mainland two days earlier were released unharmed by the Khmer Rouge. On 30 April the South Vietnamese government surrendered. However, the US was still providing air power, and President Richard Nixon ordered a large increase on US airpower in response to the invasion. The Coast Guard sent the officer to. The SAC units left in December 1975. [26]:2734, In 11 days of concentrated bombing, B-52s had completed 729 sorties and dropped 13,640 tonnes (15,000 tons) of bombs. The sixth increment would deploy as planned in January 1971 and withdraw one year later to complete the redeployment. The North Vietnamese offensive was crushed, but the strikes on North Vietnam continued, only winding down in October, ahead of the 1972 United States presidential election, which resulted in Richard Nixon being re-elected and the attacks quickly ramped up again in November. Thai involvement did not become official until the total involvement of the United States in support of South Vietnam in 1963. Martin, Patrick (1994). By 1972 there were 54 B-52 aircraft stationed in Thailand.[5]. Development Indicators Taiwan vs Thailand: GNP 234/141, Per Capita Electric Power 680/58, Literacy Rate 72/70, Inhabitants per physician 1500/7300, Roads per 1000 square miles 590/40, Population Density 1010/170, Thai Gross National Product (GNP) in constant 1965 millions of dollars: 1961/2925, 1962/3082, 1963/3386, 1964/3590, 1965/3907, 1966/4339, 1967/4551. The composition of the remaining residual force would be taken up in Thai-South Tensions ramped up when the Pathet Lao attacked in spring 1962 and took control of the Nam Tha river valley in northwestern Thailand. American troop withdrawal did not mean that American financial aid stopped, as happened in South Vietnam, and that may be one of the reasons Thailand was able to hold on when others could not. Glasser, Jeffrey D. (1998). CIA operatives, under the guise of military advisers, began training Lao troops and pilots in Thailand, while Thai special forces continued their covert missions into Laos. The former RVNAF C-130s that had arrived in Thailand were flown out to Singapore, while 27 RVNAF A-37s, 25 F-5s, and 50 UH-1s at U-Tapao were loaded by helicopter and barge onto USSMidway for transport to the US. These small detachments received logistical support from their home bases outside of Southeast Asia. [28]:263. By September, the base was supporting 15 tankers. One state newspaper during the war had the headline "In 150 Fights, 100 [Thais] Are Dead, 1,000 Viet Cong Are Killed. 441457 United States Military Spending and the Economy of Thailand, George J. Viksnins, This page was last edited on 17 March 2023, at 08:39. Even so, Thailand still feared the regions spreading communist movementthe Viet Cong in Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and the Pathet Lao in Laoswhich proselytized an ideology that imperiled Thailands monarchial form of government, culture and dominant religion. Under Operation "Tight Reign," LORAN stations were established at Con Son Island and Tan My, in Vietnam, and at Lampang, Sattahip and Udorn in Thailand. The decision was related to the deterioration of security in Laos and Cambodia and the growth of internal insurgency in Thailand, as well as the U.S. Of the 10,000 North Vietnamese troops in Laos at the time of the agreement, 6,000 remained in the country in violation of the accords. In March 1964 American planes flying out of Thai bases started bombing Viet Cong camps and supply routes in Laos. Their primary mission was to fight North Vietnamese guerrilla forces taking refuge in Laos. The USAF implemented Palace Lightning, the plan to withdraw its aircraft and personnel from Thailand. The Royal Thai Air Force found it too costly to operate any but Khorat and Takhli. The flying portion of the exercise promotes closer relations and enables air force units in the region to sharpen air combat skills and practice interoperability with U.S. forces. The next day, B-52 sorties were flown from U-Tapao. Despite Thailand's neutrality on the war in Iraq, the Thai government allowed U-Tapao RTNAF to be used by American warplanes flying into combat in Iraq, as it had earlier done during the war in Afghanistan. Prior to 1965, the base at U-Tapao was a small RTN airfield. AID (Agency for International Development) Assistance Through FY 1968 (millions of dollars). Two days later there was an apparent reversal of policy. More than 1,100 people participate, including approximately 500 U.S. service members and 600 service members from Thailand and Singapore. The instability on the long eastern border also affected Thailands economy. Although technically Thailand-owned bases for the Royal Thai naval and air forces, the installations served as headquarters for U.S. Air Force units that used them for operations throughout Indochina. [17]:284. Construction began on 15 October 1965 and was completed on 2 June 1966. The United States ended its involvement in Southeast Asia by treaty and disengagement rather than by military victory. In 1968 I was taken on a school trip to visit U Tapao airbase near Sattahip and Pattaya. The withdrawal plans were confirmed and even elaborated upon through a Royal Thai government announcement to the United States and South Vietnam on 26 March 1971. The end of the war resulted in all US personnel and equipment being removed by 1976 at Thai request. Add a Place. Location: Sattahip Thailand Date: 1969, April 2 Duration: 1 min 55 sec Sound: No Color: Color Clip Type: Unedited Language: None Clip: 65675034367 A B-52 taxiing for take off on the runway at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in Sattahip, Thailand. The soldiers delighted in. During the 1960s Thailand experienced one of the most rapid growth rates among developing countries: more than 10% per year in GNP, and about 8% per year in real output. More American military advisers were being dispatched to the country, but their reports indicted a need for stronger measures to be taken. The initial plan scheduled attacks for three days. . The CIA reported that all conditions for rapid development of a subversive mechanism were present in Thailand. CIA intelligence pointed out that the Chinese were actively working with the Pathet Lao and possibly with the Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand and Malaysia. With the fall of both Cambodia and South Vietnam in the spring of 1975,[35] the political climate between Washington and the government of PM Sanya soured. These are the major bases the USAF operated from in Thailand: In addition Marine Aircraft Group 15 operated from Royal Thai Air Base Nam Phong from June 1972 to September 1973. Thailand during the Vietnam War. All of those groups were a constant threat to the stability of Thailands government, either through terrorist-style attacks or direct confrontation along the border. Indeed, attempts by North Vietnamese communists to organize the Vietnamese in Thailand were dealt with strongly by the Thai government. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. U-Tapao based B-52s also bombed the southernmost part of North Vietnam near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone. In May 1975, the Royal Thai Government asked the United States to remove all of its combat forces (27,000 troops, 300 aircraft) by 1976. U-Tapao was the primary Southeast Asian airfield for US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers, called "Bee-hasip-sawng" (B-52) by the local Thais. Return to Article Details A Not So Silent Partner: Thailand's Role in Covert Operations, Counter-Insurgency, and the Wars in Indochina A Not So Silent Partner: Thailand's Role in Covert Operations, Counter-Insurgency, and the Wars in Indochina In a 1967 interview on ABC Scope, a weekly TV news program, Foreign Minister Thanat Khoman explained that Thailands reasons for supporting the war effort had both security and economic underpinnings. With the fall of both Cambodia and South Vietnam in April 1975, the political climate between Washington and the government of PM Sanya had soured. On 22 July 1966 a 21-man RTAF contingent qualified on the C-123 became operational and were attached to the United States Air Force (USAF) 315th Air Commando Wing, while 5 men remained with the RVNAF where they were assigned to fly C-47 aircraft. In addition, one of U.S. President John F. Kennedy's advisers indicated the need for deterring guerrilla action in northeast Thailand was more pressing than affairs in Vietnam, and Thailand should take precedence. Several aircraft were lost, and five American and Thai personnel were injured. It is serves as the home of the RTN First Air Wing. [28]:124. The campaign was expensive, 16 B-52s were lost and nine others suffered heavy damaged, with 33 aircrew killed or missing in action. Western governments recognized different leaders, with military aid being provided to the communist Pathet Lao forces by the Soviet Union. [1], Due to its proximity to Thailand, Vietnam's conflicts were closely monitored by Bangkok. In May 1962, Kennedy deployed 6,500 Marines to bolster the Thai forces (although he decided in July to withdraw them because of concerns about establishing a long-term commitment). (1984). [2][4][5], Thai morale was generally high, with Thai troops taking pride in their roles as "defenders of Thailand from communism" and as Buddhists. Unlike other countries in the region, Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, had never been under the control of a European colonial power, a source of great pride in the country. These bases were situated strategically around Thailand, and one was to be U'Tapao Air-force Base at Sattahip, just 30 minutes drive from Pattaya. During the Vietnam War, Thailand was one of the places where GIs on leave went for a much-welcome break from the fighting. On 23 December, communist forces fired on an American VC-47 passenger transport. Photo Credits: 6 Tom Petty, 697th. The United States Air Force (USAF) deployed combat aircraft to Thailand from 1960 to 1975 during the Vietnam War. Thai Navy and Air Force units would withdraw sometime before January 1972. Vietnam and Laos were at war for independence against the French, while in Cambodia, an uprising against the Royals was imminent. Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Thailand was the third-largest provider of ground forces to South Vietnam, following the Americans and South Koreans. The removal of U.S. military forces was accomplished by United States Marine Detachment BLT 1/9 out of Okinawa, Japan. The intensification of the war in Vietnam led to a rapid buildup in official U.S. spending in Thailand (see Tables 1 and 2). The vast nature of this enterprise enriched Thailand at every level of society, enabling a jump in indigenous heavy construction, communications, transportation, and defense. There was no CDT operational activity involved in this manoeuvre. [28]:23942, At dawn on 15 May the assault on Koh Tang began. During the Vietnam War, about 80% of all USAF air strikes over North Vietnam originated from air bases in Thailand. Beginning in March 1969, B-52s were raiding not only South Vietnam and Laos, but Cambodia as well. The First National Economic Development Plan (1961-1966) was successfully implemented. They often dressed like and lived with the ethnic Lao and Hmong populations. The Communist Party of Thailand led an armed revolt in the northeastern provinces of the country. (https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2008/february/truth-about-tonkin) USAF forces were dispatched to Thailand. Like the U.S., Thailand was concerned with events in Laos, which had been its buffer against intervention from both China and Vietnam. In case you didn't know the Ynks built Highway 2 to get fuel up to Udon from Sattahip for the aircraft. In addition, U-Tapao may be where Al Qaeda operatives have been interrogated, according to some retired American intelligence officials. This article about the Vietnam War is a stub. This marked the beginning of large scale United States military operations in Southeast Asia. Sattahip Tomorrow's Thailand (1970) During the Vietnam War it was crucial for the United States to assist Thailand Militarily and so the Naval Base of Sattahip and Airbase of U-Tapao were built. All the crew were recovered safely. RLTrader udonmap.com Posts: 1994 Joined: June 3 . The 4258th Strategic Wing (SAC) was activated in June 1966 at U-Tapao under the 3rd Air Division, Andersen AFB, Guam. By early-April the South Vietnamese made their last stand at Xun Lc on their final defensive line before Saigon. Those bombers were not allowed to strike North Vietnam directly. [24]:6279, On the afternoon of 12 April 1975, following the completion of Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of US nationals and allied Cambodians from Phnom Penh, an HMH-462 CH-53 carried Ambassador John Gunther Dean from USSOkinawa to U-Tapao. Thai entrepreneurs built scores of new hotels, restaurants and bars to serve the waves of free-spending American G.I.s, causing foreign funding to flow into the country. For the first time, Thai forces began covert operations into Laos under the direction of the CIA. American news agencies, such as United Press International and Associated Press, were prohibited from filing stories about American military activities. USAF combat sorties from Thailand flown into both North Vietnam and South Vietnam grew as the Vietnam War expanded in the 1960s. [3]:49, In December 1969 the effects of the withdrawal of the Philippine Civic Action Group, Vietnam, and antiwar sentiment in the US were felt in Thailand as elsewhere. [9] Units involved were the 36th Airlift Squadron (36 AS) of the 374th Airlift Wing (374 AW) from Yokota Air Base, Japan, flying C-130H Hercules; and Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 (VMGR-152) from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, flying the Lockheed Martin KC-130R and the newer KC-130J. The 307th was under the command and control of Eighth Air Force, based at Andersen AFB, Guam. The next morning, 75 SPs from the 56th boarded helicopters of 21st Special Operations Squadron to proceed to U-Tapao for staging. President Johnson used the flawed information about the incident to order additional forces to the area to support the government of South Vietnam. Three Thai special forces units joined with the U.S. 1st Special Forces Group, and by early May 1966 the joint forces began conducting 30-day missions into remote, undisclosed locations not just inside Laos, but throughout Indochina. [7], Over the course of the war, the United States poured $1.1 billion in economic and military aid into Thailand, while USAID poured in another $590 million, both aiding Thailand's economy and indirectly paying for the cost of Thailand's participation and then some. Like South Vietnam, Thailand was becoming increasingly dependent upon U.S. support. In 1951, the CIA sent case officer Bill Lair to Thailand, James Parker, a CIA case officer in Laos 1971-73, said in a 2016 interview with the Bangkok Post. Thai soldiers recall the Vietnam War as a yearlong opportunity to observe the American-style consumerism that would influence Thailand in the 1970s, '80s and '90s. the Vietnam War, Thailand was one of the places where GIs on leave went for a much-welcome break from the fighting. The installation was completed in May 1967. In 1973 there were 12 U.S. military bases in the country, with 550 war planes and thousands of troops stationed on Thai soil in order to help the U.S. war effort in Indo-China. Top. It is at the southern tip of the province southeast of Bangkok . U-Tapao was built by the United States to accommodate B-52 bombers for missions in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. [22], Detachment 12 of the 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron operating 2 HH-43s provided search and rescue at the base. Direct military assistance totalled another US$800 million for the same period, continuing at the rate of US$2555 million per year. His countrys common borders with Laos and Cambodia, each threatened by communist insurgencies, put the kingdom in a dangerous position that endangered its own survival. The Thai government then allowed the United States Air Force in Thailand to use its air and naval bases. By this time, the US was no longer in the forefront of the ground war, with South Vietnamese units taking the lead. [12]:188, On 21 January 1970, the 4258th SW was redesignated as the 307th Strategic Wing. Sattahip Tourism Sattahip Hotels Sattahip Bed and Breakfast. [27], In late-1972 the Nixon Administration ordered an all-out air offensive against North Vietnam. This page was last edited on 27 March 2023, at 08:58. Despite these denials, however, the Secret War was actually the largest U.S. covert operation prior to the Afghan-Soviet War, with areas of Laos controlled by North Vietnam subjected to three million tons of bombing, representing the heaviest U.S.-led bombing campaign since World War II.[1]. Did you know that more than 40,000 Thai military personnel served in Vietnam? You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Udorn also hosted three squadrons of F-4C/D & E Phantoms which flew escort, sweep, and Air Combat Patrol missions to protect other U.S. strike aircraft. The fifth increment would not be replaced after its return to Thailand in August 1971. Air America, a U.S. government-owned airline secretly supporting CIA missions, flew from those bases into Laos and Vietnam, delivering supplies to covert groups working with anti-communist forces. That changed after the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964, when North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked an American destroyer, and President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered retaliatory airstrikes on North Vietnam. Thailand therefore had not experienced the anti-colonialist revolutionary fervor that drove communist-backed independence movements elsewhere in Southeast Asia. ", "Thai airfield is dedicated, built by U.S.", "USAF tanker crashes on way to war planes", "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 48322 22-NOV-1972 Boeing B-52D-65-BO Stratofortress", "Thai leaders protest arrival of U.S. marines", "U.S. to begin pullout of troops from Thailand", "Many Thais saddened by U.S. military withdrawals", USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers1908 to present, Utapao Royal Thai Airbase mid-summer 1971, 635 Supply Chain Operations Wing fact sheet successor to 635 Combat Support Group, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=U-Tapao_Royal_Thai_Navy_Airfield&oldid=1146846936, Strategic Wing (Provisional), 310th (1972), Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Wing (Provisional), 340th (1972), 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (19721976), Air Division (Provisional), 310th (1972). The misinterpreted incident took place in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of North Vietnam. Thailands situation worsened in 1961 as North Vietnam, with assistance from the Soviet Union and China, provided support to communist operations in South Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and parts of Thailand. The USAF forces at U-Tapao were under the command of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), with the Strategic Air Command (SAC) units being a tenant unit. Squadrons based there include: For several years, beginning in 1981, U-Tapao has hosted parts of Cobra Gold, jointly involving US, Singaporean, and Thai armed forces, and designed to build ties between the nations and promote interoperability between their military components. Circumstances in the region, however, were leading to drastic changes in the US position. If Laos fell, the door was wide open for communism to infiltrate Thailand. The RF-101s stayed until May 1962, then returned for a second deployment during November and December 1962. [24]:6156 The C-130s flew supply missions into Cambodia until May 1974 when these operations were taken over by BirdAir which operated under contract to the US Government. In the meantime, American technicians and engineers worked on improvements at Thai air bases. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on 27 January 1973, however, the B-52's war was not quite over, with Arc Light strikes on Laos continuing into April and on Cambodia into August. Luuk Khreung: The Vietnam War's Forgotten Legacy in Thailand In 1954, the war was waging in the Indochina Region. Under Thailand's "gentleman's agreement" with the U.S., the bases were considered Royal Thai Air Force bases and were commanded by Thai officers. Eventually, they housed more than 400 aircraft and 25,000 military personnel. [29] After their arrival, the Vietnamese were sequestered in tents near the runway. On 22 November 1972, a B-52D was damaged by an SA-2 SAM in a raid on Vinh, an important rail center in the southern part of North Vietnam. Having the aircraft based in South Vietnam made them vulnerable to attack. Ambassador to Thailand Kenneth Young Jr. and U.S. Army Col. William McKean, commander of the 27th Infantry Regiment near Korat, Thailand, in June 1962. Laos would not recognize any military alliance or coalition, such as. [25], In late March 1972, the North Vietnamese launched a full-scale offensive across the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone, supported by tanks and heavy artillery. U-Tapao was a front-line base along with . While supposedly maintaining an air of neutrality, it was deeply concerned about the fighting in neighboring Indochina. The runway was built in eight months[13] and the base was completed slightly more than two years later. The 9th Logistical Command (B) was inactivated on 12 June 1970 at Camp Samae San, Sattahip. It was one of the first USAF aircraft shot down over Indochina, and marked the beginning of combat action by the USAF from bases in Thailand. A CH-53 #68-10933 crashed,[33] killing 18 SPs and the five-man flight crew. To counter the Pathet Lao, the CIA developed an anti-communist paramilitary force in Laos and trained Thai army and police units in guerrilla warfare. Laos would not allow any foreign interference in its internal affairs. Military? [22], Four provisional squadrons were organized under the 307th:[22], In addition, two four-digit bomb squadrons (4180th, 4181st) were assigned, but were not operational. The bombing raids, codenamed Operation Linebacker II, began on 18 December 1972 involving heavy attacks by almost every strike aircraft the US had in theater, with the B-52 playing a prominent role.

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