Phu Bai Combat Base

Phu Bai Combat Base (also known as Phu Bai Airfield and Camp Hochmuth) is a former U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps base south of Huế, in central Vietnam.

For the civil airport use of this facility after 1975, see Phu Bai International Airport.
Phu Bai Combat Base
Phu Bai airfield, April 1965
Coordinates16°24′06″N 107°42′10″E
TypeArmy/Marine Base
Site information
ConditionSeized 1975 by PAVN, now civil airport
Site history
Built1963
In use1963–1975
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Airfield information
Summary
Elevation AMSL49 ft / 15 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
09/27 8,775 2,675 Asphalt

History

1962-5

The Army Security Agency, operating under cover of the 3rd Radio Research Unit (3rd RRU), established a radio facility at Phu Bai in 1963, 12 km southeast of Huế on Highway 1.[1] The operational unit was later redesignated as the 8th Radio Research Field Station (8th RRFS).

1965-7

In 1965, the U.S. Marine Corps established a base across Highway 1 from the 3rd RRU facility.[1]:5–396

In late 1965, The 3rd Marine Division established its headquarters at Phu Bai and would remain there until late 1967, when it was moved forward to Đông Hà.

In late November 1967, the base was named Camp Hochmuth in honor of Bruno Hochmuth, Commanding General, 3rd Marine Division, who was killed in a helicopter explosion north of Huế.

In June or July 1968, U.S. Special Forces established Forward Operating Base 1 (FOB 1) at Phu Bai. The base remained in use until early 1969.[2]

Marine units based at Phu Bai during this period included:

  • 2nd Battalion 1st Marines
  • 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines
  • 2nd Battalion 4th Marines
  • 3rd Battalion 4th Marines
  • 4th Battalion 12th Marines
  • HMM-161 (May 1965 – January 1966, June–November 1966)
  • HMM-163 (January–April 1966, October 1966 – July 1967)
  • HMM-164 (July–November 1967)
  • HMM-362 (August–November 1967)
  • VMO-3 (January 1967 – 1969)
  • Marine Aircraft Group 36 (November 1967 – October 1969)
    • HMM-164 (December 1967 – February 1968, June–November 1968)
    • HMM-165 (December 1967 – January 1968, March 1968)
    • HMM-263 (November 1967)
    • HMM-265 (January–May 1969)
    • HMM-362 (December 1967 – May 1968, October–November 1968)
    • HMM-363 (June–September 1968)
    • HMM-364 (November 1967 – November 1968)
    • HML-367 (December 1967 – October 1969)
    • HMM-462 (August 1968 – October 1969)
  • VMO-6 (October–November 1967)[3]
  • Marine Air Support Squadron 2(January 1966 - November 1968)[4][5]

1968

On 30/31 January 1968, the base was hit by Vietcong mortar and rocket fire as part of the Tet Offensive. The base was used to support U.S. and ARVN forces fighting in the Battle of Huế. The first relief force was dispatched from Phu Bai to the MACV Compound in Huế City.[6]

On 15 February 1968, General Creighton Abrams established MACV forward at Phu Bai to assume direct control of US forces in northern I Corps, which were then engaged in the Battle of Huế, the Battle of Khe Sanh, and the Tet Counteroffensive.[6]:140[7]

On 10 March 1968, MACV Forward, having served its purpose, was converted to a Corps headquarters and designated Provisional Corps, Vietnam, under the command of Lieutenant General William B. Rosson. Rosson exercised operational control over the 3rd Marine Division (Reinforced), the 1st Cavalry Division, the 101st Airborne Division (Reinforced) and assigned Corps troops. The new Corps also co-operated closely with the ARVN 1st Division in the area. Provisional Corps, Vietnam, was designated XXIV Corps on 12 August 1968.[8]

The 45th Engineer Group moved north to the Phu Bai area in February 1968, where it assumed general construction support missions for the I Corps Tactical Zone. The group then remained in the Da Nang area until departing Vietnam.[9]

1969–72

In 1969, the 85th Evacuation Hospital moved from Qui Nhơn and was established at the northwest end of the airfield, adjacent to Highway 1.[1]:4–9

In 1969, the headquarters of the 101st Airborne Division was moved to Phu Bai.

Units based at Phu Bai during this period included:

  • 220th Aviation Company
  • HMM-161 (October 1969 – September 1970)

1973-5

The ARVN operated Phu Bai as a forward logistics base, and it was the only airport serving Huế.

In September 1974, during the Battle of Phú Lộc, after pushing the ARVN defenders off Mo Tau Mountain, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) targeted artillery fire against the base until they were evicted by the ARVN 1st Division and 15th Ranger Group on 11 December.[10]

1975

From 5 March 1975, the PAVN shelled the base as part of the Hue–Da Nang Campaign. Nonetheless, the base continued to be used for aerial reinforcement of the ARVN, until it was overrun by the PAVN on 23/24 March 1975.

Current use

The airfield is now used as Phu Bai International Airport.

  • Gustav Hasford wrote about his experiences in and around Phu Bai in 1968, in his semi-autobiographical novels The Short-Timers (1979) and The Phantom Blooper (1990).
  • In the film Full Metal Jacket (1987), based mainly on The Short-Timers and in part on The Phantom Blooper, two combat journalists for Stars and Stripes, Joker and Rafterman, are sent to Phu Bai, where they cover as well as participate in the action there, and in Hue, in January 1968.
gollark: !pingwhen online <@!258639553357676545> Rust.
gollark: !pingwhen online <@!258639553357676545> Rust.
gollark: * entirely necessary
gollark: You should persist them.
gollark: !pingwhen online <@!258639553357676545> Rust.

References
  1. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. pp. 4–9. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. "Forward Operational Base No. 1 (FOB#1)". Special Forces History. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  3. "Order of Battle". USMC Combat Helicopter Association. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  4. "MASS-2 Command Chronology - January 1966" (PDF). Texas Tech University - The Vietnam Center and Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive. Marine Air Support Squadron 2. 10 February 1966. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  5. "MASS-2 Command Chronology - November 1968" (PDF). Texas Tech University - The Vietnam Center and Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive. Marine Air Support Squadron 2. 3 December 1968. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  6. Nolan, Keith (1996). Battle for Hue: Tet 1968. Presidio Press. p. 9. ISBN 978-0891415923.
  7. Sorley, Lewis (2002). Thunderbolt: General Creighton Abrams and the Army of His Time. Simon & Schuster. pp. 213–9. ISBN 978-0671701154.
  8. Eckhardt, George (1974). Vietnam Studies Command and Control (PDF). Department of the Army 1950-1969. p. 74. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. https://phuloi.weebly.com/army-45th-79th-159th-engineer-groups.html
  10. Dunham, George R (1990). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Bitter End, 1973–1975 (Marine Corps Vietnam Operational Historical Series). History and Museums Division Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. p. 16. ISBN 9780160264559. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

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