Qui Nhơn Airfield

Qui Nhơn Airfield (also known as Qui Nhơn Airport, Qui Nhơn Air Base or Qui Nhon Army Airfield) is a former United States Air Force, United States Army and Vietnam Air Force airfield located in Qui Nhon in Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam.[1]

Qui Nhơn Airfield
Qui Nhon, Binh Dinh Province in South Vietnam
Qui Nhơn Airfield, 13 April 1966
Qui Nhơn Airfield
Coordinates	13.766°N 109.222°E / 13.766; 109.222 (Qui Nhơn Air Base)
Site information
Owner	Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF)
Operator	Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) Pacific Air Forces (USAF) United States Army (US Army)
Condition	abandoned
Site history
Built	1966 (1966)
In use	1966-1975 (1975)
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: UIH, ICAO: VVQN
Elevation	10 feet (3 m) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 03/21 5,100 feet (1,554 m)

History

Qui Nhon Army Airfield control tower, 30 October 1970

In April 1966 the 84th Construction Battalion built a 1,197 feet (365 m) extension to the runway.[2]^:125 In early 1967 the RMK-BRJ construction firm built a 3,400 feet (1,000 m) taxiway extension and various support buildings.[2]^:274

Army units based at Qui Nhơn included:

• 8th Transportation Company (Piasecki CH-21C Shawnee) (1961-?)[3]^:18
• 57th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance) (UH-1B Huey) from March 1963.[3]^:134
• A detachment of 498th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) with UH-1D Hueys from October 1965.[3]^:139
• 498th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) (UH-1D) from 1967.[3]^:137
• 18th Aviation Company
• 61st Assault Helicopter Company
• 92nd Aviation Company
• 117th Aviation Company
• Company D, 52nd Infantry Regiment (from December 1966)
• 67th Evacuation Hospital (October 1966 - January 1971)
• 1098th Transportation Company (Medium Boat)

USAF units based at Qui Nhơn included:

• 15th Aerial Port Squadron
• 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron (detachments)
• 619th Tactical Control Squadron Detachment 12 (December 1965-November 1966)

Current use

The base is now covered with commercial buildings while the former runway is now Nguyễn Tất Thành road. The city is served commercially by Phu Cat Airport.

Accidents and incidents

• 18 September 1965 USAF Lockheed C-130A Hercules #55-0038 crashed into the sea while on final approach killing 4 of 11 crew and passengers[4]
• 30 June 1966 USAF Fairchild C-123B Provider #54-0644 was damaged beyond repair at Qui Nhơn[5]
• 30 November 1967 USAF de Havilland Canada C-7B Caribou #62-4175 on approach to Qui Nhơn diverted due to bad weather and hit a mountain 5 km south of the base killing all 26 passengers and crew[6]
• 25 May 1970 U.S. Army Beechcraft U-21A #66-18026 was damaged beyond repair at Qui Nhơn[7]

See also

• Republic of Vietnam Air Force
• United States Pacific Air Forces
• Seventh Air Force

References

1. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 5–431. ISBN 978-1555716257.
2. Traas, Adrian (2011). Engineers at War. Government Printing Office. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. Dunstan, S (1988). Vietnam Choppers. Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-85045-572-3.
4. "18 September 1965 Lockheed C-130A Hercules". Aviation safety network. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
5. "30 June 1966 Fairchild C-123B-7-FA Provider". Aviation safety network. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
6. "30 November 1967 de Havilland Canada C-7B Caribou". Aviation safety network. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
7. "25 May 1970 Beechcraft U-21A Ute". Aviation safety network. Retrieved 11 November 2014.