Kontum Airfield

Kontum Airfield is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base located in Kon Tum in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.[1]

Kontum Airfield
An aerial view of Kontum Airfield in December 1967
Coordinates14.356°N 108.015°E / 14.356; 108.015 (Kontum Airfield)
TypeArmy Airfield
Site history
Built~1965
In use1965–75
Battles/warsTet Offensive
Battle of Kontum
Kontum Airfield
Summary
Elevation AMSL1,804 ft / 550 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
3,600 1,097 Asphalt

History

Kontum Airfield was a major tactical airlift hub in the Central Highlands used extensively in the buildup on US forces in the area in 1965-6.[2]:284

On 28 April 1966, an Air America Curtiss C-46D Commando crashed on takeoff. There were no fatalities, but the plane was written off.[3]

In early 1967 Company A, 299th Engineer Battalion began improving the airfield building taxiways, ramps, roads and bivouac areas.[4]

On 10 January 1968 Vietcong (VC) sappers penetrated the airfield perimeter and destroyed several helicopters with Satchel charges, killing 7 Americans and wounding 25. An estimated 16 VC were killed in the attack.[5]

At the time of the Tet Offensive in late January 1968 units based at the airfield were the 57th Assault Helicopter Company (57th AHC), Troop A, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (2/1 Cavalry), Company B, 299th Engineer Battalion and a company of Montagnard irregulars.[6]:302 At 02:12 on 30 January, a company from the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 406th Sapper Battalion and a company from the VC 304th Local Force Battalion attacked the airfield. As the PAVN/VC penetrated the airfield defenses they were engaged by sentries and gunships from the 57th AHC stopping the PAVN attack 50 meters from the runway. The PAVN K6 Battalion of the 24th Regiment reinforced the attack and launched a new assault which was countered by two M48 tanks and four M113 armored personnel carriers from Troop A, 2/1 Cavalry, which attacked the right flank of the PAVN forcing them to retreat. The PAVN soon regrouped and attacked the armor with Rocket propelled grenades forcing them to retreat.[6]:303 At 09:30 Task Force Delta, comprising two helicopter borne rifle platoons and Company D, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, landed at the airfield and moved north to attack the PAVN/VC in the city.[6]:303–4 That evening the PAVN/VC attacked the airfield again but failed to penetrate the defenses.[6]:305 On 31 January Company D, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment was landed at the airfield.[6]:305 The PAVN hit the airfield with 122-mm. rockets on 1 February but made no further ground attacks.[6]:306 On the evening of 1 February two companies from the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment were flown into the airfield securing its northern perimeter.[6]:306– By 4 February the city had been secured and normal operations resumed at the airfield.[2]:323

Aircraft revetments, 19 July 1968

The airfield was the scene of heavy fighting in April-May 1972 during the Battle of Kontum, part of the PAVN's Easter Offensive.[7] On 21 April PAVN artillery fire damaged an Air Vietnam plane, killing a flight attendant.[8]:378 On 24 April PAVN artillery fire damaged a USAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules and destroyed a Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) Fairchild C-123 Provider, the repaired C-130 flew out on 1 May.[8] On 15 May 1972 a PAVN artillery attack on the airfield destroyed a C-130 as it took off killing all but 1 crewman and damaged 2 other C-130s and 2 C-123s.[8]:379 Another rocket/artillery attack on 23 May destroyed another C-130.[9] By 25 May the airfield was closed to traffic and did not reopen until 8 June when the PAVN, defeated in their attack on Kontum, withdrew from the city.[8]:379–

On 26 October 1972 a PAVN rocket attack on the base killed an American officer of Troop H, 17th Cavalry Regiment which was staging through the base. First Lieutenant Carlos Pedrosa was the last wartime casualty his unit would experience in the Vietnam War.

References
  1. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 5–282. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. Bowers, Ray (1983). The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia: Tactical Airlift (PDF). U.S. Air Force Historical Studies Office. ISBN 9781782664208. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. "Curtiss C-46D-20-CU Commando CA-1 Kon Tum Airfield". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  4. Trass, Adrian (2011). Engineers at War. Government Printing Office. p. 209.
  5. "Vietcong Press Drive From Highlands to Delta; Base and Towns Shelled -Civilian Deaths Reported". The New York Times. 11 January 1968. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  6. Villard, Erik (2017). United States Army in Vietnam Combat Operations Staying the Course October 1967 to September 1968. Center of Military History United States Army. ISBN 9780160942808. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. "U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Command History 1972, Annex K. Kontum, 1973. MACV" (PDF). p. K-22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. Nalty, Bernard (2000). The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia: The War in South Vietnam Air War over South Vietnam 1968–1975 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN 9781478118640. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. Vick, Alan (1995). Snakes in the Eagle's nest: A history of ground attacks on air bases (PDF). Rand Corporation. p. 151. ISBN 9780833016294. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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