Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Chu Lai Air Base
Chu Lai Air Base was a military airport in Chu Lai, Vietnam, operated by the United States Marine Corps between 1965 and 1970. It was located near Tam Kỳ city, the largest city in Quảng Tín Province. Abandoned after the end of the Vietnam War, it was reopened as Chu Lai Airport in 2005.
First squadron to land at Chu Lai was VMA-225 (pre-arranged) 1 June 1965 along with VMA-311 arriving simultaneously. No A-4 Squadrons at that time were All Weather. VMA-225 was equipped with the A-4C model, and VMA-311 with the A-4E.
On 8 March 1965, the U.S. 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade landed at Da Nang to protect the Da Nang Air Base from possible communist attack.
On 6 May units from the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 2nd Division and 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines secured the Chu Lai area. On 7 May, the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (3rd MEB), composed of the 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, elements of Marine Aircraft Group 12 (MAG-12) and Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 10 landed at Chu Lai to establish a jet-capable airfield and base area.
At first, only a "short airfield for tactical support (SATS)" was installed. The SATS consisted of a 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) runway with an aluminum surface of interlocking lightweight metal alloy planking, a catapult and a carrier deck-type arresting gear. It also included a tactical airfield fuel dispensing system.
The base of soft sand at Chu Lai caused much difficulty with the installation of the SATS, but the first landing of an Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was made on 1 June 1965, by Colonel John D. Noble, Commanding Officer of MAG-12 from Marine All- Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 (VMA-225) landed. On the same day, the first combat mission was flown, led by Lieutenant Colonel R. W. Baker, CO of VMA-225. The aircraft took off using jet-assisted takeoff rockets on the partially completed runway as the Seabees continued lengthening the runway. It was involved in Operation Starlite on 18 August 1965, when the Marines made a pre-emptive strike on gathering National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLF) forces who were preparing to attack the base.
By mid-October 1965, the base was home to more than 80 A-4 Skyhawks from MAG-12.
On the night of 27 October 1965 the NLF penetrated the air base destroying 2 A-4s and severely damaging a further six. The Marines killed 15 of the attacking 20-man sapper squad.
Hub AI
Chu Lai Air Base AI simulator
(@Chu Lai Air Base_simulator)
Chu Lai Air Base
Chu Lai Air Base was a military airport in Chu Lai, Vietnam, operated by the United States Marine Corps between 1965 and 1970. It was located near Tam Kỳ city, the largest city in Quảng Tín Province. Abandoned after the end of the Vietnam War, it was reopened as Chu Lai Airport in 2005.
First squadron to land at Chu Lai was VMA-225 (pre-arranged) 1 June 1965 along with VMA-311 arriving simultaneously. No A-4 Squadrons at that time were All Weather. VMA-225 was equipped with the A-4C model, and VMA-311 with the A-4E.
On 8 March 1965, the U.S. 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade landed at Da Nang to protect the Da Nang Air Base from possible communist attack.
On 6 May units from the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 2nd Division and 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines secured the Chu Lai area. On 7 May, the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (3rd MEB), composed of the 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, elements of Marine Aircraft Group 12 (MAG-12) and Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 10 landed at Chu Lai to establish a jet-capable airfield and base area.
At first, only a "short airfield for tactical support (SATS)" was installed. The SATS consisted of a 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) runway with an aluminum surface of interlocking lightweight metal alloy planking, a catapult and a carrier deck-type arresting gear. It also included a tactical airfield fuel dispensing system.
The base of soft sand at Chu Lai caused much difficulty with the installation of the SATS, but the first landing of an Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was made on 1 June 1965, by Colonel John D. Noble, Commanding Officer of MAG-12 from Marine All- Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 (VMA-225) landed. On the same day, the first combat mission was flown, led by Lieutenant Colonel R. W. Baker, CO of VMA-225. The aircraft took off using jet-assisted takeoff rockets on the partially completed runway as the Seabees continued lengthening the runway. It was involved in Operation Starlite on 18 August 1965, when the Marines made a pre-emptive strike on gathering National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLF) forces who were preparing to attack the base.
By mid-October 1965, the base was home to more than 80 A-4 Skyhawks from MAG-12.
On the night of 27 October 1965 the NLF penetrated the air base destroying 2 A-4s and severely damaging a further six. The Marines killed 15 of the attacking 20-man sapper squad.