Chu Lai Base Area (also known as Chu Lai Combat Base or simply Chu Lai or Kỳ Hà) is a former U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army and
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; french: Armée de la république du Viêt Nam) composed the ground forces of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon in April ...
(ARVN) base in
Chu Lai
Chu Lai is a seaport, urban and industrial area in Núi Thành District, Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam. The city is served by Chu Lai International Airport. It is also the site of the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone (Vietnamese: ''Với Khu Kinh T ...
in central
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
.
Kỳ Hà Air Facility was part of the installation and was located in the northern half,
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 Nam Province. Abandoned after the end of the Vietnam Wa ...
was part of the installation and was located to the south-east.
History
1965
The base was located on the Kỳ Hà peninsula north of
Highway 1 approximately southeast of Da Nang.
On 6 May units from the ARVN
2nd Division and
3rd Battalion, 9th Marines
The 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines (3/9) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Formed during World War I it served until the early 1990s when it was redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4) during a realignment and ren ...
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
Marine Aircraft Group 12 (MAG-12) is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing fighter and assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), itself an integral part of t ...
(MAG-12) and
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion
, colors =
, mascot = Bumblebee
, battles = Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Cape Gloucester, Los Negros, Guam, Peleliu, Tarawa, Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima, Philippi ...
10 landed at Chu Lai to establish a
jet-capable airfield and base area.
The Marines provided security for the Seabees as they constructed the airbase. By mid-June the
3rd Battalion, 12th Marines had arrived at Chu Lai to provide artillery support for the 4th Marines and the Marines were authorised to conduct search and destroy operations within a 104 square mile tactical area of operations.
[
In August 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines and the 3rd 155mm Gun Battery arrived at Chu Lai.][ On 14 August the ]7th Marine Regiment
The 7th Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California. Nicknamed the "Magnificent Seventh", the regiment falls under the command of the 1 ...
arrived at Chu Lai.[ On 18 August the Marines launched ]Operation Starlite
Operation Starlite (also known in Vietnam as Battle of Van Tuong) was the first major offensive action conducted by a purely U.S. military unit during the Vietnam War from 18 to 24 August 1965. The operation was launched based on intelligence pr ...
to secure the area around Chu Lai, the operation lasted until 24 August and resulted in 45 Marines and 614 Viet Cong
,
, war = the Vietnam War
, image = FNL Flag.svg
, caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green.
, active ...
killed.[
On 2 September ]Marine Aircraft Group 36
Marine Aircraft Group 36 (MAG-36) is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), itself an integral part of the III Marine ...
(MAG-36) was established at Kỳ Hà,[ comprising:
*]HMM-362
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 362 (VMM-362) is a United States Marine Corps squadron that operates MV-22 Osprey. The squadron, known as the "Ugly Angels", was reactivated on 17 August 2018 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.
Miss ...
*HMM-363
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 (VMM-363) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Ospreys. The squadron, known as the "Lucky Red Lions", is based at MCB Hawaii and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft ...
(from December)
*HMM-364
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 (VMM-364) is a United States Marine Corps medium-lift tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Ospreys. The squadron, known as the "Purple Foxes", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Californi ...
*H&MS-36
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 36 (MALS-36) is an aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps. Nicknamed ''Bladerunner'', they are currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan and fall under the co ...
*VMO-6
Marine Observation Squadron 6 (VMO-6) was an observation squadron of the United States Marine Corps which saw extensive action during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The squadron was the first Marine Corps h ...
Also in September the 2nd Light Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalion equipped with HAWK missiles was deployed to Chu Lai to defend the air base and base area.[
In November 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines was moved from Chu Lai to Danang.][ By the end of 5 December Marine Battalions from the 4th and 7th Marine Regiments were based at Chu Lai.][
When initially established the air base and base area were supplied by LSTs coming from Danang and landing at an LST ramp built on the sheltered side of the Kỳ Hà Peninsula. A Force Logistic Support Unit was established on the Kỳ Hà Peninsula to control the logistics flow.][
]
1966
On 17 January the 1st Marine Regiment established its headquarters at Chu Lai and later took operational control of the two battalions of the 4th Marines. In late January the Marine infantry and helicopters at Chu Lai participated in Operation Double Eagle
Operation Double Eagle was a US Marine Corps and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) operation that took place in southern Quảng Ngãi Province, lasting from 28 January to 17 February 1966, during the Vietnam War. The operation was mounted ...
[ On 27 February while several Battalions were absent on Operation Double Eagle the Vietcong attacked a 1/4 Marines outpost killing 5 Marines.][
From 4–7 March the Chu Lai-based Marines and ARVN 2nd Division launched Operation Utah resulting in 98 Marines, 30 ARVN and almost 600 ]People's Army of Vietnam
The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; vi, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, QĐNDVN), also recognized as the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) or the Vietnamese Army (), is the military force of the Vietnam, Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the ...
(PAVN) soldiers killed and 5 captured.[ From 20 to 27 March the 3/7 Marines and ARVN 5th Airborne Battalion launched Operation Texas resulting in 99 Marines and 283 PAVN/Vietcong killed.][ On 28 March the 1/7 Marines launched Operation Indiana to assist the 3rd Battalion, 5th ARVN Regiment resulting in 11 Marines and 169 Vietcong killed.][
On 28 March 4 Marines moved their headquarters from Chu Lai to ]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.
History
1962-5
The Army Security Agency, operating under cover of the 3rd Radio Rese ...
[ The 3/12 Marines also moved to Phu Bai in March and artillery support was taken over by the 11th Marines.][
On 29 March the 1st Marine Division established its headquarters at Chu Lai. The 1st Division commander MGEN Lewis Fields created the Chu Lai Defense Command tasked with protecting the air base and the Kỳ Hà Peninsula.][
Also in March the Force Logistics Support Unit became Force Logistics Support Group Bravo and ]Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 (NMCB 4) is a Navy Seabee battalion homeported at Port Hueneme, California. Nicknamed the "Pioneers", it is the first of the many CBs created after the original three. The Battalion's current insignia fi ...
began building permanent facilities at Kỳ Hà.[
In mid-April the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines replaced the 2/4 Marines which moved north to Danang. On 22 May 1st Battalion, 5th Marines replaced the 3/1 Marines which also moved to Danang. On 27 May the 5th Marine Regiment moved its headquarters to Chu Lai. By 1 June Marine Division had over 17,000 men in the expanded 340 square mile tactical area of operations around Chu Lai.][
From 17 to 22 June 1 Marine Division launched Operation Kansas in the ]Que Son Valley
QUE or que may refer to:
* Quebec (Que.), as the traditional abbreviation, though the postal abbreviations are now QC and previously PQ
* Que Publishing, a company which first began as a publisher of technical computer software and hardware suppo ...
resulting in 9 Marines and 85 PAVN killed.[ From 6–14 July the Marines ]1st Reconnaissance Battalion
1st Reconnaissance Battalion (abbreviated as 1st Recon Bn) is a reconnaissance battalion in the United States Marine Corps. It is a stand-alone battalion with no parent regiment. Instead, it falls directly under the command of the 1st Marine ...
launched Operation Washington in the Do Xa region west of Chu Lai, resulting in 15 Vietcong killed and 8 captured.[ From 6–22 August the Marines and ARVN launched Operation Colorado/Lien Ket 52 to engage the PAVN 2nd Division in the Que Son Valley.][
On 18 August the ]Republic of Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its east ...
2nd Marine Brigade was deployed to Chu Lai and assigned an area of operations southeast of Chu lai, including the Batangan Peninsula
The Ba Làng An Peninsula ( vi, mũi Ba Làng An, lit=land nose of Three Villages called An) is a peninsula in Quảng Ngãi Province, Vietnam, northeast of Quảng Ngãi and 32 km south of Chu Lai. The name was often mispronounced as "Ba Ta ...
.[
On 10 October 1 Marine Division headquarters was moved from Chu Lai to Danang, replacing the 3rd Marine Division rear headquarters which moved from Danang to ]Đông Hà
Đông Hà () is the capital of Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam. Đông Hà is situated at the crossroads of National Highway 1A and Route 9, part of the East–West Economic Corridor (EWEC). It lies on the North–South Railway (Reunificatio ...
.[
In October Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 18th Artillery was deployed to Chu Lai to support the Marine artillery. On 30 November the 1st Field Artillery Group was deployed to Chu Lai to assume control of all artillery from the 11th Marines which had moved north to Danang.][
Units attached to MAG-36 at Kỳ Hà during this period included:
*]HMM-165
Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 165 (VMM-165) is a United States Marine Corps Tilt-rotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "White Knights", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Califor ...
(from September)
*HMM-261
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (VMM-261) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Raging Bulls", is based at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, ...
(until April)
*HMM-262
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (VMM-262) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Flying Tigers", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Ja ...
(from December)
*HMM-361
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 (HMH-361) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters. The squadron, known as the "Flying Tigers", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Mirama ...
(June, August)
*HMM-362 (April–August)
*HMM-363 (until July)
*HMM-364 (until March, July–October)
* H&MS-16 sub-unit one (January 1966)
*VMO-6[
]
1967
From 21 April to 16 May the Marines launched Operation Union
Operation Union was a search and destroy mission in the Que Son Valley carried out by the 1st Marine Regiment from 21 April to 16 May 1967. The object of the operation was to engage the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 2nd Division.
Background ...
near the Que Son Valley resulting in 110 Marines and 865 PAVN/Vietcong killed.
In early April Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) was a joint-service command of the United States Department of Defense.
MACV was created on 8 February 1962, in response to the increase in United States military assistance to South Vietnam. MACV ...
(MACV) gave instructions to commence the Task Force Oregon
Task Force Oregon, was a United States Army division-sized unit composed of 3 separate infantry brigades, active in Quảng Ngãi and Quảng Tín Provinces, South Vietnam from April to September 1967 when it was redesignated the 23rd Infantry ...
plan, which involved the movement of an Army task force to Đức Phổ and Chu Lai area to allow the 1st Marine Division to move north to Danang to support the 3rd Marine Division in northern I Corps. Task Force Oregon comprised:
* 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division
* 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
* 196th Light Infantry Brigade
* 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry (May–August 1967)[
On 9 April the 196th Light Infantry Brigade arrived at Chu Lai, the Task Force headquarters was activated on 12 April, by 17 April the 196th had commenced Operation Lawrence west of the air base and by 26 April the Task Force had assumed control of the Chu Lai tactical area of operations.][
From August–September Task Force Oregon launched Operation Benton to the west of Chu Lai, resulting in 397 PAVN killed.][
In September 1967 the 23rd Infantry Division was reestablished from elements of Task Force Oregon with its headquarters at Chu Lai and would remain here until November 1971,][ its subordinate units based at Chu Lai were:
* 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry (September 1967 – November 1968, November 1969 – August 1970, November 1970 – April 1971)][
* 11th Infantry Brigade][
*196th Light Infantry Brigade (June–October 1967, July 1968 – March 1971)][
* 198th Infantry Brigade (December 1967 – November 1971)][
* 3rd Battalion, 16th Artillery (June 1967 – October 1971)][
* 3rd Battalion, 18th Artillery (April 1967 – October 1971)][
* Battery G, 55th Artillery (February 1968 – July 1971)][
* 6th Battalion, 56th Artillery (1968 – June 1969)][
* 1st Battalion, 82nd Artillery (July 1968 – November 1971)][
* 3rd Battalion, 82nd Artillery (February 1969)][
* 16th Aviation Group (March 1969 – November 1971)][ including:
** 14th Aviation Battalion (April 1967 – October 1971)][
**]123rd Aviation Battalion
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
(December 1967 – November 1971)[
** 21st Aviation Company (June 1967 – November 1971)][
** 71st Aviation Company (September 1967 – October 1971)][
* 28th Engineer Battalion (December 1967 – November 1971)][
*]509th Signal Battalion
5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. It has attained significance throughout history in part because typical humans have five digits on eac ...
(1967–68)[
* 523rd Signal Battalion (January 1968 – November 1971)][
* 74th Medical Battalion (October 1967 – November 1969)][
* 27th Surgical Hospital (March 1968 – June 1971)][
* 91st Evacuation Hospital (July 1969 – November 1971)][
Units attached to MAG-36 at Kỳ Hà during this period included:
*HMM-165 (until November)
*]HMM-263
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (VMM-263) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of V-22 Osprey, MV-22B Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Thunder Chickens", is based at Marine Corps Air Station New ...
(from July–November)
*HMM-262 (until March)
*HMM-362 (until June)
*HMM-363 (January)
*VMO-6 (until September)[
In October MAG-36 began to relocate from Kỳ Hà to Phu Bai and by the end of the month most units had completed the move.][
The ]3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division ("Third Grey Wolf Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division") is a combined arms armored brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division (United States), 1st Cavalry Division based in Fort Hood, Texas. Its major equipment ...
was based at Chu Lai from October 1967 – January 1968, constituent units included:
* 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry (January 1968)[
* 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry][
* 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry (October 1967 – January 1968)][
In late 1967 Force Logistics Group Bravo moved from Chu Lai to Đông Hà, leaving only a reinforced supply company to handle logistics for the remaining Marines at Chu Lai.][
In 1967 a Naval Support Activity base was established at Chu Lai to provide logistics support for allied operations in southern I Corps.][
]
1968–71
On 31 January 1968 as part of the Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. It was launched on January 30, 1968 by forces of the Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) against the forces o ...
Vietcong rockets hit the FLSG Bravo ammunition dump destroying over 600 tons of bombs and bulk explosives.
In September 1968 the 2nd Light Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalion returned to the U.S.[
]
On 23 October 1971 the base was severely damaged by Typhoon Hester which damaged or destroyed 75 percent of the structures in the base. Sustained winds and gusts in the base were estimated to have reached 130 km/h (80 mph) and 160 km/h (105 mph) respectively. Four hangars collapsed, with total aircraft losses amounting to 36 destroyed and 87 damaged.[ The 91st Evacuation Hospital was mostly destroyed and was forced to transfer patients to ]Qui Nhơn
Quy Nhon ( vi, Quy Nhơn ) is a coastal city in Bình Định province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of . Quy Nhon is the capital of Bình Định province. As of 2019 its population was 457,400. Hi ...
.
On 27 November 1971 the 23rd Infantry Division turned over the base to the ARVN.
Current use
Satellite imagery shows that the base has been turned over to housing and farmland, while the port facilities remain in use.
References
{{Marine Corps
Military installations of the United States Marine Corps in South Vietnam
Installations of the United States Army in South Vietnam
Installations of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Buildings and structures in Quảng Nam province