During the Vietnam War, Thailand was one of the places where GIs on leave went for a much-welcome break from the fighting. And the Thai air force was deployed to support the ground forces. 27th Infantry* [25th Infantry Division] and supporting elements under a detachment of the 9 th Logistical Command. The Royal Thai Government began flying reconnaissance missions over Laos on 19 December 1960 with some RT-33 photo jets. The end of the war resulted in all US personnel and equipment being removed by 1976 at Thai request. But Thailands multifaceted support for U.S. combat operations in IndochinaVietnam, Cambodia and Laoswas a far more important contribution. More American military advisers were being dispatched to the country, but their reports indicted a need for stronger measures to be taken. At Don Muang Air Base near Bangkok, the USAF had stationed KC-135 tanker aircraft to refuel combat aircraft over the skies of Indochina. American pilots fly F-15C/D Eagles, F/A-18C Hornets, F-16C Fighting Falcons, E-3B Sentry Sentry Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), and KC-135 Stratotankers. On 23 March 1961 Pathet Lao anti-aircraft artillery opened fire on an American C-47 as it flew over the eastern portion of the Plaines des Jarres, shooting the plane down. Tensions ramped up when the Pathet Lao attacked in spring 1962 and took control of the Nam Tha river valley in northwestern Thailand. U-Tapao based B-52s also bombed the southernmost part of North Vietnam near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone. [10], In 2015, a Politico article reported that the United States Government rented space at U Tapao from a private contractor for use as a "major logistics hub for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars." The US, seeking a Southeast Asian B-52 base, reached an agreement with the Thai government to build and operate the base in conjunction with the Royal Thai Navy. Ambassador to Thailand Kenneth Young Jr. and U.S. Army Col. William McKean, commander of the 27th Infantry Regiment near Korat, Thailand, in June 1962. Sattahip . Many American military specialists were assigned to JUSMAG-THAI in Bangkok. Under Operation Niagara waves of six B-52s, attacking every three hours, dropped bombs as close as 900 feet (270m) from the perimeter of the outpost. With Thailand facing threats on all fronts, the U.S. increased the military and economic aid being sent. Thailand and the American war in Vietnam | Uglytruth-Thailand Known squadrons which deployed B-52 and KC-135 aircraft and crews to U-Tapao were: These units deployed usually on 90 days tours. [17]:256, In early-October 1968, a KC-135A tanker (55-3138)[19] lost power in the outside right engine (#4) on takeoff at U-Tapao and crashed, killing all four crew members.[20][21]. AID (Agency for International Development) Assistance Through FY 1968 (millions of dollars). It is at the southern tip of the province southeast of Bangkok . By early-April the South Vietnamese made their last stand at Xun Lc on their final defensive line before Saigon. [2][4][5], Thai morale was generally high, with Thai troops taking pride in their roles as "defenders of Thailand from communism" and as Buddhists. The next day, B-52 operations were initiated at U-Tapao and by 15 July, B-52s were typically operating from U-Tapao. Billy Waugh, a fabled Special Forces Green Beret and CIA military operative, served in Vietnam and helped hunt for Osama Bin Laden and other terrorists. [28]:1823. One state newspaper during the war had the headline "In 150 Fights, 100 [Thais] Are Dead, 1,000 Viet Cong Are Killed. As many as 45,000 US military personnel were stationed in Thailand. USAF combat sorties from Thailand flown into both North Vietnam and South Vietnam grew as the Vietnam War expanded in the 1960s. Ambassador, the Thai Prime Minister indicated that in light of continued U.S. and allied reductions, there was considerable pressure from the Thai parliament to withdraw. US Marine Corps (USMC) Lance Corporal (LCPL) Toua Yang, enjoys The First National Economic Development Plan (1961-1966) was successfully implemented. See all photos. This system, approved by the Department of Defense in February 1966, comprised six links, capable of sixty voice channels each, connected to the major communications sites at DA Nang, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh Bay, and Vung Tau in Vietnam, and Sattahip, south of Bangkok in Thailand. [12]:188, On 21 January 1970, the 4258th SW was redesignated as the 307th Strategic Wing. Asia. Location: Sattahip Thailand Date: 1969, April 2 Duration: 1 min 55 sec Sound: No Color: Color Clip Type: Unedited Language: None Clip: 65675034367 A B-52 taxiing for take off on the runway at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in Sattahip, Thailand. The hasty attempt to effect recovery of the vessel and her crew using only USAF resources was abandoned. Thailand was the third-largest provider of ground forces to South Vietnam, following the Americans and South Koreans. Dana Benner holds a bachelors degree in U.S. history and Native American culture and a master of education degree in heritage studies. Immediately after the news broke of the use of Thai bases to support the Mayaguez rescue, the Thai government lodged a formal protest with the US and riots broke out outside the US Embassy in Bangkok. "Why Thailand Takes Pride in the Vietnam War", "Guerrilla Attack Reported on a U.S. Base in Thailand, 2nd in 24 Hours", "Many Thais saddened by U.S. military withdrawals", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thailand_in_the_Vietnam_War&oldid=1122364262, Military history of Thailand during the Vietnam War, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 17 November 2022, at 05:42. Under Thailand's "gentleman's agreement" with the U.S., the bases were considered Royal Thai Air Force bases and were commanded by Thai officers. [1], Due to its proximity to Thailand, Vietnam's conflicts were closely monitored by Bangkok. [3][4] The 11,000-foot (3,400m) runway became operational on 6 July 1966 and U-Tapao received its first complement of United States Air Force (USAF) Strategic Air Command (SAC) KC-135 tankers in August 1966. Military? Even though 48,000 U.S. troops were eventually removed from Thailand, covert operations continued, albeit to a lesser extent, until 1975. ""Sattahip" by Rong Wongsawan A Story of the American Military and

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