page_title: Bien Hoa Air Base
section_title: RVNAF use
hierarchical_section_title: Bien Hoa Air Base / RVNAF use
caption_attribution_description: English: ICCS members talking with the leaders of the prisoners who refuse repatriation.
context_page_description: Bien Hoa Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about 25 km from Ho Chi Minh City, across the Dong Nai river in the northern ward of Tân Phong, and within the city of Biên Hòa within Đồng Nai Province. The boomburb city is densely populated and rings the base, despite the astronomical level of agent orange toxins simply left there for decades. The base is scheduled to begin cleanup by 2019.
  During the Vietnam War the base was used by the Republic of Vietnam Air Force. The United States used it as a major base from 1961 through 1973, stationing Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine units there.
context_section_description: On 1 June 1956 the RVNAF's 1st Fighter Squadron (redesignated the 514th Fighter Squadron in January 1963) was formed here equipped with 25 F8F Bearcats, later re-equipping with AD-6s. From this point Bien Hoa became the base of newly formed and continually growing air units. The RVNAF 2311th Air Group, later to become an air wing, and the 311th Air Division were also stationed there and the base supported the greatest number of air combat units than any other in South Vietnam.
  On 18 March 1964 the newly formed 518th Fighter Squadron began operations from the base with an original strength of 10 A-1Hs, it would grow to 25 aircraft authorized. The RVNAF pilots were trained by crews from the U.S. Navy's VA-152.
  In June 1964 the RVNAF formed the 23rd Tactical Wing at the base incorporating the 514th, 518th and the newly formed 520th Fighter Squadrons and the 112th Liaison Squadron. The 520th Fighter Squadron would be activated in October.
  On 1 June 1967 the US Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker presented the 20 F-5As of the 10th Fighter Squadron (Commando) to Vice-President Nguyễn Cao Kỳ at the base. These aircraft would be used by the RVNAF to form the 522nd Fighter Squadron, their first jet squadron with training support provided by the USAF Air Training Command.
  Following the final withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Vietnam in February 1973, Bien Hoa remained a major RVNAF base hosting the headquarters of the RVNAF 3d Air Division and the Air Logistics Command.
  On 6 November 1973 a PAVN rocket attack on the base destroyed 3 F-5As.
  On 3 June 1974 the PAVN hit the base with at least 40 122 mm rockets doing minor damage to runways and destroying 500 napalm canisters, but without damaging any aircraft. Other rockets exploded in hamlets surrounding the base, killing and wounding civilians.
  June 1974 Table of Organization:
  23d Tactical Wing
  112th/124th Liaison squadron: O-1A, U-17A
  514th/518th Fighter Squadron: A-1H
  43d Tactical Wing
  221st/223d/231st/245th/251st Helicopter Squadrons: UH-1H
  237th Helicopter Squadron: CH-47A
  Det E 259th Helicopter Squadron: UH-1H (Medevac)
  63d Tactical Wing
  522nd/536th/540th/544th Fighter Squadrons: F-5A/B/C RF-5A
  On 10 August 25 rockets hit the base with 7 hitting the F-5A storage area, slightly damaging a few planes.
caption: ICCS members talking with the leaders of prisoners who refuse repatriation to North Vietnam, 25 March 1973
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