page_title: Tan Son Nhut Air Base
section_title: 1968 Tet Offensive
hierarchical_section_title: Tan Son Nhut Air Base / Republic of Vietnam Air Force use / 1968 Tet Offensive
caption_attribution_description: English: RF-4C Phantom II destroyed during the enemy attack against Tan Son Nhut during the February 18, 1968 rocket attack which also destroyed the base chapel.
context_page_description: Tan Son Nhut Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. It was located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War, stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there. Following the Fall of Saigon, it was taken over as a Vietnam People's Air Force facility and remains in use today.
  Tan Son Nhat International Airport, has been a major Vietnamese civil airport since the 1920s.
context_section_description: The base was the target of major VC attacks during the 1968 Tet Offensive. The attack began early on 31 January with greater severity than anyone had expected. When the VC attacked much of the RVNAF was on leave to be with their families during the lunar new year. An immediate recall was issued, and within 72 hours, 90 percent of the RVNAF was on duty.
  The main VC attack was made against the western perimeter of the base by 3 VC Battalions. The initial penetration was contained by the base's 377th Security Police Squadron, ad-hoc Army units of Task Force 35, ad-hoc RVNAF units and two ARVN Airborne battalions. The 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment was sent from Củ Chi Base Camp and prevented follow-on forces west of the base from reinforcing the VC inside the base and engaged them in a village and factory west of the base. By 16:30 on 31 January the base was secured. U.S. losses were 22 killed and 82 wounded, ARVN losses 29 killed and 15 wounded, VC losses were more than 669 killed and 26 captured. 14 aircraft were damaged at the base.
  Over the next three weeks, the RVNAF flew over 1,300 strike sorties, bombing and strafing PAVN/VC positions throughout South Vietnam. Transport aircraft from Tan Son Nhut's 33d Wing dropped almost 15,000 flares in 12 nights, compared with a normal monthly average of 10,000. Observation aircraft also from Tan Son Nhut completed almost 700 reconnaissance sorties, with RVNAF pilots flying O-1 Bird Dogs and U-17 Skywagons.
  At 01:15 on 18 February a VC rocket and mortar attack on the base destroyed 6 aircraft and damaged 33 others and killed one person. A rocket attack the next day hit the civilian air terminal killing 1 person and 6 further rocket/mortar attacks over this period killed another 6 people and wounded 151. On 24 February another rocket and mortar attack damaged base buildings killing 4 US personnel and wounding 21.
  On 12 June 1968 a mortar attack on the base destroyed 2 USAF aircraft and killed 1 airman.
  The Tet Offensive attacks and previous losses due to mortar and rocket attacks on air bases across South Vietnam led the Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Nitze on 6 March 1968 to approve the construction of 165 "Wonderarch" roofed aircraft shelters at the major air bases. In addition airborne "rocket watch" patrols were established in the Saigon-Biên Hòa area to reduce attacks by fire.
caption: USAF F-4 Phantom II destroyed during a rocket attack on 18 February 1968
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