Phù Cát Air Base

Phù Cát Air Base
Part of South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) Pacific Air Forces (USAF)
Phù Cát Air Base in 1971
Phù Cát Air Base
Coordinates	13°57′18″N 109°02′32″E / 13.95500°N 109.04222°E / 13.95500; 109.04222 (Phù Cát AB)
Type	Air Force Base
Site information
Condition	Joint Civil/Military Airport
Site history
Built	1966
Built by	US Air Force
In use	1966-Present
Battles/wars	Vietnam War

Phù Cát Air Base (Vietnamese: Căn cứ không quân Phù Cát ) (1966–1975) was a United States Air Force (USAF) and Republic of Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) facility used during the Vietnam War (1959–1975). It is located north of the city of Qui Nhơn in southern Vietnam.

In late 1965, with the buildup of US airpower in South Vietnam, the existing air bases were becoming overcrowded. In September, plans to build an air base at Qui Nhon were suspended when the site conditions were found to be unsuitable. In January 1966 a site in Phù Cát District 24 km north of Qui Nhon was identified. In late February 1966 Military Assistance Command, Vietnam decided to build a new jet-capable base at Phù Cát. In April 1966 forces from the Republic of Korea Army Tiger Division secured the area for base construction, with the construction crews arriving in May. The Vietcong harassed construction with booby-traps and sniper fire killing 3 Korean soldiers.

On 23 December 1966 USAF units began moving to the half-completed base. At this time the runway was a 3,000-foot (910 m) long dirt strip while the taxiways and parking areas were covered in Pierced steel planking (PSP). Nevertheless, the 459th and 537th Troop Carrier Squadrons both equipped with C-7As began operations from the base on 1 January 1967. Base facilities by this time included wooden barracks, a mess hall, recreation facilities and utilities. By late March 1967 a 10,000-foot (3,000 m) by 125-foot (38 m) asphalt runway together with sealed taxiways and parking aprons had been completed. Later in the year a fuel line was constructed to the base from a tank facility on the outskirts of Qui Nhon.