Tan Son Nhat Airport

HISTORICAL LOCATIONS SAIGON

I still remember the first time that I flew into Tan Son Nhat airport.

It was a long time ago now, and as the plane started to descend for landing, the roofs of the tall thin houses so common in Vietnam started to rise up on either side of the aircraft.

Not that I paid much attention as after 12 hours in an aircraft it was nice to finally arrive, and I was looking forward to getting out of the aircraft.

Tan Son Nhat Airport Today - Saigon

Touching down on the runway at Tan Son Nhat airport though, one of the first things you notice are the old battle-scarred concrete bunkers that line one side of the runway.

The bunkers are relics and reminders of the role that the airport had during the Vietnam War.

The Americans had built the bunkers to shelter helicopters and the like from enemy fire.

Today though, the bunkers hold all sorts of things ranging from decaying old Russian and American built helicopters, to fire engines and empty space.

Back before 2007 the terminals as well were also housed in an old building dating back to the 1950s and 1960s.

At the time the terminals had had only sporadic upgrades since the 1960s, and the terminals looked dilapidated, faded and drab, with the buildings lacking any sense of style or comfort.

However after many years of sitting on their hands, the airport hierarchy finally invested money and rebuilt the old terminal, and have added a new large modern international terminal that was completed in 2007.

And today Tan Son Nhat is once again the largest airport in Vietnam, both in terms of area and in terms of passengers who pass through its gates.

The first incarnations of Tan Son Nhat Airport though have their origins way back in the 1920s.

This was when the French Colonial government constructed a small unpaved airport known as Tan Son Nhat Airfield in the village of Tan Son Nhat.

Tan Son Nhat During The War - Saigon

In the mid-1950s, U.S. foreign aid was used to build a new 2,190 meter long runway and new facilities, this allowed the airport to become South Vietnam's international airport.

It also meant that during the Vietnam War, Tan Son Nhat Air base would become an important facility for both the United States and the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF).

Indeed, when the 7th Air Force was established as the main USAF command and Control Headquarters in South Vietnam after 1966, Tan Son Nhat was used as a Headquarters base, a Tactical Reconnaissance base, and a Special Operations base.

During the war Tan Son Nhat Airbase would come under attach approximately 35 times.

The most significant of these attacks was during the Tet offensive of 1968.

The communist forces saw Tan Son Nhat Airbase as a major target and made it one of their key focal points for their attacks around Saigon.

377th Security Police Squadron - Tan Son Nhat

And on the early morning of the 30th January 1968, Tan Son Nhat Airbase came under attack from a large, multi-battalion force using rockets, mortars, automatic weapons and small arms.

The main thrust of their attack was on the Western perimeter, where bunker 051 took the brunt of the initial attacks.

During these early critical hours of the attack, it was the responsibility of the 1,500 strong USAF 377th Security Police Squadron to defend the airbase.

Massively outnumbered and armed only with light weapons, it was the job of five of these security officers to man bunker 051.

The men in bunker 051 were attacked by over 600 communist troops in those early hours, as wave after wave of enemy forces attempted to take the bunker.

The rising number of enemy dead lying around bunker 051 lay as witnesses to the intense struggle that was going on there.

Overall it took the overwhelming communist forces 24 minutes to finally overrun bunker 051.

The bunker itself had taken 20 direct rocket hits as well as numerous machine gun rounds.

Knowing the importance of giving time for the blocking forces to arrive and halt the advance of the communist forces though, four of the five security officers in bunker 051 gave their all to delay the oncoming forces.

The fifth, Sgt Coggins, lay seriously wounded on the ground.

Thinking Sgt Coggins would die soon anyway, the in rushing communist forces left him where he lay.

The delay caused by the soldiers in bunker 051 though allowed more Security Forces to respond and lay down increasing heavy fire.

This in turn allowed the 377th to defend the airbase until US Army helicopters and the 25th Infantry Division in Cu Chi to respond and give support.

Even with the extra support though, it was not until 12 Noon on the 31st January that the airbase was finally secure.

For their gallantry on that day all five men in bunker 051 were awarded the Silver Star.

Cyr, William Joseph Sgt
Fischer, Louis Harold Sgt
Hebron, Charles Edward Sgt
Mills, Roger Bertha Sgt
Alonso, J Coggins Sgt