Udon Thani International Airport
Encyclopedia : U : UD : UDO : Udon Thani International Airport
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Udon Thani International Airport is an airport located near the city of Udon Thani (อุดรธานี, also Udorn Thanee) in Eastern Thailand in Udon Thani province. It is approximatley about 248 miles (450 kilometers) northeast of Bangkok. The airport currently has flights to Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
During the Vietnam War the faciltiy was known as Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base, serving as a front-line base of the United States Air Force and was the Asian Headquarters for Air America.
USAF Use During The Vietnam War
Udon was a front-line facility of the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Vietnam War from 1964 through 1975. The USAF forces at Udon were under the command of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).
The APO for Udon was APO San Francisco, 96237
USAF Aircraft stationed at Udon were: A-1E, AC-47D, B-26, B-57B, C-46, C-47, C-123, C-130, CH-3, CH-53, EC-47, F-4D/E, F-102, F-104, HH-3C, H-53, H-60, RB-66, RC-121, RF-4C, RF-101C, O-1, OV-1, P-2, T-28, U-10, U-23
Advisory Use (1964 - 1966)
The first USAF unit assigned at Udon Royal Thai Air Force was the 333d Air Base Squadron in October 1964. Prior to the formation on of the squadron, support personnel were provided by temporary duty personnel from the 35th Tactical Group at Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base.
On 18 July 1965, the 333rd Air Base Squadron was redesignated the 6232nd Combat Support Group (CSG). This unit reported directly to the Commander, 13th Air Force and to the 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, at that time the only tactical wing in Thailand.
The formation of the group at Udon RTAFB was brought about because of expanding Air Force programs., an increase in assigned personnel and increased base support requirements. The majority of personnel at Udon RTAFB, prior, to the formation of the group, were temporary duty assignments. Shortly before the group was activated a gradual input of permanent party personnel was made to replace those on temporary duty.
F-104 Starfighters
On 15 November 1965 the 6232nd CSG was given the responsibility of reporting directly to the Deputy Commander 2nd Air Division/13th Air Force rather than directly to the Commander, 13th Air Force. The 6232nd CSG was redesignated the 630th Combat Support Group on 8 April 1966, with a reporting responsibility to the Deputy Commander, 7th Air Force/13th Air Force (7/13AF), headquartered at Udon RTAFB.
On 6 June 1966 the 476th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing at George AFB, California deployed eight F-104Cs to carry out escort and bombing missions with the gun-less F-4Cs. An additional 12 F-104Cs joined the 8th TFW on 22 July.
They 8th TFW F-104s were initially involved in escort missions in support of F-105D strike aircraft hitting targets in North Vietnam. They were involved in escorts of EF-105F Wild Weasel. One of the problems was that the F-104Cs were not initally equipped with electronic countermeasures gear, and had to rely on F-105s for warnings of lock-ons from enemy radar facilities. However, once again the mere presence of these F-104Cs managed to keep enemy MiGs away from the strike aircraft.
The F-104Cs carried out escorting and bombing missions on North Vietnam, with over 5,290 sorties. The Air Force decided to replace these F-104Cs by more efficient McDonnell F-4D Phantoms starting in July of 1967. The last Starfighter left Thailand later that month.
432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
On 18 September 1966, the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW) was organized and the 630th CSG was placed under the new wing and redesignated the 432nd CSG. Known squadrons of the 432nd TRS were:
- 11th Tactical Reconnaissance (25 Oct 1966 - 5 Nov 1970) (RF-4C Tail Code: OO Black Tail Stripe)
- 20th Tactical Reconnaissance (18 Sep 1966 - 20 Oct 1967) (RF-101)
- 14th Tactical Reconnaissance (28 Oct 1967–30 Jun 1975) (RF-4C Tail Code: OZ Red Tail Stripe)
- 13th Tactical Fighter (20 Oct 1967–30 Jun 1975) (F-4C/D Tail Code: OC Blue Tail Stripe)
- 555th Tactical Fighter (28 May 1968–5 Jul 1974) (F-4D Tail Code: OY Green Tail Stripe)
- 421st Tactical Fighter (31 Oct 72 - Aug 73) (F-4E Tail Code: UD Green Tail Stripe)
- 58th Tactical Fighter (29 Apr 72 - 14 Oct 72) (F-4E Tail Code: ED)
- 307th Tactical Fighter (29 Jul 72 - 28 Oct 72) (F-4E Tail Code: ZF)
- 308th Tactical Fighter (9 May 72 - 29 Jul 72) (F-4E Tail Code: ZF)
- 414th Tactical Fighter (June 72 - Fall 72) (F-4D Tail Code: WZ)
- 523d Tactical Fighter (9 Apr 72 - 25 Oct 72) (F-4E Tail Code: PN)
- 7th Airborne Command and Control (1 Mar 1968 - 15 Apr 1972) (C-130)
- 4th Special Operations: (October 1969 - 29 December 1970) (2 AC-47D Tail Code: OS), 4 C-47, 1 AC-119G)
The mission of the wing was to provide intelligence information about hostile forces through tactical reconnaissance and use its fighter elements to destroy the targets earmarked by the intelligence data provided. The wing had numerous missions in the support area also. As the command base for 7/13AF in Thailand, Udon RTAFB played a lead role in accomplishing the objectives of the United States in fulfilling its policy in Southeast Asia.
On 30 October 1967, the 20th TRS RF-101 squadron was deactivated and replaced by another RF-4C squadron, the 14th TRS. These two squadrons accounted for more than 80 percent of all reconnaissance activity over North Vietnam.
In addition to the two RF-4C squadrons, the wing also had a tactical fighter squadron component. The 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron was transferred from the 388th TFW at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base. An F-105 squadron at Korat, the 13th TFS was transferred to Udon flying F-4Ds due to the high attrition rate the F-105 squadrons were suffering. The 13th TFS flew strike missions over North Vietnam, and its pilots were credited with two MIGs kills.
The 555th TFS joined the 13th on 28 May 1968 with F-4Ds, transferring from the 8th TFW at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base. Lastly, the 421st TFS was transferred from the 366th TFW at Da Nang Air Baseon 31 October 1972.
On 31 October 1968, the 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, which had been assigned as a temporary duty unit from Da Nang Air Base, became part of the 432nd wing. Other units assigned to Udon were the 4th Special Operations Squadron flying various gunships and the 421st TFS, Flying F-4Es.
In 1972 several tactial fighter squadrons deployed to Udon (58 TFS/33d TFW - Eglin AFB, 307 & 308 TFS/31 TFW - Homestead AFB, 414th TFS/57FWW - Nellis AFB and 523d TFS/405 FW - Clark AB) flying various versions of the F-4.
The 432nd TRW was the most diversified unit of its size in the Air Force.
In the fall of 1970 Udon was phased down as part of the overall American withdrawl from the Vietnam War.
On 5 November 1970, the 11th TRS was deployed to Shaw AFB, South Carolina ending a distinguished tour of service with the 432nd TRW.
On 29 December 1970 the 4th Special Operations was deactivated, with its aircraft being transferred to the South Vietnamese Air Force.
On 15 April 1972 the 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron with its C-130s was transferred to Korat RTAFB.
With the end of the war in Southeast Asia in 1973, the 421st TFS deactivated in August and the 555th TFS was transferred to the 58th TFW at Luke Air Force Base Arizona on 5 July 1974.
Air America
Udon RTAFB the was Asian Headquarters for Air America. Air America provided essential resources for the Secret War in Laos and elsewhere. Its predecessor, Civil Air Transport (CAT), started operations from Udon on 11 September 1955 with the arrival of Three C-46's delivering food and emergency aid into Indochina. By the end of September, CAT had flown more than 200 missions to 25 reception areas, delivering 1,000 tons of emergency food. Conducted smoothly and efficiently, this airdrop relief operation marked the beginning of CAT's-and, later, Air America's-support of US assistance programs in Laos.
Air America's roles supportive of covert and overt situations related to hostilities in Asia and elsewhere worldwide provided buffers and solutions to problems the United States faced in various locations. Operations were focused in Laos as part of the Secret War the United States carried out against the Phatet Lao communist rebels operating in the country. Udon RTAFB also served as the location of "Headquarters 333", the Thai organization in charge of their forces in Laos.
During the war in Laos, Air America was called upon to perform paramilitary tasks at great risks to the aircrews involved. Although lacking the discipline found in a military organization, the personnel for the air proprietary nonetheless continued to place their lives at hazard for years. Some Air America pilots flew in Laos for more than a decade, braving enemy fire and surmounting challenging operational conditions with rare skill and determination.
On 27 January 1973, the Paris agreement on Vietnam was concluded, providing for the withdrawal of American troops. The following month, a cease-fire agreement was signed in Vientiane, leading to the formation of a coalition government for Laos. On 3 June 1974, the last Air America aircraft crossed the border from Laos into Thailand. The end went well, Air America's operations office in Vientiane informed Washington and the departure of Air America from Laos was without incident. Operations in Vietnam continued until the fall of Saigon in April 1975.
Palace Lightning - USAF Withdrawal
Udon had come a long way since the first American personnel arrived in the early 1960s. With the fall of both Cambodia and South Vietnam in the spring of 1975, the political climate between Washington and Bangkok had become very sour. Royal Thai Government wanted the USAF out of Thailand by the end of the year. Palace Lightning was the plan which the USAF would withdrawal its aircraft and personnel from Thailand.
The 432nd with its two remaining aircraft squadrons began phasing down for deactivation. On 30 June 1975, both the 14th Tactical Reconnaissance and the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadrons were deactivated and their aircraft being sent to Clark Air Base Philippines for reassignment.
On 14 November 1975 it was announced the Udon RTAFB was being closed. The 432d was deactivated in place on 23 December. It was reactivated in 1976 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Arizona as the 432d Tactical Drone Group.
The last USAF personnel departed in January 1976 and the facility was turned over to the Thai government. It is now operated by the Royal Thai Air Force with aircraft from the 2nd Air Division being based there.
Current Use
As well as being a Royal Thai Air Force base, it is also used as Udon Thani International Airport (UTH). It serves only flights to Bangkok and Chiang Mai, but as of January 2005 the Bangkok route is quite competitive: you have choice of THAI, AirAsia, Nok Air and One-Two-GO for this brief 50-minute hop, a total of eleven flights per day. THAI's rack rates are closer to 2300 baht, but Air Asia will fly you for 700 baht if you book well in advance. For no obvious reason other than perhaps anticipation of even more demand, a brand new terminal has been completed and opened in 2006.
Many visitors to Udon visit the Ban Chiang archeaological dig is a UNESCO World Heritage site about 47 kilometers east of Udon.
See also
References
- Glasser, Jeffrey D.: The Secret Vietnam War. The United States Air Force in Thailand, 1961-1975 (1995).
- Martin, Patrick, Tail Code: The Complete History Of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings, 1994
- Ravenstein, Charles A., Air Force Combat Wings: Linege and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Office OF Air Force History, United States Air Force, 1984
External links
- [Maps and aerial photos]
- * Street map from [Google Maps] or [Yahoo! Maps]
- * Topographic map from [TopoZone]
- * Aerial image or topographic map from [TerraServer-USA]
- * Satellite image from [Google Maps] or [Windows Live Local]
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