Tuy Hòa Base Camp

Tuy Hòa Base Camp (also known as Phú Hiệp Airfield or Phú Hiệp Army Airfield) is a former U.S. Army base southeast of Tuy Hòa in Phú Yên Province Vietnam.

Tuy Hòa Base Camp
Tuy Hòa, Phú Yên Province in Vietnam
Phú Hiệp Army Airfield, 13 July 1968
Tuy Hòa Base Camp Shown within Vietnam
Coordinates	12°59′06″N 109°22′47″E
Site information
Operator	Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) United States Army (US Army)
Condition	Abandoned
Site history
Built	1966 (1966)
Built by	577th Engineer Battalion
In use	1966-1970 (1970)
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Garrison information
Garrison	1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division 173rd Airborne Brigade
Airfield information
Elevation	20 feet (6 m) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00 3,700 feet (1,128 m) PSP

History

UH-1 in revetment, 13 July 1968

The base was located approximately 5 km east of Highway 1 and 7 km southeast of Tuy Hoa Air Base.^[1]

The base was used by the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division comprising:

• 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry^[2]
• 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry^[2]: 139
• 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry^[2]: 141

from October 1966 to June 1967.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade was based at Tuy Hòa from October–November 1967.^[2]: 158

Other units stationed at Tuy Hòa/Phú Hiệp included:

• 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry (December 1970-January 1972)^[2]: 145
• 91st Evacuation Hospital (December 1966-July 1969)^[2]: 216
• 203rd Reconnaissance Airplane Company (October 1967-July 1970)
• 225th Aviation Company
• 268th Aviation Battalion
• 577th Engineer Battalion
• 136TH Light Maintenance Company
• 24th Transportation Company

Once the U.S. Air Force ceased operations at Tuy Hòa Air Base in October 1970 the U.S. Army units based at Tuy Hòa/Phú Hiệp moved to Tuy Hòa Air Base and the facility was closed.^[3]

Accidents and incidents

• 2 December 1967 Bell UH-1D Iroquois #66-00811 of the 48th Assault Helicopter Company disappeared after taking off from Phú Hiệp with 4 crew and passengers on board in bad weather, the remains of the crew were recovered in 1993^[4]
• 10 July 1971 UH-1C #66-00636 of the 134th Assault Helicopter Company crashed at Phú Hiệp while on a mechanical check flight from Tuy Hòa Air Base killing all 3 crew and passengers.^[5]
• 2 April 1971 Boeing CH-47 Chinook #67-18545 of the 180th Aviation Company (Assault Support Helicopter), was destroyed by an explosion and fire when it experienced a blade strike with a revetment while taxiing and was totally destroyed.^[6]

Current use

The base is abandoned and turned over to farmland and housing.

References

1. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 398. ISBN 978-1555716257.
2. Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 139. ISBN 9780811700719.
3. "Citation Nr: 0840013". U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
4. "Floyd Wayne Strange". The Virtual Wall. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
5. "Army Air Crews 1971". Army Air Crews. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
6. "Army Air Crews 1971". Army Air Crews. Retrieved 7 September 2021.