On 14 October 1973 following the 1973 Thai popular uprising former Supreme Court Judge Sanya Dharmasakti, then chancellor and dean of the faculty of law at Thammasat University, was appointed prime minister by royal decree, replacing the succession of staunchly pro-American and anti-Communist military dictatorships that had ruled Thailand previously. The expansion of U-Tapao RTN airfield began in October 1965. Holt. In 2014, the district had a population of 157,000 in an area of 348,122 km 2 . The handful of RVNAF planes that had been performing last-ditch air strikes completed their missions and flew to U-Tapao. ; Thai: , RTGS: kong thap ruea thai) is the naval warfare force of Thailand.Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880-1923) who is known as the father of the Royal Navy. The sixth base is located at Takhli, in central plain about 120 miles north of . Realizing this, the Thai government decided to halt its clandestine operations in Laos and asked the United States to remove American forces from Thailand. [1] The RF-101s stayed until May 1962, then returned for a second deployment during November and December 1962. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. They were 281st MP's stationed at Ft. Campbell Kentucky and served at Sattahip Thailand 1966-1967. The Royal Thai Air Force found it too costly to operate any but Khorat and Takhli. The vast nature of this enterprise enriched Thailand at every level of society, enabling a jump in indigenous heavy construction, communications, transportation, and defense. [8] The Thai government wanted the US out of Thailand by the end of the year. At the height of the war, some 50,000 American military personnel (mostly Air Force) were stationed throughout Thailand. In case you didn't know the Ynks built Highway 2 to get fuel up to Udon from Sattahip for the aircraft. Thailand was the third-largest provider of ground forces to South Vietnam, following the Americans and South Koreans. The First National Economic Development Plan (1961-1966) was successfully implemented. In March 1964 American planes flying out of Thai bases started bombing Viet Cong camps and supply routes in Laos. On 22 November 1972, a B-52D was damaged by an SA-2 SAM in a raid on Vinh, an important rail center in the southern part of North Vietnam. [citation needed] In addition, U-Tapao may be where Al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah was interrogated, according to some retired American intelligence officials. 3 pilots and 5 flight engineers flew RVNAF C-47s with the 415th Squadron; 9 pilots, 7 flight engineers and 3 load masters were flying C-123Ks with the USAF 19th Tactical Airlift Squadron both located at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. Sattahip. pullback. By 1972 there were 54 B-52 aircraft stationed in Thailand.[5]. The CIA estimated that some 3,200 known communist guerrillas, mostly ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese, were operating in Thailand by the mid-1960s. This is a propaganda movie by the US military so it's a bit tedious in delivery. Tight Reign continued until April 29, 1975, a day before the fall of South Vietnam, when the station at Con Son Island discontinued operations. AID (Agency for International Development) Assistance Through FY 1968 (millions of dollars). Thai forces were very effective in their missions, and thus Thailand became the target of ever-increasing guerrilla attacks. McFarland & Company. Military information officers were instructed that no mention was to be made of operations from Thai facilities, no names of bases were to be mentioned and no mention of operational activities were to be released. RLTrader udonmap.com Posts: 1994 Joined: June 3 . By the end of the war, more than 40,000 Thai military personnel had served in Vietnam, suffering losses of 351 killed and 1,358 wounded. During 19541975 (the Vietnam War or Second Indochina War), the Thai Government allowed the Joint United States Military Advisory Group - Thailand (JUSMAG-THAI) to fund and manage the modernization of Royal Thai Air Force bases. Following the opening of the Cambodian Campaign in late April 1970 the secret Menu bombings came to an end on 26 May and the USAF began overt operations against North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces in eastern Cambodia. On 19 January 1961, PACAF had identified 25 airfields, 49 communications routes, and 19 urban targets. JSTOR: Asian Survey: Vol 13,No. (Everett Collection Historical/Alamy). Udorn Royal Thai Air Base was hit by a guerrilla attack in July 1968. These are the major bases the USAF operated from in Thailand: In addition Marine Aircraft Group 15 operated from Royal Thai Air Base Nam Phong from June 1972 to September 1973. The Nixon Administration had approved this expansion of the war not long after entering office in the spring of 1969. Add a Place. Two days later there was an apparent reversal of policy. But North Vietnam continued moving heavy weapons into Laos to support the communist rebel Pathet Lao. More than 1,100 people participate, including approximately 500 U.S. service members and 600 service members from Thailand and Singapore. The USAF presence grew rapidly with the expansion of the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War.[6]. [32] On 13 May, Seventh Air Force commander Lieutenant General John J. Burns and his staff developed a contingency plan for volunteers of the Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base 56th Security Police (SP) Squadron to be dropped onto the containers on the decks of the Mayaguez. Northeast Thailand housed a community of Vietnamese mixed with Chinese. [3]:4951, The official American military presence in Thailand started in April 1961 when an advance party of the USAF 6010th Tactical (TAC) Group arrived at Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base at the request of the Thai government to establish an aircraft warning system at Don Muang. In 1968 I was taken on a school trip to visit U Tapao airbase near Sattahip and Pattaya. Thailand is an important element in The Pentagon's strategy of "forward positioning". (During the deployment of the F-111s three crashed soon after arriving at Takhli and the F-111 fleet was grounded to investigate the problem). To counter the Pathet Lao, the CIA developed an anti-communist paramilitary force in Laos and trained Thai army and police units in guerrilla warfare. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. Steadily progressing and adding to the mission, U-Tapao welcomed its first complement of KC-135 tankers in August 1966. The soldiers delighted in. Return to Article Details A Not So Silent Partner: Thailand's Role in Covert Operations, Counter-Insurgency, and the Wars in Indochina A Not So Silent Partner: Thailand's Role in Covert Operations, Counter-Insurgency, and the Wars in Indochina In the late 1950s and the early 1960s, U.S. leaders in Washington, committed to a containment policy to stop the spread of Soviet-style communism, were deeply concerned about communist expansion in Southeast Asia. U-Tapao is the main flying base for the RTN. Laos was to become politically neutral and not enter into any military alliance. Ravenstein, Charles A. On 23 December, communist forces fired on an American VC-47 passenger transport. Within months of the announcement, 5,000 men had volunteered. [22], Four provisional squadrons were organized under the 307th:[22], In addition, two four-digit bomb squadrons (4180th, 4181st) were assigned, but were not operational. In early 1966, Thailand openly pledged to send combat troops to Vietnam (in addition to the Thai soldiers already placed into Laos for covert operations). [12]:188, On 21 January 1970, the 4258th SW was redesignated as the 307th Strategic Wing. [3][4] The 11,000-foot (3,400m) runway became operational on 6 July 1966 and U-Tapao received its first complement of United States Air Force (USAF) Strategic Air Command (SAC) KC-135 tankers in August 1966. American pilots fly F-15C/D Eagles, F/A-18C Hornets, F-16C Fighting Falcons, E-3B Sentry Sentry Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), and KC-135 Stratotankers. B-52 aircraft from the 7th and 320th Bomb Wings were sent to bomb suspected Viet Cong enclaves in South Vietnam, the operation being supported by KC-135As stationed at Kadena AB on Okinawa. Little occurred until the following November when the Thai government announced it was planning to withdraw its forces from South Vietnam by 1972. The Royal Thai Government began flying reconnaissance missions over Laos on 19 December 1960 with some RT-33 photo jets. Rental Cars. During Vietnam War Marines evacuated Saigon. Pilots fly both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat training missions. The Southeast Asian kingdom, bordered on the east by embattled Cambodia and Laos, was home to major U.S. Air Force bases used to launch attack, escort, bombing and reconnaissance missions throughout the war zone. On 29 April 1961, the Joint Chiefs of Staff instructed CINCPAC to move 5,000 troops and air elements to both Udon Air Base and Da Nang Air Base. Because the lease was technically with a private contractor, this allowed "U.S. and Thai officials to insist there's no U.S. 'base' and no inter-governmental basing agreement."[11]. The Thai government then allowed the United States Air Force in Thailand to use its air and naval bases. The United States had welcomed the decision of the Thai government to contribute troops to South Vietnam and was willing to compensate it by logistical support and payment of certain allowances to Thai forces for duty out of the country. On 23 March 1973 the USAF airlift control center at Tan Son Nhut Air Base moved to U-Tapao becoming the Pacific Transportation Management Agency, Thailand, responsible for all C-130 operations in Southeast Asia. Thai operatives, trained by the CIA and U.S. Special Forces, entered Laos and engaged Pathet Lao units, driving them back and securing the northern part of the country against further encroachments. That changed after the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964, when North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked an American destroyer, and President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered retaliatory airstrikes on North Vietnam. Specially trained Thai operators volunteered to join the Royal Laotian Army and complemented the facade with Laotian uniforms and ID cards. If we plan to withdraw, we would have to consult with GVN since we sent troops there in response to an appeal from them. [1] The decision was related to the deterioration of security in Laos and Cambodia and the growth of internal insurgency in Thailand, as well as the U.S. Vietnamese discussions held later. the Vietnam War, Thailand was one of the places where GIs on leave went for a much-welcome break from the fighting. (1984). Sattahip Tourism: Tripadvisor has 21,479 reviews of Sattahip Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Sattahip resource. In 1973 there were 12 U.S. military bases in the country, with 550 war planes and thousands of troops stationed on Thai soil in order to help the U.S. war effort in Indo-China. combat operations in IndochinaVietnam, Cambodia and Laos, https://www.historynet.com/thailand-vietnam-war/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, Billy Waugh, Famed Special Forces Warrior and CIA Legend, Dies At 93, The Puerto Rican Rambo Who Went on 200 Combat Missions in Vietnam. American troop withdrawal did not mean that American financial aid stopped, as happened in South Vietnam, and that may be one of the reasons Thailand was able to hold on when others could not. U-Tapao based B-52s also bombed the southernmost part of North Vietnam near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone. [28]:23942, At dawn on 15 May the assault on Koh Tang began. [28]:24862 Meanwhile, the abandoned Mayaguez was recovered by a boarding party from the USSHarold E. McFarland & Company. From Takhli flew EB-66 electronic-warfare jets with special equipment that can detect the "fingerprints" of enemy radar in the sky and then send out a signal that fouls up the screen below. On 14 October 1973 following the 1973 Thai popular uprising, former Supreme Court Judge Sanya Dharmasakti, then chancellor and dean of the faculty of law at Thammasat University, was appointed prime minister by royal decree, replacing the succession of staunchly pro-American and anti-Communist military dictatorships that had ruled Thailand previously. Thailand was a member of the now defunct Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), formed in September 1954 under the direction of US President Dwight Eisenhower as an organisation for collective defence, with the express purpose of containing communist aggression in Southeast Asia. USS CATSKILL was on passage from Manila Bay (Philippines) to Sattahip in Thailand and on the night of 31 May 69 closed with the coast of Vietnam for a rendezvous with the USS Peacock. In 1967, guerrillas killed 138 people, including 78 government officials. The Communist Party of Thailand led an armed revolt in the northeastern provinces of the country. Glasser, Jeffrey D. (1998). [24]:6156 The C-130s flew supply missions into Cambodia until May 1974 when these operations were taken over by BirdAir which operated under contract to the US Government. President Johnson used the flawed information about the incident to order additional forces to the area to support the government of South Vietnam. Sattahip Tomorrow's Thailand (1970) During the Vietnam War it was crucial for the United States to assist Thailand Militarily and so the Naval Base of Sattahip and Airbase of U-Tapao were built. It is true that several countries are withdrawing troops from South Vietnam but our case is different. To subscribe, clickhere. Laos would not recognize any military alliance or coalition, such as. In a meeting with the U.S. With the completion of U-Tapao, most US forces were transferred from Don Muang, and U-Tapao RTNAF became a front-line facility of the United States Air Force in Thailand from 1966 to 1975. The campaign was expensive, 16 B-52s were lost and nine others suffered heavy damaged, with 33 aircrew killed or missing in action. Joint United States Military Advisory Group - Thailand, United States Government Accountability Office, http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-13803.html, http://home.pcisys.net/~jjwilson/tob.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Thai_Air_Force_Bases&oldid=1145104187, Grants 431; Loans 64; Regional 34: Total 529. The Korean War saw the Corps expand from 75,000 regulars to a force of 261,000 Marines, mostly reservists. At its peak in 1969 more airmen were serving in Thailand than were serving in South Vietnam. About this ebook This book is a story of U. S. Army Engineers in Thailand (1962 - 1971) - At the request of the Royal Thai Government in 1962 the United States Army sent a Construction Engineer Battalion to build a road to divert traffic around the capitol city of Bangkok. 2nd Platoon, 697th Engr Co (Pipeline) Camp Samae San 1968 - 69. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his successor, John F. Kennedy, would not allow Laos to fall to communists, and their administrations realized that Thailands active cooperation was vital in that effort. By its end, 13,091 had been killed in action, 51,392 had been wounded. The Royal Thai government's desire to avoid publicity led to the formation of a policy to downplay the United States' presence and not draw attention to its tactical air units in Thailand. As the Seventh US Army moved rapidly north from Toulon and Marseilles, the battalion reconstructed airfields that had been skillfully destroyed by withdrawing German forces. Unlike other countries in the region, Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, had never been under the control of a European colonial power, a source of great pride in the country. That changed after the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964, when North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked an American destroyer, and President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered retaliatory airstrikes on North Vietnam. [3]:26, In October 1967 the Royal Thai Volunteer Regiment (Queen's Cobras) was sent to Camp Bearcat at Bien Hoa, to fight alongside the Americans, Australians, New Zealanders and South Vietnamese. Thailand during the Vietnam War. Queen Sirikit of Thailand talks with U.S. The Khmer Rouge put up a fierce defense, shooting down three CH-53 helicopters and damaging several others which limped back to U-Tapao. Schlight, John (1996), A War Too Long: The History of the USAF in Southeast Asia, 19611975, Office Of Air Force History, United States Air Force, Futrell, Robert F. with the assistance of Blumenson, Martin (1991), The United States Air Force In Southeast Asia: The Advisory Years to 1965, Office Of Air Force History, United States Air Force, Van Staaveren, Jacob (2002), Gradual Failure: The Air War over North Vietnam, 19651966, Office Of Air Force History, United States Air Force, This page was last edited on 17 March 2023, at 08:15. Training: 6,300 Thais sent abroad 1951-68 for study in the fields of: agriculture, 1,490; education, 1,341; health, 969; public administration, 824; civil policing, 435; community development, 501; transportation, 287; industry 202; labor, 28; Mekong and Pa Mong projects, 16; general, 218. Thai entrepreneurs built scores of new hotels, restaurants and bars to serve the waves of free-spending American G.I.s, causing foreign funding to flow into the country. Like South Vietnam, Thailand was becoming increasingly dependent upon U.S. support. The removal of U.S. military forces was accomplished by United States Marine Detachment BLT 1/9 out of Okinawa, Japan. This system, approved by the Department of Defense in February 1966, comprised six links, capable of sixty voice channels each, connected to the major communications sites at DA Nang, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh Bay, and Vung Tau in Vietnam, and Sattahip, south of Bangkok in Thailand. The base was administratively handed over to the RTN on 10 August 1966. From Sattahip (south of Bangkok) to Korat and Takhli to the north, the roads were primarily 2 lanes with hard surfaces. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. The USAF bases were closed and the last USAF personnel left Thailand in June 1976. At the war's end, Thailand kept all military equipment and infrastructure left by the Americans, aiding in the country's modernization.[2]. In 1951, the CIA sent case officer Bill Lair to Thailand, James Parker, a CIA case officer in Laos 1971-73, said in a 2016 interview with the Bangkok Post. Sattahip . The operation of Thai troops in South Vietnam is considered more advantageous than withdrawing them. [26]:2734, In 11 days of concentrated bombing, B-52s had completed 729 sorties and dropped 13,640 tonnes (15,000 tons) of bombs. Sattahip Thailand 1966-1967. Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) C-47s, C-119s and C-130s filled to capacity with men, women and children, began flying into U-Tapao on 28 April as command and control collapsed, with a total of 123 aircraft arriving at U-Tapao. Western governments recognized different leaders, with military aid being provided to the communist Pathet Lao forces by the Soviet Union. With Thailand facing threats on all fronts, the U.S. increased the military and economic aid being sent. The Khmer Rouge pinned the Marines in their landing zones, where they relied on air and naval gunfire for their survival, they were eventually evacuated as darkness fell. The sixth increment would deploy as planned in January 1971 and withdraw one year later to complete the redeployment. At this time a helicopter evacuation, code-named Operation Frequent Wind was implemented. A multinational force headquarters was established at U-Tapao to coordinate humanitarian aid for the Sumatran tsunami of 26 December 2004. Vietnam and Laos were at war for independence against the French, while in Cambodia, an uprising against the Royals was imminent. In a 1967 interview on ABC Scope, a weekly TV news program, Foreign Minister Thanat Khoman explained that Thailands reasons for supporting the war effort had both security and economic underpinnings. Much of Americas Cold War leadership adhered to the domino theoryif even one Southeast Asian country fell, the rest would inevitably drop like tumbling dominoes. In September 1966 2 radio relay KC-135A Combat Lightning aircraft and their personnel were ordered to deploy to U-Tapao to support air operations over North Vietnam.[12]. While supposedly maintaining an air of neutrality, it was deeply concerned about the fighting in neighboring Indochina. The SAC units left in December 1975. The North Vietnamese offensive was crushed, but the strikes on North Vietnam continued, only winding down in October, ahead of the 1972 United States presidential election, which resulted in Richard Nixon being re-elected and the attacks quickly ramped up again in November. Under Operation "Tight Reign," LORAN stations were established at Con Son Island and Tan My, in Vietnam, and at Lampang, Sattahip and Udorn in Thailand. It would remain at that strength until its withdrawal in April 1972, after which only a token force would remain. The initial plan scheduled attacks for three days. Eventually, they housed more than 400 aircraft and 25,000 military personnel. The former RVNAF C-130s that had arrived in Thailand were flown out to Singapore, while 27 RVNAF A-37s, 25 F-5s, and 50 UH-1s at U-Tapao were loaded by helicopter and barge onto USSMidway for transport to the US. Also, in South Vietnam, the numbers of Communist insurgents continued to increase. Development Indicators Taiwan vs Thailand: GNP 234/141, Per Capita Electric Power 680/58, Literacy Rate 72/70, Inhabitants per physician 1500/7300, Roads per 1000 square miles 590/40, Population Density 1010/170, Thai Gross National Product (GNP) in constant 1965 millions of dollars: 1961/2925, 1962/3082, 1963/3386, 1964/3590, 1965/3907, 1966/4339, 1967/4551. The 307th was the only regular Air Force SAC Wing stationed in Southeast Asia. In addition, one of U.S. President John F. Kennedy's advisers indicated the need for deterring guerrilla action in northeast Thailand was more pressing than affairs in Vietnam, and Thailand should take precedence. Along with heavy strikes by USAF and Navy tactical aircraft, 129 B-52s in three waves (approximately four hours apart) from the 307th Strategic Wing at U-Tapao RTNAF and B-52Ds and B52Gs of the 43d Strategic Wing and the 72 Strategic Wing (Provisional) both at Andersen AFB. USAF combat sorties from Thailand flown into both North Vietnam and South Vietnam grew as the Vietnam War expanded in the 1960s. On 23 March 1961 Pathet Lao anti-aircraft artillery opened fire on an American C-47 as it flew over the eastern portion of the Plaines des Jarres, shooting the plane down. Sattahip Tomorrow's Thailand (1970) Nuclear Vault 245K subscribers Subscribe 212 21K views 9 years ago Construction Efforts Of U. S. Navy Civil Engineers And Construction Contractors In Building. In addition, U-Tapao may be where Al Qaeda operatives have been interrogated, according to some retired American intelligence officials. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. In the late 1950s and the early 1960s, U.S. leaders in Washington, committed to a containment policy to stop the spread of Soviet-style communism, were deeply concerned about communist expansion in Southeast Asia. The United States Embassy in Vientiane was burned to the ground and fighting raged in and around the city. Singapore forces fly Northrop F-5s and F-16 Fighting Falcons. The bombing raids, codenamed Operation Linebacker II, began on 18 December 1972 involving heavy attacks by almost every strike aircraft the US had in theater, with the B-52 playing a prominent role. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. Major fighting broke out in December 1960 and spread far enough to cause casualties among Thai civilians living along the Mekong River. U-Tapao was a front-line base along with . Eventually, these countries would fall under communism in 1975. Some of the Vietnamese wanted to move to communist North Vietnam, but they were not necessarily communist sympathizers. Ambassador to Thailand Kenneth Young Jr. and U.S. Army Col. William McKean, commander of the 27th Infantry Regiment near Korat, Thailand, in June 1962. Thailand was the third-largest provider of ground forces to South Vietnam, following the Americans and South Koreans. In the meantime, American technicians and engineers worked on improvements at Thai air bases. Circumstances in the region, however, were leading to drastic changes in the US position. It was decided that, as the base at U-Tapao was being established as a KC-135 tanker base, to move them all out of Don Muang and to also base B-52s at U-Tapao where they could fly without refuelling over both North and South Vietnam. The Secret Vietnam War: The United States Air Force in Thailand, 19611975. [23], In May 1970 USAF tactical airlift C-130s that had been based at Don Muang Air Base moved their operations to U-Tapao and the 6th Aerial Port Squadron followed in July. 5 0 comments Best Add a Comment More posts from r/VietnamWar 16K subscribers hayden644 4 days ago Air Cav crew chief talks about his experiences He was given the job of training some Thai border police as a ready reaction force to counter communist incursions across the Thai borders.. U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield is a military airfield of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) approximately 140 kilometres (87mi) southeast of Bangkok in the Ban Chang District of Rayong Province near Sattahip on the Gulf of Thailand. While the request did have merit and the forces were removed over time, Thailands actions were more an act of political showmanship than anything else. Like the U.S., Thailand was concerned with events in Laos, which had been its buffer against intervention from both China and Vietnam. This article incorporates public domain material from the .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}Air Force Historical Research Agency. The fifth increment would not be replaced after its return to Thailand in August 1971. U-Tapao (Thai: ) is a compound of cradle or drydock and trade winds, and derives from the site having once been a shipyard for construction of ruea-tapao (), a type of argosy resembling a Qing Dynasty junk. An estimated 21,000 Thais were operating in Laos by 1973. In 1953, Eisenhowers selection for a new ambassador to Thailand was William Donovan, who had led the World War II spy agency, the Office of Strategic Services, forerunner of the CIA, created in 1947. Dana Benner holds a bachelors degree in U.S. history and Native American culture and a master of education degree in heritage studies. Asia. [24]:6237 In addition Khmer Air Force C-123s also began flying supply missions from U-Tapao into bases in Cambodia. On 2 August 1964, the Gulf of Tonkin Incident occurred. On 23 July 1962 fourteen nations signed the Geneva Accords of 1962 which contained the following provisions: Laos was to become politically neutral and not enter into any military alliance. On 23 July 1962 fourteen nations signed the Geneva Accords of 1962 which contained the following provisions: The treaty was signed the Soviet Union, South Vietnam, China, North Vietnam and the United States, among others. Some 80 percent of the American airstrikes launched against North Vietnam and its guerrilla camps in the region came from those air bases. In the two years following the Paris Peace Accords, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) underwent a massive rebuilding to recoup the losses suffered during their failed 1972 Easter Offensive. By the late 1950s Pathet Lao forces, linked with the communists in North Vietnam and China, were gaining more and more control of territory in Laos, which was struggling to defeat the insurgents. They often dressed like and lived with the ethnic Lao and Hmong populations. Near the end of August a USAF RF-101 reconnaissance aircraft was fired on by radar-guided Anti-aircraft warfare (AAA) batteries while flying above the cloud cover. They had lost China to Mao Zedongs communists in 1949 and just narrowly defeated the North Korean/Chinese attempt to conquer democratic South Korea in 1950-53. In July 1968 three groups of Thai special forces were sent into Laos to conduct long-range reconnaissance missions. Under Thailand's "gentleman's agreement" with the U.S., the bases were considered Royal Thai Air Force bases and were commanded by Thai officers. In late 1972, B-52s were confronted with surface-to-air missile (SAM) defenses.

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