Viet Cong attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base (1966)

Viet Cong attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base (1966)
Part of the Vietnam War
Date 4–5 December 1966 Location Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam Result United States and South Vietnam victory
Belligerents
South Vietnam  United States	Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
Colonel Grover Coe	Lê Minh Xuân Bành Văn Trân (Năm Vững) Nguyễn Văn Kịp (Đồng Đen)
Units involved
377th Air Police Squadron 120th Assault Helicopter Battalion 53rd Regional Force Battalion	Special Forces Unit F100
Casualties and losses
3 killed 3 killed[1] 20 aircraft damaged and 3 vehicles destroyed VC claims: 600+ US and ARVN killed or wounded 260 airplanes, 1 depot with 300 tons of bombs and 13 military vehicles destroyed[2]	US body count: 28 killed 4 captured[1]

Part of a series on the
History of Ho Chi Minh City
Before 1955 1782 Saigon massacre (1782) Province of Gia Định Siege of Saigon (18 February 1859 – 25 February 1861) Battle of Ky Hoa (February 1861) Treaty of Saigon (1862) Treaty of Saigon (1874) Battle of Saigon (1955)
Vietnam War 1960 South Vietnamese coup attempt (11 November 1960) Operation Chopper (12 January 1962) 1962 South Vietnamese Independence Palace bombing (27 February 1962) Self-immolation of Thích Quảng Đức (11 June 1963) Double Seven Day scuffle (7 July 1963) Xá Lợi Pagoda raids (21 August 1963) 1963 South Vietnamese coup d'état (1–2 November 1963) Arrest and assassination of Ngô Đình Diệm (2 November 1963) Attack on USNS Card (2 May 1964) 1964 Brinks Hotel bombing (24 December 1964) 1965 United States embassy bombing (30 March 1965) 1965 Saigon bombing (25 June 1965) Operation Jackstay (26 March – 6 April 1966) Operation Fairfax (November 1966 – 15 December 1967) Viet Cong attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base (4–5 December 1966) Tet offensive battle of Cholon and Phu Tho Racetrack (31 January – 11 February 1968) Tet offensive attack on Joint General Staff Compound (31 January – 1 February 1968) Tet offensive attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base (31 January 1968) Tet offensive attack on the United States embassy (31 January 1968) Battle of West Saigon (5–12 May 1968) Battle of South Saigon (7–12 May 1968) Hijacking of Pan Am Flight 841 (2 July 1972) Bombing of Tan Son Nhut Air Base (28 April 1975) Operation Frequent Wind (29–30 April 1975) Fall of Saigon (30 April 1975)
After 1975 1996 Asian Judo Championships (9 to 10 November 1996) 1999 Badminton Asia Cup (10–14 November 1999) 2002 Ho Chi Minh City ITC fire (29 October 2002) 2005 AFC Futsal Championship (22 May – 4 June 2005) 2005 Asian Amateur Boxing Championships (29 August – 4 September 2005) 2012 Vietnam Open Grand Prix (20–26 August 2012) Miss International Queen Vietnam 2023 (8 April 2023)
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A Viet Cong (VC) attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base occurred during the early hours of 4 December 1966, during the Vietnam War. Tan Son Nhut Air Base was one of the major air bases used for offensive air operations within South Vietnam and for the support of United States Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) ground operations. The attack by VC sappers, supported by mortar fire, was repulsed by the United States Air Force (USAF) base security forces by 04:00, though VC stragglers continued to be engaged in and around the base until 5 December.