Tuy Hoa Air Base - History - 31st Tactical Fighter Wing

With construction completed, the Tactical Air Command 31st Tactical Fighter Wing was reassigned from Homestead AFB, Florida to Tuy Hoa Air Base effective 16 December 1966. The base was under the jurisdiction of Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces. The APO for Tuy Hoa Air Base was APO San Francisco 96316

In South Vietnam the 31st TFW commanded five F-100 Super Sabre fighter squadrons and was the most important F-100 wing in South Vietnam. The first squadron of F-100s (the 308th) actually touched down on 15 November 1966, forty-five days ahead of schedule. Within a month, it was joined by two others (the 306th and 309th); and on 6 December the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing became combat ready at Tuy Hoa.

Assigned operational squadrons of the 31st TFW were:

• 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron 15 November 1966 - 8 September 1970 (F-100D/F Tail Code: SM) Was assigned to Bien Hoa and after flying missions from Bien Hoa on 15 November recovered at Tuy Hoa.
• 306th Tactical Fighter Squadron 6 December 1966 - 8 September 1970 (F-100D/F Tail Code: SD)
• 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron 6 December 1966 - 8 September 1970 (F-100D/F Tail Code: SS)

In June 1967, federalized Air National Guard squadrons were deployed from the United States to supplement the 31st TFW. These were:

• 136th Tactical Fighter Squadron 14 June 1968 - 25 May 1969 (New York ANG) (F-100C Tail Code: SG)
• 188th Tactical Fighter Squadron 7 June 1968 - 18 May 1969 (New Mexico ANG) (F-100C/F Tail Code: SK)

In turn, when the National Guard units returned to the United States after their one-year active duty was ended, F-100 squadrons from the 37th TFW at Phu Cat Air Base, which was converting to F-4Ds were deployed as replacement units. These were:

• 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron 15 May 1969 - 30 September 1970 (F-100D/F Tail Code: SP)
• 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron 28 May 1969 - 5 September 1970 (F-100D/F Tail Code: SE)

From Tuy Hoa, the wing conducted combat operations, 16 December 1966-September 1970. It controlled interdiction strikes, conducted visual and photo reconnaissance, rescue combat air patrols, and suppressed enemy antiaircraft artillery. The wing also conducted air operations against enemy forces during the Tet Offensive and the Siege of Khe Sanh from February–April 1968. It flew close air support missions during the extraction of friendly troops from Kham Duc on 12 May 1968.