DA NANG, A ONE-TIME SMALL FISHING VILLAGE, IS TODAY THE SITE OF THE LARGEST U.S. AIR BASE IN SOUTH VIETNAM. IT HAS THREE 10,000 FEET OF RUNWAYS; HOUSES 7,000 U.S. OFFICER AND ENLISTED MEN; STORES THOUSANDS OF TONS OF BOMBS, AMMUNITION AND SUPPLIES. EACH DAY IT HANDLES AN AVERAGE OF 2,900 LANDINGS OR TAKEOFFS, WHICH BRINGS ITS YEARLY MOVEMENT OF AIRCRAFT TO OVER A QUARTER OF A MILLION MORE THAN THE COMBINED ANNUAL OPERATIONS OF LONDON'S HEATHROW AND NEW YORK'S KENNEDY AIRPORTS.

AT DA NANG ALL TYPES OF AIRCRAFT ARE SERVICED, ASSEMBLED, EQUIPPED AND RESTOCKED, FROM BOEING 707s TO PROPELLER AEROPLANES. THEY COME FROM THE STRATEGIC BOMBING CORPS, FIGHTER AND BOMBER BATTALIONS, RECONNAISSANCE PLANE CORPS., TRANSPORT UNITS, RESCUE UNITS AND, IN FACT, EVERY TYPE OF MILITARY AIRCRAFT IN OPERATION IN VIETNAM.

THE STORAGE OF BOMBS AND AMMUNITION IS ALSO OF VITAL IMPORTANCE, AND THE STORAGE DUMPS HAVE BEEN FORTIFIED WITH SPECIAL METAL ROOFING WHICH IS REPORTED TO WITHSTAND 120 MM ROCKET ATTACKS.

IN ADDITION TO MILITARY AIRCRAFT, PAN AMERICAN AND CHARTERED U.S. AIRLINERS USE DA NANG TO TRANSPORT MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO ARE DISCHARGED, TRANSFERRED OR ON LEAVE.

THE AIRPORT IS ALSO USED BY SOUTH VIETNAMESE AIR FORCE PLANES WHOSE MAIN OPERATION IS THE BOMBING OF THE HO CHI MINH ROUTE NEAR THE LAOTIAN AND CAMBODIAN BORDERS.