About this Unit
AFAT-2 (Air Force Advisory Team 2) was a United States Air Force advisory unit stationed at Pleiku Air Base, South Vietnam, during the Vietnam War. Established in the early 1960s, AFAT-2 provided operational support, training, and coordination to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) units based at Pleiku. The team played a crucial role in advising on air operations, maintenance, and tactical planning, significantly enhancing the RVNAF's combat capabilities in the Central Highlands region. AFAT-2 remained active until the gradual withdrawal of U.S. forces and the eventual closure of Pleiku Air Base in 1975.
Historical Facts
• Location and Strategic Importance: AFAT-2 (Ammunition Forwarding and Transfer Area 2) was a key ammunition storage and transfer facility located at Pleiku Air Base, in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, serving both U.S. Air Force and Army operations.
• Support to Multiple Units: The facility provided critical support for combat operations by supplying munitions to various air units, including those flying B-57 Canberra, C-130 Hercules, and F-100 Super Sabre aircraft.
• Role During the Tet Offensive: During the 1968 Tet Offensive, AFAT-2 played a vital role in ensuring a steady flow of ordnance to aircraft conducting defensive air strikes against attacking Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces.
• Vulnerability to Enemy Attack: Due to its stockpile of explosives, AFAT-2 was a frequent target for rocket and mortar attacks, which sometimes resulted in spectacular secondary explosions and fires.
• Joint Operations: The unit supported both U.S. and South Vietnamese (ARVN) forces, as well as some allied contingents, highlighting the multinational nature of Pleiku’s operations.
• Logistical Challenges: Difficult terrain, monsoon weather, and the constant threat of ambush made transporting munitions to and from AFAT-2 a hazardous task for supply convoys and airlift crews.
• Innovations in Ammunition Handling: The need for rapid re-arming of aircraft led to innovations in ammunition storage, safety protocols, and the use of forklifts and specialized vehicles for bomb and rocket loading.
• Heroic Actions: There are stories of ammunition handlers and security personnel risking their lives to extinguish fires or move munitions during attacks, preventing larger catastrophes at the base.
• Environmental Impact: The frequent explosions and fires at the site left lasting scars on the landscape and contributed to post-war environmental hazards due to unexploded ordnance.
• Legacy and Remembrance: After the war, the site of AFAT-2 and Pleiku Air Base became a symbol of the intense logistical effort required to sustain combat operations in Vietnam, and veterans’ groups often recall their experiences there as a testament to the unsung work behind the front lines.
