User:Overlain/sandbox

In 1963, Admiral Harry D. Felt, the U.S. Commander in Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC) foresaw that pier facilities at the natural deep-water bay at Cam Ranh might be useful in the future. At the direction of the Navy’s Officer in Charge of Construction RVN (OICC RVN), the American construction consortium RMK was directed to begin construction of a 350 foot long pier and causeway. This project was completed in mid-1964. Tragaskis, pp. 45-46.

In mid-1965, military engineers of the U.S. Army 35th Engineer Construction Group debarked at Cam Ranh Bay via LST’s to set up camp and start building roads for the Cam Ranh Base. They started by establishing a quarry and then building a road leading from the quarry to the base through the desert sand using red laterite soil for a base and crushed granite rock for a topping. Once the roads were in place to carry heavy equipment, the engineers lengthened the existing pier to 600 feet to provide an additional berth for deep-water freighters. By the end of the year, the Army engineers had added equipment storage platforms, a petrol-oil-lubricants storage area, and port cantonment and support facilities. Tregaskis pp. 140-142

Also in mid-1965, the American construction consortium RMK-BRJ and engineers of the Navy Officer in Charge of Construction RVN returned to construct a new airfield starting with a temporary 10,000-foot runway with 2.2 million square feet of AM-2 aluminum matting to accommodate jet fighter-bombers. By September, they had employed 1,500 Vietnamese workers for the work, over half of whom were women. The Army engineers and the civilian constructors shared equipment and expertise. The runway was completed in 50 days, with Admiral U.S.G. Sharp, CINCPAC, laying the last AM-2 plank on 16 October 1965. Tregaskis pp. 143-146 A 1.3 million square feet cargo apron using pierced steel planking, airport facilities and utilities, mess halls, and 25,000 square feet of living quarters were also prepared for use by the U.S. Air Force. Tragaskis p. 148

In 1966, four DeLong piers were added to the port. Tregaskis p. 238 In January 1966, the OICC RVN tasked RMK-BRJ with construction of the Army Ammunition and Logistic Support Facility, consisting of thirty 40-foot by 220-foot concrete slabs for warehouses and six 140-foot by 220-foot slabs, 122 ammunition hardstands, and 10 miles of roads. This work was completed by June 1966, and then RMK-BRJ turned to construction of a new 10,000-foot concrete runway and taxiway at the air base. Tregaskis p. 277. Later in 1966, RMK-BRJ filled in swamp land with sand at the southern end of the peninsula and constructed a naval base for Operation Market Time coastal patrols.

On 1 January 1966, the 20th and 39th Engineer Battalions and the 572nd Light Equipment Company arrived at Cam Ranh Bay to construct another pier at the port, and added a DeLong pier to the causeway at the ammunition depot. Tregaskis p. 277 & 353.