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DaNang Ammo Dump, April 27, 1969

 

DaNang Ammo Dump - April 27, 1969

On April 27, 1969, I was the OIC of a small communications detachment assigned to 1st MAW in DaNang. That Sunday as I was working in the office, there was a huge boom. The initial explosion caused the fluorescent lights in our small working space to tumble down. One light hit the Gunny in the left shoulder - it was more of a surprise than an actual injury. A series of smaller, but just as dangerous, explosions soon followed. We stepped outside our work spaces (which was actually a small hut that was surrounded by a sandbag revetment) to see what was going on. We could see a billowing cloud of smoke in the direction of 11 o'clock. Some would say it looked like a nuke's mushroom cloud. Suddenly, we saw that a shock blast wave was heading toward our area - and they kept coming. After an hour of this, I finally had no choice but to shut down our comm link with III MAF across the DaNang River. In the meantime and in accordance with our standing procedures, the rest of the detachment all reported in for duty.

 

The explosions would continue for about 17 hours and the dump wouldn't completely "cook off" for several days. The white phosphorus bombs lit up the night sky. When it was over, millions and millions of dollars of ammo had been destroyed.

It must have been about 10 a.m. the next morning when the all-clear was sounded. "All present and accounted for, Sir!"

The story I heard at the time was that some local hires were burning some brush that got away from them and, as a result, caused the series of explosions in the DaNang ammo dump. It sure did a lot of structural damage!

After getting all affairs back in order and re-establishing comms with II MAF, I headed up to Freedom Hill in the detachment's jeep to check in with the detachment that was assigned to 1stMarDiv, of which Capt. Jim Bolson was OIC. The drive on the way was harrowing - it was like navigating an obstacle course. Bombs, including unexploded ordinances, were littered all over the ground and the damage was unreal. There was shrapnel everywhere and miles of berms were blackened.

When we arrived at Freedom Hill, we found that Jim Bolson's detachment was back up and running. They had suffered some minor damage, but nothing that couldn't be repaired easily. Dog Patch, the civilian makeshift residences outside the 1st MAW compound near the foot of Hill 327, was literally leveled.

Arthur Kidd
Capt Ret
1957-1977

Do you have a story about the DaNang ammunition dump explosion in 1969 Vietnam? Share it with the SGT GRIT community below to connect and share your personal experience. And be sure to check out other stories about Vietnam on the SGT GRIT blog.

Filed in: Marine Corps Stories
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Comments

Jerry Bacon - May 11, 2021

I was there also 3rd maf h&s co. 0311 l/cpl……… Looking for a cpl. Manning
I had been with 1st th 27turned before going to third maf….

Jerry Bacon - May 11, 2021

I was there also 3rd mat h&s co. 0311

Rock Hornbuckle - April 29, 2021

I had just landed in country that morning, and was at the processing center by the freedom hill px when is started to cook off the ordinance. After a few hours of crap racing on us in the bunkers, we were evacuated by trucks from 7th motor T. While at their compound we were still getting fall out as the big ones went off. So they evac’d us out to China beach, as the ordinance keep exploding into the night.

H.C. Stevenson - April 10, 2021

When the big blast came to Da Nang airbase on 27 April 1969, I was pulling duty in the 5th Special Forces “C Team” command post just south of China Beach and next to Marble Mountain Marine Airfield. We later heard a US Marine detail was burning trash when the fire got out of control in a strong wind. The fire crossed a berm into an area storing 2000-pound bombs. The detonating bombs tossed 2000 pounders into other storage areas and a chain reaction of fires and explosions ensued.

When all the fireworks started, I was working in our underground command bunker and suddenly the filter on one of our air conditioning units blew inward and we heard a loud “Whump” sound. The shock wave and sound of the 2000 pounders exploding reached us, six miles from Da Nang main. One of the NCO’s hustled in and shouted, “You guys have to come see this. Da Nang has exploded.” We scrambled out of the bunker and up the low hill to the front of the headquarters building. There was a huge mushroom cloud rising from the direction of Da Nang airbase and I mumbled, “Jesus, Charlie has a nuke round for a rocket!”

Fortunately, the alarm was sounded in time, and evacuation and sheltering were done for Marine, Air Force and Vietnamese in proximity to the west side of Da Nang Airbase. Before all was brought under control the next afternoon, over 1000 tons of munitions were destroyed. Bombs and ammunition were tossed across the Marine side of the airbase and even across two runways to the Air Force C-123 and F-4 areas on the east side.

The fireworks varied with the munitions detonating. Fuel or napalm made a soft “Whump” sound and sent a fireball high into the sky. Cannon ammo, 20 or 40 mm, was thrown into the air and exploded like a million sparkling fireworks. The large bombs (500/1000/2000 pounders) and artillery rounds went off with a classic explosion and we could feel the concussion at Marble Mountain. With no way to assist, the SF guys brought lawn chairs and cold beverages to watch the entertainment.

Mario Posada Cram - January 24, 2021

Hello Barry Monberger.Yes, please share whatever pictures you have of the April 27, 1969 ASP-1 ammo dump explosions. I was one of the Marines ammo techs 2311 working at ASP-1 when it happened and afterwards in the clean-up crew. I lost all my pictures & camera at the U.S. airport upon returning from Nam in September ’69. Thanks & SemperFi!

Ken Tocha - June 6, 2020

I was on the other side of the runway coming back from NCO club having 5 cent beers. We were in a truck. We got closer and we were told to get out of truck. We walked out into field and saw the explosions. Then we saw the really big one with the fireball and huge shock wave rings. That is the last thing I remember probably for about a month after. I worked in the USAF bomb dump. We had loaded up the revetments with bombs, napalm, etc. I suffer from PTSD and maybe TBI. I stayed in Gunfighter Village. Ken Tocha Munitions Specialist. USAF 68-69 DaNang Airbase. Does anyone know me?

Michael Pelucca - June 6, 2020

I was a Cannoncocker with 11th Marines in 67-68 on hills 55 and 55 and around the surrounding areas when the ammo dump was hit with a rocket and as I recall the fuel dump up as well. Don’t remember if was late 67 or early in 68 when that happened – we all felt it and it looked like daylight was upon us. We all thought here comes a big offensive. Mike Pelucca – Sgt – 1966-70

Nick Hayes - June 6, 2020

I was west of the runway with 225 (immediately adjacent to Dogpatch. That was the most impressive fireworks display I have ever seen. I think what impressed me the most was that you could actually see the shock waves traveling through the air so you knew when to brace yourself for impact. What it did to corrugated roves, plywood walls and what few windows there had been was indescribably. Most of Dogpatch went horizontal. I certainly had rockets explode closer to me, and bullets flyer closer to me and spent numerous nights hunkered down scanning the approach to our position, but I NEVER had an all day fireworks display to match that one. I think it was also in April that we had 147? rockets land in our compound, but I will NEVER forget the most expensive fireworks display of my lifetime on April 27th.

Tony Mastriani - June 6, 2020

I was in the back of a 3/4Ton somewhere in Danang when the first big explosion hit. We were stopped in traffic and everybody jumped out, thinking it was all over. There was a definite shock wave but no damage. That evening, we sat on our hooch roof (5th Comm, next to MMAF) and watched the shock waves travel through the cloud cover.

Mike Rummel, Sgt, USMC, April 1967 — Jan 1971 - June 6, 2020

Captain Kidd: I think that was the day ASP-1 blew up. It was south of Freedom Hill, not far from the III MAF Brig, I believe. We heard a brush fire got out of control. I was a 2881 (Tactical Crypto Tech) with Electronics Maint Co, Maint BN, 1st FSR/FLC. Maintenance Battalion occupied the southeast corner of Four Corners, on the DaNang AB side of Route 1. The continual explosions wreaked havoc on our infrastructure. We were told everyone else around us was evacuated, BUT we were to line the perimeter facing Route 1 in the event the VC tried to take advantage of the chaos. We were there for a day or more, alternating Marines on the perimeter, with those taking shelter in the bunkers. Frankly, it was boring, except for the continual explosions. We were never sure if one was going to be of sufficient size to reach us. In the end, the concussions are what took out whatever flimsy buildings we had within our compound.

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