with the 530th Fighter Squadron equipped with A-1 Skyraiders, along with two UH-1H helicopter assault squadrons (229th, 235th) and the 118th Liaison Squadron, with Cessna O-2A, U-17 forward air controller/light reconnaissance aircraft. The RVNAF 817th Combat Squadron equipped with AC-47s deployed alert aircraft to the base. After the 1973 Paris Peace Accords, Pleiku AB became a center of reconnaissance in the Central Highlands, with the RVNAF monitoring PAVN activity and treaty violations. In 1974, the RVNAF had the following units assigned to Pleiku Air Base: 6th Air Division (Headquarters) 72d Tactical Wing 118th Liaison Squadron Cessna O-2A,U-17 530th Fighter Squadron A-1 229th/235th Helicopter Squadron Bell UH-1H Det B 259th Helicopter Squadron Bell UH-1H (Medevac) Capture of Pleiku Air Base By the early spring of 1975 North Vietnam realized the time was right to achieve its goal of re-uniting Vietnam under communist rule, and so launched a series of small ground attacks to test U.S. reaction. When these attacks failed to draw a military response from Washington, the PAVN staged an attack on Ban Me Thuot in the Central Highlands. Ban Me Thuot controlled Highways 14 and 21, vital lines of communication from the southern Central Highlands to Saigon and the coast. On the night of 9 March 1975, the PAVN struck the city and Pleiku airfield with artillery, mortars, and rockets. By the next afternoon, over half of Ban Me Thuot was in enemy hands, despite fierce resistance from ARVN defenders. RVNAF air strikes destroyed five PAVN tanks but during one strike, a bomb accidentally hit ARVN sector headquarters severely disrupting communications. At Pleiku airfield, the small ARVN garrison came under attack and was forced to defend the control tower, preventing attempts to fly in reinforcements. ARVN reinforcements were diverted to Buon Ho, north of the city, far from the battle. On the airfield, the PAVN had destroyed an O-1, a CH-47, and ten UH-1s, although three damaged UH-1s had managed to escape. Fierce fighting continued for three more days but by 14 March the situation was hopeless. During the four-day battle the RVNAF flew over 200 sorties, inflicting heavy losses on the PAVN, but to no avail. No aircraft were lost in the air, but three A-37s at Pleiku were destroyed by 122 mm rockets on 11 March when the PAVN rocketed the airfield. The day Ban Me Thuot fell, President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu called an emergency high level