th ' s ▁main ▁support ▁base ▁was ▁re located ▁to ▁Ph an ▁Rang ▁Air ▁Base ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁August . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁pressure ▁on ▁aircraft ▁maintenance , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁put ▁in ▁relief ▁from ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁Sh adow ▁mission ▁per ▁night ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁half ▁of ▁August . ▁The ▁maintenance ▁situation ▁was ▁ag gra v ated ▁by ▁cor ros ion - control ▁work , ▁maintenance ▁ins pe ctions , ▁and ▁part ▁supply ▁dis ru ptions ▁due ▁to ▁unit ▁movements . ▁On ▁ 1 1 ▁October , ▁Sh adow ▁ 7 6 ▁was ▁destroyed ▁and ▁six ▁crew members ▁killed ▁when ▁it ▁crash ed ▁upon ▁take off ▁for ▁a ▁mission ▁from ▁Tan ▁Son ▁N h ut , ▁the ▁squad ron ' s ▁first ▁aircraft ▁loss . ▁Another ▁gun ship ▁was ▁sever ely ▁dam aged ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁November ▁when ▁its ▁right ▁landing ▁g ear ▁col lapsed ▁on ▁landing ▁at ▁Ch u ▁La i ▁Air ▁Base . ▁ ▁A ▁decrease ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁miss ions , ▁a ▁decl ine ▁in ▁enemy ▁activity , ▁and ▁w ors ening ▁weather ▁slightly ▁changed ▁the ▁" se ek ▁and ▁destroy " ▁gun ship ▁concept ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁to ▁a ▁" com bat ▁air ▁pat rol " ▁role . ▁By ▁mid - Dec ember ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁problems ▁of ▁the ▁squad ron ▁had ▁been ▁e ased , ▁impro ving ▁the ▁squad ron ' s ▁situation . ▁During ▁its ▁first ▁six ▁months ▁of ▁operations , ▁the ▁squad ron ' s ▁cre ws ▁fle