 In 1953, the US Eighteenth Air Force C-119s were deployed to Tourane to support French military operations, a number of these aircraft crewed by civilians later flew in support of French forces in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.In 1953/54 the French laid a NATO-standard asphalt runway at Tourane.In January 1954, the USAF delivered a further 16 B-26s and 3 RB-26s to Tourane and in February assigned USAF maintenance and supply personnel to Tourane on temporary duty to support B-26 operations.