A Lưới Camp
| A Lưới Camp | |
|---|---|
  A Lưới Camp | |
| Coordinates | 16°15′50″N 107°13′48″E / 16.264°N 107.23°E |
| Type | Army Base |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1962 |
| In use | 1962-66 |
| Battles/wars |  Vietnam War |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | 5th Special Forces Group |
Ta Bat Airfield | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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A Lưới Camp (also known as A Lưới Special Forces Camp, LZ Stallion or Ta Bat Airfield) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base in the A Sầu Valley southwest of Huế in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.
History
The 5th Special Forces Group[1] first established a base here in 1962 to monitor communist infiltration into the A Sầu Valley. The base was located along Route 548, 40 km southwest of Huế.[2]
The base was abandoned in 1966 due to increased pressure from the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces and the A Sầu Valley became a major PAVN base area supporting operations throughout the Central Highlands.
In April 1968 during Operation Delaware the 1st Cavalry Division briefly reoccupied A Lưới.[1]: 127–8 The 8th Engineer Battalion rebuilt the airfield to handle Fairchild C-123 Provider and Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft.
On 26 April 1968 C-130B #60-0298 was hit by enemy fire while on approach to the camp airfield, the aircraft crashed and burnt on the airfield, the remains of 5 of the 8 crewmen were recovered[3]
In August 1968 the 101st Airborne Division briefly reoccupied A Lưới during Operation Somerset Plain.[4]
In 1969 the 101st Airborne returned to A Lưới during Operation Kentucky Jumper.[2]
Current use
The base has been turned over to farmland and sits adjacent to the Ho Chi Minh Highway.
References
- ^ a b Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 246. ISBN 9780811700719.
- ^ a b Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 5-2. ISBN 978-1555716257.
- ^ "John McDaniel, MAJ". The Virtual Wall. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ Villard, Erik (2017). United States Army in Vietnam Combat Operations Staying the Course October 1967 to September 1968. Center of Military History United States Army. p. 607-9. ISBN 9780160942808.