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Dầu Tiếng Base Camp

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Dầu Tiếng Base Camp
Dầu Tiếng Base Camp, July 1970
Coordinates11°16′59″N 106°21′47″E / 11.283°N 106.363°E / 11.283; 106.363 (Dầu Tiếng Base Camp)
TypeArmy Base
Site history
Built1966
In use1966-75
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Garrison information
Occupants3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division
25th Infantry Division
1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division
Dầu Tiếng Airfield
Summary
Elevation AMSL76 ft / 23 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
2,500 762 laterite

Dầu Tiếng Base Camp (also known as LZ Dầu Tiếng or Camp Rainier) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base in the town of Dầu Tiếng in Bình Dương Province in southern Vietnam.

History

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Dau Tieng helipads, 23 September 1967
Air controllers of the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry calling in aircraft to lift troops for redeployment, 18 February 1970

The base was established in October 1966. The camp was located in the Dầu Tiếng District, 60 km northwest of Tan Son Nhut Air Base and 24 km east of Tây Ninh between the Saigon River and the Michelin Rubber Plantation.[1]

The 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division comprising:

was based at Dầu Tiếng from December 1966-June 1967. On 1 August 1967 the 3rd Brigade became part of the 25th Infantry Division, while the 25th Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade at Đức Phổ Base Camp became part of the 4th Infantry Division.[3] The 3rd Brigade was based at Dầu Tiếng from March 1968-July 1969 and from August–November 1970.[2]: 145 

On 24 June 1967 a Vietcong (VC) mortar attack on Camp Rainier disabled 29 UH-1 helicopters of the 188th Assault Helicopter Company.[4]

On 4 July 1968 the base was subjected to a heavy People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) rocket and mortar attack followed by probes on the base perimeter resulting in 5 U.S. and 16 PAVN killed.

On 23 February 1969 the base was attacked by PAVN sappers. SSGT Robert W. Hartsock would be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the attack.[5] 21 U.S. and 73 PAVN were killed in the attack.

The 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division comprising:

was based at Dầu Tiếng from July–November 1969 and January–February 1970.

The 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division comprising:

was based at Dầu Tiếng in August and from October–December 1970.

Other units based at Dầu Tiếng included:

Current use

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Part of the base appears to remain in use by the PAVN. The airfield is no longer used but remains visible on satellite images

References

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  1. ^ Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 138. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 145. ISBN 9780811700719.
  3. ^ 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. 73. ISBN 9780160942808.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ Davies, Peter (2021). UH-1 Huey Gunship vs NVA/VC forces Vietnam 1962-75. Osprey Publishing. p. 43. ISBN 9781472845153.
  5. ^ "Medal of Honor Vietnam War". Military Working Dog Teams National Monument. Retrieved 19 November 2014.