Thường Ðức Camp

Thường Ðức Camp
Site information
Type	Army Base
Location
Coordinates	15°50′24″N107°55′52″E / 15.84°N 107.931°E / 15.84; 107.931 (Thường Ðức Camp)
Site history
Built	1966
In use	1966-74
Battles/wars	Vietnam War Battle of Thượng Đức (1974)
Garrison information
Occupants	5th Special Forces Group

Ha Tan Airfield
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Elevation  AMSL	66 ft / 20 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 2,300 701 dirt/clay/rock

Thường Ðức Camp (also known as Thường Ðức Special Forces Camp) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base southwest of Da Nang in Quảng Nam Province, central Vietnam.

History

The 5th Special Forces Group Detachment A-109 ^[1] first established a base here in March 1966 to monitor communist infiltration into the Da Nang vital area. The base was located near Route 14 approximately 40 km southwest of Da Nang. ^[2]

On 28 September 1968 the PAVN attacked and temporarily overran the base. ^[3] In response the U.S. Marines launched Operation Maui Peak from 6 to 19 October to relieve the siege. The forces involved included the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines and 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines and resulted in an estimated 353 PAVN killed for the loss of 28 Marines. ^[4]

On 19 October 1970 the PAVN/VC attacked Thường Ðức but were repelled by ARVN forces with artillery, helicopter gunship and air support. The PAVN/VC withdrew after two days losing 163 killed and 20 captured. ^[5]

In July 1974 Thường Ðức was attacked again by a Regiment of the PAVN 324th Division starting the Battle of Thượng Đức (1974). At the conclusion of the battle in November 1974 the PAVN occupied Thường Ðức. ^[6]

Current use

The base is now partly a cemetery while the remainder has returned to jungle.

References

1. Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 246. ISBN   9780811700719.
2. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 510. ISBN   978-1555716257.
3. "September 28 1968 Battle for Thuong Duc begins". History Channel. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
4. Shulimson, Jack (1997). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: 1968 The Defining Year. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. pp. 418–423. ISBN   0160491258.
5. Willbanks, James (2013). Vietnam War Almanac: An In-Depth Guide to the Most Controversial Conflict in American History. Simon and Schuster. p. 350. ISBN   9781626365285.
6. Veith, George (2012). Black April The Fall of South Vietnam 1973-75. Encounter Books. pp. 95–7. ISBN   9781594035722.