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Firebase List

Ed Mitchell's Command - Avengers lost on FSB Henderson & FSB Granite.

Firebase Locations


2/501 FIREBASES, BASE CAMPS  & AO's

This page contains photos for some of the Base Camps/Firebases and locations used by the 101st Airborne Division 1968-1972 in Thua Thien Province, I Corp or Military Region 1.

I Corp consisted of Quang Tri Province, as it’s most northern area of responsibility then Thua Thien, Quang Nam, Quang Tin, and finally Quang Ngai Province. The firebases were carved out of the Vietnamese jungle and were easy targets for the Viet Cong.

Note: I am still looking for  photos for some of the firebases.

 

 

FIREBASE LIST

Firebase Airborne
Firebase Anzio
Firebase Arrow
Firebase Arsenal
Firebase Barbara
Firebase Bastogne
LZ Betty
Firebase Bertesgaden

Firebase Birmingham
Firebase Blaze

Firebase Blitz
Firebase Boise
Firebase Boxer

Firebase Boyde
Firebase Bradley
Firebase Brick

Firebase Bullet
Firebase Cannon
Firebase Charlie 2
Firebase Checkmate
Col Co Beach
Firebase Cureless
Firebase Currahee
Firebase Destiny
Camp Eagle
Camp Evans
Firebase Eagles Nest
Firebase Falcon
Firebase Fury
Firebase Georgia
Firebase Geronimo
Firebase Gladiator
Firebase Goodman
Firebase Granite
Camp Haskins
Firebase Helen
Firebase Henderson
Firebase Jack
Firebase Kathryn
Firebase Kerry Lou
Firebase Los Banos
Firebase Lyon
Firebase Maureen
Firebase Meredith
Firebase Nancy
Firebase Normandy
Nui Ke
Firebase O'Reilly
Firebase Pepper
Firebase Pinky
Firebase Pistol
Firebase Rakkasan
Firebase Rifle
Firebase Ripcord
Firebase Roy

LZ Sally
Firebase Satan 2
Firebase Shock
Firebase Sledge
Song Bo River
Firebase Spear
Firebase Stella
Firebase Strike
Firebase T-Bone
Firebase Tennessee
Firebase Thor
Firebase Tomahawk
Firebase Veghel
Firebase Whip
Firebase Zon
Unknown Firebase

Lawrence Dawson Photos
(FB Carroll, Thor)

 

FIREBASE LOCATIONS

 
THUA THIEN PROVINCE BASE CAMPS/FIREBASES
AND LOCATIONS USED BY THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION (AIR CAVALRY/AIRMOBILE) 1968-1972

Courtesy, Tony Mabb, History Buff

For reference purposes the book Where We Were by Michael P. Kelly, Hellgate Press, 2002, provided much of the information. Mr. Kelly served with D Co 1/502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division 1969-1970. I Corp or Military Region 1 and Thua Thien Province was where the majority of the division spent the latter part of 1967 to early 1972. I Corp consisted of Quang Tri Province, as it’s most northern area of responsibility then Thua Thien, Quang Nam, Quang Tin, and finally Quang Ngai Province.
Note: km = kilometer

Base Camps

Camp Eagle: 7 km SSE of Hue along Rte 546, approximately 9 km W of Phu Bai and 3 km W QL-1 (National Route 1).
Phu Bai: Approximately 16 km S of Hue along QL-1. Dong Ha was 76 km N. Da Nang was 62 km S.
Camp Evans: Approximately 11 km WNW of LZ Sally, 24 km NW of Hue, nearly directly along QL-1.
LZ Sally: 12 km NW of Hue, 11 km ESE of Camp Evans and 1 km W of QL-1.

Rest and Recreation

Eagle Beach: Divisional rest area along the South China Sea approximately 10 km NE of Hue.

Fire Support Bases

Bradley: 44 Kilometers WSW Of Hue
Goodman: 42 km WSW of Hue and 5 km NW of FSB Airborne
Pepper: 45 km WSW Quang Tri along the NW edge of the A Shau Valley approximately 3 km ENE of Dong Ap Bia.
Airborne: 42 km WSW Hue, 5 km SE FSB Goodman, 3 km NW FSB Pepper.
Eagles Nest: On eastern edge of A Shau Valley northward approximately 35 km WSW of Hue.
Georgia: 36 km WSW of Hue on Northeast edge of A Shau Valley, 1 km North of FSB Bertchesgarden.
Bertchesgarden: East of Route 548, 34 km WSW of Hue, and 26 km WSW of FSB Birmingham.
Cannon: East of Rte 547, 33 km SW of Hue and 10 km East of FSB Eagles Nest.
Blaze: 5 km SW of FSB Veghel, 20 km SW of FSB Birmingham.
Veghel: WSW of FSB Bastogne, 27 km SW of Hue, at the intersection Route 547 and 547A.
Fury: 42 km SW of Hue at the southern end of the A Shau Valley.
Whip: 39 km SSW Hue, 10 km SSE of FSB Tennessee.
Tennessee: 18 km SW FSB Birmingham and 27 km SW of Hue.
Thor: 14 km ESE FSB Fury, on the SW edge of the A Shau Valley and 38 km SSW of Hue.
Meredith: 13 km SSW Camp Evans and 26 km W of Hue.
Rakkasan: 14 km SW Camp Evans and ESE of FSB Gladiator.
Bastogne: Along Rte 547 17 km SW Hue and 8 km W of FSB Birmingham. Considered more of a Forward Operating Base. Note: Rte 547 was constructed by the 326th Engineers to go from Hue to the A Shau Valley.
Jack: 10 km SW of Camp Evans.
O’Reiley: 26 km S of Quang Tri, 41 km W of Hue.
Barbara: 28 km W Camp Evans and 50 km WNW of Hue.
Gladiator: 8 km ENE FSB Ripcord, 15 km NW of FSB Rakkasan.
Granite: 15 km W Camp Evans and 10 km N of FSB Maureen.
Maureen: 10 km W of FSB Kathryn and 15 km ENE of FSB Bradley.
Kathryn: 23 km W FSB Birmingham, S of FSB Rakkasan and NW of FSB Strike.
Shock: 3 km NE of FSB Cannon, 5 km NW of FSB Veghel.
Strike: 17 km WSW of Hue Citadel and 11 km SW of LZ Sally along the Song Bo River.
Zon: 8 km WSW of FSB Veghel and 5 km E of FSB Berchtesgaden.
Birmingham: Along a branch of the Perfume River 12 km SSW of Hue along Rte 547 and 11 km W of FSB Arsenal. Named for PSG Edward A. Birmingham C Co 1/327th Airborne Infantry, KIA 2 OCT 1967 who drowned trying to rescue a man under fire.
Normandy: 24 km W Phu Bai, 12 km W FSB Brick and 8 km SSE of FSB Checkmate.
Checkmate: More of a observation post along Rte 547, 1.5km SSE of FSB Bastogne and 15 km SW of Hue.
Spear: 31 km SW of Phu Bai and 19 km ESE FSB Tennessee.
Sledge: 45 km SSW of Hue and 16 km SSW of FSB Brick.
Rifle: 17 km SE of FSB Birmingham and 16 km WSW of Phu Bai along Rte 545.
Pistol: 23 km S of Phu Bai and 24 km SSE of FSB Arsenal.
Tomahawk: Along QL-1 near north end of Hai Van Pass and 40 km S of Hue along South China Sea.
Roy: 8 km WNW FSB Tomahawk.
Brick: 24 km S of Hue, and 7 km E FSB Blitz. Named for the Mayor of Clarksville, TN. Meyer Brick.
Ripcord: 38 km W of Hue, 12 km NE of North end of the A Shau Valley, 12 km NW of FSB Maureen and 5 km WNW of FSB Granite.
Arsenal: 8 km SW of Phu Bai and 9 km SE of Pohl Bridge.
Destiny: Dong Ap Bia Mountain or Hill 937, NW end of A Shau Valley, 45 km WSW of Hue and 3 km E of Laos.
Falcon: 21 km S of Hue, 14 km SE of FSB Birmingham.
Pohl Bridge: Named for Col Richard Pohl KIA 24 June 68 HHB Division Artillery. Also known as Nam Hoa Bridge along Rte 547 across the Perfume River (Song Huong), 6.5 km ENE of FSB Birmingham and 8.5 km NW FSB Arsenal.
Rendezvous: Located at the intersection of Route 547 and 548 in the A Shau Valley, approximately 37 km SW of Hue.
Lyon: 10 Km E of Hue and 5 km S of LZ Sally.
T Bone: 6.5 km S of LZ Sally, 1.5 km from Hwy 548 and 6 km W of Hue.
Satan II: 15 km S of Hue, 7 km SE FSB Birmingham and 6 km W of FSB Arsenal.
Bullet: 6 km S FSB Rakkasan and 25 km WSW of Hue.
Currahee: Built on the floor of the A Shau Valley approximately 43 km from Hue and 35 km WSW of FSB Birmingham.
Stella: 15 km WSW of LZ Sally and 25 km WNW of Hue.
Helen: 12 SW of Camp Evans and 8 km E of FSB Granite.
Arrow: 9 km WSW Phu Bai and 3.5 km NNW of FSB Arsenal.
Los Banos: 34 km NNW of Da Nang, 5 km N QL-1 and 37 km ESE of Phu Bai.
Blitz: 23 km SW of Phu Bai, 9 km WSW FSB Brick and 6 NE of FSB Spear.
An Lo Bridge: Bridge across the Song Bo River along QL-1 approximately 15 km NW of Hue and 3 km NNW of LZ Sally.
Fuller: YD 019593 W of Dong Ha
Foxy: fixed wing landing strip on the A-shau valley floor, next to Hill 937


 

 

 

 

 


 

FIREBASE ARROW

 

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FIREBASE ANZIO

 


 


 

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FIREBASE ARSENAL

 

 


Photo taken by Michael Lachance 1/502
   
       

 

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FIREBASE BARBARA

 

 

Firebase Barbara was just south of Khe Sanh and west of Quang Tri.

 

     

 

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FIREBASE RAKKASON

 

 


In the Spring of 1970, units from the 2/501st including A Company were deployed on and around Firebase Rhakasson. Nearby, Firebase Ripcord was under attack. The attacks continued for four months into the summer. Four Chinooks were shot down over the firebase during the attacks. The fourth Chinook crashed into a main artillery ammo dump on Ripcord and burst into flames. Over 400 rounds of 105mm ammo began to cook off and explode. The detonations lasted for 8 hours, destroying all six of the howitzers on Ripcord. All units on Ripcord had to eventually be evacuated.

 

 


Looking west from Rhakasson toward Ripcord.

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Photos by Bill Maxey



8 " Gun - "Son of Odin"

 

 


 

FIREBASE ROY

 

Notes from 1LT (Neal) Schwartz - “B” Btry 1st Battalion 83rd Artillery - Oct 68 – Aug 69:

Pic1: The preliminary bulldozing for the start of FSB Roy. Roy was the only FSB EAST of Hwy 1. It was on a peninsula mountain top that stuck out in the Dam Cau Hai lagoon just a stones throw north of Phu Loc. This was the first FSB we got to build from the ground up so to speak.
Pic2: Almost Complete. The grass was just starting to grow on the burms around the gun pits. We had crew bunkers, a mess hall on that lower level down by the truck at the upper right, and the road way down there was Hwy 1. The water you see is the lagoon which is just inside the South China Sea. I though we had it made there, our mission was to guard the Hai Van Pass between Phu Bai and Hue.
Pic3: The Vedana Lagoon resort & spa now occupies where FSB Roy once was. Go to this site and click on slideshow here.

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FIREBASE T-BONE

 



 

Photos by Alpha Original John Shratz

 
 

 

 
 

 

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FIREBASE TENNESSEE

 

 

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FIREBASE THOR

 

(see Lawrence Dawson photos)

 

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FIREBASE KERRY LOU

 

 

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FIREBASE JACK

 

Pic supplied by 1LT (Neal) Schwartz - “B” Btry 1st Battalion 83rd Artillery - Oct 68 – Aug 69.

 

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FIREBASE KATHRYN

 

This 1969 photo was provided by Troy Porter was initially with C/2/506 101st Airborne, then he volunteered for an aero rifle platoon (3rd Bde Air Cav aka Recon and Security).

 

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FIREBASE LOS BANOS

Thanks to John Thompson, PSG, E-7 Co A & E, 1/501 Inf 1971 for the pics of Firebase Los Banos!

Looking south and southwest from near front gate of Los Banos. Note the barge in the bay. They threw hand grenades throughout the night to protect themselves from VC ‘frogmen.’ I have no idea who manned the barge but they were there the whole time we occupied the FSB. Also note the WP smoke round below the cloud to the west of the bay. We had Alpha, 1/501 doing a sweep through the jungle there and my mortars were firing in support of the operation.
 




 

 

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FIREBASE LYON

 

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FIREBASE MAUREEN

 


ARVN 155 Battery FB Maureen 1970




Pics shared by Bill Maxey

 

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FIREBASE MEREDITH

 

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FIREBASE NANCY

 

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FIREBASE SATAN 2

 

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FIREBASE SHOCK

 

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FIREBASE SLEDGE

 

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FIREBASE SPEAR

 

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FIREBASE STELLA

 

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FIREBASE STRIKE

 

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FIREBASE NORMANDY

 

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FIREBASE O'REILLY

 

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FIREBASE PEPPER

Firebase Pepper was located 45 km WSW Quang Tri along the NW edge of the A Shau Valley approximately 3 km ENE of Dong Ap Bia.
 
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FIREBASE BRICK

 "Drive On" troopers of Co. A. 2nd Bn.- (Ambl.), 501st Inf., recently found to enemy munitions caches in mountainous jungles, about 25 miles south-southwest of Hue.

The first discovery included 22 82mm mortar rounds, 8 82mm mortar fuses and 14 cans of powder charges. The cache was found under some bushes near the company's night defensive position.

Another cache of munitions was found about 50 meters from the first one, under some bushes near a recently-used trail.

The cache included 91 82mm mortar rounds, 87 primers and 97 charges. The munitions were extracted to FS/OB Brick, located about 15 miles south-southwest of Hue.

Screaming Eagle, December 1970.

 

 


A Skycrane airlifts a 155 howitzer

Members of A Company observe artillery fire-power


"Giant" GI Routs NVA

FIREBASE BRICK, Vietnam (Special) -- Pfc. John Ray Fair, a machine gunner with A Co., 2nd Bn., 501st Inf., 101st Airborne Div. (Airmobile), stands out in a crowd. He's 6-feet-7.

Imagine the surprise registered on the face of a North Vietnamese soldier when, wandering down a trail in northern Military Region 1 about 18 miles southeast of Hue, the diminutive met the gigantic.

"We were moving down a trail when this little NVA soldier turns a corner and just walks right up. He was only about five feet away when he saw me and started looking up." said Fair.

"He looked shocked, " Fair said, "Maybe not so much that I was an American, but at my size. Then he slowly started to back up. I was really surprised too, but I recovered before he did."

The result of the meeting was one NVA soldier killed and an AK47 rifle and a rucksack captured.

Pacific Stars & Stripes
Monday, Feb. 22, 1871

 

 

A Hunch Spoils Charlie’s Ambush
FB BRICK, - Vietnam.”Drop," Fulmer rasped, lunging to the ground, dragging his two comrades into the sand of the dried-up creek bed with him. With one hand over his mouth Fulmer motioned with his other' hand toward the cause of his alert. Two feet above him, dug into the creek bank was a two-story, hut-bunker. The three men sensed imminent danger. They knew the area could be booby-trapped. Breathlessly they examined the area for trip wires.

With their backs flat against the wall under the opening, they sat still, listening for sounds of movement, Fulmer raised his head and peered into the dark hollow. When his eyes adjusted to the blackness, he could see that there was nobody inside. He crawled through the hole.

A chill came over his body. He was close to the enemy - an hour behind at the most. He shivered in the clammy cave. As he studied the inside of the cave, his eyes focused on a cooking pot on a rock stove in the middle of the 8' x 6' dirt floor. He knelt and touched the ashes. They were still warm. Nearby was a basket of wet rice and red peppers, ready to be eaten. On a bamboo shelf in one corner were a pair of sandals, a rice bag, several pieces of blue silk cloth, and one AK-47 magazine. Whoever lived there hadn't been gone very long, and it looked like he might come back anytime.

"Pssst", Fulmer jumped and slammed his back against the wall, "Hey, Bob, let's get back, it's almost dark." "Yeh, okay."

The discovery and search of bunker complexes is an every day occurrence in the mountains of Nam Hoa and Phu Loc Districts of Thua Thien Province, NVA. In the two rural districts in the first half of January, 2d Bde troopers of the 101st Abn Div (Airmob) have "discovered more bunkers and destroyed more booby traps than during the entire month of December," according to 1st Lt. John Fowler of Atlanta, assistant brigade intelligence officer.

"Usually, the bunkers are from a month to one or two years old. Almost always, they are hit with air strikes, Cobra gunships, and artillery before the infantry searches them," he added.

Following the hunch of an American infantryman and the aggressiveness of a Vietnamese scout, 1st Pltn, Co A, 2d Bn (Airmob), 501st Inf, recently discovered and searched an enemy company-sized basecamp and ambush site, and, chased the enemy’s advance party out of the area before indirect firepower destroyed the bunkers and fighting positions.

The platoon had just set up a defensive position for noon chow. "I noticed a freshly cut trail heading from our defensive position," said PFC Tommy Elliot of Holland, Miss. "I followed the trail for about 50 meters and found a dried-up creek bed."

  Elliot returned to the platoon and told of his find. In a few seconds he was going back, this time with his buddy, PFC Robert Fulmer of Conshocken, Pa., and RTO Cpl. Kenneth Robbins of Atlanta. The trio moved cautiously down the trail and into the creek bed, where they spotted the bunker an arm's length away. "It was so well camouflaged that the sudden close sight of it was frightening," said Elliot.

It looked like a man-made cave with the small opening," added Robbins. “Its presence didn't even disturb the appearance of the hillside landscape."

Darkness cut the men's search short. The following day one squad, led by a Viet scout, Nguyen Hung found, attacked and searched 10 more enemy bunkers nearby, including a large 10’x10’ foot mess hall bunker and numerous interconnecting tunnels.

"Hung searched the bunker we found the first day," said Fulmer. "About 25 meters beyond that bunker was a tunnel leading to the first of a 10-bunker complex. Hung said the first bunker was an observation post. Since the first bunker was unmanned, he thought we could catch the enemy off-guard, so we attacked.

“Only one or two of the bunkers were visible from the air. Finding them was a lengthy process. Hung crawled through the dense undergrowth until be spotted one. He then alerted the search squad, jumped up and fired a burst of automatic fire with his rifle, then hit the dirt and crawled again. After two or three times repeating this alternating firing and crawling, he reached the bunker, threw a hand-grenade inside, ducked as it blew up, then stood up and sprayed the inside with a burst from his rifle.

"Twice when Hung threw a grenade in a bunker, smoke came out of the ground a few meters away, which marked another bunker connected by a tunnel. The rest of the bunkers we found by crawling and looking."

"HUNG said the area was a company-sized basecamp that until recently had not been used for one or two years," said Fulmer. "When we found the complex there had been enemy soldiers there within the last few minutes. Hung could tell by looking at the bunkers that the enemy was rebuilding and reinforcing them for reoccupation in the future."

The next day, a few hundred meters away from the basecamp and connected by trails, the unit found platoon-sized LZ. Around the LZ were at least 10 fighting positions.

1st. Lt. STEPHEN ATKINSON

Army Times, March 71

 

 


Doc Stafford - Firebase Brick (photo from Brian Eveleth)

 

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FIREBASE BULLET

 

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FIREBASE CANNON

 

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CAMP HASKINS

 

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FIREBASE HELEN

 

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FIREBASE CHARLIE 2

 

 

 

 

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FIREBASE CHECKMATE

 

 


 

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COL CO BEACH (aka Cocoa Beach or Coco Beach)

Col Co Beach was a Navy installation in Thua Thien Province, renamed Eagle Beach. Approximately 10 km east northeast of Hue and near Tan My Navy fuel tank farm and POL pipeline facility adjacent to and including Eagle Beach, Eagle Beach R&R center built later.

 

 


 

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CAMP CURRAHEE

 

 

 

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CAMP CURELESS

 

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FIREBASE DESTINY

 

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CAMP EAGLE

(formerly known as LZ El Paso)

 


In the foxhole are Jerry W. Burrell - Matthew J. Wormsley - Nelson Santiago-Aponte - Vietnam 1968

 

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FIREBASE EAGLES NEST

 

Photos shared by Dave Huzarewicz.

 

 

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FIREBASE FALCON

 

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FIREBASE FURY

 

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FIREBASE GEORGIA

 

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FIREBASE GERONIMO

 

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FIREBASE GLADIATOR

 

 

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FIREBASE GOODMAN

Firebase Goodman was located 42 km WSW of Hue and 5 km NW of FSB Airborne.
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FIREBASE WHIP

 

The following photos were supplied by Greg Bucknor.


FB Whip Apr 16, 1969
 
FB Whip Apr 15, 1969

 

 

 


 

FIREBASE ZON

 

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FIREBASE RIFLE

 

 

The following photos were provided by Jumpin' Jimmy Williams and others.
 
The photos below were provided by Gary Griffin... he was in country from September 68 to March 70 crewing slicks in support of the 502.

 

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FIREBASE BIRMINGHAM

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

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FIREBASE BLAZE

 

The following photos were supplied by Anthony Critchlow. Anthony served was with HHC 2/506 a 94b20 (cook). His tour of duty was july 1969 to 1970 and he was on fsb Blaze, Birmingham, Bastogne, an a airfield called MI Loc and finally on FSB Ripcord.

 

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FIREBASE BLITZ

 

       

 

 

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FIREBASE BOISE

 

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FIREBASE BOXER

 

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FIREBASE BOYDE

 

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FIREBASE BRADLEY

Firebase Bradley was located 44 Kilometers WSW Of Hue.
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LZ BETTY

 

     

 

 

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FIREBASE BERTESGADEN

 

Firebase Berchtesgaden overlooking the Ashau Valley
     

 

 

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FIREBASE PISTOL

 

  A Huey brings supplies. The LZ (landing zone) is cut in the jungle in a low spot not preferred by pilots. The helicopter blades present a danger to the troops unloading.

54th ARVNs Excel in Combined Operation

FIREBASE PISTOL - Recently the 2nd Bn. (Ambl.), 501st Inf. and the 2nd Bn., 54th Regt. ARVN conducted a combined operation two miles north of the Ruong Ruong Valley, 25 miles south-southeast of Hue.

The area of operation for the mission was approximately 20 square miles of rugged mountainous terrain located six miles northwest of the southern tip of the A Shau Valley. According to MAJ Jeff Chancey, El Paso, Tex., 2nd Brigade S-3, "This was an area which, in the past, was infested with enemy. However, the extensive and thorough search operation revealed no significant signs of enemy activity."

Even though there were no signs of enemy activity, LTC Michael Boos, Fayetteville, N.C.," 2/501 battalion commander, expressed continued high praise for the 54th ARVN Regiment's ability to grasp the air mobility and search and attack concepts of the 101st.

"I am continually impressed with the caliber of the men of the 54th Regiment," commented LTC Boos. "We have and are still learning from these men. We have definitely proven that American and ARVN soldiers can participate in combined military efforts to produce successful operations. This is the second successful mission we have completed in recent weeks." LTC Boos indicated that mutual respect between the 2/501st and the 54th Regt. continues to grow as operations increase.

Army Reporter, March 1971

 



 

 

 

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Firebase Veghel

 

 

Eagle Diary

During this period, the Drive On 2nd Bn. (Ambl.), 501st Inf. operating in two locations approximately 10 and 17 miles southwest of Hue, was busy destroying the enemy and his cache.

The action began with the 3rd Plat, Co. C, 2/501st, uncovering a buried cache of RPG rounds and boosters and tunnel digging equipment north of FB Bastogne.

The next morning, the 3rd Plat. of Co. B discovered a large bunker south of FB Veghel. An investigation revealed six 82mm mortar rounds with one box of fuses, one 60mm mortar round and six antitank mines.

Co. C discovered a second cache consisting of several 82mm mortar rounds and fuses, one grenade, an RPG round, two helmets and shovel.

Co. D got into the show by digging up 10 60mm mortar rounds and 25 AK-47 rounds. Then, Co. E's Recon Team No. 1 found an AK-47 rifle with magazine along a stream bed.

The biggest fight came the next day south of FB Veghel. The 3rd Plat. of Co. B came under attack from an unknown size enemy force. An attempt by the 3rd Plat. of Co. A to air assault and reinforce the element was aborted due to heavy fire from enemy gunners around the LZ. Co. A moved by land toward the "Bravos" while artillery, ARA and tactical air strikes were employed. As the elements attempted to link up, both units received mortar and small arms fire. The Screaming Eagles returned organic weapons fire and again artillery was employed.

The 4th Plat. of Co. B then came under attack. The element returned fire and routed the NVA. A search of the areas of fighting revealed seven enemy dead.

At noon the next day during a CA, Co. A, 2/501st, received 12.7mm machinegun and small arms fire from the area surrounding the LZ. The “Attack" troopers returned organic weapons fire and ARA was employed. A sweep of the area revealed three NVA killed. During the sweep the 101st troops were again engaged by the enemy and again the U.S. troopers sent the NVA force, minus one dead, fleeing.

All equipment, supplies and munitions captured during the operation were evacuated.

Screaming Eagle, Apr 71

 

Lives Saved

FIRE BASE BASTOGNE - A platoon from Co. A, 2nd Bn., 501st Inf., 101st onto Airborne Division (Airmobile), while making a combat assault onto a landing zone (LZ) near Fire Base Veghel, came under enemy small arms fire.

Spec. 4 Robert Ivy was a member of this platoon. When the platoon leader was injured, Ivy assumed command of the platoon and exposed himself to enemy fire while organizing the platoon for an assault on the enemy.

His squad, along with the rest of the platoon, drove the enemy from the LZ, allowing the medevac helicopter to come in and evacuate the wounded.

Soon after contact was broken, the platoon was extracted from the area leaving five enemy killed in action near the LZ.

Screaming Eagle, Jun 71  

   
     

 

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Photo provided by Bill Maxey

 


 


Unknown Firebase

 

Do you recognize these firebases. If you do, please write me: info@alphaavengers.com. Walter Bouman (Bravo Company) wrote to say he thinks it might be Eagles Nest. He said it was a lookout during Hamberger Hill period.


  

 
The following photo was provided by Gary Griffin... he was in country from September 68 to March 70 crewing slicks in support of the 502. (Possibly FB Roy???)

 

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Lawrence Dawson Photos

 

Lawrence wrote:

I was a pathfinder in the 101st 1969 and helped on some of these firebases and was on others - we were attached to the 160th aviation group. We were air traffic control on the firebases as well as opening them up usually on combat assaults we were 2 man teams who went in and helped open, as take down trees and control air sorties coming in of equipment as bull dozers and such.

Lawrence W. Dawson

(Maverick)



Lawrence & Tim Alicoate aka “poptop” he is on the left

Lawrence on a FB with civil war cannon

Bak Ma MT French Resort

FB Carroll

FB Thor

Hue cannons

Land Strip Ashau Valley

Landing Strip Ashau Valley

FB Thor

Lawrence on FB Thor

 



 

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Camp Evans

 

This photo of Camp Evans from the air was submitted by Frank B Smith who was with 3/187.

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