A Lưới Camp
A Lưới Camp | |
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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 | |||||||||||
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IATA: none – ICAO: none | |||||||||||
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 C-123 and C-130 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.
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.