Long Bình ward

Long Binh is a ward in Biên Hòa, Đồng Nai Province, Vietnam. A synonym ward is located in District 9 of Ho Chi Minh City.

Long Binh Post

The US Army Republic Vietnam Headquarters at Long Binh was at times the largest US base outside the continental United States during the Vietnam War.[1]

During the Vietnam War, Long Binh Post was located on the east of Đồng Nai river,[2] 33 km from Saigon (now called Hồ Chí Minh City). The base functioned as a U.S. Army base, logistics center, and major command headquarters for United States Army Vietnam (USARV). Long Binh base was not far from Biên Hòa Air Base.

By mid-1967, almost all of U.S. Army Vietnam HQ Command (USARV), 1st Logistical Command, and many other Army units dispersed in Saigon were moved to Long Binh Post to resolve centralization, security, and troop billeting issues. Long Binh Post was a sprawling logistics facility and the largest U.S. Army base in Vietnam, with a peak of 60,000 personnel in 1969.[3]

The 1st Aviation Brigade, II Field Force, the 93rd & 24th Evacuation Hospitals were located on Long Binh Post. Logistics was provided by the 266th Supply & Service Battalion which provided graves registration, Class II & IV and Class 3 supplies. POL for both aviation and unit transportation was also provided for the III Corp Area in Vietnam. Another unit was the 90th Replacement Battalion, 90 Replacement Battalion was located at Bien Hoa, near Long Bien, a first stop for newly arrived U.S. Army enlisted personnel, who were then permanently assigned to other units in Vietnam; especially in this context (but influenced by the widely used initials of then-President Lyndon B. Johnson), it was known as "Long Binh Junction".

The Việt Cộng attacked the Long Binh ammunitions dump on 4 February 1967,[4] destroying at least 15,000 high explosive 155 mm artillery projectiles.[5]

Base facilities

Long Binh Post had dental clinics, large restaurants, snack bars, A Special Services Crafts Shop, that provided crafts, photo lab, wood shop, lapidary, leather crafting and silver/gold casting classes. Post Exchanges, An Olympic size swimming pool run by special services personal, swimming pools, basketball & tennis courts, a golf driving range, University of Maryland extension classes, a bowling alley, many nightclubs with live music (officer, NCO, enlisted), a Chase Manhattan Bank branch, laundry services, and a massage parlor. Long Binh included the Long Binh Stockade (yet another LBJ, "Long Binh Jail"), a U.S. Army prison, from 1966 to the 1970s. The base and its facilities were handed over to the ARVN on 11 November 1972.[1]

Present day

The area Long Binh, Bien Hoa, originally occupied by the Long Binh post is as of 2008 largely given over to industrial use, known as Long Binh Techno Park, and a shopping complex that includes a large Western-style Cora supermarket. When it opens in 2014, Line 1 of the HCMC Metro will have its terminus at Long Binh, District 9, Ho Chi Minh City; work commenced in February 2008 on the Long Binh depot.[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Long Binh base turned over to South Vietnam — History.com This Day in History — 11/11/1972
  2. ↑ VIETNAM BIEN HOA Camp Long Binh Junction - Long Binh - Bien Hoa Province - III CTZ
  3. ↑ LONG BINH - Largest American Base in Vietnam - a photo on Flickriver
  4. ↑ Edwin E. Moïse. The A to Z of the Vietnam War. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press (Rowman & Littlefield), 2005
  5. ↑ EOD in Vietnam 1966-1967, Photo Album
  6. ↑ Duc Trung (2008-02-18). "Vietnam's first subway line ready to break ground". Thanh Nien.

External links

Coordinates: 10°56′26″N 106°54′03″E / 10.940518°N 106.900892°E