Vandegrift Combat Base

Vandegrift Combat Base

April 4, 1968 1st Cavalry forces at LZ Stud
Coordinates 16°42′N 106°53′E / 16.7°N 106.88°E
Type Army/Marines
Site information
Condition abandoned
Site history
Built 1968
In use 1968-71
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Garrison information
Occupants 1st Cavalry Division
9th Marines
ARVN 2nd Division

Vandegrift Combat Base (also known as FSB Vandegrift and LZ Stud) is a former U.S. Army and Marine Corps and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base north of Ca Lu in Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam.

History

1968

LZ Stud was originally established by the 1st Cavalry Division on Route 9 in early 1968 to support Operation Pegasus, the relief of Khe Sanh.[1]

The base was later occuppied by the 9th Marines, part of the 3rd Marine Division who renamed it Vandegrift Combat Base after Marine General Alexander Vandegrift.[1][2]

1969

From January-March 1969 Vandegrift was used to support Operation Dewey Canyon an offensive into the A Shau Valley south of the base.

On 9 April 1969 a Marine CH-53A helicopter (BuNo 153738) of HMH-462 crashed into the ammunition dump at Vandegrift triggering a large fire.[3]

In October 1969 the base was handed over to the ARVN 2nd Division who dismantled it and used it to reinforce Camp Carroll.[1]

1971

In late January 1971 the base was reoccuppied by the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division in support of Operation Dewey Canyon II.[2]

Current use

The base is abandoned and turned over to farmland.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 5-533. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811700719.
  3. "MAG-36 Command Chronology, April 1969". U.S. Marine Corps. p. 4. Retrieved 2 November 2014.

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.