Firebase Delta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Firebase Delta
Coordinates14°31′44″N 107°47′46″E / 14.529°N 107.796°E / 14.529; 107.796 (Firebase Delta)
TypeArmy Base
Site history
Built1967
In use1967-72
Battles/warsVietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg
Vietnam War
Battle of Kontum
Garrison information
OccupantsVietnamese Rangers

Firebase Delta is a former Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) firebase northwest of Kontum in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

History[]

The base was established approximately 25 km northwest of Kontum.[1]

At the start of the Easter Offensive the base was defended by one company of ARVN Airborne and one of Rangers. On 31 March 1972 a CH-47 of the 180th Assault Support Helicopter Company on a resupply mission to the base was shot down, the crew survived and made it to the base.[2] On the morning of 3 April as U.S. forces were attempting to evacuate the CH-47 crew the base came under attack by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 52nd Regiment, the assault was repulsed using intensive tactical air strikes and the PAVN suffered 353 killed.[2]: 86 

On 21 April the PAVN launched an assault by 3 tanks supported by infantry and by the evening had succeeded in overrunning the base.[3]

Current use[]

The base has reverted to jungle.

References[]

  1. ^ Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 142. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. ^ a b McKenna, Thomas (2011). Kontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnam. University Press of Kentucky. p. 85. ISBN 9780813134017.
  3. ^ "U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Command History 1972, Annex K. Kontum, 1973. MACV" (PDF). p. K-6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
Retrieved from ""