Firebase Pedro

Firebase Pedro
Firebase Pedro
Coordinates	16°42′36″N 107°06′22″E / 16.71°N 107.106°E
Type	Army/Marines
Site history
Built	1968
In use	1968–1972
Battles/wars	; Vietnam War; Easter Offensive
Garrison information
Occupants	Vietnamese Marine Corps

Firebase Pedro (also known as Landing Zone Pedro) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) firebase southwest of Quảng Trị in central Vietnam.

History[]

The base was established on Route 557 approximately 5 km southwest of the Quảng Trị.^[1]

Landing Zone Pedro was first established by the 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment in January 1968 for use during Operation Pegasus.

1972[]

By January 1972 the ARVN 3rd Division had assumed responsibility for the area north of Highway 9.^[2] Pedro was occupied by the Vietnamese Marine Corps (VNMC) 1st Marine Battalion.^[2]^: 66

The PAVN launched their Easter Offensive on 30 March 1972 and PAVN artillery fire hit all the ARVN and Marine positions along the DMZ.^[2]^: 38 On 5 April the VNMC 1st Battalion was withdrawn to Ái Tử Combat Base and replaced with the VNMC 6th battalion.^[2]^: 67 At dawn on 9 April the PAVN launched an attack, led by tanks, against Pedro. The PAVN tanks had outrun their infantry support and 9 tanks were lost in a minefield around Pedro. An armored task force of 8 M48s and 12 M113s from the ARVN 20th Tank Battalion were despatched from Ái Tử to support the Marines at Pedro. At the same time a flight of Vietnamese Air Force Douglas A-1 Skyraiders arrived overhead and destroyed 5 tanks.^[2]^: 68–9 When the ARVN armor arrived they destroyed five T-54s for no losses and drove one captured T-54 back to Ái Tử. On 10 and 11 April further PAVN attacks on Pedro were repulsed at a cost of over 200 PAVN estimated killed.^[2]^: 70

At 02:00 on 29 April the PAVN attacked the ARVN positions north and south of Ái Tử and the ARVN defenses began to crumble. By midday on 30 April, the 3rd Division commander ordered a withdrawal from Ái Tử to a defensive line along the south of the Thạch Hãn River and the withdrawal was completed late that day.^[2]^: 79–80

Current use[]

The base has reverted to jungle.

References[]

^ Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 388. ISBN 978-1555716257.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Melson, Charles (1991). U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The War That Would Not End, 1971–1973. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. p. 32. ISBN 978-1482384055.

[1] Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 388. ISBN 978-1555716257.

[Melson-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Melson, Charles (1991). U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The War That Would Not End, 1971–1973. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. p. 32. ISBN 978-1482384055.

[1]

[2]