Dong Ba Thin Base Camp

Dong Ba Thin Base Camp (also known as Dong Ba Thin Airfield and Dong Ba Thin Special Forces Camp) is a former U.S. Army base located northwest of Cam Ranh Base in Khánh Hòa Province, southern Vietnam.

Dong Ba Thin Base Camp
Dong Ba Thin Base Camp, 24 February 1966
Coordinates12.021°N 109.186°E / 12.021; 109.186 (Dong Ba Thin Base Camp)
TypeArmy Base
Site information
Controlled by5th Special Forces Group
Site history
Built1964
In use1964-present
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Dong Ba Thin Airfield
Summary
Elevation AMSL6 ft / 2 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
2,300 701 asphalt

History

Dong Ba Thin Base Camp was established on Highway 1 at Dong Ba Thin, 4 km northwest of Cam Ranh Base and 22 km south of Nha Trang in 1964.[1]

Dong Ba Thin hangar construction, 21 September 1967

The base comprised several different adjacent facilities: Dong Ba Thin Airfield, a short asphalt runway army airfield; Dong Ba Thin Heliport (also known as Flanders Army Heliport) on the west side of the airfield and the Special Forces Camp.[1]

The Special Forces Camp was first established by Detachment B-1, 5th Special Forces Group in December 1964 and was later used by Detachments 37, B-51, A-132, A-411 and A-521. In addition, the facility was a Special Forces forward operating base and used for Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group operations.[1]

From November 1970 to February 1973 the base was used by the United States Army Vietnam UITG individual training group battalion, responsible for the training of Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK) infantry battalions in weapons use, tactics and first aid.[1]

In March 1972 the 18-man 2nd New Zealand Army Training Team Vietnam (2 NZATTV), which included members from different branches of service including two Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) personnel, was deployed to the camp to assist with the training of FANK personnel, they would remain there until December 1972.[2]

With the withdrawal of US and New Zealand forces from South Vietnam in 1972-3, the training mission was taken over by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.[1]

Current use

The base remains in use by the People's Army of Vietnam as Lữ Đoàn HQĐB 101.

See also

References
  1. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 5–153. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. "Timeline - NZ's Vietnam War 1963-75". Vietnamwar.govt.nz. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
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