Landing Zone Mack

Landing Zone Mack (also known as Hill 484) was a U.S. Marine Corps base located northwest of Cam Lộ, Quảng Trị Province in central Vietnam.

Landing Zone Mack
Coordinates16.832°N 106.844°E / 16.832; 106.844 (Landing Zone Mack)
TypeMarines
Site history
Built1968
In use1968-9
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Garrison information
Occupants3rd Marine Division

History

The base was located on Mutter's Ridge north of The Rockpile, approximately 16 km northwest of Cam Lo.[1]

Hill 484 was the scene of heavy fighting between the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces during Operation Prairie in early October 1966. It was captured by the Marines but then abandoned after the battle.[2]

The base was established by the 3rd Marines during Operation Lancaster II when it was dropped here on 13 August 1968 to head off the PAVN 64th Regiment which was believed to be moving into the area. The Marines were unable to locate the PAVN and Mack was abandoned on 15 August.[3]:397 On 21 November elements of 3rd Battalion 12th Marines were deployed to Mack and in early December 3/12 Marines conducted sweeps north of Mack.[3]:451–2

On 2 March 1969 the 1st Battalion 4th Marines began Operation Purple Martin north of the Rockpile to reopen Mack and engage the PAVN 246th Regiment which was believed to be located in the area. Despite early morning PAVN mortar fire 1/4 Marines seized the summit of Mack by mid-morning, however the Marines were then hit by mortar fire causing numerous casualties and forcing them from the summit. With bad weather limiting air support the Marines dug in and were subjected to small arms and mortar fire. On the afternoon of 5 March following an artillery barrage the Marines assaulted the summit of Mack clearing numerous PAVN bunkers.[4]

The actions at Mack in 1969 correspond to those at the fictional Firebase Matterhorn in Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War where the author Karl Marlantes fought.[5]

References
  1. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. pp. 5–318. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. Shulimson, Jack (1982). U.S. Marines In Vietnam: An Expanding War – 1966. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office. p. 191-5. ISBN 978-1494285159. OCLC 4036650. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. Shulimson, Jack (1988). US Marines in Vietnam: 1968 The Defining Year. History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps. ISBN 9781494285715. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. Smith, Charles (1988). US Marines in Vietnam High Mobility and Standdown 1969. History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps. pp. 52–3. ISBN 9781494287627. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. "Karl Marlantes and the Vietnam War". Viet Nam Literature Project. 6 November 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.

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

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