Tonle Cham Camp

Tonle Cham Camp
Tonle Cham Camp, 19 March 1967
Coordinates11°35′24″N 106°29′06″E / 11.59°N 106.485°E / 11.59; 106.485 (Tonle Cham Camp)
TypeArmy
Site history
Built1967
In use1967-74
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Garrison information
Occupants5th Special Forces Group
92nd Ranger Battalion
Tonle Cham Airfield
Summary
Elevation AMSL33 ft / 10 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
3,000 914 laterite

Tonle Cham Camp (also known as Tonle Cham Special Forces Camp or Tong Le Chon Special Force camp) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base southwest of An Lộc in southern Vietnam.

History

The 5th Special Forces Group Detachment A-334[1] first established a base here in 1967 to monitor communist infiltration from base areas in the Fishhook (Cambodia).The base was located beside the Saigon River on Route 248 8 km southeast of the Fishhook and approximately 14 km southwest of An Lộc.[2]

On 28 November 1968 Lockheed C-130B Hercules #61-2644 of the 776th Tactical Airlift Squadron was damaged beyond repair after its nose gear failed while landing at Tonle Cham[3]

Following the Battle of An Lộc the base was transferred to the 92nd Ranger Battalion in late 1972.[2]

On 25 March 1973, less than 2 months after the Paris Peace Accords went into effect, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) began a siege of the camp.[4] The Rangers held out for more than a year before they abandoned the base to the PAVN on 12 April 1974.[5]

Current use

The base has been turned over to farmland and housing.

References

  1. ^ Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 246. ISBN 9780811700719.
  2. ^ a b Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 517. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  3. ^ "Lockheed C-130B Hercules 61-2644 Tonle Cham Airfield". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  4. ^ "Central Intelligence Bulletin 21 March 1973" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Central Intelligence Bulletin 13 April 1974" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2014.