Landing Zone English

LZ English North, 1968.
Landing Zone English
Coordinates14°28′16″N 109°01′41″E / 14.471°N 109.028°E / 14.471; 109.028 (Landing Zone English)
TypeArmy
Site information
Conditionabandoned
Site history
Built1966
In use1966-71
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Battle of Bong Son
Garrison information
Occupants1st Cavalry Division
173rd Airborne Brigade
22nd Division
English Airfield
Summary
Elevation AMSL98 ft / 30 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
3,600 1,097 asphalt

Landing Zone English (also known as English Airfield, LZ Dog, LZ English or simply Bong Son) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base in Bồng Sơn, Bình Định Province, Vietnam.

History

LZ English and neighbouring LZs in Operation Pershing

1966-71

The base was located along Highway 1 approximately 82 km northwest of Qui Nhơn.[1] LZ Dog was originally established by the 1st Cavalry Division in late January 1966 as part of Operation Irving.[1] The base served as headquarters (together with Camp Radcliff) for the 1st Cavalry Division from July 1967 to January 1968.[2] English was the base for the 173rd Airborne Brigade from May 1968 to August 1971.[2]: 158 

From August–October 1968 combat engineers from the 18th Engineer Brigade upgraded the existing airstrip into a Lockheed C-130 Hercules capable airfield.[1]

Other units stationed at English included:

In Operation Pershing, LZ English was nearly destroyed by a fire, probably set by the PAVN 3rd Division's sappers on 6 June 1967.[5]: 319 

In November 1970 military police investigated the sale of heroin from a Vietnamese house on the base. On 24 January 1971 NBC reported that soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade stationed at English were buying heroin from the house and the South Vietnamese then proceeded to demolish the house.[6]

1972

During the Easter Offensive, after overrunning much of Bình Định Province, by 1 May the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) besieged the ARVN 40th Regiment, 22nd Division at the base. The 40th Regiment, supposed to number 3,000 soldiers had been reduced 40% by desertion and 30% by casualties.[7] On the night of 2 May the 40th Regiment abandoned the base and fled 4 miles (6.4 km) east to the coast where they were picked up Republic of Vietnam Navy landing craft.[8]

Current use

The base is abandoned and turned over to farmland, light industry and housing. The airfield remains visible on satellite images.

References

  1. ^ a b c Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 172. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 73. ISBN 9780811700719.
  3. ^ LTC Andrew C. Remson Jr. "19TH ENGINEER BATTALION UNITED STATES ARMY" (PDF). 19th Engineer Battalion Vietnam Association. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  4. ^ McGibbon, Ian (2010). New Zealand's Vietnam War: A history of combat, commitment and controversy. Exisle, Auckland NZ & Ministry of Culture and Heritage. pp. 318–24. ISBN 978-0-908988969.
  5. ^ MacGarrigle, George (1998). Combat Operations: Taking the Offensive, October 1966 to October 1967 (PDF). United States Army Center of Military History. ISBN 9780160495403.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ Hammond, William (1996). The U.S. Army in Vietnam Public Affairs The Military and the Media 1968-1973. U.S. Army Center of Military History. p. 393. ISBN 978-0160486968.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. ^ Craig R. Whitney (2 May 1972). "Allied program fails a key test". The New York Times. p. 1.
  8. ^ Fox Butterfield (4 May 1972). "1968 hero sent in". The New York Times. p. 1.