Quần Lợi Base Camp

Quản Lợi Base Camp
Coordinates11°40′26″N 106°39′47″E / 11.674°N 106.663°E / 11.674; 106.663 (Quần Lợi Base Camp)
TypeArmy Base
Site history
Built1967
In use1967–72
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Battle of An Lộc
Garrison information
Occupants1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
5th Division
Quản Lợi Airfield
Summary
Elevation AMSL508 ft / 155 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
3,900 1,189 laterite

Quản Lợi Base Camp (also known as LZ Andy or Rocket City) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base east of An Lộc, Binh Phuoc Province, in southern Vietnam.

History

Sign erected by 1st Engineer Bn, 1967

1967-71

The base appears to have been initially used to support Operation Junction City in February–May 1967.

The base was established in 1967 on the site of a former French rubber plantation and was located approximately 6 km east of An Lộc in Bình Long Province.[1]

The 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division comprising:

was based at Quản Lợi from March 1968 until August 1969.

The 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry was based at Quản Lợi in April 1969.[2]: 126 

In July 1969 the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment moved to Quản Lợi and would remain here until September 1969. The regiment would be based here again from December 1969 to July 1970, during which time it participated in the Cambodian Incursion.[2]: 131 

In February 1970 the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division comprising:

moved to Quản Lợi and would stay here until August 1970. The 3rd Brigade would participate in the Cambodian Incursion.

Other units stationed at Quản Lợi included:

1972-5

The ARVN took over the base and at the start of the Battle of An Lộc in April 1972 it was defended by a battalion of the 7th Regiment, 5th Division[4] and was also the base for the 9th Regiment.[4]: 55  A combined 105mm and 155mm artillery battery was also based at Quản Lợi.[4]: 55  On the evening of 7 April elements of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN/VC) 9th Division overran Quản Lợi, the 7th Regiment was ordered to destroy their heavy equipment and fall back to An Lộc.[4]: 70  Once captured the PAVN/VC used Quản Lợi as a staging base for units coming in from Cambodia to join the siege of An Lộc[4]: 91  and key members of COSVN were based there to oversee the battle.[4]: 119 

On 8 August the ARVN 18th Division launched an assault to retake Quản Lợi but were stopped by the PAVN/VC in the base's reinforced concrete bunkers. A further attack was launched on 9 August with limited gains and attacks on the base continued for the next 2 weeks eventually gaining one third of the base.[4]: 198  The ARVN finally attacked the PAVN/VC occupied bunkers with TOW missiles and M-202 rockets and this broke the PAVN/VC defense forcing the remaining defenders to flee the base.[4]: 201 

Current use

The base is largely overgrown but a small area appears to remain in use by the PAVN.

In November 2022 Bình Phước Province announced plans to redevelop the Quản Lợi military airport into a 350-hectare special-purpose airport.[5]

References

  1. ^ Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 427. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 137. ISBN 9780811700719.
  3. ^ Zahn, R (2003). Snake Pilot. Brassey's Inc. p. 67. ISBN 1-57488-565-0.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Lam, Quang Thi (2009). Hell in An Loc: The 1972 Easter Invasion and the Battle that Saved South Vietnam. University of North Texas Press. p. 34. ISBN 9781574412765.
  5. ^ "Ministry of National Defence agrees to upgrade southern military airport for specialised use". VietNam News. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2024.