Đức Phổ Base Camp (also known as Đức Phổ Airfield, LZ Bronco, LZ Montezuma and Núi Đàng) is a former U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army base in the Đức Phổ District, Quảng Ngãi ProvinceVietnam.
On 1 August 1967 the 3rd Brigade became part of the 4th Infantry Division, while the 4th Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade at Dầu Tiếng Base Camp became part of the 25th Infantry Division.[3]
On 3 August 1967 a C-7 Caribou (#62-4161) on approach to Đức Phổ was hit by an outgoing 155mm shell which severed its tail section causing the aircraft to crash killing all 3 crewmen.[4] The falling C-7 was photographed by Hiromichi Mine just before impact.[5]
LZ Bronco at Duc Pho became the base camp for Task Force Barker, an element of the 11th Brigade, Americal Division by 1968. Task Force Barker was named for Lt. Col. Frank Barker, its commander. Bronco was located near the southern border of I Corps, the northernmost corps in Vietnam, a particularly difficult area of operations. The operation that spawned the My Lai Massacre was actually launched from LZ Dottie to the north. The area was a nightmare for soldiers and their commanders because of the Viet Cong's habit of hiding in/infiltrating local villages, especially retreating there at night, hoping to be absorbed into the local population and become unrecognizable. One contributor to My Lai was the difficulty of distinguishing between civilians and VC infiltrators, and another was combat stresses created by events that followed the Tet offensive, including a situation where Lt. Calley's platoon was ordered to cross a known minefield before it had been cleared. Another was orders developed from apparently vague or even faulty intelligence indicating that My Lai was a Viet Cong stronghold. These factors ultimately led to the Massacre, although the mass killing was participated in by fewer than half the platoon.
Current use
The base is abandoned and turned over to farmland, light industry and housing.
References
^ abcKelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 162. ISBN978-1555716257.
^ abcdefghStanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 141. ISBN9780811700719.
