Camp Evans (Camp Evans Airfield) | |
Ensign: | |
Location: | Huế, Thừa Thiên–Huế Province |
Country: | Vietnam |
Type: | Army/Marine Base |
Pushpin Map: | Vietnam |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Shown within Vietnam |
Pushpin Label: | Camp Evans |
Operator: | Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) United States Marine Corps (USMC) United States Army (U.S. Army) |
Garrison: | 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division |
Used: | 1966- |
Builder: | 8th Engineer Battalion |
Condition: | Abandoned |
Battles: | Vietnam War |
Elevation: | 63feet |
R1-Number: | 00/00 |
R1-Length: | 2900feet |
R1-Surface: | Aluminium matting |
Camp Evans is a former U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps base northwest of Huế in central Vietnam.
Camp Evans was established by the [3rd Battalion, 26th Marines]] in late 1966 as part of Operation Chinook. The camp was located to the west of Highway 1, approximately 24 km northwest of Huế in Thừa Thiên–Huế Province. The camp was named after Marine Lance Corporal Paul Evans who was killed during Operation Chinook.[1] [2]
Marine units based at Camp Evans during this period included:
In January 1968 Camp Evans was taken over by the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).[3]
On the night of 19 May 1968 the ammunition dump at Camp Evans was hit by People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) rockets and exploded causing a chain reaction and fire that lasted more than 12 hours and damaged or destroyed 124 aircraft rendering the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division combat ineffective for a week until replacement aircraft arrived.[4]
On 3 October 1968 a USAF C-7 Caribou (#63-9753) that had just taken off from the Camp Evans airstrip collided with a 1st Cavalry Boeing CH-47 Chinook (#66-19041) resulting in the death of all 24 passengers and crew on both aircraft.[5]
Camp Evans was taken over by 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.[2]
Army units based at Camp Evans during this period included:
The 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron used Camp Evans as a forward operating base.[7]
The base is abandoned and turned over to farmland.