Dĩ An Base Camp Explained

Dĩ An Base Camp
Type:Army/Marine Base
Built:1966
Used:1966–present
Occupants:1st Infantry Division
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Republic of Vietnam Marine Division
Battles:
Vietnam War
Dĩ An Army Airfield
Elevation-F:108
R1-Length-F:2800
R1-Surface:laterite

Dĩ An Base Camp (also known as Dĩ An Army Airfield or Song Than Base Camp) is a former U.S. Army and Republic of Vietnam Marine Division base in Dĩ An northeast of Saigon in southern Vietnam. It remains in use by the People's Army of Vietnam.

History

1966–72

Dĩ An Base Camp was established at Dĩ An, 13 km northeast of Tan Son Nhut Air Base and 12 km southwest of Biên Hòa.[1]

The 1st Infantry Division had its headquarters at Dĩ An from February 1966 until September 1967 and from November 1969 until April 1970.[2]

Other units stationed at Dĩ An included:

The airfield was capable of accommodating C-7 Caribou and C-123 aircraft.[1]

The Mobile Advisory Teams advisor school operated at the base from 1969 until September 1971.[4]

On 30 July 1969, US President Richard Nixon visited the base on his only Presidential visit to South Vietnam, meeting US military personnel.[5]

On 13 October 1971 Vietcong sappers destroyed two U.S. helicopters at the camp.[6]

On 8 September 1972 the Republic of Vietnam Marine Division established a training center, ranges, hospital, recruit depot and LVT base on part of the former camp and named it Song Than Camp.[7]

Current use

The base remains in use by the People's Army of Vietnam.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kelley, Michael. Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. 2002. 978-1555716257. 144.
  2. Book: Stanton, Shelby. Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. 2003. 9780811700719. 74.
  3. Book: Zahn. R. Snake Pilot. Brassey's Inc. 2003. 1-57488-565-0. 249.
  4. Book: Clarke, Jeffrey. The U.S. Army in Vietnam Advice and Support: The Final Years, 1965-1973 . U.S. Army Center of Military History. 1998. 978-1518612619. 452.
  5. Web site: Presidential and Secretaries travels abroad Richard M. Nixon. State Department Office of the Historian. 22 May 2018.
  6. News: The New York Times. Enemy demolition squad destroys two U.S. copters. 14 October 1971. 4.
  7. Book: Dunham, George R. U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Bitter End, 1973–1975 (Marine Corps Vietnam Operational Historical Series) . History and Museums Division Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. 1990. 978-0-16-026455-9. 16.