Xuân Lộc Base Camp (also known as Xuân Lộc Airfield or Firebase Husky) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base in the town of Xuân Lộc in Đồng Nai Province in southern Vietnam.
Xuân Lộc Camp | |
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Coordinates | 10°55′17″N 107°15′20″E / 10.92139°N 107.25556°E |
Type | Army Base |
Site history | |
Built | 1966 |
In use | 1966–75 |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War Battle of Xuân Lộc |
Garrison information | |
Occupants | 5th Special Forces 18th Infantry Division |
Xuân Lộc Airfield | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 525 ft / 160 m | ||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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History
editThe base was established in late 1966 by the 5th Special Forces Detachment AB-31. The camp was located in Xuân Lộc and 28 km north of Nui Dat.[1]
On 18 May 1969 at 01:00 the 7th Battalion, 9th Artillery Regiment and the 2nd Battalion, 35th Artillery Regiment, 54th Artillery Group at the base were attacked by elements of the Viet Cong (VC) 5th Division. Some VC penetrated the perimeter, but were driven back by the artillerymen. The defenders were supported by helicopter gunships, air strikes and AC-47 Spooky gunships. As the action continued a unit of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment arrived and engaged the VC. Fighting continued until 06:00 resulting in 24 VC killed and 14 U.S. killed.[2]
The ARVN 18th Infantry Division had its headquarters here and the base and airfield were at the centre of the Battle of Xuân Lộc in April 1975.
Current use
editThe base is abandoned and turned over to housing and farmland.
References
edit- ^ Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 556. ISBN 978-1555716257.
- ^ "Headquarters MACV Monthly Summary May 1969" (PDF). Headquarters United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. 1 October 1969. p. 40. Retrieved 19 May 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.