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Tây Ninh Combat Base

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Tây Ninh Combat Base
Tay Ninh Combat Base in 1966, showing the Philippine Civil Action Group cantonment north of the runway and that of the 196th Infantry Brigade south of the runway
Coordinates11°19′30″N 106°03′00″E / 11.325°N 106.05°E / 11.325; 106.05 (Tây Ninh Combat Base)
TypeArmy
Site information
Controlled byPeople's Army of Vietnam
Site history
Built1966
In use1966–present
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Garrison information
Occupants196th Light Infantry Brigade
25th Infantry Division
1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry
Tây Ninh West Airfield
Summary
Elevation AMSL300 ft / 91 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
3,800 1,158 asphalt

Tây Ninh Combat Base (also known as Tây Ninh Base Camp and Tây Ninh West) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and current People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) base west of Tây Ninh in southern Vietnam.

History

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1966–1970

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A scout platoon of M113s from the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor enters the base, 9 August 1970

Tây Ninh Combat Base was established approximately 5 km west of the city of Tây Ninh and 12 km from the Vietnam-Cambodia border.[1]

Tây Ninh served as the base for the 196th Light Infantry Brigade from April 1966 until August 1967.[2]

Other units stationed at Tây Ninh included:

The US Air Force 619th Tactical Control Squadron Detachment 7 provided air traffic control from August 1965 until May 1968.

On 21 June 1969 after two days of shelling, the PAVN attacked the base and Tây Ninh City but were repulsed, suffering 194 dead for the loss of 10 Americans.[4]

In April 1970 the base was used as a staging area for U.S. units participating in the Cambodian Campaign for attacks west into the Parrot's Beak and north into the Fish Hook.

1970–1975

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The base was handed over to the ARVN in September 1970 and was used by the ARVN 25th Division.[1]

On the night of 21 March 1972 PAVN/VC sappers attacked the base killing 13 ARVN, while 16 of the attackers were killed.[5]

Current use

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The base remains in use by the PAVN as part of the 7th Military Region.

The airfield is no longer in use but remains clearly visible on satellite images.

References

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  1. ^ a b Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 498. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 136. ISBN 9780811700719.
  3. ^ Zahn, R (2003). Snake Pilot. Brassey's Inc. p. 54. ISBN 1-57488-565-0.
  4. ^ "Communists storm U.S. base near Tay Ninh". History Channel. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Vietnam base attacked". The New York Times. 22 March 1972. p. 4.