Tonle Cham Camp

Tonle Cham Camp (also known as Tonle Cham Special Forces Camp or Tong Le Chon Special Force camp) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base southwest of An Lộc in southern Vietnam.

Tonle Cham Camp
Tonle Cham Camp, 19 March 1967
Coordinates11.59°N 106.485°E / 11.59; 106.485 (Tonle Cham Camp)
TypeArmy
Site history
Built1967
In use1967-74
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Garrison information
Occupants5th Special Forces Group
92nd Ranger Battalion
Tonle Cham Airfield
Summary
Elevation AMSL33 ft / 10 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
3,000 914 laterite

History

The 5th Special Forces Group Detachment A-334[1] first established a base here in 1967 to monitor communist infiltration from base areas in the Fishhook (Cambodia).The base was located beside the Saigon River on Route 248 8 km southeast of the Fishhook and approximately 14 km southwest of An Lộc.[2]

On 28 November 1968 Lockheed C-130B Hercules #61-2644 of the 776th Tactical Airlift Squadron was damaged beyond repair after its nose gear failed while landing at Tonle Cham[3]

Following the Battle of An Lộc the base was transferred to the 92nd Ranger Battalion in late 1972.[2]

On 25 March 1973, less than 2 months after the Paris Peace Accords went into effect, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) began a siege of the camp.[4] The Rangers held out for more than a year before they abandoned the base to the PAVN on 12 April 1974.[5]

Current use

The base has been turned over to farmland and housing.

References
  1. Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 246. ISBN 9780811700719.
  2. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 5–517. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  3. "Lockheed C-130B Hercules 61-2644 Tonle Cham Airfield". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  4. "Central Intelligence Bulletin 21 March 1973" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  5. "Central Intelligence Bulletin 13 April 1974" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
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