Landing Zone Baldy(also known asFSB BaldyorHill 63) was a U.S. Marine Corps, Army andArmy of the Republic of Vietnam(ARVN) base located northwest ofChu Lai,Quảng Nam Provincein central Vietnam.
| Landing Zone Baldy | |
|---|---|
 LZ Baldy, 7 November 1968 | |
| Coordinates | 15°45′58″N108°19′26″E/ 15.766°N 108.324°E |
| Type | Marines/Army |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1967 |
| In use | 1967-72 |
| Battles/wars |  Vietnam War |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | 196th Light Infantry Brigade 7th Marine Regiment 5th Marine Regiment |
Airfield information | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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History
editThe base was located at the intersection ofHighway 1and Route 535, approximately 28 km northwest of Chu Lai.[1]
Baldy was originally established by the U.S. Army196th Light Infantry Brigadeand was then taken over as the headquarters for the7th Marines.[2]
On the morning of 3 January 1968 thePeople's Army of Vietnam(PAVN)2nd Divisionmortared Baldy as part of a series of attacks on four Marines bases.[3]
In August 1969 a logistics support unit of Force Logistic Support Group Bravo was established at Baldy.[2]: 260 In late 1969 the3rd Battalion 11th Marinesmoved to Baldy.[2]: 244
In September 1970 the 7th Marines began to withdraw from theQuế Sơn Valleyand the Baldy tactical area of operations as part ofOperation Keystone Robin Alphahanding over control to the5th Marine Regiment.[4]
From 2–15 October 1970 the U.S. Army'sTask Force Saintcomprising the2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry,1st Squadron, 1st Cavalryand a battery from the3rd Battalion, 82nd Artillerywas based at Baldy forOperation Tulare Falls Iand returned again asTask Force Burnettfrom 27 to 31 October.[4]: 118
From 14 October 1970 the1st Marine Aircraft Wingdeployed a force of sixCH-46Ds,4AH-1Gsand oneUH-1E command shipto Baldy on a daily basis fromMarble Mountain Air Facilityto support 5th Marine quick reaction force (QRF) operations.[4]: 106 In late November theKorean 2nd Marine Brigadealso stationed a QRF platoon at Baldy.[4]: 113
Baldy was a base for Marine combined action and pacification programmes throughout 1969–70.[4]: 155
In January 1971 as part of the general drawdown of U.S. forces the23rd Infantry Divisiontook over the Marines' tactical area of responsibility, but made it clear they would not take over the Marine bases at Baldy,Firebase RossorFirebase Ryder.[4]: 212 On 4 March 1971, Logistics Support Unit 3 at Baldy ceased operations.[4]: 319 On 20 March 1971 the Marines turned over Baldy to the ARVN.[4]: 222
Current use
editThe base appears to remain in use by the PAVN.
References
edit- ^Kelley, Michael (2002).Where we were in Vietnam.Hellgate Press. p. 30.ISBN978-1555716257.
- ^abcSmith, Charles (1988).US Marines in Vietnam High Mobility and Standdown 1969.History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps. p. 206.ISBN9781494287627.
- ^Shulimson, Jack (1997).US Marines in Vietnam: 1968 The Defining Year.History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps. p. 100.ISBN9781494285715.
- ^abcdefghCosmas, Graham (1986).US Marines in Vietnam Vietnamization and Redeployment.History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps. p. 96.ISBN9781494287498.
This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom websites or documents of theUnited States Marine Corps.