Tonle Cham Camp

{{short description|Installation of the United States Army in Vietnam}}

{{Infobox military structure

|name=Tonle Cham Camp

|partof=

|location=

|coordinates={{Coord|11.59|N|106.485|E|display=inline|name=Tonle Cham Camp}}

|image= File:Tonle Cham camp, March 1967.png

|caption= Tonle Cham Camp, 19 March 1967

|type=Army

|code=

|built=1967

|builder=

|materials=

|height=

|used=1967-74

|demolished=

|condition=

|ownership=

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|garrison=

|commanders=

|occupants= 5th Special Forces Group
92nd Ranger Battalion

|battles= 60px
Vietnam War

|events=

}}

{{Infobox airport

| name = Tonle Cham Airfield

| elevation-f = 33

| elevation-m =

| website =

| metric-rwy =

| r1-number =

| r1-length-f = 3000

| r1-length-m =

| r1-surface = laterite

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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.

History

The 5th Special Forces Group Detachment A-334{{cite book|last=Stanton|first=Shelby|title=Vietnam Order of Battle|publisher=Stackpole Books|year=2003|isbn=9780811700719|page=246}} 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.{{cite book|last=Kelley|first=Michael|title=Where we were in Vietnam|publisher=Hellgate Press|year=2002|isbn=978-1555716257|page=517}}

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{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19681128-0|title=Lockheed C-130B Hercules 61-2644 Tonle Cham Airfield|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|accessdate=24 November 2014}}

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

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/document_conversions/5829/CIA-RDP79T00975A024000120001-1.pdf|title=Central Intelligence Bulletin 21 March 1973|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|accessdate=24 November 2014}} The Rangers held out for more than a year before they abandoned the base to the PAVN on 12 April 1974.{{cite web|url=http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/document_conversions/5829/CIA-RDP79T00975A026300210001-6.pdf|title=Central Intelligence Bulletin 13 April 1974|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|accessdate=24 November 2014}}

Current use

The base has been turned over to farmland and housing.

References