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Sông Bé Airfield
Sông Bé Airfield
	IATA: none; ICAO: none;
Summary
Elevation AMSL	797 ft / 243 m
Runways

Sông Bé Base Camp
Sông Bé Base Camp
	Sông Bé Base Camp signal site, 10 January 1970
Coordinates	11°49′08″N 106°57′40″E / 11.819°N 106.961°E
Type	Army Base
Site history
Built	1965
In use	1965-71
Battles/wars	; Vietnam War; Battle of Song Be
Garrison information
Occupants	199th Light Infantry Brigade; 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division; 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division

Sông Bé Base Camp (also known as Sông Bé Airfield, Farley Field or Landing Zone Buttons) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam base southwest of Phước Bình in southern Vietnam.

History

The base was originally established in April 1965 as a 5th Special Forces Detachment B-34 base and was located approximately 2 km southwest of Phước Bình in Phước Long Province.^[1]^: 77 The Battle of Song Be was fought around the base in May 1965.

On 10 April 1966 the 173rd Airborne Brigade moved to Sông Bé for Operation Denver and remained there until the end of April.

The 199th Light Infantry Brigade was based at Sông Bé from December 1966 to February 1967.^[2]

The 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division comprising:

1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment^[2]^: 137
1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment^[2]^: 146
1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment^[2]^: 147

was based at Sông Bé from May until June 1969.

The 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division was based at Sông Bé in January 1968.^[2]^: 157

In August 1969 Headquarters, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division comprising:

moved to Sông Bé and would stay here until March 1971.

Other units stationed at Sông Bé included:

2nd Battalion, 19th Artillery (1970)^[2]^: 101
2nd Battalion, 40th Artillery (1968)^[2]^: 104
1st Battalion, 77th Artillery^[2]^: 106
1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry^[3]
- Alpha Troop

Accidents and incidents

18 December 1974 Republic of Vietnam Air Force Lockheed C-130A Hercules #56-0521 was destroyed on the ground
25 December 1974 Republic of Vietnam Air Force C-130A #55-0016 was shot down while landing

Current use

The base is abandoned and turned over to housing but the former airfield is still clearly visible on satellite images.

References

^ Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. ISBN 978-1555716257.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 137. ISBN 9780811700719.
^ Zahn, R (2003). Snake Pilot. Brassey's Inc. p. 246. ISBN 1-57488-565-0.