Mai Loc Camp

Mai Loc Camp
Coordinates	16.733°N 106.961°E / 16.733; 106.961 (Mai Loc Camp)
Type	Army
Site information
Condition	abandoned
Site history
Built	1968
In use	1968-72
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Garrison information
Occupants	5th Special Forces Group

Mai Loc Airfield
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Elevation AMSL	348 ft / 106 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 3,200 975 laterite

Mai Loc Camp (also known as Firebase Mai Loc and Firebase Victory) was a U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base located west of Quảng Trị in central Vietnam.

History

Bunkers and trench line on the perimeter of Mai Loc Camp, 16 October 1969

Soldier of the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, lays the foundation for a blastwall to protect an M102 105mm howitzer, 16 October 1969

Mai Loc was located approximately 8 km southwest of Ca Lu Combat Base and 25 km west of Quảng Trị.^[1]

The 5th Special Forces Group first established the base here in early 1968.^[2]

The 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division comprising:

• 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry
• 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry^[3]
• 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry^[3]: 159

supported by 2nd Battalion, 319th Artillery was based here in October–November 1969.

On 9 April 1970 at 23:00 a Tripflare was activated on the perimeter of the camp alerting the defenders. At 02:35 on 10 April the camp was hit by 75-100 82mm mortar and Rocket-propelled grenade rounds followed by a sapper attack. The Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) forces, their Special Forces advisers and artillerymen with M42 Dusters defended the camp. The sappers penetrated the perimeter but were unable to reach the inner perimeter and tactical operations center. At 03:40 a unit from the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) reinforced the camp and helicopter gunships and a Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) AC-47 Spooky gunship provided fire support. The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces withdrew by 04:55 leaving 19 dead; U.S. losses were six killed (including four members of the 14th Engineer Battalion) and 14 CIDG killed.^[4][5] U.S. Special Forces left Mai Loc in late August 1970.^[2]: 316

Other units based at Mai Loc included:

• 8th Battalion, 4th Artillery

On 2 April 1972 the 147th Marine Brigade abandoned Mai Loc in the face of the PAVN assault on Quảng Trị.^[6]

Current use

The base has been turned over to farmland.

References

1. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 323. ISBN 978-1555716257.
2. Stanton, Shelby (2008). Special Forces at War: An Illustrated History, Southeast Asia 1957-1975. Zenith Press. p. 168. ISBN 9780760334492.
3. Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 159. ISBN 9780811700719.
4. "Viet Reds overrun U.S. camp". Chicago Tribune. 10 April 1970. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
5. "Headquarters MACV Monthly Summary 1970" (PDF). Headquarters United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. 17 August 1970. pp. 28–9. Retrieved 26 March 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
6. Stoffey, Robert (2008). Fighting to Leave: The Final Years of America's War in Vietnam, 1972-1973. Zenith Press. pp. 38–42, 51. ISBN 9780760333105.