Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Battle of Firebase Support Base Ripcord | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Vietnam War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Combatants | |||||||
| Image:Flag of North Vietnam.svg North Vietnam | Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, Maj. Gen. Chu Phong Doi | LTC Andre Lucas†, Col Ben Harrison | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 9 Battalions | 1 Battalion | ||||||
| Casualties | |||||||
| 2400+ KIA | 250~ KIA, 1,000+ WIA | ||||||
| Vietnam War |
|---|
| Ap Bac – Binh Gia – Song Be – Dong Xoai – Ia Drang – Long Tan – Dak To – Tra Binh Dong –Ong Thanh – 1st Tet – Khe Sanh – 1st Saigon – Lang Vei – Hills 881 & 861 – 2nd Tet – Hamburger Hill – Binh Ba – Ripcord – FSB Mary Ann – Easter '72 – An Loc – Kontum – Phuoc Long – Ho Chi Minh – Buon Ma Thuot – Xuan Loc – 2nd Saigon – Barrell Roll – Rolling Thunder – Pony Express – Steel Tiger – Commando Hunt – Linebacker I – Linebacker II – Chenla I – Tiger Hound – Lima Site 85 – Tailwind – Chenla II – Cambodia |
The Battle of Firebase Support Base Ripcord was a 23 day battle between the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and the North Vietnamese Army from July 1, 1970 until July 23, 1970. It was the last major confrontation between the United States and North Vietnam of the Vietnam War.
Contents |
[edit] Background
In early 1970, the Vietnam War was quickly reaching it's end. On March 12, 1970, as the United States began to withdraw from the conflict, the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division began building a firebase which relied on a helicopter lifeline to get supplies in and the personnel out. The firebase was to be used for a planned offensive by the 101st to destroy NVA supply bases in the mountains overlooking the A Shau Valley. Located on the eastern edge of the A Shau Valley, and taking place at the same time as the Cambodian Incursion, the operation was considered covert. The participants were bound to secrecy for fifteen years, so little was known about the battle until 1985, when the FSB Ripcord Association was founded. Three Medals of Honor and five Distinguished Service Crosses were earned during the operations. As the 101st Airborne Division planned the attack on the NVA supply bases, the North Vietnamese Army was secretly observing their activities. After weeks of reconnaissance by the NVA, on the morning of July 1, 1970 the North Vietnamese Army launched a surprise mortar attack on the firebase. During the 23 day battle, 250 U.S. servicemen were killed in action including Colonel Andre Lucas, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and First Lt. Bob Kalsu, the only recently active pro athlete to be killed during the Vietnam War. Fighting from four hilltops, surrounded, and outnumbered nearly ten to one, U.S. forces virtually destroyed eight of nine NVA battalions before an aerial withdrawal under heavy mortar, anti-aircraft, and small arms fire. NVA losses at Ripcord delayed the ability of North Vietnam to overrun South Vietnam for at least one year.
After the U.S. Army withdraw from the firebase, USAF B-52 heavy bombers were sent in to carpet bomb the area.
[edit] Units involved
[edit] United States
- 2nd Battalion (Currahees), 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). The main US infantry unit involved.
- 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
- 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
- Battery A, 1st Battalion 39th Artillery, self-propelled 8in Howitzers, and 175mm Self-Propelled Guns.
- Battery A, 2nd Battalion 94th Artillery, XXIVth Corps, self-propelled 8in Howitzers, and 175mm Self-Propelled Guns.
- 2nd Battalion, 319th Artillery. 105mm Howitzers.
- 2nd Battalion, 11th Artillery. 155mm Howitzers.
- 4th Battalion, 77th Artillery. Aerial Rocket Artillery.
- 2/17th Cavalry.
- 158th Aviation Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). Assault and Gunship companies.
- 159th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion. Medium Lift companies (CH-47) and Heavy Lift company (CH-54)
- 58th Scout Dog Platoon, 101st Airborne Division.
- G Battery, 65th Artillery Quad 50
[edit] North Vietnam
- 324B Division. The main PAVN division involved.
- 304B Division. Supporting role.
- Four artillery battalions.
- Four 120mm mortar companies.
- One anti-aircraft battalion.
- One sapper battalion (reinforced)
[edit] References
[edit] Books
- "Ripcord: Screaming Eagles Under Siege, Vietnam 1970" by Keith W. Nolan, Presidio Press, 2000, ISBN 0-89141-642-0
- "Hell On A Hill Top: America's Last Major Battle In Vietnam" by Major General Benjamin L. Harrison, iUniverse Press (available from Ripcord Association)
- "The Price of Exit", by Tom Marshall, Ballentine Books, 1998. ISBN 0-8041-1715-2
[edit] Articles
- Rescue From FSB Ripcord, by Tom Marshall
[edit] Video
- "Siege at Firebase Ripcord", War Stories with Oliver North, Fox News Productions, product # FOX25004600
[edit] External links
- After action report at Wikisource.
- Firebase RIPCORD
- FSB Ripcord Association - Archived quarterly publication The Ripcord Report in pdf format.
