Firebase Bastogne
Encyclopedia
Firebase Bastogne was a United States firebase in South Vietnam
, at 16°21′20"N 107°26′55"E (MGRS 48QYD620095). It was located along Highway 547 halfway between the city of Huế
and the A Shau Valley
, a feeder route from the Ho Chi Minh Trail
. Bastogne was constructed in 1968 by the 101st Airborne Division
. It was later closed, but reopened in August 1969 by the 2nd/501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division.
It was overrun by the North Vietnamese Army in 1972 during the Easter Offensive. It was recaptured later in 1972 by ARVN Forces with American air support. Firebase Bastogne was the largest firebase in Northern I Corp. It was also the closest to the Ashau Valley sitting along QL 547, the road from the City of Huế to the Valley.
Bastogne had four artillery batteries: 105, 155, 175 and 8 inch. It also had 2 twin 40-MM "Dusters"
(from D Battery 1/44th Artillery/108th Artillery group), 2 quad 50's and 1 searchlight.
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, at 16°21′20"N 107°26′55"E (MGRS 48QYD620095). It was located along Highway 547 halfway between the city of Huế
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
and the A Shau Valley
A Shau Valley
The A Shau Valley is a valley in Vietnam's, Thừa Thiên province, west of the city of Huế along the border with Laos. The valley was one of the key entry points into South Vietnam for men and matériel brought along the Ho Chi Minh Trail by the communist forces and was the scene of heavy fighting...
, a feeder route from the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Ho Chi Minh trail
The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam through the neighboring kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia...
. Bastogne was constructed in 1968 by the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
. It was later closed, but reopened in August 1969 by the 2nd/501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division.
It was overrun by the North Vietnamese Army in 1972 during the Easter Offensive. It was recaptured later in 1972 by ARVN Forces with American air support. Firebase Bastogne was the largest firebase in Northern I Corp. It was also the closest to the Ashau Valley sitting along QL 547, the road from the City of Huế to the Valley.
Bastogne had four artillery batteries: 105, 155, 175 and 8 inch. It also had 2 twin 40-MM "Dusters"
M42 Duster
The M42 40 mm Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, or "Duster," is an armored light air-defense gun built for the U.S. Army from 1952 until December 1959. Production of this vehicle was performed by the tank division of the General Motors Corporation. It used components from the M41 light tank...
(from D Battery 1/44th Artillery/108th Artillery group), 2 quad 50's and 1 searchlight.