Quần Lợi Base Camp

Quần Lợi Base Camp (also known as LZ Andy or Rocket City) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base east of An Lộc, Binh Phuoc Province, in southern Vietnam.

Quần Lợi Base Camp
Coordinates11.674°N 106.663°E / 11.674; 106.663 (Quần Lợi Base Camp)
TypeArmy Base
Site history
Built1967
In use1967-72
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Battle of An Lộc
Garrison information
Occupants1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
5th Division
Quần Lợi Airfield
Summary
Elevation AMSL508 ft / 155 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
3,900 1,189 laterite

History
Sign erected by 1st Engineer Bn, 1967

1967-71

The base appears to have been initially used to support Operation Junction City in February–May 1967.

The base was established in 1967 on the site of a former French rubber plantation and was located approximately 6 km east of An Lộc in Bình Long Province.[1]

The 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division comprising:

was based at Quần Lợi from March 1968 until August 1969.

The 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry was based at Quần Lợi in April 1969.[2]:126

In July 1969 the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment moved to Quần Lợi and would remain here until September 1969. The regiment would be based here again from December 1969 to July 1970, during which time it participated in the Cambodian Incursion.[2]:131

In February 1970 the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division comprising:

  • 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry[2]:126
  • 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry[2]:127
  • 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry[2]:127
  • 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry[2]:128
  • 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry[2]:131

moved to Quần Lợi and would stay here until August 1970. The 3rd Brigade would participate in the Cambodian Inursion.

Other units stationed at Quần Lợi included:

  • Battery F, 16th Artillery (October 1969-January 1970)[2]:100
  • 1st Battalion, 21st Artillery (1967-1968)[2]:101
  • 6th Battalion, 27th Artillery (January 1968-March 1970)[2]:102
  • 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry[3]
    • Bravo Troop

1972-5

The ARVN took over the base and at the start of the Battle of An Lộc in April 1972 it was defended by a battalion of the 7th Regiment, 5th Division[4] and was also the base for the 9th Regiment.[4]:55 A combined 105mm and 155mm artillery battery was also based at Quần Lợi.[4]:55 On the evening of 7 April elements of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 9th Division overran Quần Lợi, the 7th Regiment was ordered to destroy their heavy equipment and fall back to An Lộc.[4]:70 Once captured the PAVN used Quần Lợi as a staging base for units coming in from Cambodia to join the siege of An Lộc[4]:91 and key members of COSVN were based there to oversee the battle.[4]:119

On 8 August the ARVN 18th Division launched an assault to retake Quần Lợi but were stopped by the PAVN in the base's reinforced concrete bunkers. A further attack was launched on 9 August with limited gains and attacks on the base continued for the next 2 weeks eventually gaining one third of the base.[4]:198 The ARVN finally attacked the PAVN occupied bunkers with TOW missiles and M-202 rockets and this broke the PAVN defense forcing the remaining defenders to flee the base.[4]:201

Current use

The base is largely overgrown but a small area appears to remain in use by the PAVN.

References
  1. Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. pp. 5–427. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 137. ISBN 9780811700719.
  3. Zahn, R (2003). Snake Pilot. Brassey's Inc. p. 67. ISBN 1-57488-565-0.
  4. Lam, Quang Thi (2009). Hell in An Loc: The 1972 Easter Invasion and the Battle that Saved South Vietnam. University of North Texas Press. p. 34. ISBN 9781574412765.
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