Bearcat Base

10°50′06″N 106°57′36″E / 10.835°N 106.96°E / 10.835; 106.96Site informationOperatorArmy of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)
United States Army (U.S. Army)ConditionAbandonedSite historyBuilt1960 (1960)In use1960-1972 (1972)Battles/wars
Vietnam WarGarrison informationGarrison9th Infantry Division
Royal Thai Volunteer Regiment
Royal Thai Army Expeditionary DivisionAirfield informationElevation140 feet (43 m) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
05/23 5,000 feet (1,524 m) Asphalt

Bearcat Base (also known as Bearcat, Camp Martin, Camp Cox or Long Thanh North) is a former U.S. Army base near the city of Biên Hòa in Đồng Nai province in southern Vietnam.

History

Long Thanh helicopters, 27 January 1967

Bearcat was originally a French airfield, later used by the Japanese during World War II. Early in the Vietnam War, the 1st Special Forces established a base there. It was later the base camp for the 9th Infantry Division from January 1967 until the division moved to Đồng Tâm Base Camp near Mỹ Tho in late 1967. The camp was located on Route 15, 16 km southeast of Biên Hòa.[1] The camp took its name from its Special Forces radio call sign.[2][3] Other U.S. units stationed at Bearcat included:

  • 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division comprising:
    • 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry (June 1967, February 1970)[3]: 142 
    • 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry (January–February 1970)[3]: 143 
    • 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry (January 1970)[3]: 143 
    • 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry (January–February 1970)[3]: 143 
  • 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division comprising:
    • 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry (October–November 1966)[3]: 140 
    • 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry (October–November 1966)[3]: 145 
  • 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry (March–July 1968)[3]: 150 1

Bearcat also served as the base for the Royal Thai Army Expeditionary Division forces from 1968.[2][4]

Long Thanh North Airfield
Long Thanh Army Airfield, July 1967

Aviation paragraph.

ARVN use

In 1972 the Army of the Republic of Vietnam infantry school and armor school began moving to Bearcat Base from Thủ Đức.[5]

Current use

The base was abandoned and turned over to farmland although the Long Thanh North airfield is clearly visible on satellite images.

References

  1. ^ See map on: http://720mpreunion.org/history/project_vietnam/212th/detachments/Long_Thanh/long-thanh-north.html accessed October 16, 2018
  2. ^ a b Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 77. ISBN 9780811700719.
  4. ^ Ruth, Richard A (2011). In Buddha's Company: Thai Soldiers in the Vietnam War. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-3489-0. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  5. ^ "United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam 1972-1973 Command History Annex C" (PDF). United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. 15 July 1973. p. C-44. Retrieved 10 September 2020.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.