Cai Cai Camp (also known as Cai Cai Special Forces Camp or Dan Chu Camp) is a former U.S. Army and

Army of the Republic of Vietnam The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; ) composed the ground forces of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. Its predecessor was the ground forc ...

(ARVN) base northwest of Bình Thạnh Đông on the

Plain of Reeds Plain of Reeds (in ) is an inland wetland in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Most of the wetlands are within Long An Province and Đồng Tháp Province. Physical characteristics Đồng Tháp Mười is a "back swamp" forming a large inundated depress ...

in southern

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

History

The base was established by the

5th Special Forces Group The 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (5th SFG (A), 5th Group) is one of the most decorated active duty United States Army Special Forces groups. The 5th SFG (A) saw extensive action in the Vietnam War and played a pivotal role in the early mo ...

Detachment A-412 in April 1965 30 km northwest of Bình Thạnh Đông and 3 km from the Cambodian border. The camp was frequently a target for

Vietcong The Viet Cong (VC) was an epithet and umbrella term to refer to the Communism, communist-driven armed movement and united front organization in South Vietnam. It was formally organized as and led by the National Liberation Front of South Vi ...

fire and was severely damaged by flooding in 1965 and 1966. In 1967 Detachment A-412 was redesignated as Detachment A-431. On 18 January 1968 forces from Detachment A-431 engaged a Vietcong force near the camp and SGT Gordon Douglas Yntema would be posthumously awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

for his actions during the battle. The base was handed over to the ARVN 76th Border Rangers in September 1970.

Current use

The base has been turned over to farmland and housing.

References

{{reflist

External links

Video of Cai Cai Camp in 1966
Installations of the United States Army in South Vietnam Installations of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam Buildings and structures in Đồng Tháp province