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Firebase Betty (also known as Currahee Base Camp, Landing Zone Betty or Phan Thiết) is a former U.S. Army and
The first U.S. Army unit based here was the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry from September 1966 to December 1967 as part of Operation Byrd.
The 192nd Assault Helicopter Company was based here from October 1967 to January 1971.
The 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry was based here from February 1968 to December 1969 giving the base its alternative name of Currahee Base Camp.
The 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry was based here from October 1969 to December 1970.
Other U.S. Army units based here included:
* 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry (May 1969)
* 5th Battalion, 27th Artillery
* 2nd Battalion, 320th Artillery
On the morning of 25 February 1968 the base was hit by
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; french: Armée de la république du Viêt Nam) composed the ground forces of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon in April ...
(ARVN) firebase south of Phan Thiết in Bình Thuận Province, southern Vietnam.
History
The base was established at the French-era Phan Thiết airfield approximately 5 km southwest of Phan Thiết and 2 km east ofHighway 1
The following highways are numbered 1.
For roads numbered A1, see list of A1 roads.
For roads numbered B1, see list of B1 roads.
For roads numbered M1, see List of M1 roads.
For roads numbered N1, see list of N1 roads.
For roads numbered ...
.
The first U.S. Army unit based here was the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry from September 1966 to December 1967 as part of Operation Byrd.
The 192nd Assault Helicopter Company was based here from October 1967 to January 1971.
The 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry was based here from February 1968 to December 1969 giving the base its alternative name of Currahee Base Camp.
The 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry was based here from October 1969 to December 1970.
Other U.S. Army units based here included:
* 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry (May 1969)
* 5th Battalion, 27th Artillery
* 2nd Battalion, 320th Artillery
On the morning of 25 February 1968 the base was hit by People's Army of Vietnam
The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; vi, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, QĐNDVN), also recognized as the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) or the Vietnamese Army (), is the military force of the Vietnam, Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the ...
(PAVN) mortar and rocket fire which exploded an ammunition bunker and was followed by a PAVN sapper attack. U.S. losses were three killed and 29 wounded and 21 PAVN killed and one captured
On 24 April 1969 a Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner
manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II.
It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version ...
of Far Eastern Air Transport
FAT Taiwan Inc., () doing business as Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT), was an airline with its head office in Songshan District, Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China).
Established in 1957, it operated domestic services from Taipei and Kaohsiung ...
was damaged beyond repair while landing at the airfield.
Current use
The base is abandoned and has reverted to farmland and housing. The former airfield is now Truong Van Ly road.References
{{reflist Installations of the United States Army in South Vietnam Installations of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam Military installations closed in the 1970s Buildings and structures in Bình Thuận province