Song Mao Base Camp (also known as Firebase Song Mao) was a 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 northeast of Phan Thiết in southeast Vietnam.

History

Song Mao was located north of Route 1 approximately 56 km northeast of Phan Thiết and 67 km southwest of

Phan Rang Phan may refer to: * Phan (surname), a Vietnamese family name * Phan District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand * Phan River The Phan River () is a river of Bình Thuận Province, Vietnam.Vietnam Administrative Atlas, NXB Bản Đồ, 2004 It flo ...

Special Forces Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...

Detachment A-113 was based here from October 1963. The 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry was based here in early December 1967 for Operation Klamath Falls and returned here again in May 1968. On 8 December 1968 a patrol of the 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry was ambushed near Song Mao. SGT Ray McKibben 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. The 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry was based here from June 1969 until May 1970. The 3rd Battalion, 503rd Infantry was based here from July–August 1969 On 1 April 1970 three

People's Army of Vietnam The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), officially the Vietnam People's Army (VPA; , , ), also recognized as the Vietnamese Army (), the People's Army () or colloquially the Troops ( ), is the national Military, military force of the Vietnam, S ...

Battalions attacked the base which was occupied by the 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry and the 44th ARVN Regiment, the attack was repulsed resulting in two U.S., two ARVN and 151 PAVN killed.

Current use

The base has been turned over to housing and farmland. The airfield is still clearly visible on satellite images.

References

{{Reflist Buildings and structures in Bình Thuận province Installations of the United States Army in South Vietnam Installations of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam