Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Camp Radcliff

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Type
  
Army Base

In use
  
1965-71

Year built
  
1965

Condition
  
abandoned

Battles/wars
  
Vietnam War

Camp Radcliff 122infantryorghistoryrad1bjpg

Occupants
  
1st Cavalry Division, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

Fred bergerson camp radcliff



Camp Radcliff (also known as An Khê Army Airfield, An Khê Base or the Golfcourse) is a former U.S. Army base in the An Khê District in central Vietnam.

Contents

Camp Radcliff Eager Arms 19671968

Vietnam camp radcliff to mang yang pass


1965-7

Camp Radcliff Vietnam War Viet Cong Sapper Attack on Camp Radcliff and a Patrol

Camp Radcliff was established in late August 1965 by the 70th Engineer Battalion as the base camp for the 1st Cavalry Division. The camp was located on the main highway, QL-19 60 km northwest of Qui Nhơn on the coast and 60 km southeast of Pleiku in the Central Highlands. The camp was named after 1/9 Cavalry Major Donald Radcliff, the 1st Cavalry's first combat death, who was killed on 18 August 1965 while supporting U.S. Marines in his helicopter gunship during Operation Starlite.

Camp Radcliff Camp Radcliff Gate close to An Khe Vietnam Entry gate of the Camp

In order to reduce the amount of rotor-blown dust on the landing zone, the men of the 1st Cavalry were instructed to cut back foliage to ground level by hand giving the base its nickname of the Golfcourse. The 1st Cavalry painted their distinctive insignia on nearby Hon Cong Mountain providing a landmark visible for many miles. Camp Radcliff was the largest helicopter base in the world at the time of its establishment, capable of accommodating the 1st Cavalry's 400+ helicopters. The base also had an airfield capable of landing C-130 aircraft. The base had a perimeter of 26 km known as the Green Line with 3-man watchtowers every 50m.

Camp Radcliff Vietnam War Viet Cong Sapper Attack on Camp Radcliff and a Patrol

On the night of 3 September 1966 the Vietcong carried out a mortar attack on the Golfcourse. Starting at 21:50 the base was hit by 119 mortar rounds over a 5-minute period, killing 4 soldiers and wounding a further 76, while 77 helicopters were damaged.

Other units stationed at Camp Radcliff in this period included:

Camp Radcliff Base Camp Camp Radcliff Main Entrance

  • 2nd Battalion, 17th Artillery (September 1965-February 1970)
  • 3rd Battalion, 18th Artillery (October 1965-April 1967)
  • 2nd Battalion, 19th Artillery (September 1965 – 1968)
  • 1st Battalion, 21st Artillery (September 1965 – 1968)
  • 2nd Surgical Hospital (July 1966-April 1967)
  • 15th Transportation Corps Battalion Aircraft Maintenance Support (September 1965 - 1968)
  • 509th Signal Battalion (September 1966 – 1967)

    • 1968-9

    Camp Radcliff ist cav patch at camp radcliffbmp Gallery Vietnam Veterans of

    In January 1968 the 1st Cavalry moved to Camp Evans and Camp Radcliff was taken over by the 173rd Airborne Brigade. The 173d stayed at Camp Radcliff until mid-1969.

    Other units stationed at Camp Radcliff in this period included:

  • 5th Battalion, 22nd Artillery (November 1967 – 1969)
  • 17th Field Hospital (1968-July 1969)
  • 5th Special Forces Group Detachment B-51 (September 1968-October 1969)
  • 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment (September 1967-April 1969)
  • 4th Battalion, 60th Artillery (June 1968-late 1970)
  • 6th Battalion, 84th Artillery (March 1968-August 1969)

    • 1970-1

    The 4th Infantry Division was stationed at Camp Radcliff from mid 1969-December 1970.

    Other units stationed at Camp Radcliff in this period included:

  • 7th Battalion, 15th Artillery (January to late 1970)
  • 238th Aviation Company (March 1969-December 1971)

    • Current use

    The base is abandoned and turned over to farmland.

    References

    Camp Radcliff Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA