Type Marines In use 1967-9 Occupants 1st Marine Division Occupant 1st Marine Division | Condition abandoned Year built 1967 | |
Firebase Nông Sơn (also known as FSB Nông Sơn, Nông Sơn Combat Base and Nông Sơn Outpost) is a former U.S. Marine Corps base southwest of Da Nang in Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam.
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History
The base was originally established in 1967 by the 5th Marines approximately 40 km southwest of Da Nang to provide security for the nearby Nông Sơn coal mine, the only such facility in South Vietnam.
The Marine base was established on and around Nông Sơn mountain, a 200m high hill. At the base of the mountain a reinforced platoon was dug in, a second reinforced platoon occupied the middle level and the third platoon with M40 recoilless rifles and 4.2 inch mortars occupied the mountaintop.
On the night of 3/4 July 1967 an estimated 400 North Vietnamese attacked the base almost completely overrunning the Marine positions on the summit. The attack was beaten back with the loss of 13 U.S. dead and 42 North Vietnamese. Marine PFC Melvin E. Newlin would be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions that night.
Following the evacuation of Khâm Đức in May 1968, Detachment A-105, 5th Special Forces Group relocated their base to Nông Sơn adjacent to the Firebase.
Current use
The base is abandoned and has reverted to jungle.