Bearcat Base
Bearcat Base is a former U.S. Army base near the city of Biên Hòa in Đồng Nai Province in southern Vietnam.History
Bearcat was originally a French airfield, later used by the Japanese during World War II. Early in the Vietnam War, the 1st Special Forces established a base there. It was later the base camp for the 9th Infantry Division from January 1967 until the division moved to Đồng Tâm Base Camp near Mỹ Tho in late 1967. The camp was located on Route 15, 16 km southeast of Biên Hòa. The camp took its name from its Special Forces radio call sign.
Other U.S. units stationed at Bearcat included:
- 7th Battalion, 8th Artillery
- 7th Battalion, 9th Artillery
- 1st Battalion, 11th Artillery
- 5th Battalion, 42nd Artillery
- 1st Battalion, 84th Artillery
- 214th Aviation Battalion
- *191st Assault Helicopter Company
- *200th Aviation Company
- *240th Aviation Company
- 244th Aviation Company
- 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division comprising:
- *1st Battalion, 16th Infantry
- *2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry
- *1st Battalion, 18th Infantry
- *2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry
- 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division comprising:
- *2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry
- *3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry
- 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry 1
- 135th Aviation Company
Bearcat also served as the base for the Royal Thai Army Expeditionary Division forces from 1968.Current use
The base was abandoned and turned over to farmland although the Long Thanh North airfield is clearly visible on satellite images.
