Vandegrift Combat Base


Vandegrift Combat Base is a former U.S. Army and Marine Corps and Army of the Republic of Vietnam base north of Ca Lu in Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam.

History

1968

LZ Stud was originally established by the 1st Cavalry Division on Route 9 in early 1968 to support Operation Pegasus, the relief of Khe Sanh. On 14 March engineer construction began on a x airstrip and a logistical complex at LZ Stud. On 24 March the quartering party moved to LZ Stud and began work on command and communications bunkers. By 29 March the strip was opened for C-7 Caribou aircraft. On 30 March the 11th Aviation Group moved to LZ Stud.
The base was later occupied by the 9th Marine Regiment, part of the 3rd Marine Division who renamed it Vandegrift Combat Base after Marine General Alexander Vandegrift.

1969

From January–March 1969 Vandegrift was used to support Operation Dewey Canyon an offensive into the A Shau Valley south of the base.
On 9 April 1969 a Marine Sikorsky CH-53A Sea Stallion helicopter of HMH-462 crashed into the logistics support area at Vandegrift triggering a large fire.
In October 1969 the base was handed over to the ARVN 2nd Division who dismantled it and used it to reinforce Camp Carroll.

1971

In late January 1971 the base was reoccupied by the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division in support of Operation Dewey Canyon II. During the same period, the base was also occupied by the 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery, 23rd Infantry Division in support of Operation Dewey Canyon II.

Current use

The base is abandoned and turned over to farmland.