A Lưới Camp

A Lưới Camp (also known as A Lưới Special Forces Camp, LZ Stallion or Ta Bat Airfield) is a former U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base in the A Sầu Valley southwest of Huế in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

A Lưới Camp Ta Bat Airfield
Huế, Central Highlands in Vietnam
Site information
Operator	Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) United States Army (U.S. Army)
Condition	Abandoned
Location
A Lưới Camp Shown within Vietnam
Coordinates	16°16′07″N 107°13′43″E[1]
Site history
Built	1962 (1962)
Built by	326th Engineers (1969)
In use	1962-1966 (1966)
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Garrison information
Garrison	5th Special Forces Group
Airfield information
Elevation	0 feet (0 m) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 18/36 1,500 feet (457 m) Asphalt

History

The 5th Special Forces Group^[2] first established a base here in 1962 to monitor communist infiltration into the A Sầu Valley. The base was located along Route 548, 40 km southwest of Huế.^[3]

The base was abandoned in 1966 due to increased pressure from the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces and the A Sầu Valley became a major PAVN base area supporting operations throughout the Central Highlands.

In April 1968 during Operation Delaware the 1st Cavalry Division briefly reoccupied A Lưới.^{[2]: 127–8} The 8th Engineer Battalion rebuilt the airfield to handle Fairchild C-123 Provider and Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft.

On 26 April 1968 C-130B #60-0298 was hit by enemy fire while on approach to the camp airfield, the aircraft crashed and burnt on the airfield, the remains of 5 of the 8 crewmen were recovered^[4]

In August 1968 the 101st Airborne Division briefly reoccupied A Lưới during Operation Somerset Plain.^[5]

On 29 April 1969 the 101st Airborne returned to A Lưới during Operation Kentucky Jumper and Ta Bat Airfield was reopened.^{[3]: 5–489}

Current use

The base has been turned over to housing/farmland and sits adjacent to the Ho Chi Minh Highway.