{"history":[],"article":{"id":"6c5e9035-e3c9-4079-864b-7cd36f5f1a35","title":"Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord","slug":"battle-of-fire-support-base-ripcord","content":":::summary\n![Fire Support Base Ripcord in 1970](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Fire///Support///Base///Ripcord///%28Vietnam%29///001.jpg)\n**Conflict:** Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord \n**Partof:** the [Vietnam War](https://bliptext.com/articles/vietnam-war) \n**Date:** 1–23 July 1970 \n**Place:** 16.44597°N, 107.19111°W [A Shau Valley](https://bliptext.com/articles/a-shau-valley), [Thừa Thiên-Huế Province](https://bliptext.com/articles/th-a-thi-n-hu-province), [South Vietnam](https://bliptext.com/articles/south-vietnam) - [UTM Grid](https://bliptext.com/articles/universal-transverse-mercator-coordinate-system) YD 343-194 \n**Result:** North Vietnamese victory \n**Combatant 1:** [North Vietnam](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined) \n**Combatant 2:** 🇺🇸 [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) \n**Commander 1:** [324B Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/324th-division-vietnam): [Chu Phương Đới](https://bliptext.com/articles/chu-ph-ng-i) **803rd Regiment:** [Vũ Thế Đào](https://bliptext.com/articles/v-th-o) **29th Regiment:** [Nguyễn Hòa Bình](https://bliptext.com/articles/nguy-n-h-a-b-nh) \n**Commander 2:** Col. [Ben Harrison](https://bliptext.com/articles/benjamin-harrison-major-general) Lt. Col. [Andre Lucas](https://bliptext.com/articles/andre-lucas) \n**Units 1:** High Command: ** [324B Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/324th-division-vietnam) **Siege at Ripcord:** 803rd Regiment, [324B Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/324th-division-vietnam) reinforced with:

2nd Battalion, 6th Regiment, Trị Thiên Army Group
7B Sapper Battalion
3 Fire Support Companies

**At Co Pung and Hill 1078:** 29th Regiment, [324B Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/324th-division-vietnam), reinforced with:

1 Fire Support Company

\n**Units 2:** [2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/506th-infantry-regiment-united-states) \n**Casualties 1:** U.S. claim: 422 killed 6 captured \n**Casualties 2:** 75 killed 8 aircraft destroyed \n:::\n\n# \nThe **Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord** was a 23-day battle between elements of the [U.S. Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/u-s-army) [101st Airborne Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/101st-airborne-division) and two reinforced divisions of the [People's Army of Vietnam](https://bliptext.com/articles/people-s-army-of-vietnam) (PAVN) that took place from 1 to 23 July 1970.\nIt was the last major confrontation between United States ground forces and the PAVN during the [Vietnam War](https://bliptext.com/articles/vietnam-war).\nThree [Medals of Honor](https://bliptext.com/articles/medal-of-honor) and six [Distinguished Service Crosses](https://bliptext.com/articles/distinguished-service-cross-united-states) were awarded to participants for actions during the operations.\n\n# Background\n[President Nixon](https://bliptext.com/articles/richard-nixon) began the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam in 1969.\nAs the only full-strength division remaining in Vietnam in early 1970, the 101st Airborne Division was ordered to conduct the planned offensive [Operation Texas Star](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-texas-star) near the [A Shau Valley](https://bliptext.com/articles/a-shau-valley).\nOn 12 March 1970, the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne under the command of Colonel [Ben Harrison](https://bliptext.com/articles/benjamin-harrison-major-general), began rebuilding abandoned Fire Support Base Ripcord which relied, as the most remote bases at the time, on a helicopter lifeline to get supplies and personnel in and out.\nThe firebase was to be used to support [Operation Chicago Peak](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-chicago-peak), a planned offensive by the 101st Airborne to destroy PAVN supply bases in the A Shau Valley.\nMeanwhile, the PAVN [324B Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/324th-division-vietnam), having encountered soldiers of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division several times, especially the [Battle of Hamburger Hill](https://bliptext.com/articles/battle-of-hamburger-hill) in May 1969, had become aware of the layered superiority of US firepower - air and artillery.\nTheir plan to destroy FSB Ripcord, a key part of Operation Texas Star, took this superiority into account.\nKnowing the importance of the upcoming battle, 324B Division Commander Chu Phuong Doi personally led the 1st Regiment to scout the areas surrounding Ripcord and high points where U.S. forces often stationed or landed troops.\nThe altitude and direction of helicopters entering and exiting Ripcord was observed; fortifications and retreat planning made; and efforts to arrange firepower to both attack and control, decreasing the mobility of U.S. forces prepared.\nThe reliance on helicopters for moving and supplying troops was identified as a potential \"Achilles heel\" that the PAVN planned to exploit.\n\n# Battle\nOn 1 July, elements of the [2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/506th-infantry-regiment-united-states) received eight 82 mm rounds, an unknown number of 60 mm mortar rounds and ten 75 mm recoilless rounds fired by elements of the PAVN 803rd Regiment, 324B Division.\nArtillery was fired on the suspected enemy locations killing three PAVN.\nNearby on the next day, the night defensive position of the 2/506th was attacked by elements of the 803rd Regiment using [Rocket-propelled grenades](https://bliptext.com/articles/rocket-propelled-grenade) (RPGs), small arms fire and satchel charges.\nPAVN losses were fifteen killed while U.S. losses were eight killed and one missing.\nOn 10 July at 11:25 B Company was subjected to a 38-round mixed 60 and 82 mm mortar barrage, killing two soldiers.\nOn 18 July a [CH-47C](https://bliptext.com/articles/boeing-ch-47-chinook) from the 159th Assault Helicopter Battalion was shot down by PAVN small arms fire.\nThe aircraft crashed into the ammunition storage area, killing four and destroying the helicopter, six [M102 howitzers](https://bliptext.com/articles/m102-howitzer) and 2,238 rounds of 105 mm howitzer ammunition.\nOn 19 July elements of the PAVN 803rd Regiment again hit the base with mortar fire.\nOn a search operation 20 July, D Company/1/506th, sustained mortar fire killing one.\nOn 21 July at 07:10, D Company received an attack-by-fire consisting of 80 rounds of 82mm mortar.\nThe mortar and small arms fire continued until 16:15.\nD Company returned fire and with airstrikes and helicopter gunship fire held the PAVN off.\nD Company moved from the base and linked up with D Company 506th.\nEight PAVN were killed while the U.S. lost one killed.\nMeanwhile, at 06:50, B Company was hit by six 82mm mortar rounds.\nAt 10:04 the base received 10 more rounds and was hit again six and a half hours later, with a loss of four killed in the attacks.\nOn 22 July at 13:00, A Company 2/506th, while on a search-and-clear operation received an enemy attack; airstrikes and artillery supported the company.\nWhen the contact broke at 19:30, the U.S. had lost 12 killed while PAVN losses were 61 killed.\nLosses of U.S. forces were so great that officers began asking for volunteers from other units to go to Ripcord and reinforce the firebase.\nFinally, the U.S. command realized that the position was not defensible, and the decision was made to withdraw.\nOn 23 July at 06:30 the PAVN again attacked the remaining elements who were evacuating the base.\nThe 2nd Battalion returned the fire and aerial rocket artillery, gunships and airstrikes reinforced.\nWhen contact terminated, U.S. casualties were three killed (including the commanding officer [Lieutenant Colonel](https://bliptext.com/articles/lieutenant-colonel-united-states) [Andre Lucas](https://bliptext.com/articles/andre-lucas) and the S-3).\nRipcord was evacuated and abandoned on 23 July.\nAfter the garrison withdrew from the base, [B-52](https://bliptext.com/articles/boeing-b-52-stratofortress) bombers were sent in to [carpet bomb](https://bliptext.com/articles/carpet-bombing) the area.\n# [M114 155mm howitzer battery at Firebase Ripcord, 7 July 1970 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/NARA///photo///111-CCV-626-CC70179.jpg]\n# [A patrol returns to the Firebase following a search for an enemy machine gun position which had been harassing resupply flights, 7 July 1970 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/NARA///photo///111-CCV-626-CC70191.jpg]\n\n# Aftermath\nDuring the 23-day siege, 75 U.S. soldiers were killed at Ripcord.\n[First Lieutenant](https://bliptext.com/articles/first-lieutenant) [Bob Kalsu](https://bliptext.com/articles/bob-kalsu) was the only contemporaneously active pro athlete to be killed during the war.\nAndre Lucas was posthumously awarded the [Medal of Honor](https://bliptext.com/articles/medal-of-honor).\nBen Harrison claimed that the PAVN losses at Ripcord crippled their offensive capability for two full years, resulting in the delaying of their [Easter Offensive](https://bliptext.com/articles/easter-offensive) from 1971 to 1972.\n\n## Books\n\n## Articles\n\n## Video","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-26T08:00:41.085Z","updated_at":"2025-01-26T08:00:41.085Z","search_vector":"'base':5 'battl':1 'fire':3 'ripcord':6 'support':4","search_content":" \n \n**Conflict:** Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord \n**Partof:** the [Vietnam War](https://bliptext.com/articles/vietnam-war) \n**Date:** 1–23 July 1970 \n**Place:** 16.44597°N, 107.19111°W [A Shau Valley](https://bliptext.com/articles/a-shau-valley), [Thừa Thiên-Huế Province](https://bliptext.com/articles/th-a-thi-n-hu-province), [South Vietnam](https://bliptext.com/articles/south-vietnam) - [UTM Grid](https://bliptext.com/articles/universal-transverse-mercator-coordinate-system) YD 343-194 \n**Result:** North Vietnamese victory \n**Combatant 1:** [North Vietnam](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined) \n**Combatant 2:** 🇺🇸 [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) \n**Commander 1:** [324B Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/324th-division-vietnam): [Chu Phương Đới](https://bliptext.com/articles/chu-ph-ng-i) **803rd Regiment:** [Vũ Thế Đào](https://bliptext.com/articles/v-th-o) **29th Regiment:** [Nguyễn Hòa Bình](https://bliptext.com/articles/nguy-n-h-a-b-nh) \n**Commander 2:** Col. [Ben Harrison](https://bliptext.com/articles/benjamin-harrison-major-general) Lt. Col. [Andre Lucas](https://bliptext.com/articles/andre-lucas) \n**Units 1:** High Command: ** [324B Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/324th-division-vietnam) **Siege at Ripcord:** 803rd Regiment, [324B Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/324th-division-vietnam) reinforced with: 2nd Battalion, 6th Regiment, Trị Thiên Army Group 7B Sapper Battalion 3 Fire Support Companies **At Co Pung and Hill 1078:** 29th Regiment, [324B Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/324th-division-vietnam), reinforced with: 1 Fire Support Company \n**Units 2:** [2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/506th-infantry-regiment-united-states) \n**Casualties 1:** U.S. claim: 422 killed 6 captured \n**Casualties 2:** 75 killed 8 aircraft destroyed \n \n\n# \nThe **Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord** was a 23-day battle between elements of the [U.S. Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/u-s-army) [101st Airborne Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/101st-airborne-division) and two reinforced divisions of the [People's Army of Vietnam](https://bliptext.com/articles/people-s-army-of-vietnam) (PAVN) that took place from 1 to 23 July 1970.\nIt was the last major confrontation between United States ground forces and the PAVN during the [Vietnam War](https://bliptext.com/articles/vietnam-war).\nThree [Medals of Honor](https://bliptext.com/articles/medal-of-honor) and six [Distinguished Service Crosses](https://bliptext.com/articles/distinguished-service-cross-united-states) were awarded to participants for actions during the operations.\n\n# Background\n[President Nixon](https://bliptext.com/articles/richard-nixon) began the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam in 1969.\nAs the only full-strength division remaining in Vietnam in early 1970, the 101st Airborne Division was ordered to conduct the planned offensive [Operation Texas Star](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-texas-star) near the [A Shau Valley](https://bliptext.com/articles/a-shau-valley).\nOn 12 March 1970, the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne under the command of Colonel [Ben Harrison](https://bliptext.com/articles/benjamin-harrison-major-general), began rebuilding abandoned Fire Support Base Ripcord which relied, as the most remote bases at the time, on a helicopter lifeline to get supplies and personnel in and out.\nThe firebase was to be used to support [Operation Chicago Peak](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-chicago-peak), a planned offensive by the 101st Airborne to destroy PAVN supply bases in the A Shau Valley.\nMeanwhile, the PAVN [324B Division](https://bliptext.com/articles/324th-division-vietnam), having encountered soldiers of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division several times, especially the [Battle of Hamburger Hill](https://bliptext.com/articles/battle-of-hamburger-hill) in May 1969, had become aware of the layered superiority of US firepower - air and artillery.\nTheir plan to destroy FSB Ripcord, a key part of Operation Texas Star, took this superiority into account.\nKnowing the importance of the upcoming battle, 324B Division Commander Chu Phuong Doi personally led the 1st Regiment to scout the areas surrounding Ripcord and high points where U.S. forces often stationed or landed troops.\nThe altitude and direction of helicopters entering and exiting Ripcord was observed; fortifications and retreat planning made; and efforts to arrange firepower to both attack and control, decreasing the mobility of U.S. forces prepared.\nThe reliance on helicopters for moving and supplying troops was identified as a potential \"Achilles heel\" that the PAVN planned to exploit.\n\n# Battle\nOn 1 July, elements of the [2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/506th-infantry-regiment-united-states) received eight 82 mm rounds, an unknown number of 60 mm mortar rounds and ten 75 mm recoilless rounds fired by elements of the PAVN 803rd Regiment, 324B Division.\nArtillery was fired on the suspected enemy locations killing three PAVN.\nNearby on the next day, the night defensive position of the 2/506th was attacked by elements of the 803rd Regiment using [Rocket-propelled grenades](https://bliptext.com/articles/rocket-propelled-grenade) (RPGs), small arms fire and satchel charges.\nPAVN losses were fifteen killed while U.S. losses were eight killed and one missing.\nOn 10 July at 11:25 B Company was subjected to a 38-round mixed 60 and 82 mm mortar barrage, killing two soldiers.\nOn 18 July a [CH-47C](https://bliptext.com/articles/boeing-ch-47-chinook) from the 159th Assault Helicopter Battalion was shot down by PAVN small arms fire.\nThe aircraft crashed into the ammunition storage area, killing four and destroying the helicopter, six [M102 howitzers](https://bliptext.com/articles/m102-howitzer) and 2,238 rounds of 105 mm howitzer ammunition.\nOn 19 July elements of the PAVN 803rd Regiment again hit the base with mortar fire.\nOn a search operation 20 July, D Company/1/506th, sustained mortar fire killing one.\nOn 21 July at 07:10, D Company received an attack-by-fire consisting of 80 rounds of 82mm mortar.\nThe mortar and small arms fire continued until 16:15.\nD Company returned fire and with airstrikes and helicopter gunship fire held the PAVN off.\nD Company moved from the base and linked up with D Company 506th.\nEight PAVN were killed while the U.S. lost one killed.\nMeanwhile, at 06:50, B Company was hit by six 82mm mortar rounds.\nAt 10:04 the base received 10 more rounds and was hit again six and a half hours later, with a loss of four killed in the attacks.\nOn 22 July at 13:00, A Company 2/506th, while on a search-and-clear operation received an enemy attack; airstrikes and artillery supported the company.\nWhen the contact broke at 19:30, the U.S. had lost 12 killed while PAVN losses were 61 killed.\nLosses of U.S. forces were so great that officers began asking for volunteers from other units to go to Ripcord and reinforce the firebase.\nFinally, the U.S. command realized that the position was not defensible, and the decision was made to withdraw.\nOn 23 July at 06:30 the PAVN again attacked the remaining elements who were evacuating the base.\nThe 2nd Battalion returned the fire and aerial rocket artillery, gunships and airstrikes reinforced.\nWhen contact terminated, U.S. casualties were three killed (including the commanding officer [Lieutenant Colonel](https://bliptext.com/articles/lieutenant-colonel-united-states) [Andre Lucas](https://bliptext.com/articles/andre-lucas) and the S-3).\nRipcord was evacuated and abandoned on 23 July.\nAfter the garrison withdrew from the base, [B-52](https://bliptext.com/articles/boeing-b-52-stratofortress) bombers were sent in to [carpet bomb](https://bliptext.com/articles/carpet-bombing) the area.\n# [M114 155mm howitzer battery at Firebase Ripcord, 7 July 1970 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/NARA///photo///111-CCV-626-CC70179.jpg]\n# [A patrol returns to the Firebase following a search for an enemy machine gun position which had been harassing resupply flights, 7 July 1970 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/NARA///photo///111-CCV-626-CC70191.jpg]\n\n# Aftermath\nDuring the 23-day siege, 75 U.S. soldiers were killed at Ripcord.\n[First Lieutenant](https://bliptext.com/articles/first-lieutenant) [Bob Kalsu](https://bliptext.com/articles/bob-kalsu) was the only contemporaneously active pro athlete to be killed during the war.\nAndre Lucas was posthumously awarded the [Medal of Honor](https://bliptext.com/articles/medal-of-honor).\nBen Harrison claimed that the PAVN losses at Ripcord crippled their offensive capability for two full years, resulting in the delaying of their [Easter Offensive](https://bliptext.com/articles/easter-offensive) from 1971 to 1972.\n\n## Books\n\n## Articles\n\n## Video","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}

History