Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord



The Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord was a 23 day battle between the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and the North Vietnamese Army from July 1, 1970 until July 23, 1970. It was the last major confrontation between United States ground forces and North Vietnam of the Vietnam War. Little was known about the battle until 1985, when the FSB Ripcord Association was founded. Three Medals of Honor and six Distinguished Service Crosses were awarded to participants for actions during the operations.

Background
President Nixon secretly began the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam early in 1969. As 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 near the A Shau Valley.

On March 12, 1970, the 3rd Brigade, 101st began rebuilding abandoned Fire Support Base Ripcord which relied, as with most remote bases at the time, on a helicopter lifeline to get supplies in and the personnel out. The firebase was to be used for a planned offensive by the 101st to destroy NVA supply bases in the mountains overlooking the valley. Located on the eastern edge of the valley, and taking place at the same time as the Cambodian Incursion, the operation was considered covert.

Battle
As the 101st Airborne Division planned the attack on enemy supply bases, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) was secretly observing their activities. From March 12 until June 30, the NVA was sporadically attacking the firebase. After weeks of reconnaissance by the NVA, on the morning of July 1, 1970 the North Vietnamese Army launched a mortar attack on the firebase. During the 23-day siege, 75 US servicemen were killed, including Colonel Andre Lucas, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor; and First Lt. Bob Kalsu, the only contemporaneously active pro athlete to be killed during the war.

Fighting from four hilltops, surrounded, and outnumbered nearly ten to one, U.S. forces caused heavy losses on eight enemy battalions, before an aerial withdrawal under heavy mortar, anti-aircraft, and small arms fire. After the U.S. Army withdrew from the firebase, USAF B-52 heavy bombers were sent in to carpet bomb the area. Major General (ret) Ben Harrison, then the commander of the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne at FSB Ripcord, is of the opinion that perhaps the NVA losses at Ripcord, just as their losses of their major offensives of the Ia Drang in 1965 and Tet in 1968, dulled the offensive capability of NVA for two full years, resulting in the delaying of their Easter Offensive from 1971 to 1972.

United States

 * 2nd Battalion (Currahees), 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). The main US infantry unit involved.
 * 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
 * 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
 * 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
 * Battery A, 1st Battalion 39th Artillery, self-propelled 8in Howitzers, and 175mm Self-Propelled Guns.
 * Battery A, 2nd Battalion 94th Artillery, XXIVth Corps, self-propelled 8in Howitzers, and 175mm Self-Propelled Guns.
 * 2nd Battalion, 319th Artillery, 105mm Howitzers.
 * 2nd Battalion, 320th Artillery, 105mm Howitzers.
 * 2nd Battalion, 11th Artillery, 155mm Howitzers.
 * 4th Battalion, 77th Artillery, Aerial Rocket Artillery.
 * 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry.
 * 158th Aviation Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). Assault and Gunship companies.
 * 159th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion. Medium Lift companies (CH-47) and Heavy Lift company (CH-54)
 * 58th Scout Dog Platoon, 101st Airborne Division.
 * G Battery, 65th Artillery Quad 50
 * Elements of the 326th Engineer Battalion
 * 2nd and 3rd platoons of the 220th Reconnaissance Airplane Company "Catkillers" flying O-1G Bird Dogs
 * 287th Ordnance Detachment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal).
 * Pathfinders 101st Airborne Division
 * 1st Platoon of the 265th Radio Research Company (Company name / designation was deliberate misinformation), U.S. Army Security Agency

North Vietnam

 * 324B Division. The main PAVN division involved.
 * 304B Division. Supporting role.
 * Four artillery battalions.
 * Four 120mm mortar companies.
 * One anti-aircraft battalion.
 * One sapper battalion (reinforced)

Books

 * "Ripcord: Screaming Eagles Under Siege, Vietnam 1970" by Keith W. Nolan, Presidio Press, 2000, ISBN 0-89141-642-0
 * "Hell On A Hill Top: America's Last Major Battle In Vietnam" by Major General Benjamin L. Harrison, iUniverse Press (available from Ripcord Association)
 * "The Price of Exit", by Tom Marshall, Ballantine Books, 1998. ISBN 0-8041-1715-2

Articles

 * Rescue From FSB Ripcord, by Tom Marshall

Video

 * "Siege at Firebase Ripcord", War Stories with Oliver North, Fox News Productions, product # FOX25004600