Camp Evans (Vietnam)

Camp Evans (Vietnam)
Coordinates 16°33′43″N 107°22′48″E / 16.562°N 107.38°E / 16.562; 107.38 (Camp Evans (Vietnam))
Type Army/Marine Base
Site information
Condition abandoned
Site history
Built 1966
In use 1966-1975
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Airfield information
IATA: noneICAO: none
Summary
Elevation AMSL 49 ft / 15 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
36 8,775 2,675 dirt

Camp Evans is a former U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps base northwest of Huế in central Vietnam.

History

1966-7

Camp Evans was established by the 3rd Battalion 26th Marines in late 1966 as part of Operation Chinook. The camp was located to the west of Highway 1, approximately 24 km northwest of Huế in Thừa Thiên–Huế Province. The camp was named after Marine Lance Corporal Paul Evans who was killed during Operation Chinook.[1][2]

Marine units based at Camp Evans during this period included:

1968

In January 1968 Camp Evans was taken over by the 1st Cavalry Division.[3]

On the night of 19 May 1968 the ammunition dump at Camp Evans was hit by NVA rockets and exploded causing a chain reaction and fire that lasted more than 12 hours.[4]

On 7 October 1968 a USAF C-7 Caribou (#63-9753) that had just taken off from the Camp Evans airstrip collided with a 1st Cavalry Boeing CH-47 Chinook (#66-19041) resulting in the death of all 24 passengers and crew on both aircraft.[5]

1969-72

Camp Evans was taken over by the 101st Airborne Division.[2]

Army units based at Camp Evans during this period included:

58th Infantry Platoon Scout Dog attached to 101st Airborne Division Nov 1968 to August 1971 [6]

The 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron used Camp Evans as a forward operating base.[7]

Current use

The base is abandoned and turned over to farmland.

References

  1. Wiknik, Arthur (2009). Nam Sense. Casemate Publishers. p. 8. ISBN 9781935149675.
  2. 1 2 Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. pp. 5–174. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Stanton, Shelby (2003). Vietnam Order of Battle. Stackpole Books. p. 340. ISBN 9780811700719.
  4. "Ammo Dump Explosion at Camp Evans". Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  5. "de Havilland C-7B Caribou". Aviation Safety network. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  6. DOA Field reports58IPSD
  7. "The US Air Force at Camp Evans". Retrieved 22 October 2014.
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