Firebase Gela
Coordinates11°13′59″N 106°28′08″E / 11.233°N 106.469°E / 11.233; 106.469 (Firebase Gela)
TypeArmy
Site information
Conditionabandoned
Site history
Built1969
In use1969
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Garrison information
Occupants1st Infantry Division

Firebase Gela (also known as FSB Ge La) was a U.S. Army firebase located northwest of Lai Khê and southeast of Dầu Tiếng District in southern Vietnam.

History

Gela was constructed in 1969 by the 1st Infantry Division approximately 17 km northwest of Lai Khê.[1]

The Firebase was assaulted by units of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 7th Infantry Division on the morning of 13 May 1969, the assault was repulsed for the loss of 3 U.S. and an estimated 39 PAVN soldiers killed.[1]

On 14 September 1969 a shaped charge on the base perimeter accidentally discharged killing eight U.S. soldiers.[2]

Units based at Gela included:

Current use

The base has reverted to jungle.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 195. ISBN 978-1555716257.
  2. ↑ Hodal, Kate (28 February 2015). "'Did they survive?': children of the Vietnam war, 50 years on". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.