Khe Sanh Maps

Location in Vietnam

Northern Quang Tri Province

Khe Sanh Valley

Khe Sanh Combat Base

Siege of Khe Sanh

Khe Sanh

Khe Sanh is a village in a valley in northwestern Quang Tri province. The U.S. sent a Special Forces A-team to establish a Civilian Irregular Defense Group camp there in the summer of 1962. In September of 1966 General Westmoreland decided to improve the airstrip and install a Marine garrison. The CIDG troops moved southwest to Lang Vei, closer to the Laotian border.

In April of 1967 PAVN troops began an attack on Khe Sanh from fortified positions in the nearby hills. By late 1967 the PAVN troops were gathering again and the Marines were reinforced. Beginning in January of 1968, the base was beseiged by a strong PAVN force. Many, including President Johnson, thought this might become a repeat of Dien Bien Phu. But the U.S. used its airpower far more effectively than had the French in 1954.

American cargo planes continued to land at Khe Sanh and to deliver air drops of supplies through the seige. Operation Niagara, a large-scale bombing effort, inflicted huge casualties on the PAVN. Also, U.S. positions nearby at Camp Carroll and the Rockpile provided supporting artillery fire with 175-mm weapons.

Operation Pegasus, using 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), Marine, and ARVN units, broke the siege of Khe Sanh by reopening Route 9 from Ca Lu in mid-April of 1968. Westmoreland then seemed inclined to hold Khe Sanh indefinitely. But his successor, Creighton Abrams, was not so inclined. On June 12, 1968, one day after replacing Westmoreland, Abrams ordered U.S. troops withdrawn from Khe Sanh. The base was evacuated by July 6.

Resources:

Kolko, pp. 305-307

Langguth, pp. 478-80

Web Site: PBS "The Siege at Khe Sanh"

Web Site: Khe Sanh Declassified Documents

Web Site: Bruce Geiger's recollections of Khe Sanh