Cửa Việt Base 2.38

Cửa Việt Base is a former U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam base north of Quảng Trị in central Vietnam.History1966-7The base was located at the mouth of the Cửa Việt/Thạch Hãn River approximately 16 km north of Quảng Trị and only approximately 10 km south of the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).The base was first established by the 3rd Marine Division in 1966 as a logistics and support base for Marine units along the DMZ and particularly the Đông Hà Combat Base once the Cửa Việt/Thạch Hãn River had been dredged to allow passage for LCUs.In February 1967 the 12th Marines stationed 6 LVTH-6 at the base.On 18 March an LST ramp opened at the base allowing supplies to be transhipped on LCUs and LCMs to Đông Hà. A petroleum, oil & lubricants (POL) facility was also established at the base, protected by a company from the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines.In April 1967 under the name Operation Napoleon the 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines was tasked with keeping waterways around the base open. On 16 May the base was hit People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) rocket and artillery fire resulting in 5 Marines killed. Throughout the latter part of 1967 the base was subjected to frequent PAVN artillery and rocket fire from north of the DMZ.