An Khe Pass

Looking down the road from the An Khe pass

Currently QL19 is a beautiful route from the coastal town of Qui Nhon west over the “Dragon’s Back” to the western part of the country all the way up to Pleiku.  A part of this route is the An Khe pass, which for US forces during the war was one of the most dangerous chokepoints for supply convoys.

The pass was an essential convoy route from the coastal port of Quy Nhon to the US bases in An Khe and around Pleiku  The route not only provided the topographical challenge of steep and winding mountain roads, but also provided the PAVN and VC forces ideal ambush locations. These forces were determined to cut off this critical supply route.

View from the An Khe Pass

Various iconic markers remain to this day. A tower of most likely French origin, sits on top of the pass on the southern side of the road.

JT

 

How to get there

Driving along the QL19 one will go through the pass. It starts about 55 kilometers west of Quy Nhon and the drive itself is about 5 kilometers from the foot of the mountain ridge to the top of the pass.

 

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109 thoughts on “An Khe Pass”

  1. Wasn’t there a lot of French graves on top of a mountain on the east side, I think, of the pass going north

  2. My father Lonnie “Bill” Watkins was First Sergeant of the 88th Transportation Company 1970 – 1971. Anyone on the thread remember him?

  3. Arrived with 4th ID by ship at Qui Nhon in Sept. 1966 and although a PFC clerk with the Div. Was selected to drive a deuce and half loaded with ammo up hwy 19 my first day in country. My shot gunner was a history major in college and proceeded to tell me all about the French getting ambushed in the Mayng Yang pass. Great news for a newly with little training. This was a scary time and Hwy 19 was a scary place. We made it to Dragon Mtn (Camp Enari) ok. I drove many convoys after that til leaving RVN for home in Aug p. 1967. Welcome home to all my brothers.

  4. I was at Radcliff 67 Bco 84th const engineers. We built a lot of things for the 1st Air calf Any body out there from the 84th

    1. I was at C Company 84th Eng. outside Qui Nhon 4/69-4/70 mos 62B20 Heavy equip. oper./mechanic but ended up driving fuel truck on L19 everyday fueling heavy equipment clearing mountain passes and road work on the way to An Khe and on occasion make a parts run to Pleiku. Traveling through the An Khe pass was something who ever else was with me looked forward too! Always great to find a brother from the 84th

  5. If you go to the video “The 101st Airborne Division In Vietnam” (Restored Color – 1968) at You Tube,com , and then go 7 min 14 sec into the video you’ll see a picture of myself taken by an Army photographer at An Khe Pass in August of 1965. We (members of the 1st Squad of the 1st Platoon of Company A 2nd Battalion/502nd Infantry Regiment of the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division) had a bus stopped at the pass and a South Vietnam soldier was questioning the passengers on the bus. The bus was cleared and sent on it’s way. Our company was in the area to conduct operations in advance of the 1st Cav moving in to set up a base camp.

  6. In 1969, I was riding shotgun on a wrecker from An Ke to Pleiku up through the pass. I was a medic returning to 6/29th artillery unit. Heavy equipment wrecker caught fire with flames coming up through shifting gromlet. Front wheels were on fire. Jumped out leaving bag of grenade launcher ammo, high explosive phosphorus, and shotgun rounds hanging from the wing latch on glove box. All ended up exploding. Had to give full report of incident to a bunch of officers back at Pleiku basecamp. Need to know if driver is still around. He would definitely remember the incident.

  7. I was there 67 thru 68. Drove 5K tanker for the 61st Trans . Every day on the pass. Made it home ok. Agent orange got me in 2019. I seen them spraying the route and never thought about it. I figure if they didn’t spray charlie would have blown me up !!!!

  8. My name is Robert HOLSON i was in oui ohon i don’t spell very good. I was in 513th dump truck company. May 67 to may 68

  9. I was a 67-Y20, Cobra crew chief, at RSB Buffalo at An Khe, 1970-71. My pilot (Sorry, but I can’t remember his name, but he was a good guy!) took me up one day on a convoy cover mission over An Khe pass. The pass was a key choke point between Qui Nhon on the South China Sea, and Pleiku in the Central Highlands. My pilot would take me up every so often just to make sure I was properly maintaining the Cobra, tail number 814, if I remember correctly. From the sky and looking down, I thought the pass was a beautiful sight. The convoy made it through just fine. On our flight back to Buffalo, the pilot decided to buzz Hon Cong Mountain, which was just a few clicks from Buffalo, and fire off a few rockets. There were a few abandoned buildings at the top of the mountain that served, I guess, for handy target practice. As we came in on our approach, we saw some kids playing, maybe three or four of them. To this day, it still haunts me what might’ve happened had the rockets been fired. The fortunes of war.

  10. Dan, my dad was with 444th, 88th Trans 67-68. Perhaps your paths crossed. Feel free to reach out, maybe you two crossed paths.

  11. I was a medic with the 4 medical bat. , 4th Inf. div. From Nov. 1970 to Dec. 1971 and only drove thru the pass from Ahn Khe to Quin hon once ; but I remember how scared I was about being ambushed, don’t recall seeing a lot of air escort above. Glad we made it back to the world! God bless all our vets and America.

    1. It ŵas scary at night driving a 5 tòn full of plywood to a Marine support base in Quang Tri with just myself and my M16 in 1969 when the truck broke down because of a clogged fuel filter.

  12. When i went TDY to the 513th dump truck co. I hauled sand from the river at the foot of the pass to AnKhe and resurfaced the airfield with psp. Remember the hairpin well!

  13. I was with the 1/50 mech infantry 173 ABN Brigade patrolling hwy 19, 1969 on Paul Vana’s APC “Anne”.

    1. I was with the 1/73 airborne brigade at LZ Schuller, 1968 to 1969 as a minesweeper attached to the fourth infantry. We swept the road every morning about 7 miles out from on An Khe toward Pleiku before the convoys could use the road L-19.

    2. Do you remember an ambush on QL 19 Feb. 14, 1969 near An Tan? A friend of mine,Roger Lewis was a convoy driver and was killed.

    3. My Dad Tom Paddy was with the 173rd 1st 50th 68 sept to 69 sept. Wouldn’t happen to remember him?

    1. I do we were on our way to quinon I was with the 88 trans. I am Daniel Nunez E/4 I thank God he brought me home safe we traveled Ahnke pass every day in 1970 God bless

        1. I was with the 514th from 1968 to 1970. Me and ken Horton travelled the pass daily from main camp to An khe. We provided security to pipe line that ran up to Pleiku. We were armorers for the 514th. We stayed and slept in our gun truck to provide security mostly for pump stations 3, 4, and five right at the beginning of the pass.

          1. With 514th Qm Co, Nov 67 thru Jan 70. worked in motor pool as dispatcher, and drove for Lt. McBride

    2. Yep I do. We would watch them napalming the mountain. I was with the 8th Fld Hosp at the base of Hon Kong mountain. We took in several casualties to include a working dog.

      1. I remember the 17th Field hospital in AnKhe was severely hit by sappers on November 15, 1969. I was in base camp that night. 20 copers were also destroyed.

        1. Did one mission driving a 5 ton truck from the South 40 in Danang loaded with plywood singlely with just an M16 to a Marinè Corps fire ɓase in Quang Trì while in the Navy.

  14. Reading the above comments brings back a lot of memories for me. I was a platoon leader in C Troop of the 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry, and later the commander of C Troop, stationed at RSB Buffalo (a reduced perimeter of the old Camp Radcliffe) in 1970-71. Keeping QL19 open and secure between the An Khe Pass and the Mang Yang Passes was our main mission. C Troop spent very little time at RSB Buffalo as we were used as the swing troop which was assigned many challenging missions including a period of time being Opcon to the Vietnamese 3rd ARVN Cavalry in an area of operation between the Mang Yang pass and Pleiku out of LZ Black Hawk, located not too far from Dead Man’s Curve. Reading all the comments about the An Khe Pass brings back a memory when C Troop was the last combat force to leave the An Khe Area of operations and travel through the very dangerous An Khe Pass under the watchful eye of John Paul Vann who was at the An Khe Pass that day to personally watch history in the making. (More to Follow)

    Don Smith

  15. I was in the 444th trans unie 88th trans co. drove for awhile then was gunner on the back of a jeep , then gunner on 2.5 ton truck. We hauled supplies to Pleiku Quihon and Doctoe , 68 & 69 based out of Ankhe Vietnam. My name is Seaton Hall . Very scary times on the convoys , the passes where hell some times. Thank God for coming back in one piece.

    1. Seaton, you were probably there with my dad James Phillips. Don’t know what nickname you might know but I’d love to hear from you! Dad’s still alive and what a blessing for him to find you. He was same unit and company, same years, and same jobs! I’ve never, in years of looking, found someone like you.

    2. Seaton, this is James Phillips. I joined the 88th in November of 67 when we were still in Pleiku. When we moved to Ankhe my barracks was the first one as you entered the main gate. The road that led to the top of Hong Kong Mtn would have been on the left. Our motor pool was on the left. The road up the green line was on the left just before our barracks. When we weren’t on the road we sometimes had to do guard-tower duty. It was just above what looked like a generator station. Let me know it it sound familiar.

  16. I was stationed at Camp Radcliffe May 66 to May 67 Supply 15th TC. Made multiple scary runs with Capt. Keefer through both passes from AnKhe to Pleiku or QuinHon driving a 3/4 Ton. Thank God for the Korean Roc soldiers (tough dudes. Experienced 2 fire encounters.

  17. If someone recognizes my name and remembers me, e mail me. There was a battle in 1970 , when and where i my mind blocked it out. I know I was MIA for awhile but the Army never acknowledged that . Was a keep gunner with Lt. Pike.

    1. Henry ,
      I think I can help you. I am an archival researcher at the National Archives with over 20 years experience researching military records. I also served in Vietnam 1967-1968.
      Michael Bracey
      [email protected]

      1. okay, for some reason like i say , all memory has been erased and all the memoribilia i brought back lost. Came back with a bad case of PTSD which nobody recognized back then. Other bad things happened to me after that

        1. man that sounds real close to what happened to me, I was stationed across the road from the 101 airborne in what we called sherang valley I remember they had a huge rock with the screaming Eagle about halfway up the mountain was there July 69- July 70 but like Henry a lot of it is blocked out. Melvin E Peyregne i remember driving a 5ton water tanker leave out empty in the morning and go to pleiku fill up and then deliver all around the area fire bases

  18. I was at Tigertown 70-71. Part of an Air Force Forward Air Control Team assigned to the Tiger Division. Drove that road many times.

  19. Drove a tank from Pleiku to Quin On down An Khe Pass to be loaded aboard an LSD headed up north. Company D, 65th Engineer Battalion, 25th Infantry Division support tank crewman 1966-1967.

  20. I was in 444th, 27 trans in 68-69, running on gun truck Iron Playpen for convoys An Khe. Definitely wasn’t paved and no guard rails then!

    Anyone remember others in 444? Looking for some buddies I served with.

    1. I was with the 504 and pee Italian out of On K from February 1968 until September 1968 when they sent us up to Camp Evans and Quan Tri. I escorted convoys up and down An Khe Pass and all the way to Mangyang Pass. An Khe pass was paved all the way from An Khe to Quinyon with a Korean post at the top of the pass and a Korean post at the bottom of the pass. No guard rails. Highway 19 was only paved about halfway to Mangyang Yang pass near Ambush Alley. Marv DeMilio

    2. Dan, my dad was with 444th, 88th Trans 67-68. Perhaps your paths crossed. Feel free to reach out, maybe you two crossed paths.

  21. I was a Machine Gunner on one of the Gun Trucks that would assemble in Phu Bai in the early mornings. Myself, Sp Frank Medina Jr, from Pueblo, Co , Sp Stanley Swaksky, the other Machine Gunner from Mt Carmel Pa, and Spc Edmond Cesar M-79 Greanade Launcher from Baton Rough La. We were from the 16th Eng Detachment Camp Granite. We also had some Trk Drivers from my Detach who were also Temp assigned to these convoys, going north to Anh Khe, Pleiku, Kontom, Bon Song, and ChuLai. 1967- 1968. There is a hairpin from Qui Nhon to Anh Khe, and we were ambushed there a few times but most of the ambushes were at Mang Yang Pass vicinity. Doe anyone recall the young Vietnamese boy who would hang out at one of the check points maintained by the 4th ID, He was loaded down with Sachel charges and blew the bunker where they would let him read comics. He went by the name of Peter. The VC set him up to commit the suiscid because His sister was raped and parents were being held captive

  22. went along that road 19 from Quy Nhon to Pleiku in 1994 with 2 cavalry veterans, stopped at the Mang Yang pass for refreshments on route,
    Cavalry veteran ‘Bud’ from original Cavalry arrival team 1965 was thirsty.
    There was a hut constructed from Bamboo, timber, thatch, dust and dirt which served as the cafe. On the shelf covered in dust from the war years were some bottles of what appeared to be beer, Bud reached over grabbed one hand scraped of the dust confirmed it was beer, opened it and proceeded to drink the contents.
    Pure bravery if ever I did see bravery.
    Gary Owen

    1. The only beer available for us with the First Team (1965-1966) was a vietnamese beer named 33 (BaMuyBan) which by the way is now sold in the USA. That was probably it.

  23. Was sent to An Khe in August of 67 unassigned. I was sent to 66th Petroleum Convoy Co as a temp assignment. First day I was assigned to commo jeep
    w/ XO and driver and designated as M-60 gunner. We were in the middle of a huge convoy…JP4, Kerosene, gas and diesel. When we were approaching Meng Yang pass all hell broke loose (not from NVA) as lighter trucks were passing heavier trucks to avoid ambush in the pass. It was crazy. Couldn’t see with all the dust and trucks passing on the left and right to gain position for the climb through the pass to Pleiku. Was transferred to 34th S&S next day and was told the drivers passing all could have been handed Article 15’s. Moved with the 1st Cav to DaNang and Camp Eagle early in 1968…out in September 68.

    1. Hi Glen,
      I was with 34th S & S Bn., in An Khe ,from Nov.’67 to ‘Nov ’68. I frequently drove in convoys back and forth to Qui Nhon bringing supplies Our company would grab anyone who could use a stick shift and place them in a deuce and a half ! Most of the road was paved, but with narrow dirt shoulders that we were told to avoid in case of explosives. Touch wood, nothing happened on my trips. Later , in mid ’68, we uprooted camp and were re-assigned to Da Nang , via a LST from Qui Nhon.

  24. I ran convoys from QuiNhon to Pleiku every day from May of 67 to June of 68 sitting behind two 60’s in an armored 106 jeep . Got hit constantly and was in the biggest ambush at least up to that time . Many times we got hit and didn’t know it until getting to our destination because of the truck noise . Ran to KonTum once a week after leaving Pleiku . I remember the pass vividly . Know every bump and mine hole .

  25. Dave Schoeck-71-72 Company A 1/10 Cav we ran road security on east side of Mang Yang pass-lot of enemy activity in those mountains as NVA supply line to south-pretty section of the country but defoiliants made it less hazzardous-unit stood down & we turned basecamp over to SVA n moved to Quin Yon

  26. I was there in 1972 on helicopter fire base for Korean Tiger division.

    i thought the fire base was called An Son between Qui Nhon and Pleiku.

    wonder who else was there

    1. I was at Tigertown 70-71. Part of an Air Force Forward Air Control Team assigned to the Tiger Division. Drove that road many times.

    2. I served with the 61st Oct of 1971, got transferred to the 129 th AHC Lane Army Heliport, AnSon. Got shot down below Hill638 on a resupply mission, 27 April 1972

  27. I was there with the 1st cav in 66 and part of 67. I can only remember being back at base camp 2 times for about 1 week at a time. I am not sure which wars where worse, the actual fighting out in the field or the free for alls that would break out back at the bar at base camp!!

  28. I ran security on convoy escorts in a V-100 with the 66th Military Police Co. out of Phu Tai. Made many escorts through the pass, mostly in 1970!! I wrote an article that was published in Vietnam Magazine August 2008 about our procedure if any one is interested!! Convoy Escort Service Extrordinare is the title and can be found on google using this title. My title I wanted was Convoy Escort V-100 style but the magazine changed the title, no problem.

    1. Dave;
      I drove a 2 1/2 ton of supplies up to An Khe via convoy more than once. You may have kept my sorry ass safe back then and for that I thank you, Brothers always, Don Lomax.

    2. I was there in 1970 when it was free fire all night long, I remember the suicides from soldiers that had, had to much already. I myself was involved in a huge firefight somewhere after taking diesel to a tank battery that had been running out of fuel and were pinned down. When we arrived with the fuel nobody wanted to drive the half tracks to the front to supply the tanks so I jumped in the half track and took the fuel. I must have gotten into some bad shit cause my mind has blocked it all out. Met a fellow once at the V.A. clinic that recognized me and apologized for leaving me behind , he said they thought I had been killed.
      I remember after that wondering in the jungle finally finding my home to a military base where they cut me open and med-evac me home. Nobody knows why I was cut open. Hope someone out there remembers me. Henry Ortiz. Jeer gunner and truck driver…… y’all remember that mountain that Charlie was held up at and that we would shoot at every night.

  29. Ran 3 truck convoys between An Khe, LZ English, an Qiun Yon ( sp ?) at least once a week. Got ambushed on the pass, 9 in our convoy, 2 wounded, 2 killed including our 1st sergeant, spent the night til they come and got us…..173d ABN ..68-69

    1. Dont know if you will see this not sure how i got on this page. I was stationed at lz english from 1-67 to 1-68 with 2bn 19th arty, 229 th avian had a pad right behind us.

    2. I remember your 1st Sgt and I believe his name was either Roland or Rolark (sp). He was killed going through An Khe pass. He was a well liked great guy.

  30. There was another pass on the section between Qui Nhon and An Khe that was also a favorite for occasional ambush. Anyone remember the name of that pass??

          1. I was at LZ Action in 1969 also. I’m not sure if we ever met as I don’t recall your name. Definitely remember Billy G though.

  31. I remember this pass well. I was with the 61st and the 129th AHC from Lane Army Field . The helicopter I was a door gunner on was shot down trying to get into Hill 638 on a resupply mission, it was April 27, 1972, lost four souls that aweful day, lucky myself and one other door gunner survived.

  32. I know this pass very well. Was with the 88th trans. Company in Ankhe from June 69 to Sept 70. Drove gun truck along with John Kaufman and Bobby Ray Smith. John drove “PANDEMONIUM”, BOBBY drove “SATAN’S CHARIOT”, and I drove “LIME FIRE”..

    1. I was with the 88 from July 68 until July 69. Ran a convoy every day from An Khe to Pleiku and on occasion to Quin On.
      Not exactly my favorite time of life. Lived in the first barracks from the direction of the road as it came through the gate.

      1. Michael, I just found this website last night and have been sharing these posts with my dad. I read him your post because he was with the 88th at the same time as you and based on your description of the barracks, he was in your barracks at the same time. Do you remember a James “Jim” or “Jimmy” Phillips? Scrawny fellow. PFC or Specialist depending on his questionable behavior at the time. Robert Trivasono would have been there as well. Do these names sound familiar? Would you be willing to talk to him?

      1. Hi Tom. I was the 2nd Platoon Ldr and XO of B Company from August 67 to Summer of 68. We knew those “roads ” well! Welcome home.

      2. Tom, I was a cook for the 69th Armor, mostly at Camp Radcliff, but occasionally visiting an LZ in the area. Some nights I would go over to HQ and listen to you guys talk to the command center over the radio. It was interesting because you guys would often take on small arms fire, but you weren’t allowed to shoot back for fear that you would blow away a “friendly” village with your big tank gun. I served in Vietnam from March, 1969, to March, 1970.

    2. I was 50 cal tail gunner on Satans Chariot gun truck Jan 70 til Mar 71. Sims was NCOIC. Several drivers,and gunners came and went during that time. Stump, Kamien, Stryffler, Smitty, and more whose names i forget after these 51 years

  33. I moved along hwy 19 through this pass many times. Came so close to becoming a KIA in the pass by friendly fire while trying to help the USMC in Oct 1965.

  34. Was on gun trucks snoopy with 444 Trans. What is your Nam from July 70 to February 1972 made many trips up AN KHE AND MAG YANG PASS. They could’ve hit us every day if they wanted to pull them big tankers around a hairpin you’re lucky if you’re doing five or 10 miles an hour. A friend of ours from Brutus was killed 23rd of February 1971 Larry doll DEHL he was a water the medal of honor for saving the lives of the rest of his troops on the gun truck met a lot of good guys over there it’s a shame a lot of them didn’t come home !!!!! It was a political war. And the young soldiers died And the young soldiers died. RONALD ROESER. ST LOUIS MISSOURI. ☮️🇺🇸

  35. I ran the pass in 66-67 5 ton tankers then 2.5 trucks

    The road was not paved and the hair pin was a bitch in the rain pulling a load

    My truck broke down and I spent a night with the Koreans who took me in

    We ran many runs at night one to five unescorted so we
    Enjoyed the Cabernet down on the flat before the climb

  36. I rode shotgun on a duece &1/2 thru the an khe pass in 1968. The 3rd brigade of the 4th Inf Div moved from LZ Baldy to Pleiku and I was lucky enough to be along on the adventure. It was scary and hairy! Just glad to know that some of us still think about it.

    1. Sept. 22, 1967 we were going back late 17 KIA one was my shotgun rider in AIT and a few trips on hwy 19 we had over 150+ 5-ton trucks. We only had a Jeep
      in front of convoy and one in the rear so it took some time for the help to come. After that we got gun trucks as lot of different tran. co. were in the same convoy.
      The length of convoys was reduced to about half. I was in the 57th trans. Later in the 563rd.

      1. Joe, I was in the 57th when it was re-formed in Ft Devins, Mass. I was in the 1st platoon. the ship we rode over to VN was the USNS Barrett. I was split off to the 669th Trans, also at Camp Addison. I remember the Ahn Khe pass well… Do you still live in Independence, Mo? I was from Gardner, Ks.

      2. i believe i remember your name but all memory has been erased, we supplied some tanks that were in a heavy firefight and needed fuel, we took it but no one wanted to drive the half tracks to the front so i did. I was mistaken for dead and was left behind and went missing. I saved those tanks ( or some) but lost all memory. Hopefully someone remembers me.

  37. My uncle, a Korean veteran of the Capital ‘Tiger’ Division was stationed there during the battle of April, 1972.

    1. I ran convoys on the pass in 1971 and I had great respect for the Tiger Division. They had a fire base on top of the pass and after they established it the action of ambushes decreased tremendously.

    2. Just got back from a wonderful trip to Viet Nam. I ran convoys on Highway 19 thru the pass in 1970. The Tiger Division had a fire base on top of the pass and when they established it the rate of ambushes decrease substantially. I had great respect for them. It was hard to recognize the pass now with clear cuts and power lines running through it.

      1. Thank you for your comment David. I am happy you enjoyed your trip back to Vietnam. Did you recognize the French bunkers and watchtower on the top of the pass?

    3. V-100 platoon of 560th MPCo,escorted convpys daily Quinhonto

      pleiku,1971,1972

      v-100 plat00n 0fhn of 560th MP Co escorted convoys daily Quinhon to pass and AnKhe passes back to the coastMangYang passes very dangerous areas

      pleiku

      ]leiku

  38. I was with the 1st cav in 66 and 67. We maintained a fm radio relay station on the top of an khe pass. Perhaps in the same location of the radio tower, although I do not remember a radio tower.

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