FB Los Banos
Along one of the most beautiful stretches of road in Vietnam, between Da Nang and Hue, there used to be a large number of bases covering the QL 1 and keeping it open for supply convoys and other traffic.
Some of these bases were also tasked with providing artillery support for infantry operating in the mountains to the west as they were used as infiltration routes for PAVN and VC forces trying to reach Da Nang or disturb the traffic along QL 1.
As we were going to be traveling along this road again I started doing more research on bases along the way that were possible to visit and where it might actually be something to see. Among many others there was a small base called FB Lang Co just where the road comes down from the Hai Van pass on the northern side. There really is nothing left at the site although it is easy to understand why they put a base here as it covered the southern end of the Lang Co Lagoon from infiltrating boats as well as providing cover for the road as it continues north along the flat stretch through the lagoon. There was also a small base called FB Beach just the lagoon road on the east side but that seems to now be a built up area.
In the end we decided to try to reach FB Roy and FB Los Banos. In between them was also the larger artillery base FB Tomahawk, but we didn’t have time to go for three bases this time.
As we left Hue early in the morning on our way south we settled in for the first 35 or so kilometers down to FB Roy which is located on a peninsula just north of the road out in the lagoon. On the south east side of the peninsula today is a resort. We approached the hill from the road on the south west side and were met with a ”No Entrance” sign which made this a record short visit.
From there we continued along the QL1, following the old stretch as there are newly built tunnels through both passes north of the Lang Co Lagoon. Just north of the pass is the Phu Gia Pass where FB Los Banos was located. Finding the base is very easy. There is a small road leading up to the old base area, assumingly this was the access road serving the base when it was active.
While walking up this little abandoned road toward the base area we came across what looked like a piece from a tiger stripe camouflage uniform as well as some old metal scraps that seemed to be from the era.
From the road we walked towards the base area which partly was on the slope overlooking the Lang Co Lagoon. The area is largely overgrown with low scrubs and bushes but walking around there, we found plenty of remains from the base. Especially from what we understand are old French concrete bunkers, but the ground also reveals that it was once dug up for mainly fighting positions and bunkers. On the site is also an old concrete watch tower, we assume was French built as well.
The views over the lagoon are stunning and well worth the brief climb. The troops here were well placed to keep an eye on the pass and the waterways to protect the convoys between Da Nang and Hue.
We are not sure of the complete layout of the base but some pictures indicates it also covered the ridge stretching west as well as part of the northern ridge. About where we entered the base area is an old concrete pad. Around it are what seem to be remains of fortified fighting positions. The small base road will take you around the southern part of the base with even more to discover around this little base.
All in all, this is a very nice and educational visit where one gets to see one of the small bases that fulfilled a very important and specific task during the war. Combined with it being very accessible and also along a road that many visitors travel we do recommend making a stop here. We look forward to learn more about this base and will keep updating the page over time.
JT
How to get there
Getting to the sites is described in the text above, but below we list the decimal coordinates for respective base.
FB Roy: 16.290566 107.857069
FB Tomahawk: 16.276361 107.912333
FB Los Banos: 16.261960 108.031432
Back to I Corps>>>
Brian, some further memories of that fire mission. The “Check Fire” command may have come right after the first adjusting round(s) landed. I can’t remember if one gun or two were adjusting. So I don’t believe the full six guns had fired or it would have been much worse in terms of casualties. Further, after our mission F4s were scheduled to hit there with snake and nape. Snake was 250 lb bombs with extended fuses for above ground bursts. Nape was napalm.
To warrant all that tells me there was a group of VC there, so the platoon was on an important mission.
I was a Marine Corps radio operator in a 155 battery, 4 guns as I remember, located on the first crest from the road. Mortars were on the same hill, but on another rise about 150 yards away, joined by a road that we closed at night. I was there from Sep 1969 to about March, 1970, when the MC pulled out. I went to LZ Baldy,. Later the Army moved onto Los Banos.
Brad, I was on gun 4 at that same time. 155’s Oct 69 until Feb 70
Some names and memories: Rain, lots of rain, and mud. ….. Stone and Brown: 2 guys that liked to fight all the time. Nobody else would fight with them so they’d fight each other. … One of the 55s would spit out the firing lock, so we had to stand out of the way when it fired. When we arrived we were told that we had to build our own hooch. It was twice as big as others and on the bay-side of the hill. We pulled out before we could get it completely covered in sandbags. I ran into Lt Itenour at 29 palms in 1971. He was second in command, of our batery, after Lt.-then-Capt. Decker. ….. I think the Army took over the hill when we left, and got over-run that year.
My name is Jose Saucedo, my timing is all messed up but I was with 6th Section of A Battery 6th Bn, 33rd Field Artillery in 1969 in support of a unit of the 101 Airborne Division.
Hello Jose, I was there at same time, same outfit. Probably knew you but 55 years later names I don’t remember. May have been in 5th or 6th gun section. Would like to talk if you care to.
My name is Jose Saucedo, my timing is all messed up but I was with 6th Section of A Battery 6th Bn, 33rd Field Artillery in 1969 in support of a unit of the 101 Airborne Division.
https://www.njvvmf.org/faces/bio/829/
Thank you for this information and photos. My mothers, first cousin was killed just outside this fire base right before Christmas. He was killed by friendly fire/artillery strike. RIP William Beksi.
Brian, I was the executive office of Bravo Battery, 1/13, a 105 mm howitzer battery, on FSB Los Banos. As XO, I was in charge of firing the guns and fired the mission that killed him and one other Marine. Until today, I never knew the name of either Marine we killed and have carried that sorrow with me since that day. During the mission we received the command “Check Fire”, which means immediately cease fire and step away from the howitzers. Then the data on each howitzer was verified to agree with what was sent from the fire direction center. We were later told that the platoon commander was on a five fingered, jungle ridge and had mistakenly called the mission onto the finger his platoon was on. I am so sorry for your family’s loss.
My dad, Sgt Steve Wilson was there on Hill 88 in ’68, ’69, and ’71. He was an FO with Hotel Company, 2nd Marines. If you knew him there, he’d love to hear from you, I’d be happy to put you in touch. He’d especially like to talk to Cpl “Short” who was an FO for the mortars there. He doesn’t remember Short’s real name though…
Sorry, that should read ’68, ’69, and ’70
I WAS THE BATTERY COMMANDER OF A BTRY, 2 BN. 320 ARTY. AT LOS BANOS FROM JAN 1969–MAY 1969, WHEN WE WENT TO FIRE BASE THOR IN SUPPORT OF HAMBURGER HILL. (THEN, CPT BUCKY BUCHWALD) OUR MOTTO WAS “BALL TO THE WALL” AND THE INFANTRY WAS “NO SLACK” 327 INF. WE HAD 6 ,M-102 HOWITZERS, 105 MM. THE INFANTRY HAD TO PASS THROUGH OUR AREA TO GET TO THE INFANTRY TOC AT THE TOP OF THE HILL…. WE SALUTED THE 327 COLONEL’S JEEP “NO FUCK*** SLACK, SIR!” “WE ARE THE KING OF BATTLE, PUT THE BALLS WHERE THE QUEEN WANTS THEM”
The previous post seems spot on to me. I was at FSB Los Banos in ‘68 with the 2/327 (101st Airborne) and spent a nervous night at the listening post he mentions across the highway. We also pulled security on the south side of the old Lang Co Bridge, just as he said. That bridge seems to have been replaced. Lt. Col Charlie Beckwith was the battalion commander of the 2/327 at the time , and he bid farewell to us at FSB Los Banos as he relinquished command for his next assignment. He went on to command the first Delta Force and the ill-fated rescue mission during the Iran Hostage Crisis in ‘80.
From the entrance road back the first part was an artillery battery (105s I think), then the top where the Battalion CO was (LTC Dyke) then the helicopter pad . After that the ridge ran up into the hills through a monkey infested set of woods. The hill sides on the Lagoon side and the hill 88 side were quite steep and had old French bouncing betty mines still around in unknown condition. There was generally one platoon from the 2nd 327th providing perimeter protection and they generally put a small listening post on the hill across hwy 1 which overlooked the fsb a bit. Another platoon had the far side of Lang Co bridge (Vietnamese held the Lang Co side) with a team further up hwy 1 past the engineer battalion. One more platoon provided perimeter support for hill 88 where a 155 battery was located.
Thank you Donald. This is great information and provides historical context to our visit there.
I was in artillery battery, A/6/33: in 1968. We fired a whole lot of missions. We fired one direct fire mission at an ambush site.
I remember los banos was my last position.I left 1/31/69.
Donald, Bravo Battery, 1 Bn, 13th Marines, occupied Los Banos after the Army left. I was the XO of that battery. Regarding the uncharted French bouncing Betty mine field on the steep hill immediately across the road from the battery on the south side, we felt it provided protection until one day I noticed a faint trail running up the mine field to the barbed wire by the road. The road was right next to the south side of the battery. I immediately realized the mine field was actually holding us in and the VC knew the way through it. I cleared that mine field and an uncharted Army bouncing Betty mine field immediately north of the battery using half blocks of C-4 and det cord.