Firebase Illingworth

Firebase Illingworth
Coordinates 11°34′08″N 105°56′38″E / 11.569°N 105.944°E / 11.569; 105.944 (Firebase Illingworth)
Type Army
Site history
Built 1970
In use 1970
Battles/wars
Vietnam War
Cambodian Incursion
Garrison information
Occupants 8th Cavalry Regiment

Firebase Illingworth is a former U.S. Army firebase northwest of Tây Ninh in southwest Vietnam.

History

This firebase was named for US Army Corporal John James Illingworth, a member of Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, posthumous recipient of the Silver Star.[1][2][3][4]

The firebase was first established in March 1970 by the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 35 km northwest of Tây Ninh and approximately 5 km from the Cambodian border.[5]

On 1 April the base was occupied by Companies C and E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, B Battery, 5th Battalion, 2nd Artillery, A Battery, 1st Battalion, 30th Artillery, A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Artillery and B Battery, 1st Battalion, 77th Artillery. At approximately 02:00 the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) hit the base with over 300 rounds of mortar and recoilless rifle fire and then assaulted the base with a force of over 400 troops. During the attack an ammunition dump containing over 190 rounds exploded. By 05:00 the attack had been repulsed at a cost of 24 U.S. killed and 54 wounded and 88 PAVN killed. SP4 Peter C. Lemon would be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.[6]

Current use

The base has reverted to farmland.

References

  1. ↑ Jury, Mark (1971). The Vietnam Photo Book. Grossman Publishers. p. 102. ISBN 0-670-74603-7.
  2. ↑ "Memorial Page for John James Illingworth". The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  3. ↑ "Memorial Page for John James Illingworth". Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. 1 January 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "Memorial Page for John James Illingworth". Find A Grave. 26 December 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  5. ↑ Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. pp. 5–127. ISBN 978-1-55571-625-7.
  6. ↑ "Battle survivors reunite 40 years later at Fort Sill monument". US Army. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
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