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The Rockpile. (see photo, see map) The drive down Highway 9 in I Corps from Dong Ha to the Laotian border at
Lao Bao is a truly spectacular. Highway 9 runs parallel just a bit south of the old
DMZ. In that short stretch between Dong Ha on the east and the Lang Vei Special Forces
camp at the Laotian border on the west exists a great deal of history concerning
America's involvement. Although alot of the sites were originally SF camps, this
area became largely Marine territory and sites like Con Thien, Khe Sanh, Mutter's
Ridge, Camp Carrol, the McNamara Line, among others, occupy this relatively small
area. One of the most spectacular sites of this area is karst-like mountain formation
pushed up from the surrounding ground. The Vietnamese name is Thon Khe Tri but to
the Americans it became the Rockpile. It sits approximately half-way between Dong
Ha and Khe Sanh beside Highway 9. I would imagine that the summit commands a spectacular
view of the surrounding area for miles. The importance of this view was not lost
on the U.S. Military and the Marines established a tiny base on top, supplied and
accessed only by helicopter. We were going to try and find a way up by foot.
As you drive west from Dong Ha down Highway 9, the surrounding countryside is relatively
flat and rolling. Running parallel and just to the north of Highway 9 is the Cam
Lo River. Approximately 3-1/2 miles west of Dong Ha is the location of another interesting
story from the war. Along this part of the river as it starts to bend northwest near
the village of Thon Moc Duc is the area from which Navy Seal Lieutenant Thomas Norris
and a Vietnamese Seal disguised themselves as fishermen and made their way west up
the Cam Lo River on a sampan looking for a downed pilot, LTC Iceal Hambelton. The
whole incident was made famous by the book and movie titled after Hambelton's call
sign, Bat 21. Norris would be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
(see map) Of course, we only knew of the general location for Norris' launch and
we slowed the car down to just look at the river flow by and wonder what it must
have been like that evening in April 1972 in the midst of the Easter Offensive by
the NVA. The area was completely controlled and overrun by NVA troops and armor when
Norris and his Vietnamese partner set off. At their launch point the river is quite
close to the road and then as you travel on the road moves on westernly as the river
moves to the north. Norris traveled by sampan at night up the river and found Hambelton
just before the location of the Cam
Lo bridge. We took a slight detour off Highway 9 and drove
the mile or so to the bridge. Standing on the bridge and looking east about two or
three hundred meters is where Norris found Hambelton. This was an interesting little
side trip. To stand there and look over an area where an incredible incident had
occurred unknown to every person standing around you. Obviously there is no marker
or monument. We got back in the car and continued on to the Rockpile. To be continued.
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