Atlas of Battles

battle, Cold War

Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord

Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord was a battle fought on 1 July 1970 in what is now Vietnam; it lasted 22 days. It was part of the Vietnam War, which ran from 1955 to 1975. The recorded result: see Aftermath.

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A view of Fire Support Base Ripcord, situated atop a high mountain overlooking the A Shau Valley. It was designed to provide support for a new allied thrust, but was besieged for nearly a month in Jul
A view of Fire Support Base Ripcord, situated atop a high mountain overlooking the A Shau Valley. It was designed to provide support for a new allied thrust, but was besieged for nearly a month in Jul. Photographer Sp5 James Saller, 221st Signal Company, July 14, 1970, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought1 July 1970lasted 22 days
WhereVietnam16.446N, 107.191E
Outcomesee Aftermath
BelligerentsNorth VietnamagainstUnited States
Casualties and lossesU.S. claim: 422 killed; 6 capturedand75 killed; 8 aircraft destroyed
Part ofVietnam War1955 to 1975

Where it sits in the Vietnam War

Battle of Ap Bac, 1963Battle of Go Cong, 1963Battle of Nam Dong, 1964Battle of An Lao, 1964Gulf of Tonkin incident, 1964Battle of Binh Gia, 1964Operation Starlite, 1965Battle of Dong Xoai, 1965Battle of Ba Gia, 1965Battle of Song Be, 1965Battle of Dương Liễu–Nhông Pass, 1965Attack on Camp Holloway, 1965Battle of Núi Thành, 1965Siege of Plei Me, 1965Battle of Gang Toi, 1965Battle of Ap Bau Bang, 1965Battle of Ia Drang, 1965Battle of Xa Cam My, 1966Battle of A Shau, 1966Operation Crimp, 1966Battle of Bong Son, 1966Battle of Suoi Bong Trang, 1966Battle of Long Tan, 1966Battle of Tra Binh Dong, 1967Battle of Tam Quan, 1967Operation Cedar Falls, 1967Operation Bribie, 1967Battle of Hill 881, 1967Battle of Suoi Chau Pha, 1967Operation Francis Marion, 1967Battle of Ong Thanh, 1967First Battle of Loc Ninh, 1967Battle of Dak To, 1967Battle of Saigon, 1968New Year's Day Battle of 1968, 1968Battle of Khe Sanh, 1968Battle of Ban Houei Sane, 1968Battle of Quang Tri, 1968Battle of Lang Vei, 1968Tet Offensive battle of Cholon and Phu Tho Racetrack, 1968Action of 1 March 1968, 1968Battle of Hue, 1968Battle of Lima Site 85, 1968Battle of An Bao, 1968Battle of Kham Duc, 1968Battle of Coral–Balmoral, 1968Operation Speedy Express, 1968Battle of Hat Dich, 1968Operation Dewey Canyon, 1969Battle of Hamburger Hill, 1969Battle of Binh Ba, 1969Battle of Kompong Speu, 1970Battle of Prey Veng, 1970Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord, 1970Operation Ivory Coast, 1970Operation Lam Son 719, 1971Battle of FSB Mary Ann, 1971Battle of Snuol, 1971Battle of Long Khanh, 1971Battle of Nui Le, 1971First Battle of Quảng Trị, 1972Battle of Loc Ninh, 1972Battle of Đồng Hới, 1972Battle of Kontum, 1972Second Battle of Quảng Trị, 1972Operation Linebacker II, 1972Battle of Cửa Việt, 1973Battle of the Paracel Islands, 1974Battle of Kampot, 1974Battle of Svay Rieng, 1974Battle of the Iron Triangle, 1974Battle of Phuoc Long, 1974Battle of Ban Me Thuot, 1975Battle of Xuan Loc, 1975Fall of Saigon, 197519631975Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord, 1970
75 placed engagements of the Vietnam War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date1 July 1970
to 23 July 1970
PlaceVietnam
16.446N, 107.191E
KindBattle, Cold War
Casualties and lossesU.S. claim: 422 killed; 6 captured75 killed; 8 aircraft destroyed
Commanders
  • Vũ Thế Đào
  • Benjamin Harrison (major general)
  • Andre Lucas
Battle of Fire Support Base RipcordBattle of Fire Support Base RipcordBattle of Signal Hill VietnamBattle of A ShauBattle of Hamburger HillBattle of Quang TriFirst Battle of Quảng TrịBattle of Quang TriFirst Battle of Quảng TrịDa NangHueĐồng HớiĐông HàSaravan100 km16.446N, 107.191E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1970

Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 140 in present-day Vietnam.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q3636297, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord, revision 1384673010, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.