1966–67 The base was established in the town of
Cam Lộ 15 km west of
Đông Hà and northwest of
Quảng Trị between
Highway 9 and the Miêu Giang or
Cam Lộ River only approximately south of the
Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). On 22 June the Marines' "Task Force Charlie" comprising two
Force Reconnaissance Companies, Companies from
2nd Battalion 1st Marines and 3/4 Marines and
Battery H 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines deployed to
Đông Hà Combat Base and Cam Lộ. On 28 June a
People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) mortar attack on Cam Lộ killed two Marines and wounded five. On 14 July in preparation for
Operation Hastings, General
Lowell English established his command post at Cam Lộ with security provided by
1st Battalion, 3rd Marines and artillery support from the
3rd Battalion, 12th Marines. In March 1967 Route 9 west of Cam Lộ was reopened to
Khe Sanh for the first time since 1964. The road would suffer numerous ambushes making it dangerous if not altogether unusable.
1968–69 In January 1968 Cam Lộ was occupied by artillery of the
2nd Battalion, 12th Marines with security provided by the
2nd Battalion, 9th Marines. being replaced by the
2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines. In September 1969 as part of
Operation Keystone Cardinal the 3rd Marine Division began its withdrawal from Vietnam and by early October the Marines had handed over control of their tactical area of operations (including the Cam Lộ base) to the
1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division.
1970–72 By January 1972 the ARVN
3rd Division had assumed responsibility for the area north of Highway 9. The PAVN launched their
Easter Offensive on 30 March 1972 and by 1 April had broken through the ARVN defensive positions along the DMZ and north of the Cam Lo River. On the afternoon of 2 April the road and rail bridges at Đông Hà were destroyed temporarily halting the advance of PAVN armor down Route 1, however at 18:00 a USAF
EB-66 was
shot down west of Đông Hà and a no fire zone was imposed around the area allowing the PAVN to capture the Cam Lo Bridge intact. PAVN forces moved across the bridge rolling up ARVN defensive positions south of the river before finally being halted south of Quảng Trị. Cam Lộ would remain in North Vietnamese hands for the rest of the war. ==Current use==