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Red Beach Base Area (also known as Camp JK Books, Camp Haskins, Camp Viking, Paddock Compound or Red Beach Camp) is a complex of former U.S. Marines, Navy and Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) logistics and support bases northwest of Danang.

Red Beach Base Area
Coordinates	16.096°N 108.143°E / 16.096; 108.143 (Red Beach Base Area)
Type	Marines/Navy/Army
Site history
Built	1965
In use	1965-present
Battles/wars	Vietnam War

Red Beach Airfield
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Elevation AMSL	3 ft / 1 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 1,500 457 PSP

History

The base was located along Highway 1, 8 km northwest of Danang at Red Beach, the site of the landing of the 9th Marine Regiment, the first US combat troops deployed to South Vietnam on 8 March 1965.[1]

The area comprised a number of separate adjacent bases as follows:

• Camp JK Books, Headquarters of Force Logistics Command, U.S. Marine Corps, responsible to III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF).[1]
• Camp Haskins, split into Camp Haskins North used as a base for the 31st Naval Construction Regiment[2] and Camp Haskins South which was used as the Headquarters, III MAF after their move from Camp Horn in March 1970[1]^: 215[3]
• Camp Viking, base for the 58th Transport Battalion from February 1968 to April 1972 and the 39th Engineer Battalion[1]^: 537
• Paddock Compound, base for the 18th Engineer Brigade[1]

The base area was handed over to the ARVN in March 1972. Camp Viking was used by the ARVN 102nd Artillery Battalion.[1]^: 537

Current use

The area has largely been turned over to housing although part of it remains in use by the People's Army of Vietnam.

References

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