page_title: Cửa Việt Base
section_title: 1968–71
hierarchical_section_title: Cửa Việt Base / History / 1968–71
caption_attribution_description: English: 1/9 Marines enjoy the surf during 2 day rest and recreation at Cua Viet beach
context_page_description: Cửa Việt Base is a former U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam base north of Quảng Trị in central Vietnam.
context_section_description: On 20 January 1968 PAVN artillery fire targeted navy boats on the river forcing the closure of the waterway. PAVN artillery fire, mines and fire from the north bank of the river continued to menace shipping for the following days and the Marines suffered 16 dead in clearing out PAVN ambush sites. From 23–26 January the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines launched Operation Badger Catch to secure the north bank of the river and prevent PAVN reinforcements from entering the area.
  On 24 February the Navy established Task Force Clearwater composed on 20 PBRs plus assorted support ships to keep the river open. On 29 February 3 Marines moved to the base to take control of the newly merged Operation Napoleon/Saline. The Marines and ARVN claimed over 1000 PAVN killed in area during the month of February.
  On 10 March the base was hit by PAVN artillery, destroying 150 tons of ammunition, damaging numerous buildings and killing 1 American. On 11 April PAVN artillery hit the base's fuel farm destroying 40,000 gallons of petroleum. On 13 June PAVN artillery destroyed 104,000 gallons of petroleum at the base. On 19, 21 and 24 June the base was hit by PAVN artillery fire resulting in the destruction of ammunition and petroleum storage facilities.
  An in-country rest and recreation center was established at the base and it was used for rehabilitation of Marine units coming in from operations along the DMZ.
  On 21 February 1969 at 03:15 a U.S. Navy LCM-6 tied up at the base was damaged by an explosion, killing one sailor. At 04:00 two other LCMs were damaged by explosions. At 04:20 an explosive ordinance team detonated another satchel charge attached to an LCM and at 05:48 another explosion hit an LCM. U.S. Navy personnel saw a swimmer in the water and fired on him and at dawn found a dead North Vietnamese swimmer wearing Soviet scuba gear. 
  In September 1969 as part of Operation Keystone Cardinal the 3rd Marine Division began its withdrawal from Vietnam. The 4th Marines assumed responsibility for the Cua Viet area from the 3rd Marines, before departing from Cua Viet themselves on 22 October. The Marines handed over control of their tactical area of operations (including base) to the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division and the ARVN 1st Division.
  On 15 February 1970 Naval Support Activity Cửa Việt was disbanded and responsibility for the base was handed over to the US Army.
caption: 1/9 Marines enjoy the surf during 2 day rest and recreation at Cua Viet beach in 1969
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