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Fire support base
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<h2 id="vietnam-war">Vietnam War</h2> <p class="note">For a list of firebases of that war, see <a href="/facts/Firebase_(U.S.-Vietnam_War)/qbEqR2NT">Firebase (U.S.-Vietnam War)</a>.</p> <p>One of the first fire support bases constructed by U.S. troops was built in October 1965. Designated Bill, it was built by the First Cavalry Division in Pleiku Province soon after the division arrived in South Vietnam.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Based on the original concept developed by that division, firebases would move about every two days, minimizing the amount of security and semi-permanent construction they would need. Over time this changed, and firebases evolved into small forts with all the defensive measures those required.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p><p>Many fire support bases evolved into more permanent bases. Their main components varied by size: a typical FSB usually had a battery of six 105 millimeter or 155 mm <a href="/facts/Howitzers/yVpgqIlk">howitzers</a>, a <a href="/facts/Platoon/DdNeljkg">platoon</a> of <a href="/facts/Combat_engineer/I3Th82Hf">engineers</a> permanently on station for construction and maintenance projects, at least two landing pads for helicopters (a smaller VIP pad and at least one resupply pad), a <a href="/facts/Tactical_Operations_Center/bqN3gezV">Tactical Operations Center</a> (TOC), an <a href="/facts/Aid_station/PecroHEe">aid station</a> staffed with <a href="/facts/Combat_medic/3rYk788Y">medics</a>, a communications <a href="/facts/Bunker/WDHwf6sc">bunker</a>, and a <a href="/facts/Company_(military_unit)/xguxWmlh">company</a> of <a href="/facts/Infantry/QAHDDQtk">infantry</a> serving as the defense garrison. Large FSBs might also have 2 artillery batteries, and an infantry <a href="/facts/Battalion/AohlXDhb">battalion</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p><a href="/facts/Firebase_Bastogne/Nup9C8kL">Firebase Bastogne</a> was a United States firebase constructed in Vietnam in 1968 by the <a href="/facts/101st_Airborne_Division/2kVzxNsW">101st Airborne Division</a>. <a href="/facts/Battle_of_FSB_Mary_Ann/N24YN8b5">Firebase Mary Ann</a>, constructed by elements of the <a href="/facts/23rd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)/rHuJps2I">23rd Infantry Division "Americal"</a>, was more typical of smaller fire support bases. </p> <h2 id="use-in-afghanistan">Use in Afghanistan</h2> <p class="note">For a list of firebases of that war, see <a href="/facts/Firebase_(U.S.-Afghanistan_War)/ahvYtzYI">Firebase (U.S.-Afghanistan War)</a>.</p> <p>Firebases had been set up in <a href="/facts/Afghanistan/v63Auu1C">Afghanistan</a> since the <a href="/facts/War_in_Afghanistan_(2001%25E2%2580%25932021)/vKbbttLN">action by U.S.-led Coalition forces</a> began in 2001. These bases provided fire support to Coalition forces in the search for <a href="/facts/Taliban/VJC0WJlq">Taliban</a> fighters along the <a href="/facts/Pakistan/cbIsvJy1">Pakistan</a> border.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Kunar_Province/qhI0z6oS">Kunar Province</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Firebase_Phoenix/xbLtXDo9">Firebase Phoenix</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Helmand_Province/lfAqtd6N">Helmand Province</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Firebase_Fiddler%2527s_Green/dGjB0rst">Firebase Fiddler's Green</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Nangarhar_Province/TINSeVWK">Nangarhar Province</a> <ul><li>A former firebase - Forward Operating Base Torkham</li></ul></li> <li>Firebase Thomas<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Firebase_Tinsley/te7efbvj">Firebase Tinsley</a> near Char Chiehna. Formerly FOB Cobra.</li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Forward_operating_base/bUu9hYdk">Forward operating base</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Hedgehog_defense/XNGrJdBz">Hedgehog defense</a></li></ul> <h3>Citations</h3> <h3>Bibliography</h3> <ul><li>Coleman, J.D. (1988). <i>Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam</i>. New York: St Martin's Press.</li> <li>Nolan, Keith William (1995). <i>Sappers in the Wire: The life and death of Firebase Mary Ann</i>. Texas A&M University Press. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-89096-657-5.</li> <li>Ott, Maj. Gen. David Ewing (1975). <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120926103800/http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-12/index.html"><i>Field Artillery, 1954-1973 (Vietnam Studies)</i></a>. Washington D.C.: Department of the Army. Archived from <a href="http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-12/index.html">the original</a> on September 26, 2012.</li> <li>Stanton, Shelby L. (1987). <a href="https://archive.org/details/anatomyofdivisio00stan"><i>Anatomy of a Division: 1st Cav in Vietnam</i></a>. Novato, CA: Presidio.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> Look up <i>firebase</i> in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. <ul><li><a href="http://www.bravecannons.org/the_gun/gunpit.html">The Gunpit - Basic Layout</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.landscaper.net/firebase.htm">The 2001 version of Vietnam LZs, FBs, FSBs and Camps</a></li> <li><a href="https://archive.org/details/CMHPub90-12"><i>Vietnam Studies: Field Artillery 1954–1973</i></a>—Chapter 3 deals with the FSB concept from the field artillery viewpoint</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Coleman, pp. 113-114. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Nolan, p. 136-137. Nolan describes FSB Mary Ann's layout. <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Ott, p. 59. <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Stanton, Shelby. Anatomy of a Division. 1987. p. 218. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Coleman, p. 113. <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Field Artillery 1954-1973 Chapter 3: In Order to Win". History.army.mil. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-06. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120926103800/http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-12/index.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120926103800/http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-12/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Asadabad. GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved on: November 11, 2007 <a href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/afghanistan/asadabad.htm" target="_blank">http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/afghanistan/asadabad.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Special Forces Travel A Difficult Road In Afghanistan, NPR, June 10, 2009 <a href="https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105204217" target="_blank">https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105204217</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Firebase Thomas Mud Run | Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.162818757129729.39337.109620502449555&type=3" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.162818757129729.39337.109620502449555&type=3</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>