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LZ Betty Phan Thiet Vietnam

LZ Betty / Phan Thiet January 2005

Pictures taken by Bryan and Nancy Lagimoniere in Jan. 2005. LZ Betty was first built by the French during French occupation. The base was abandoned until it was reoccupied by the 1st Air Cav in the mid 1960`s. Then by various other units such as the 101st, First Field Force and many other units.

In early 1971 most of the American units had left. Part of the 5/27th moved up to Phan Rang. Another asset of the 5/27th moved to MACV in down town Phan Thiet. 2 of the guns from the 5/27th went to Dak To. From information gathered from other US souldiers who were still there in 1971, the daily operation of LZ Betty was taken over by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam ARVN until the end of the war in 1975. At the end of the war with the base was occupied by the Socialist Army of Vietnam up until 1985. The unit assigned was then moved to Saigon and shortly after that the base was ordered torn down.

Me at the old Chieu Hoi Center, the area is now a public park. In 1970 it was off limits. This was the Chateau Deau Water Tower.

Some information provided by:Jerald Berry 3/506th

Whiskey Mountian ( Nui Ta Dom Mountain ) and West Phan Thiet

Post Office North Phan Thiet

Green building on the left Phan Thiet hotel

site of the old MACV compound

New cemetary access road west side of cemetary. This intersects on Hwy1 down by Phu Kanh Hamlet

Fish market on the Ba Trung Nhi Street

Running along the Ca Ty River heading

towards the LZ

One of the new bridges over the Ca Ty River heading north

Sand dunes North Phan Thiet

Phan Thiet harbor

Fishing boat early am South China Sea

From the north looking south toward lz

We just turned left at the fish market.The next 2 pictures are taken on Trung Trac rd. This road runs along the Ca Ty River heading toward LZ Betty

Duong Tran Quy CAP road leading up to Betty

Cemetary on the right just before the MP check point

New graves in the old cemetary

Area in front of bunker 5, note exposed tunnel due to erosion

Area north west of LZ far corner of cemetary

West side green line bunker 3 to bunker 9

North end of LZ, South China Sea back ground

West side greenline as seen from the new road

Erosion ditch 35 years later south end of LZ

Chieu Hoi Center.Now a park area

Looking north to runway 25

West side ramp area looking east

From nw corner of tarmat toward the 192 AHC area

Area in front of bunker 2 VC escape route 3/may/70

The cemetary had extended futher down the green line.

Location of the base chapel, north west corner of the LZ.

Looking south toward runway 07

End of runway 07, the road in the background was to the old FSB and the access road leading out of LZ Betty

Erosion ditch 35 years later behind batallion hill

Remains of one of the old French bunkers

Remains of helicopter revetments near the Seahorse hanger

Looking south from batallion hill over our old company area

Old ARVN compound near the MP check point

North east corner of LZ , former location of guard towers

From area of the guard towers looking south toward Vung Tao

Old view from east side green line towards Vung Tao

Area just below here was where the changing shed was on the beach

Another of the old French Bunkers

Remains of one of the old bunkers

Standing up by the old PA&e ice plant looking south

Taking different pictures of the ramp area

Remains of HQ building in the erosion ditch

The beach area, former location of the fuel tanks and LST pier

You are looking at the old greenline access road facing west

Me and the old entrance arch

West side greenline. This used to be rice paddies.There has been alot of erosion

Nancy and I on bunker 2

Looking down toward the old MP check point

Standing at the very end of runway 25 looking south

Leaving LZ Betty, heading down runway 25

The new residents of our old LZ

Song Cai river bridge, coming into PT as you crossed this bridge you could look up and see the west side greenline

from HWY 1. Just to the right of this was Phu Kanh Hamlet

Some of the many abandoned houses around our old LZ. I frequently searched these homes looking for VC, This was part of the former Phu Kanh Hamlet , Not far from HWY 1

Nancy and I on the edge of the erosion ditch on the south end of LZ Betty

Over crowded harbor. Many people who were fisherman in the north have moved south

They fished from early am till mid day

Our last sunrise in Phan Thiet.

My wife Nancy`s new friend. Somethings never change

One of the smaller fishing boats. They seemed tobe more colorful now.

One or 2 person fishing basket

The City of Ben Hoa. Alot of us took our incountry training here with the 11th ARC. Ben Hoa has more than trippled in size.

West of PT on Highway 1. In all it's insanity, there were some beautiful places in Vietnam.

One of the many weddings we passed on HWY 1 heading toward Phan Thiet

The following pictures are from Adam Bray. Adam is a website/graphic designer. He went to visit his brother who is teaching english in China. He decided to tour Asia and eventually settled in Phan Thiet.

He knew that there were American forces stationed in Binh Thuan but found many of the locals resistant to talk about the war. In searching he contacted Rolando Salazar, 1st Cav LZ Betty and eventually contacted me.

He has been of great help in gathering information for me and Rolando on our old area of operation.

He has a site dedicated to travel in Binh Thuan Province. www.muinebeach.net

The picture above is of the old Batallion motor pool area looking south toward Vung Tao. Below pictures looking up toward the LZ from the ocean. What used tobe a ditch`s are now canyon`s.

Thrown about on the beach below LZ Betty. Unlike Americans
the vietnamese dont collect sea shells.

Whiskey Mountain with cell phone tower.The picture was taken from the Cham Buddist Temple in North Phan Thiet

Looking up the beach from in front of the LZ.

Many Vietnam websites are dedicated to particular military units. This website is dedicated to a place and time in our lives.