Bearcat Base (also known as Bearcat, Camp Martin, Camp Cox or Long Thanh North) is a former U.S. Army base near the city of Biên Hòa in Äá»"ng Nai Province in southern Vietnam.
History
Bearcat was originally a French airfield, later used by the Japanese during World War II. Early in the Vietnam War, the 1st Special Forces established a base there. It was later the base camp for the 9th Infantry Division from January 1967 until the division moved to Äá»"ng Tâm Base Camp near Mỹ Tho in late 1967. The camp was located on the main highway, QL-15, 16 km southwest of Biên Hòa. The camp took its name from its Special Forces radio callsign.
Other U.S. units stationed at Bearcat included:
- 7th Battalion, 8th Artillery (Juneâ€"October 1967)
- 7th Battalion, 9th Artillery (November 1966â€"August 1969)
- 1st Battalion, 11th Artillery (January 1967â€"1968)
- 5th Battalion, 42nd Artillery (1968)
- 1st Battalion, 84th Artillery (February 1967â€"1968)
- 200th Aviation Company (March 1967â€"July 1968)
- 214th Aviation Battalion
- 191st Assault Helicopter Company (May 1966-late 1967 when it moved to Äá»"ng Tâm with the 9th Infantry)
- 240th Aviation Company (May 1967â€"December 1971)
- 244th Aviation Company (Augustâ€"December 1971)
- 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division comprising:
- 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry (June 1967, February 1970)
- 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry (Januaryâ€"February 1970)
- 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry (January 1970)
- 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry (Januaryâ€"February 1970)
- 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division comprising:
- 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry (Octoberâ€"November 1966)
- 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry (Octoberâ€"November 1966)
- 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry (Marchâ€"July 1968)1
- 135th Aviation Company (January-unknown 1968)
Bearcat also served as the base for the Royal Thai Army forces from 1968.
Current use
The base is abandoned and turned over the farmland although the Long Thanh North airfield is clearly visible on satellite images.