Fire Bases, Fire Support Bases and Patrol Bases were the norm for the soldiers of the 4th Battalion Mechanized 23rd Infantry Regiment. We lived and worked daily from these bases. The Tay Ninh area was sitting atop the North Vietnam Armies main infiltration routes into South Vietnam. Consequently, there were many major operations and battles in the province throughout the entire war.

The Division and Brigade commanders set up the Fire Support Base/ Patrol Base concept as a means of utilizing the "Tomahawks"  and other mechanized infantry units to their utmost ability as rapid reactionary forces.

Thousand of such bases existed all across South Vietnam.
The following are just a few names familiar to the "Tomahawks" Area of Operation.

Division  / Brigade sized Fire Bases
FB Cu Chi (XT6515) (2nd/32nd FA, HHQ/2nd Brigade/3rd Brigade 25th Infantry Division)
FB Tay Ninh West (*XT160520) (7th/11th FA-Bat. A, 2nd/77th FA, 2nd/34th Armor) (1st BDE 25th Infantry Division)
FB Dau Tieng (*XT492479)(2nd/22nd INF, 3/4 Cav.)(3rd BDE 25th Infantry Division until June 69)

Battalion / Company sized Fire Support Bases
FSB Buell II (*XT217535), III (*XT225535) (7th/11th FA, 2nd/34th Armor, 4th/23rd "Tomahawks")
FSB Crook (*XT055595)
FSB Rawlins I, II, III (*XT298485)(7th/11th FA, 4th/23rd "Tomahawks")
FSB St. Barbara / "French Fort" (*XT272683) (4th/9th "Manchus")
FSB Washington (*XT146568) (7th/11th FA)

Battalion / Company sized Patrol Bases
PB Rock Crusher (*XT270564) (4th/23rd "Tomahawks" HHQ RECON, 2nd/34th Armor)
PB Hunter (*XT369242 )(4th/23rd Tomahawks)
PB Bragg (*XT343580) (4th/23rd Tomahawks)

*Map references:
Vietnam 1:50,000
Series L7014
Sheets: 6131 I, II; 6132 II; 6229 I; 6230 I, II, III, IV; 6231 I, II, III, IV; 6232 II, III, IV; 6330 I, II, III, IV; 6331 III

The naming of the Fire Support bases in Vietnam, was left up to the Artillery unit commanders. The names of these bases were in some cases creative, many were recognizable names of historical places or events. In which case, it didn't take much effort to understand who or what they were named after.

However, the Artillery units attached to the 25th Infantry Division, named their bases after heroic but not so famous Commanders from history. Most are names the average person would never recognize.

In an attempt to clarify this, or at least answer the question "I wonder where that name came from?", the following pages give brief life histories of a few of the men who's names were placed on these pieces of war zone real estate.