Southern Cross information
for 11 BDE 23 INF
6/11 ARTY
For date 711126
11 BDE 23 INF was a US Army unit
6/11 ARTY was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Quang Ngai Province, I Corps, South Vietnam
Location, FSB RED DRAGON
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "This dragon deadly to unknowing enemy" by SP5 Gregory Wright (11th Brigade IO).
CHU LAI - According to Webster's New World Dictionary a dragon is a mythical monster, usually a high winged reptile which breathes out fire and wreaks destruction. Enemy forces about 15 kilometers west of Ha Tanh recently learned they have a dragon in their midst which is far from mythical. It isn't winged and it doesn't move, it isn't even alive, but in the firepower and destruction department Firebase Red Dragon is every bit as formidable as the creature whose name it bears. Located, amid rugged mountains, this hill and its occupant provide artillery support for allied units working in the area, and have long since demonstrated the deadly nature of their guns to the VC and NVA soldiers unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end. On Aug. 6, two 105mm's and crews of the 4th ARVN Regiment and two from Battery D, 6th Battalion, 11th Artillery moved in and prepared for operation on the hill. They were joined two days later by two 155mm's and men of the 6th ARVN Regiment. Soon after arrival, both men and guns were ready for action. According to MAJ Broadus (Mobile, Ala.), 6th Bn., 11th Arty. commander, cooperation is the key word, and men from the different units work well together on the small firebase. Performance here has been very good so far," said Broadus," "especially in the area of fire support coordination. It's rare to have three separate units working a hill this size, but in this case the idea seems to be working out quite well." Small and remote though it is, Red Dragon is no less a threat to the enemy or source of welcome for allies. It's not much and the men who serve there might occasionally joke about it or complain, but their guns are ready for anything, day or night.
The source for this information was 7111_445_scr supplied by Les Hines 01/05/2000
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
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Last updated
12/18/2000
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023