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This diagram illustrates a multi-level North Vietnamese Army headquarters at Cu Chi soil tunnel complex used for living quarters and fighting. Diagram was based on displays at Vietnam Memorial at Ben Dinh near Ho Chi Minh City. [Reprinted with the permission of the Managing Editor of Open Journal of Soil Science.]
Episode 2480 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a report about the tunnels of Ho Bo Woods today and back in the day.
The story noted as 3.4. Ho Bo Woods is from a paper that appeared on The Scientific Research Publishing website titled: Saigon River Valley: A Navigation, Trade, Mitigation, Invasion, Liberation, and Unification Pathway. The paper was submitted by Kenneth R. Olson, [krolson@illinois.edu], College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, USA.
Citation for this paper: Olson, K.R. (2023), Saigon River Valley: A Navigation, Trade, Mitigation, Invasion, Liberation, and Unification Pathway. Open Journal of Soil Science, 13, 46-82In this episode, the portion of Professor’s paper titled: Agent Blue Use in the Mekong Delta by RV Military and US Air Force’s Operation Ranch Hand.
In addition to adding to our knowledge about the American Vietnam War, the purpose of this episode is to honor the memory of the late Melvin Page who served with the 1st Bn, 27th Infantry (The Wolfhounds), 25th Infantry Division in the vicinity of the area discussed in this episode.
According to Professor Olson, Ho Bo woods are located 50 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City in Binh Duong Providence. They are 20 km north of village of Cu Chi and 4 km to the west of the Saigon River and the Iron Triangle Soil Science soil tunnel area. The Woods consist of rubber plantations, sparse woods, and open rice paddies with some large dikes up to 2 m high. The forests were used by the NVA and VC as a base camp during the Vietnam War. The effectiveness for the NVA and VC of the cover and protection provided by the improvements in the wood was demonstrated in one engagement of numerous fought in valley. During Operation Circle Pines, 29 March to 5 April 1966, the 1 st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment attacked the woods.
Listen to episode 2480 and discover more about the tunnels of Ho Bo Woods today and back in the day.
