LZ Moberly
Overview
LZ Moberly (also recorded as FB Moberly in the firebase gazetteer) was a Special Forces CIDG camp at Ba To Airfield (Ba To AF) in Ba To district, Quang Ngai Province, I Corps. It sits at grid BS558321 (14.7547°N, 108.7265°E), approximately 16 km south and 22 km east of LZ Tom in the broader Song Re Valley operational area.
The camp predated the 3d Brigade Reconnaissance in Force into the Song Re Valley (1–19 August 1967). The gazetteer records artillery at Moberly as early as 5 August under the Op Pershing umbrella, indicating it was already an established rear staging and fire support base when the main assault opened on 9 August. During the operation, D Company, 5/7th Cavalry used it as a pickup zone on 15 August.
On 18 August 1967 — the day the battalion's combat operations in the Song Re concluded — the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry was airlifted to LZ Moberly and spent the night there. The following morning, 19 August, the battalion was airlifted by Caribou (CV-2 / DHC-4 STOL transport) from Moberly's airstrip to LZ English at Bong Son in Binh Dinh Province. The gazetteer records C Battery, 1/77th Artillery (105mm, Towed) at BS558326 on 19 August — the same extraction day — confirming artillery elements departed on the same morning.
Location
The gazetteer fixes Moberly across three nearby coordinates — BS558321, BS558325, and BS558326 — all within roughly 500 meters and all associated with the Ba To Airfield. The tight cluster reflects different unit positions within the same SF camp complex rather than separate locations.
Ba To was a known Special Forces CIDG camp in Quang Ngai Province. The "Ba To AF" designation in the gazetteer confirms a fixed-wing-capable airstrip consistent with Caribou operations.
Sources
| Claim | Source | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| FB Moberly BS558321 (14.7547, 108.7265), 2/17th Arty (105mm)(T) 5Aug67, Op Pershing | Firebase gazetteer ref 270 | confirmed |
| FB Moberly BS558325 (14.7588, 108.7270), D/5/7th Cav PZ 15Aug67, Ba To AF | Firebase gazetteer ref 179 | confirmed |
| FB Moberly BS558326 (14.7593, 108.7269), C/1/77th Arty (105mm)(T) 19Aug67, Ba To AF | Firebase gazetteer refs 270, AD387477 | confirmed |
| Battalion airlifted to LZ Moberly 18 Aug; overnight; Caribou to LZ English morning 19 Aug | B Co memoir, eagerarms.com | confirmed |
| Ba To AF = fixed-wing-capable airstrip (Caribou-capable) | Firebase gazetteer tags ("Ba To AF"); B Co memoir | confirmed |
| LZ Tom (BS347482) and LZ Moberly (BS558321) are distinct locations, ~20 km apart | Coordinate comparison | confirmed |
Open questions
- [ ] Confirm SF A-detachment number for the Ba To CIDG camp.
- [ ] Confirm namesake of "Moberly" designation (Moberly, Missouri?).
- [ ] Determine whether any D Co soldiers have a timeline entry passing through Moberly on 18–19 Aug 1967.
- [ ] Identify the second Moberly grid ref 270 notes as "also 565325" — confirm whether BS565325 is a separate artillery position at the same camp.
Today: Ba To district, Quang Ngai Province. Approximately 16 km south and 22 km east of LZ Tom (BS347482) in the upper Song Re corridor. Ba To Airfield (Ba To AF) — a CIDG Special Forces camp with a small airstrip capable of Caribou (CV-2 / DHC-4) fixed-wing operations.
Earliest gazetteer entry: 2/17th Arty (105mm)(T) at BS558321 on 5Aug67 (Op Pershing, ref 270) — predating the main Song Re assault and indicating Moberly was an established position before the operation opened. D/5/7th Cav used it as a PZ on 15Aug67 (ref 179). C/1/77th Arty (105mm)(T) recorded at BS558326 on 19Aug67 (refs 270, AD387477) — the date the B Co memoir records the battalion lifting by Caribou from LZ Moberly to LZ English. The camp itself predates August 1967 as a Special Forces CIDG position.