Page:Airmobility 1961-1971.pdf/243

in an excellent state of preservation and in good operating condition when discovered. "The city" (Map 10) covered approximately three square kilometers and consisted of a well-organized storage depot that was capable of rapid receipt and issue of large quantities of supplies. Judging from the general condition of the oldest bunker and from translation of supply documents found in the area, it was apparent that the storage depot had been in operation for two to two and one-half years. Some bunkers had been constructed within the last six months.

Captured supply records indicated that the supply depot primarily supported the 7th North Vietnam Army Division. Based on the discovery of classroom facilities, numerous mess halls, firing ranges, as well as large stocks of items of personal clothing and equipment in the cache site area, it was determined that "the city" was also used to provide refresher military and political training to recent replacements from North Vietnam.

Selected items of equipment captured at this cache site complex included:

1,282 individual weapons

202 crew-served weapons

319,000 rounds of .51-caliber/12.7-mm ammunition

25,200 rounds of 14.5-mm antiaircraft machinegun ammunition

1,559,000 rounds of AK-47 ammunition

2,110 grenades

58,000 pounds of plastic explosives

400,000 rounds of .30-caliber ammunition

16,920 propelling charges for 120-mm mortar

22 cases of anti-personnel mines

30 tons of rice

8 tons of corn

1,100 pounds of salt

Throughout the Cambodian campaign, Allied forces would uncover other major caches of equipment which proved that this area was truly one of the most important logistical bases of the enemy. On 25 May a large automotive parts cache was discovered by A Company of the 2d Battalion, 8th Cavalry which was the first of a series of caches of various supplies discovered in the area from 25 May to 9 June. One of these, a communications depot, discovered by D Company, 2d Battalion, 8th Cavalry, indicated that the enemy did not have time to evacuate his most valuable communications equipment. Considering the critical nature of enemy signal