CAP Alpha 3 History Submitted By: Bill Nimmo

The guy I talked to from CAP Alpha 3 was there earlier before it became known as Alpha 3. It was known as Phu Bai 4 at that time. But the way you know it is the same place is to know that it was a mile or so (maybe 2 or 3 miles) south of Phu Bai, and it was right "on" Highway 1. In fact I think the highway divided the CAC unit.

Also, one of the PF units there guarded a truss bridge upon which Highway 1 crossed a river called the Phu Bai river. The river was also crossed by a railroad bridge parallel to the highway bridge. The river forked several hundred meters west of Highway 1 and the notrthern fork continued up into the Nam Hoa mountains.

There was quite an ambush in Alpha 3 on 29 November 1965. It took place at the bridge just west of the river fork. Two units, CAC 3 troops and CAC 4 troops (I think they were a double CAC at the time) set ambushes by both of the bridges west of the river fork. I have a sketch map of unknown source that shows the ambush site, the route of the VC as well as the location of artillery blocking fire.

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