"The Rockpile is a cone shaped hill, located ten kilometers south of the DMZ. It rises some 240 meters out of a river bottom to sit astride several major infiltration routes from North Viet Nam and Laos. It dominates part of Route 9, the Vietnamese highway that parallels the DMZ and runs from Dong Ha past the Rockpile and on through Khe Sanh before it becomes a dirt track that reaches into Laos."- Otto Lehrack, No Shining Armor 1992.
Topo Map of the area.
The red line on the lower right is Highway 9.
The dirt road from Highway 9 crosses the Trinh Hin and then the stream called Khe Tri and ends on the hill we called the Punch Bowl.
The Trinh Hin River is a tributary of the Cam Lo River.
The Rockpile is the steep area colored green to the west of the dirt road.
The Razorback Ridge is represented by the diagnal green area to the left of the Punch Bowl.
Mutter's Ridge is the green area to the right of the Razorback.
Punch Bowl
Razorback
Rockpile
Mutter's Ridge
Payable
Approaching Rockpile from South East. Punch Bowl and Razorback in background.
Photo by David Althoff ,1968
Helecopter resupply of 3rd Squad of 3rd Platoon Lima Co. 3/3 on top of Rockpile on Christmas Eve 1966. It was the first break in the weather for about a week. Water and rations were about gone. There are 33 empty 5 gallon water cans visible in this photo.
The Trinh Hin river is in the background.
Marine in lower right is PFC Leo WHITEFOOT
Leaving the top of the Rockpile on Christmas Eve. Road connecting to Route 9 is in the background.
Marine in center of picture with the green shirt is L/Cpl Richard BANKS, Marine in upper right is PFC Kevin MACDONALD.
A CH-46 helicopter unloading supplies on top of the Rockpile.
In 1967 the landing platform was constructed to improve the safety of supplying the position.
Photos by David Althoff ,1968
Looking North across the Punch Bowl towards Mutter's Ridge
North side of the Rockpile as seen from the Punch Bowl. Hills south of Highway 9 in the background.
Photo by Rus Jewett May, 1967.
View of Rockpile from hills south of Route 9. The northern end of the Razorback is seen in the background.
Photo by Rus Jewett Feb, 1967.
Rockpile from the Trinh Hin River crossing point. The southern end of the Razorback is seen in the background.
Photo by Rus Jewett Feb, 1967.
South side of the Rockpile viewed from the Battalion Aid Station at Payable on Highway 9.
Photo by Rus Jewett, July 1967
Looking north at both the Rockpile and Razorback with Payable's position as seen from the top of the hills to the south of Highway 9.
Rockpile from Highway 9. Taken by Vietnam Vets while on a recent return to Khe Sanh.
Photo by Glenn Prentice ,1996.
Photo by Richard Lennon, 1996
Another photo taken recently by a returning Vietnam era Vet. Photographer unknown. Looks like they have improved Highway 9 a bit.
THE ROCKPILE
Home of 3/3 October 1966 thru 1969
Hwy, 9
Photos by Bernard B. Fall, 1966.
Courtesy of Kevin MacDonald.
The following photos were sent to me by John Cathy while he was on R&R from his job in Saudi in 2004. It appears that they are creating access to the top of the rockpile by blasting a road or trail.
