Virtual Tour

Landing Zone Bronco

The headquarters for the 11th Light Infantry Brigade (LIB) was located at Landing Zone (LZ) Bronco. Many units supporting the brigade had their headquarters located here also:

3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry
1st Battalion, 20th Infantry
4th Battalion, 3rd Infantry
4th Battalion, 21st Infantry
Echo Troop, 1st Cavalry

This "Virtual Tour" covers specific areas around LZ Bronco with an emphasis on the headquarters area of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry. Your tour guides for "LZ Bronco" are as follows:

Dave Eckberg was the S-5 and Medical Platoon Leader for the 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry from August, 1970 to August, 1971.
Henry (Hank) Vasil was assigned to Echo Troop, 1st Cavalry and was part of the initial force that occupied and starting building FSB 4-11 in early July, 1969.
Bruce (Doc) Nugent was a medic with HHC, 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry and was attached to Alpha Company.

Photograph by Dave Eckberg

In this aerial shot, the hills called Montezuma and Tripoli can be seen along the South China Sea. Montezuma is the closest hill in the center, with Tripoli just on the other side of it. These hills were named by the Marines who came ashore here in about 1966. LZ Bronco is at the base of Montezuma, and the village of Duc Pho is in front of LZ Bronco. This area is about 60 miles south of Chu Lai, the division headquarters for the Americal Division.

Photograph by Henry Vasil

Here is another aerial shot showing a closeup view of Montezuma looking towards the west.

Photograph by Dave Eckberg

In this picture, the village of Duc Pho is seen from the air, with the national highway, QL-1, bisecting it from the lower right and going north to the upper left. In the upper right corner, you can see part of the airstrips at LZ Bronco.

Photograph by Henry Vasil

This is the welcome sign to LZ Bronco and the 11th Brigade.