Ripcord Association – Firebase Ripcord, Vietnam 1970
A-Shau Valley, Vietnam — March 12 – July 23, 1970

Firebase
Ripcord

For Survivors, Family, and Friends of The Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord — 101st Airborne Division. The battle the world never knew.
2026 Reunion — Myrtle Beach → The Battle ↓
Firebase Ripcord — May/June 1970
Reunion Myrtle Beach, SC — Oct 25–29, 2026 — Register Now →
New Book The End of the Rope releases May 1, 2026 — 50% member discount →
Newsletter Issue 143 — February 2026 — Download PDF →
Annual Reunion
2026 Ripcord Reunion
📅October 25–29, 2026
🏠Ellie Resort by Hilton — Myrtle Beach, SC
💴$150 per adult — $141/night hotel rate
⚠Hotel deadline: September 11, 2026

Questions? Call Pete Meloro: 732-947-1664 or Frank Marshall: 609-472-0970

Registration & Hotel Info →
Quarterly Newsletter
The Ripcord Report
📰Issue 143 — February 2026
📅Published quarterly since 1985
👥590 members receive by email — 133 by postal mail

Download the latest issue or browse all 143 newsletters in our complete archive going back to 1985.

Download Latest Issue → All 143 Issues →
New Book — Releasing May 1, 2026
The End of the Rope
The End of the Rope

The Ripcord Campaign and American Disengagement in Vietnam by James R. Smither. The most comprehensive account of the battle ever written — based on 15 years of veteran interviews.

Members receive 50% discount — contact us for promo code.

Pre-Order & Member Discount →
What’s happening
Latest News & Updates
Mar 2026
Website Rebuilt & Expanded
The Ripcord Association website has been completely rebuilt and expanded with new pages covering the battle history, casualty list, unit roster, videos, books, diorama, and more. Explore all pages →
Feb 2026
Newsletter Issue 143 Now Available
The latest Ripcord Report is available for download. Download Issue 143 →
Jan 2026
2026 Reunion Registration Open — Myrtle Beach
Registration is now open for the 2026 Ripcord Reunion, October 25–29 in Myrtle Beach, SC. Hotel deadline is September 11, 2026. Register now →
Jan 2026
New Book Pre-Orders Open — The End of the Rope
James R. Smither’s new book releases May 1, 2026. Members may order at 50% discount. Get your promo code →
Quick Links
👤 Free Membership Application 👥 Member Roster — 729 Members 🏧 KIA Casualty List — 138 Men 📰 Newsletter Archive — 143 Issues 🏁 Board of Directors 🎥 Videos About the Battle 📚 Books About the Battle 📄 Operation Texas Star ❤ Support the Association ✉ Contact Us
Firebase Ripcord after evacuation July 1970
Firebase Ripcord — July 1970. Photographed a few days after the evacuation on July 23, 1970. The hill was bombed immediately after our men left.

The Battle the World Never Knew

The military discouraged the media from covering Firebase Ripcord to avoid another Hamburger Hill controversy. So almost no one ever knew that 138 Americans were killed here — in one of the last major battles fought primarily by American ground forces in Vietnam.

The Ripcord Association was founded in 1985 to find the survivors, honor the fallen, and make sure the world finally knows what happened in the A-Shau Valley in the summer of 1970.

Read the Facts →
138 Americans Killed in Action
729 Association Members
143 Newsletters Since 1985
40+ Years of Reunions
#10 Deadliest Battle of Vietnam War