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This is an exceptionally rare piece. Special Use Southeast Asia, map number 6537 of series L607, printed June 1974.
US MILITARY MAP - Vietnam War Map
- Measures - 29 x 22.5 inches (74 x 59 cms)
- 1:100,000
- Map Number 6537
- Series - L607
- Printed - June 1974
6537 - Series L607
Map 6537 – Series L607 – Special Use Southeast Asia – Printed June 1974 – Pleiku and Kontum Provinces
This 1:100,000 scale US Army Map Service sheet, printed June 1974, covers Pleiku and southern Kontum Provinces, a core sector of the Central Highlands front. This region was pivotal in both conventional campaigns and clandestine operations, bridging Highway 14 with cross-border trails into Cambodia and Laos.
The map’s central axis is Highway QL-14, running north–south through Pleiku and Kontum, while feeder roads and marked trails, especially Trail 511, connect to remote valleys and infiltration corridors. Prominent bases appear on this sheet, each central to US Special Forces and CIA strategy:
Pleiku USSF Base & Airstrip: The main logistical hub for SF detachments in the highlands. Pleiku was home to II Corps HQ and the critical Pleiku East Airfield, from which both conventional operations and MACV-SOG missions were staged. The map carries the intriguing heading “Pleiku Nansteph,” a term not clarified in surviving records but possibly related to a coded designation, or “Nan Steph” as a shortened form in internal mapping use.
Polei Kleng (A-245): A fortified SF/CIDG camp west of Kontum, heavily engaged in the 1972 Easter Offensive. It was struck repeatedly by artillery and ground assaults before ARVN re-secured the area.
Plei Mrong: Another SF/CIDG installation, noted for its role in monitoring infiltration spurs and supporting local Montagnard defense.
Plei Djereng (A-251): Close to the Cambodian border, this was a major forward base and launch site for cross-border MACV-SOG missions into Laos and Cambodia. It endured sieges, most notably during the battles of 1966 and again in 1972.
Đak Drang / Ia Drang Valley: Marked prominently, this region gained fame in November 1965 during the Battle of Ia Drang. Different spellings reflect Montagnard dialects (“Ia” and “Đak” both mean “river” in the Jarai/Rhadé languages). The valley was the site of the first major US–PAVN set-piece battle, fought by the 1st Cavalry Division, with heavy casualties on both sides.
Battles and Campaigns
The sheet encompasses ground central to several phases of the war.
1950s French Era: Early French outposts existed around Kontum and Pleiku, with Route 14 serving as a colonial supply line.
Battle of Ia Drang (Nov 1965): The first large-scale US Army engagement with PAVN regulars. The fighting at LZ X-Ray and LZ Albany set the pattern for highland warfare—air mobility against massed infantry assaults.
Sieges of Plei Djereng and Polei Kleng (1966 and 72): North Vietnamese forces repeatedly targeted these border camps to break the CIDG screen. Heavy artillery and armor were employed in the 1972 Easter Offensive, devastating many outposts.
ARVN/US Withdrawal and Collapse (1974–75): By the time this map was printed, US ground forces had left, but CIA and US advisors remained active in training, coordinating Phoenix operations, and supporting ARVN Rangers and Montagnard CIDG remnants. In 1975, both Kontum and Pleiku fell quickly during the Central Highlands offensive, QL-14 was cut, and the camps were abandoned or destroyed.
CIA and Black Operations
Even after the US withdrawal, CIA paramilitary operations and Air America flights remained active in this sector. Pleiku and Kontum served as key CIA hubs, coordinating Phoenix Program activities and supporting Montagnard militias.
Plei Djereng and Polei Kleng were staging points for MACV-SOG cross-border missions into Cambodia, particularly against Trail 511 spurs of the Hồ Chí Minh Trail. Advisors assisted ARVN Rangers and CIDG remnants into 1974, with clandestine surveillance and interdiction continuing despite official “Vietnamization.”
Indigenous Forces
The region was home to Jarai, Rhadé, Bahnar, and Sedang tribes. They formed the bulk of CIDG units and MIKE Forces, prized for their knowledge of the dense highlands terrain. Their loyalty was tested through repeated sieges, but they remained vital to both SF and CIA efforts until the end.
Map 6537 captures the operational heart of the Central Highlands, base networks, infiltration routes, and battlefields from the French colonial era through the final collapse. It is both a record of one of the war’s most famous battles (Ia Drang) and a detailed plotting of SF/CIDG installations tied to clandestine CIA and MACV-SOG operations well into 1974.
Map 6537 – Series L607 – Pleiku & Kontum Provinces (Central Highlands) – US Special Forces “Special Use” Southeast Asia Map – Printed June 1974
Series: L607 (Army Map Service)
Sheet: 6537
Scale: 1:100,000
Print Date: June 1974
Coverage: Pleiku and Kontum Provinces, South Vietnam
Key Routes: QL-14 (north–south highway), Trail 511 infiltration spur
Terrain: Highlands, valleys, dense jungle, and limited road networks
Covers the Central Highlands sector where the first major US / PAVN battle occurred (Ia Drang, 1965) and where border camps formed the front line of US Special Forces and CIA surveillance into Cambodia and Laos.
The map was printed late in the war, when US ground troops had left but CIA, Air America, and advisors remained active.
Pleiku Camp / Airstrip (Detachment A-214, later C-2 HQ support): Major logistical hub for the highlands.
Polei Kleng (Detachment A-245): Key border surveillance camp, heavily attacked in 1972.
Plei Mrong (Detachment A-246): CIDG/SF camp supporting the western Kontum sector.
Plei Djereng (Detachment A-251): Forward launch site for SOG cross-border operations, repeatedly besieged.
Battles and Campaigns
Ia Drang (Nov 1965): First major US–PAVN clash.
Sieges of Plei Djereng (A-251) & Polei Kleng (A-245) (1966–72): Sustained assaults on border camps.
Easter Offensive (1972): PAVN artillery and armor devastated highland camps.
Final Campaign (1975): QL-14 cut, Pleiku and Kontum abandoned.
Clandestine Context
CIA operations and Air America flights active through 1974.
Phoenix Program coordination in Pleiku/Kontum.
MACV-SOG missions launched from Plei Djereng (A-251) and Polei Kleng (A-245) into Cambodia.
Advisors continued working with ARVN Rangers and CIDG remnants until the collapse.
Indigenous Forces
Jarai, Rhadé, Bahnar, and Sedang tribes formed CIDG and Mike Force units. Their knowledge of highland terrain made them central to both defensive operations and clandestine missions.
Worn Holes
Worm holes are small, naturally formed perforations in old paper, caused long ago by insects that fed on the organic fibres of the sheet.
Far from being a flaw, they are regarded as a mark of authenticity and age. Collectors value them as signs that the piece has survived decades in tropical or storage conditions, adding to its provenance and historical character.
As with this map, where the worm holes do not obscure key features or interfere with the visual integrity, they are cherished as part of the map’s story.
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