Located at YB 604-356 in southeastern Laos. The site was discovered by SOG Lieutenant George K. Sisler. What Sisler had found was a 1,000 meter peak with almost vertical sides, easy to defend. Sisler stated that the site could be used as a SOG radio relay site that would enable recon teams to maintain radio contact with their departing airsupport if an immediate extraction was needed. Sisler said "I am absolutey certain that I could stay on that rock indefinitely". Indeed, the SOG-NSA people managed to hold Leghorn for five years. SOG teams and NSA radio intercept people could monitor a tremendous amount of NVA radio traffic. From their perch on top of Leghorn they could hear NVA truck traffic moving down route 96, some six miles west of Leghorn and a major part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail network. Leghorn Relay Site
Sammy H. Cathey, a former SGT with MACV/SOG stationed at Leghorn, graciously provided the following photos.
Leghorn seen from chopper© Sammy H. Cathey.
Closer view from chopper© Sammy H. Cathey.
Helicopter Pad© Sammy H. Cathey.
Bunkers© Sammy H. Cathey.
Bunkers and antennas© Sammy H. Cathey.
Bunker with overhead cover© Sammy H. Cathey.
Bunker with 90mm recoiless rifle© Sammy H. Cathey.
Multiple Radio Antennas© Sammy H. Cathey.
View an attacker would get© Sammy H. Cathey.
SGT Sammy Cathey with his pet monkey© Sammy H. Cathey.