The Rockpile was first observed and made note of by a small Marine reconnaissance team on 4 July 1966.
The area later became a key outpost from which American and South Vietnamese forces could observe movements by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) troops near the DMZ and in the central and west sectors of northern I Corps.
Its exact importance is still debated upon as many claim that its strategic advantage was not all that the Marines had built it up to be and that the NVA never really wanted to control it, however the mountain's mere location inherently brought several benefits.

The Rockpile is located at the junction of five major valleys less than 10 miles away from the hotly contested DMZ and held a commanding view over the surrounding area including several key infiltration routes.
The mountain's height made it ideal for observation as it was possible to see ships in the South China Sea approximately 20 miles to the east, while what was called "Ghost Mountain" in Laos was visible to the west on a clear day.

The hill's relative location to Route 9 gave the Rockpile an added significance.
Route 9 is a road that runs parallel to the DMZ from Dong Ha, past the Rockpile, and on through Khe Sanh before becoming a dirt track that crosses the border into Laos.
In addition, its location gave the American forces an upper hand in the defense and supply of Khe Sanh Combat Base, Ca Lu Combat Base, and Camp Carroll as it was possible to interdict potential ambushes along Route 9.
Mountains positioned on either side of Route 9 near the Rockpile provided the NVA and VC with excellent cover to mount any ambushes against allied convoys travelling through the area.
For these reasons the United States high command decided to keep the Rockpile and the surrounding area as secure as possible for several years during the height of the conflict.
Ultimately, the United States' occupation of the Rockpile forced the NVA and VC to use higher and more dangerous infiltration routes to the west closer to Laos because the normal routes through the Cam Lo and Dong Ha area were essentially closed off.
The Rockpile was first observed and made note of by a small Marine reconnaissance team on 4 July 1966. The area later became a key outpost from which American and South Vietnamese forces could observe movements by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) troops near the DMZ and in the central and west sectors of northern I Corps. Its exact importance is still debated upon as many claim that its strategic advantage was not all that the Marines had built it up to be and that the NVA never really wanted to control it, however the mountain's mere location inherently brought several benefits. 
The Rockpile is located at the junction of five major valleys less than 10 miles away from the hotly contested DMZ and held a commanding view over the surrounding area including several key infiltration routes. The mountain's height made it ideal for observation as it was possible to see ships in the South China Sea approximately 20 miles to the east, while what was called "Ghost Mountain" in Laos was visible to the west on a clear day.
The hill's relative location to Route 9 gave the Rockpile an added significance. Route 9 is a road that runs parallel to the DMZ from Dong Ha, past the Rockpile, and on through Khe Sanh before becoming a dirt track that crosses the border into Laos. In addition, its location gave the American forces an upper hand in the defense and supply of Khe Sanh Combat Base, Ca Lu Combat Base, and Camp Carroll as it was possible to interdict potential ambushes along Route 9. Mountains positioned on either side of Route 9 near the Rockpile provided the NVA and VC with excellent cover to mount any ambushes against allied convoys travelling through the area. For these reasons the United States high command decided to keep the Rockpile and the surrounding area as secure as possible for several years during the height of the conflict. Ultimately, the United States' occupation of the Rockpile forced the NVA and VC to use higher and more dangerous infiltration routes to the west closer to Laos because the normal routes through the Cam Lo and Dong Ha area were essentially closed off.
The Rockpile