Early morning we head out to Aluoi for the Ashau valley, one of the strategic focal points of the war in Vietnam. Located in western Hue city, the narrow 40 kilometer long valley was an arm of the Ho Chi Minh Trail funneling troops and supplies toward Hue and Danang. At the north end of the valley was the major North Vietnamese Army (NVA) staging area known as Base Area 611. Because of its importance to the North Vietnamese plan for victory, the Ashau valley became a major battle ground from the earliestThe Ashau valley area map days of the U.S involvement in South Vietnam. Our first stop is the old site of Ashau Special Forces Camp, overrun by the NVA in 1966 and the next site is the infamous Hamburger Hill, the last bloodiest battle between the U.S Army's 101st Airborne and the NVA troops in the Vietnam War. The battle took place on Ap Bia mountain or Hill 937 in the rugged, jungle-shrouded mountains along the Laotian border with South Vietnam. After 10 day battle ( from May 10 to May 20 1969 ), the U.S 101st Airborne Division took the hill , US troops fought a brutal battle up the hill before finally capturing it on May 20. Due to the severity of the fighting, Hill 937 was dubbed "Hamburger Hill. We have 3 hour hiking on the hill and wander the hilltop viewing the traces left of the 10 day battle. Explore a tunnel of the NVA at the hillfoot before getting back to the town for lunch. Drive back to Hue. End of the trip.Lunch