How were Hill numbers assigned in VN war?

[Bluehawk]

These Hill numbers used in Vietnam, how were they assigned to the Hills? In what kind of order, was it in any logical sequence, were all Hills assigned numbers, was there any relationship between Hill numbers and geographic location - just trying to determine how this was done and how many Hills there were. I've looked it up online already but this question was not answered by anything I could find there. I did note sequences of numbering with sometimes large gaps.

 

Sample:

[arclight]

I always thought it was the hill's height in meters. At least that's the usual system that I am familiar with.

Gary

[Bluehawk]

I always thought it was the hill's height in meters. At least that's the usual system that I am familiar with.

Gary

What if two or more Hills had the same height?

[12thengr]

It would be very unusual for two hills in an operating area to have the same height in meters; and if they did, they would be known as the 'twins' or something similar.

[JBFloyd]

They were designated by height, as mentioned. The chances of two having exactly the same height within a grid square or two is remote, but I suspect that the second one measured would probably be fudged a meter or two in order to differentiate. Since the height has an effect on air ops and artillery fire, I doubt that too much fudge-factor was used.

[Bluehawk]

... the same height within a grid square or two is remote

So then, in all the grids of Vietnam, there could potentially have been any number of Hills designated by the same number.

 

If an operation was in such-and-such grid, looking for Hill 53 (as an example) they would not be confused by another Hill 53 in another grid somewhere else.

 

That makes sense.

 

Thanks to all!

[patches]

Here's a map on the hill Battles at Khe Sahn, you will note two hills, 881 in meters, here they are differentiated by N for the northern Hill with the same height, and S for the southernly Hill of the same height. This will be the way it will be done if two or more Hills in the general vicinty are of equal height, they will be given a letter to seperate them from one another. Military Maps were precise, they had to be, there was no way that heights of mountains and or Hills could be given a few extra meters off, or meters added to them if they were of equal height, they must be precise.

 

There are a numbers of reasons for this precisness, some of the more important of them being, is that Troop commanders must know exacly the height, so that for instance, Artillery, or Air can be called in, if for intstance troops are on Hill there exact positions must be known, so they do not get hit with friendly fire, because of an inacurate map troops may in fact be higher up the mountain then they think they are, or visa versa. Commanders also need to know the exact height, to correctly guage enemy positions, whether this will be done by aerial or ground reconnaissance, knowing the exact height is also essential in planning movements, or outright assaults up these land features, knowng the exact height is very essential in the overall coordnation of the operation, as all factors must be considered.

 

EXAMPLE; If it was not for precise maps, (a ground recon was not done, but only an aerial recon, apart from LRPP operations or Marine recon units, aerial recons of Mountains normally being the prefered method) commander's will have a hard time believing the reports from his companies, that there has been no sighting of the enemy, when he knows that by the map he has they should have made contact, the amount of time they have been moving up the mountain, they by his calculations should be only a few meters from the summit, or he's getting reports that the mountain is much higher then then were lead to believe, that the map is in fact is inacurate, if this were to occur, then a whole slew of problems will most definitely start occuring, a major one will be troop exahausion, and resupply, not to mention evacuating wounded if a Medevac cant get in. The reverse will apply if a hill is given a lower height than it actually is, here troops that are not expecting contact will run in to the enemy earlier than expected, maybe even badly ambushed.

[patches]

These Hill numbers used in Vietnam, how were they assigned to the Hills? In what kind of order, was it in any logical sequence, were all Hills assigned numbers, was there any relationship between Hill numbers and geographic location - just trying to determine how this was done and how many Hills there were. I've looked it up online already but this question was not answered by anything I could find there. I did note sequences of numbering with sometimes large gaps.

 

Sample:

 

That map with hills marked in Red will not be a official topographic marking for hills or mountains, on the brown areas that you see, these are the elevated areas, here you see numbers in black, for instance the large high mass to the left side, you will see the number 1210, this is the correct description of the this high ground, a hill or mountain that is 1210 meters at it summit. The numbers in Red that say Hill with a number is odd, this must be a unit applied location designed map, the "Hills"in fact being posts/outposts of some kind, that are located on high ground but not that high, like a rise almost, and for ease, given the hill designations, in their meters, like a rise of ground thats 10 meters, or 22 etc, but will be for indentification only on that units level, and where these Red markings are, there is no indication of real elevated terrain, so these would not be a official land features in that the Red markings have been applied over the topo map.

[Bluehawk]

Here's a map on the hill Battles at Khe Sahn, you will note two hills, 881 in meters, here they are differentiated by N for the northern Hill with the same height, and S for the southernly Hill of the same height. This will be the way it will be done if two or more Hills in the general vicinty are of equal height, they will be given a letter to seperate them from one another...

Now I understand, finally.

 

Thank you so much, to go from hunches to clarity.