Camp Salerno
| Forward Operating Base Salerno | |
|---|---|
| جمهوری | |
| Khost (Matun) District, Khost Province, Afghanistan | |
 FOB Salerno (2008)
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 Forward Operating Base Salerno
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| Coordinates | 33°13′N 69°34′E / 33.21°N 69.57°E |
| Type | Forward Operating Base |
| Site information | |
| Owner |
 AFG
|
| Controlled by |
2002–2013 2013–Present |
| Condition | Transferred to Afghan Armed Forces |
| Site history | |
| Built | 2002 |
| Built by | 3rd BN, 505th PIR, 82nd ABN DIV |
| In use | 2002–2013 |
| Battles/wars | Operation Enduring Freedom |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | |
| Occupants | |
| Airfield information | |
| Identifiers | IATA: OLR |
2002–2013
2013–Present
Forward Operating Base Salerno is a former forward operating base used by the U.S. military from 2002–2013 during Operation Enduring Freedom. Located in the southeastern province of Khost, Afghanistan, near the city of Khost, FOB Salerno was nicknamed "Rocket City" for the numerous rocket and mortar indirect fire attacks targeting the base over the ten years that US forces occupied to post. On November 1, 2013, U.S. forces withdrew from FOB Salerno and transferred control of the installation to the Afghan National Army.
The facility was built by TF Panther in 2002, centered around the 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. It was named for the beachhead in Salerno, Italy that the 505th PIR parachuted onto on 14 September 1943 (Operation Avalanche). Over the years, the base eventually grew to house a population of nearly 5,000 servicemen, servicewomen, civilians, and contractors. Salerno grew to the size of a small city and included features such as a combat support hospital, large gymnasium, post exchange, chapel, large chow hall, aviation hangars, maintenance facilities, billets, 5,000 ft dirt and gravel runway, forward refueling and arming point, and sub-camps for U.S. Special Operations Command units.
In November 2009, a portion of FOB Salerno, where US Special Forces worked and lived with an Afghan Commando unit, was renamed as Camp Pucino after this US Special Forces soldier's death in November 2009. SSG Matthew Pucino was a member of ODA 2223.
Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th BCT, 101st Airborne Division, popularly known as Fox Company, were the last U.S. Army Soldiers to occupy FOB Salerno, exiting on 31 October 2013 after transferring FOB Salerno to the Afghan National Security Forces. Salerno is geographically isolated from the rest of Afghanistan being connected to the rest of the country though the Khost-Gardez Pass, this pass serves as a natural choke point to the region and the pass has been the scene of many battles throughout the US war in Afghanistan as well as the Soviet war in Afghanistan. During its operations two Sapper platoons specializing in route clearance operations were stationed at Salerno. Most of the route clearance units were drawn from the National Guard of the United States serving on active duty. They were responsible for neutralizing IED threats as well as escorting convoys through the heavily mined area. The route clearance units at FOB Salerno were also responsible for routinely clearing the Khost-Gardez Pass. Route clearance is a slow operation as units make slow progress to neutralize mines along the route, since the K-G Pass is relatively long and susceptible to attack the mission routinely took several days to complete. The base is in a hostile location and is only 30 miles south of Tora Bora, it is also only 25 miles north of the location of the friendly fire incident that killed Pat Tillman.
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