Republic of Vietnam Airborne Division

Republic of Vietnam Airborne Division
Binh chủng Nhảy Dù

Shoulder sleeve insignia
Active 1 January 1948 – 30 April 1975
Country  South Vietnam
Allegiance Republic of Vietnam
Branch Army of the Republic of South Vietnam
Type Airborne
Garrison/HQ Tan Son Nhut, near Saigon
Nickname(s) Bawouans (in French), Nhảy Dù (in Vietnamese)
Anniversaries 1 January
Engagements First Indochina War
Vietnam War
Cambodian Civil War
Laotian Civil War
Insignia
Division flag
Paratrooper Hoàng Ngọc Giao (the 5th Airborne Battalion), 1967.

The Vietnamese Airborne Division was one of the earliest components of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces (Vietnamese: Quân lực Việt Nam Cộng hòa – QLVNCH). The Vietnamese Airborne Division began as companies organised in 1948, prior to any agreement over armed forces in Vietnam. After the partition of Vietnam, it became a part of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.

History

Recruitment poster of the Republic of Vietnam Airborne Forces

Vietnamese Airborne Division was one of the most elite fighting forces in the ARVN. It was placed as a reserve unit along with the South Vietnamese Marine Division. Headquarters of the Airborne Division was outside of Saigon. The Airborne Division would mobilize anywhere within the four corps at a moments notice. The main use of the Airborne was to engage and destroy People's Army of Vietnam ('NVA') and Viet Cong forces, not hold a specific region like the infantry units.

Airborne brigade and divisional commanders

Structure and organization

Airborne Advisory Detachment

Like all major ARVN units the Airborne were assigned a U.S. military advisory element, originally the Airborne Brigade Advisory Detachment and later redesignated the 162nd Airborne Advisory Detachment or U.S. Airborne Advisory Team 162. About 1,000 American airborne-qualified advisors served with the Brigade and Division, receiving on average two awards for valour per tour; over the years, they were able to build and maintain a good working relationship with their Vietnamese counterparts and airborne units, a situation unfortunately not always found in other ARVN formations. U.S. officers were paired with their Vietnamese counterparts, from the Brigade/Division commander down to company commanders, as well with principal staff officers at all levels. U.S. NCOs assisted the staff and company advisors.[1]

Units

Weapons and equipment

The south Vietnamese airborne forces used the standard weaponry and equipment of French and U.S. origin issued to ANV and ARVN units. Paratrooper companies also fielded crew-served heavy weapons, such as mortars and recoilless rifles, whilst divisional artillery batteries were provided with Howitzers.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Rottman and Volstad, Vietnam Airborne (1990), pp. 27-28.
  2. ↑ Rottman and Volstad, Vietnam Airborne (1990), pp. 23-24.
  3. ↑ Rottman and Volstad, Vietnam Airborne (1990), p. 24.
  4. ↑ Rottman and Volstad, Vietnam Airborne (1990), pp. 25-27.
  5. ↑ Rottman and Volstad, Vietnam Airborne (1990), p. 27.
  6. ↑ Rottman and Bujeiro, Army of the Republic of Vietnam 1955-75 (2010), p. 23.

References

Further reading

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