Myujth

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
Size	13,000 in 1967
Garrison/HQ	Tan Son Nhut, near Saigon
Nickname(s)	Bawouans (in French), Nhảy Dù (in Vietnamese), Thiên thần mũ đỏ (Red Hat Angels)
Motto(s)	Nhẩy dù sát Cộng (Jump In Close)
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.

Recruitment poster of the Republic of Vietnam Airborne Forces

A 12-Year Old Child Adopted by the Airborne Division Holds a M79 Grenade Launcher.

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. This division had its distinct origins in French-trained paratrooper battalions, with predecessor battalions participating in major battles including Dien Bien Phu and retained distinct uniforms and regalia ^[1]. With the formation of an independent republic, the colonial paratroopers were dissolved, however regalia and aesthetics alongside the nickname "Bawouans" would be retained.

The Airborne Division, alongside the Vietnamese Rangers and the Marine Division were often regarded as among the most effective units, with former airborne advisor General Barry McCaffrey noting that "those of us privileged to serve with them were awe-struck by their courage and tactical aggressiveness. The senior officers and non-commissioned officers were extremely competent and battle hardened." ^[2] Eight of nine battalions and three headquarters had earned US Presidential Unit Citation (United States)^[1] of which eight of these were earned by the Airborne between 1967-1968 which included the Tet Offensive period^[3]. Airborne commanders were often highly rated, with Airborne Commander Ngô Quang Trưởng once described by former Airborne-adviser and Gulf War commanding General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. "as the most brilliant tactical commander I have ever known"^[4].

History

The Airborne Division had its origins in Indochinese-specific units raised under the "jaunissement" program, separating Indochinese members of French paratrooper units of the French Far East Expeditionary Corps forming separate battalions under the Vietnamese National Army. Among these includes the 1e BPVN, 3e BPVN and 5e BPVN whom were airdropped into combat during the Siege of Dien Bien Phu. Most were killed afterwards upon capture by the Viet Minh, who regarded them as traitors, rather than bargained as the French had been^[5]. They were later reformed into the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces and restructured upon the expulsion of the French by Ngo Dinh Diem following the Geneva Accords.

Vietnamese Airborne Division was among the elite fighting forces in the ARVN and placed as a reserve unit along with the Republic of Vietnam 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.

The Airborne played a decisive role in the Battle of Huế, as the first relief force that arrived, and assaulting the strongest points at the outer line and Hue Citadel while enduring and inflicting the most casualties.

The Airborne played a significant role in the Cambodian Campaign, with battalions participating in most of the individual operations and finding significant caches of supplies, alongside being the sole force dropped behind enemy lines to cut-off a potential retreat^[6]. The Airborne Division participated in Lam Son 719, having had less than a week to implement battle-plans and significantly rushing their operations, many were ordered into static positions at many isolated fire-bases. An NVA armoured counter-attack had inflicted grievous losses on many battalions^[7]. Much of the Airborne was decimated during the later Hue–Da Nang Campaign by a series of well-coordinated armoured attacks flanking from the Central Highlands towards the coast^[8]. Units of Airborne, Rangers and others held out during the Battle of Xuân Lộc^[9]

Airborne brigade and divisional commanders

• 
  Đỗ Cao Trí (1954-1955)


• Nguyễn Văn Vỹ


• 
  Cao Văn Viên (1960-1964)


• Nguyễn Khánh


• Dư Quốc Đống


• 
  Nguyễn Chánh Thi (1955-1960)


• Nguyễn Khoa Nam


• Đoàn Văn Quảng


• Lê Quang Lưỡng

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.^[10]

Units

• 
  Colonial units^[11]
  • 1st Indochinese Parachute Company (1ére CIP)
  
  
  • 3rd Indochinese Parachute Company (3e CIP)
  
  
  • 5th Indochinese Parachute Company (5e CIP)
  
  
  • 7th Indochinese Parachute Company (7e CIP)
  
  
  • 1st Airborne Guard Company (1ére CPGVN)
  
  
  • 3rd Vietnamese Parachute Battalion (3e BPVN)
  
  
  • 5th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion (5e BPVN)
  
  
  • 6th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion (6e BPVN)
  
  
  • 7th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion (7e BPVN)
  
  
  • 3rd Vietnamese Parachute Engineers Company (3ére CPGVN)
  
  


• 
  Airborne Group units^[12]
  • Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC)
  
  
  • 1st Airborne Battalion (1 TDND)
  
  
  • 3rd Airborne Battalion (3 TDND)
  
  
  • 
    5th Airborne Battalion (5 TDND)
  
  
  • 6th Airborne Battalion (6 TDND)
  
  
  • Airborne Combat Support Battalion
  
  


• 
  Airborne Brigade units^[13]
  • Headquarters & Headquarters Company


• 1st Task Force HQ
  
  • 1st Airborne Battalion (1 TDND)
  
  
  • 6th Airborne Battalion (6 TDND)
  
  
  • 7th Airborne Battalion (7 TDND)
  
  


• 2nd Task Force HQ
  
  • 3rd Airborne Battalion (3 TDND)
  
  
  • 5th Airborne Battalion (5 TDND)
  
  
  • 8th Airborne Battalion (8 TDND)
  
  


• Airborne Combat Support Battalion


• 
  Airborne Division units^[14][15]
  • Headquarters Battalion
  
  
  • U.S. Airborne Advisory Team 162
  
  


• 1st Task Force/Brigade HHC
  
  • 1st Airborne Battalion (1 TDND)
  
  
  • 8th Airborne Battalion (8 TDND)
  
  
  • 9th Airborne Battalion (9 TDND)
  
  
  • 1st Airborne Artillery Battalion
  
  


• 2nd Task Force/Brigade HHC
  
  • 5th Airborne Battalion (5 TDND)
  
  
  • 7th Airborne Battalion (7 TDND)
  
  
  • 11th Airborne Battalion (11 TDND)
  
  
  • 2nd Airborne Artillery Battalion
  
  


• 3rd Task Force/Brigade HHC
  
  • 2nd Airborne Battalion (2 TDND)
  
  
  • 3rd Airborne Battalion (3 TDND)
  
  
  • 6th Airborne Battalion (6 TDND)
  
  
  • 3rd Airborne Artillery Battalion
  
  


• 4th Task Force/Brigade HHC
  
  • 4th Airborne Battalion (4 TDND)
  
  
  • 10th Airborne Battalion (10 TDND)
  
  


• Division Troops
  
  • Airborne Signal Battalion
  
  
  • Airborne Support Battalion
  
  
  • Airborne Medical Battalion
  
  
  • Airborne Reconnaissance Company/Battalion
  
  
  • Airborne Engineer Company/Battalion
  
  

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.

• 
   United States M1917 revolver
  


• 
   United States Smith & Wesson Model 10 Revolver


• 
   France MAS-35-S pistol (7.65mm Longue)
  


• 
   United States Colt.45 M1911A1 pistol
  


• 
   United States Smith & Wesson Model 39 Pistol


• 
   France MAT-49 Submachine gun


• 
   United States M1A1 Thompson submachine gun
  


• 
   United States M3A1 Grease Gun
  


• 
   United States M1A1 Carbine
  


• 
   United States M2 Carbine
  


• 
   United States M1 Garand rifle
  


• 
   France MAS-36 Bolt-action rifle


• 
   United States M16A1 Assault rifle
  


• 
   United States CAR-15 Assault carbine


• 
   France FM 24/29 light machine gun
  


• 
   United States M1918A2 BAR Light machine gun
  


• 
   United States M60 machine gun
  


• 
   United States Browning M1919A4 .30 Cal Medium machine gun
  


• 
   United States Browning M2HB .50 Cal Heavy machine gun
  


• 
   United States M72 LAW Anti-tank rocket launcher


• 
   United States M79 grenade launcher
  


• 
   United States M2 mortar 60 mm


• 
   United States M19 mortar 60 mm


• 
   United States M29 mortar 81 mm


• 
   France Brandt mle 27/31 mortar 81 mm


• 
   United States M67 recoilless rifle 90 mm


• 
   United States 3.5 inch M20A1 Super Bazooka
  


• 
   United States M101A1 105mm towed field howitzer
  


• 
   United States M102 105mm light towed field howitzer
  


• 
   United States Hurricane Aircat Airboat patrol boat^[16][17]

See also

• ARVN


• 
  Army of the Republic of Vietnam Special Forces (LLDB)


• First Indochina War


• MIKE Force


• Republic of Vietnam Military Forces


• Royal Lao Army Airborne


• 
  Vietnamese National Army (ANV)


• Vietnam War


• Weapons of the Vietnam War

Notes

References

• Gordon Rottman and Ron Volstad, Vietnam Airborne, Elite series 29, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1990. ISBN 0-85045-941-9
  


• Gordon Rottman and Ramiro Bujeiro, Army of the Republic of Vietnam 1955-1975, Men-at-arms series 458, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 2010. ISBN 978-1-84908-181-8
  


• Martin Windrow and Mike Chappell, The French Indochina War 1946-1954, Men-at-arms series 322, Osprey Publishing Ltd, Oxford 1998. ISBN 1 85532 789 9
  

Further reading

• William E. Le Gro, Vietnam from Cease-Fire to Capitulation, US Army Centre of Military History, Washington D.C. [unknown date].


• Michael N. Martin, Angels in Red Hats: Paratroopers of the Second Indochina War, Goshen, KY: Harmony House Publishers, 1995. ISBN 1-56469-025-3, ISBN 978-1564690258
  

External links

• The War: Belfries & Red Berets


• 
  Angels in Red Hats by General Barry R. McCaffrey
  


• The Vietnamese Airborne Division and Their Advisors


• 
  Red Berets of South Vietnam^{[permanent dead link]}Video
  


• Family photos of Red Berets