“Republic of Vietnam Airborne Division”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

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

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

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. ^¹{{Cite web|url=http://vnafmamn.com/Angels_In_RedHats.html|title=Angels in Red Hats|website=vnafmamn.com|access-date=2018-05-27}}
2. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/08/opinion/south-vietnam-airborne.html|title=Opinion {{!}} The Forgotten South Vietnamese Airborne|last=McCaffrey|first=Barry R.|date=2017-08-08|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-05-27|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
3. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.historynet.com/ragged-edge-vietnamization.htm|title=Ragged Edge of Vietnamization {{!}} HistoryNet|website=www.historynet.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-27}}
4. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.historynet.com/the-most-brilliant-commander-ngo-quang-truong.htm|title='The Most Brilliant Commander': Ngo Quang Truong {{!}} HistoryNet|website=www.historynet.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-27}}
5. ^Jean-Jacques Arzalier, Les Pertes Humaines, 1954–2004: La Bataille de Dien Bien Phu, entre Histoire et Mémoire, Société française d'histoire d'outre-mer, 2004
6. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.psywarrior.com/CambodiaPsyop.html|title=Cambodia PSYOP|website=www.psywarrior.com|access-date=2018-05-29}}
7. ^{{Cite journal|last=Hinh|first=Nguyen D.|date=1979-01-01|title=Lam Son 719|location=Fort Belvoir, VA|doi=10.21236/ada324683}}
8. ^{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/?id=2d3YAgAAQBAJ|title=Black April: The Fall of South Vietnam, 1973-75|last=Veith|first=George|date=2013-09-17|publisher=Encounter Books|isbn=9781594037047|location=|pages=197–203|language=en}}
9. ^{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/?id=2d3YAgAAQBAJ&q=airborne#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=Black April: The Fall of South Vietnam, 1973-75|last=Veith|first=George|date=2013-09-17|publisher=Encounter Books|isbn=9781594037047|location=|pages=450–475|language=en}}
10. ^Rottman and Volstad, Vietnam Airborne (1990), pp. 27-28.
11. ^Rottman and Volstad, Vietnam Airborne (1990), pp. 23-24.
12. ^Rottman and Volstad, Vietnam Airborne (1990), p. 24.
13. ^Rottman and Volstad, Vietnam Airborne (1990), pp. 25-27.
14. ^Rottman and Volstad, Vietnam Airborne (1990), p. 27.
15. ^Rottman and Bujeiro, Army of the Republic of Vietnam 1955-75 (2010), p. 23.
16. ^{{Cite AV media |title=STAND DOWN, 3D BDE, 82D ABN DIVISION |date=October 20, 1969 |type=16 mm color film roll |publisher=Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. U.S. Army Audiovisual Center. ca. 1974-5/15/1984}} Available at NARA National Archives at College Park, catalog entry here: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/33275
17. ^{{Cite AV media |title="FLOATING CAMP" 5TH SPECIAL FORCES, 1ST SPECIAL FORCES GROUP, MY AN, KIEN PHONG PROVINCE, SOUTH VIETNAM |date=July 10, 1967 |type=35 mm color film roll |publisher=Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. U.S. Army Audiovisual Center. ca. 1974-5/15/1984}} Available at NARA National Archives at College Park, catalog entry here: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/31509