Modern
American 101st Airborne Division

1966-1972, Vietnam

List A53M

by Mark Bevis

1. Teeth Arm

Air Mobile Infantry Battalion

    Bttn HQ: 4 AR sqds, 4x M79, OP Team, 5 Jeeps
    3 Companies@
      CHQ: 1 AR sqd, 3x Jeeps
      3 platoons@ 1 (3 man) PHQ sqd, 4(9 man) AR sqds, 2 GPMG,3x M79, O-lx 90mm M67
      0-1 platoon: 3x 81mm M29 or 60mm M19 mortars

    1 Support Company:

      CHQ: 1 AR sqd 1 Jeep
      1 battery: 4x 4.2" M30 mortars, 4x M79
      1 platoon: 12 flameguns, 2x M79, 4 AR sqds
      0-1 platoon: 8x Jeep/106mm M40

Divisional Armoured Cavalry Battalion (up to 1969)

    Bttn HQ: 6x M577 & M113, 4 AR sqds, 2x M578 ARV, 18 Jeeps, OP/Air Liaison Team
    3 Troops@
      THQ: 3x M113, 1x M88 ARV, 2 AR sqds, 3x 40mm M79
      3 platoons@
        PHQ: 1x M113 ACAV, 1(5 man) AR sqd, 1x M79
        1 section: 4x M113 ACAV, 4(5 man) AR sqds, 4x M79
        1 section: 3x M48A3
        1 section: 1x M125
        1 section: 1x M113, 1 AR sqd, 1 GPMG, 1x M79

    1 Troop:

      THQ: 3x OH-6A, 3 AR sqds, 8 lorries, 3 Jeeps, 4 GPMG
      1 platoon: 6x .50" HMG teams
      3 platoons@ 3x AH-1G or UH-1C gunships, 2x OH-6A
      2 platoons@ 1x UH-1B gunship, 3x UH-1D transports

    1 Flame Troop: 3-4x M132

Divisional Air Cavalry Battalion (1969+)

    Bttn HQ: 4x UH-1D, 2x OH-6A, OP/Air Liaison Team
    3 Troops@
      THQ: 3x UH-1D
      1 Scout Platoon: 5 sections@ 2x OH-6A
      1 Platoon: 5x UH-1D, 1(3 man) PHQ sqd, 4(6 man) AR sqds, 4 GPMG, 4x M79, 0-2x 90mm M67
      1 Weapons Platoon:
        PHQ: 1x AH-1G Cobra
        4 sections@ 2x AH-1G

Divisional Combat Aviation Battalion
Divisional Assault Helicopter Aviation Battalion
(1969+)

    Bttn HQ: 6 trucks, 6x UH-1D, 4 AR sqds, Air Liaison Team
    3 Companies@
      CHQ: 1x UH-1D, 12 trucks, 2 GPMG, 2x M79
      3 platoons@ 6x UH-1D transports @ 2 GPMG
      1 platoon: 4x UH-1B/C gunships @ 2 minigun, 14 RP, 2 GPMG
      0-2 sections@ 2x OH-23G Raven

2. Brigade Support

Airborne Brigade HQ: 8 AR/Carbine sqds, 8 trucks, 10 Jeeps, with: OP/Air Liaison Team
1 Artillery Battalion:

    BHQ: 8 AR sqds, 16 trucks, 8x M79, 8 GPMG
    4 batteries@ 6x 105mm M102, 5x M79, 8 GPMG, 8 trucks or Gama Goats, OP Team

1 Scout Flight: 6x OH-13S Sioux

3. Divisional Support

Up to:

    1 Artillery Battalion:
      BHQ: 11 AR sqds, 17 lorries, 14x M79, 7 GPMG
      3 batteries@ 6x 155mm M114, 8 lorries, 6x M79, 10 lorries

    4 Engineer Companies@

      CHQ: 1 AR sqd
      3 platoons@ 4 AR/engineer sqds, 2 GPMG, 1x 90mm M67

    3 Assault Support Helicopter Companies@

      CHQ: 2x OH-6A (1969+)
      4 platoons@ 4x CH-47A Chinook

    1 Heavy Helicopter Company: 4x CH-54A Flying Crane
    3 Aerial Artillery Batteries@ 12x UH-1C gunships or (Oct'68+) 1x AH-1G

    1 LRRP Company:

      CHQ: 2(9 man) AR/SMG sqds
      2 platoons@ 8(6 man) AR/SMG/shotgun sqds, 8x M79, ? GPMG

4. Notes

    a) Radios are in all squads and AFV.
    b) Infantry have 0-3x M72 disposable LAW per squad.
    c) The Division has 2 Brigades each of 3 Battalions; one Armoured Cavalry Battalion (replaced in 1969 by the Air Cavalry Bttn); one Combat Aviation Battalion, and from 1969, an Assault Helicopter Aviation Battalion.
    d) Can use Corps and Army support from List A49M.
    e) Details are provisional.
    f) In theory an Air Mobile Platoon has a PHQ of 5 men; 3 (11 man) squads each with 2x M79, and one 9 man squad with 2x M60 GPMG and 1x 90mm M67. In practice this was rarely achieved, a typical platoon having 30­35 men.
    g) By 1970 each platoon should have a PHQ of 5 men, and 3(12 man) squads each with 1 GPMG and 1x M79.


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© Copyright 1997-2001 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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