Modern
South Vietnamese
ARVN Infantry Division

1965-1971 South Vietnam

List VN8M

by Mark Bevis

1. Teeth Arm

Infantry Battalion

    Bttn HQ: 4 AR sqds, OP Team
    3-4 Companies@
      CHQ: 1 AR sqd
      3 platoons@ 4(9 man) AR sqds, 2 GPMG, 1x3.5" M20?
      1 platoon: 2x 60mm M19 mortars

    1 A/T Platoon: 4-8x Jeep/106mm M40
    1 Battery: 4x 4.2" M30 or 81mm M1 mortars

2. Regiment Support

Infantry Regiment HQ: 10 lorries, Jeeps, 8 AR sqds

3. Divisional Support

up to:

    1 Artillery Battalion:
      BHQ: 8 AR sqds, 10 lorries (1970+)
      3 batteries@ 6x 155mm M114, 8 lorries

    1-3 Artillery Battalions@

      BHQ: 6 AR sqds, 8 lorries, 3 OP Teams
      3 batteries@ 6x 105mm M101, 8 trucks

    1 Recce Company:

      CHQ: 2 Jeeps, 1(8 man) AR sqd
      3 platoons@ 3(8 man) AR/SMG sqds, 6 Jeeps

    1 Engineer Company:

      CHQ: 2 AR/SMG sqds
      3 platoons@ 4-5 AR/engineer sqds, 2 GPMG, 4x flamethrowers

4. Corps Support

Up to:

    1 Armoured Cavalry Regiment
      RHQ: 4x M113, 1x M578 ARV, 2 AR sqds, 2x M577, OP Team
      2 Companies@
        CHQ: 2x M113 ACAV
        3 platoons@ 4x M113 ACAV, 1x M113/106mm M40, 5 (7 man) AR crew sqds
        1 platoon: 3x M125, 2x M113 ACAV, 3x 57mm M18 RCL

      1 Company:

        CHQ: 2x M41A3 Walker Bulldog, 3x M548
        3 platoons@ 5x M41A3

    1 Bridge Platoon: 4x M113 AVLB
    1 Flame Platoon: 3x M132
    1 Mortar Battery: 4x M106, 1x M577
    1 Recce/Security Platoon: 6x V-100 armoured cars

    1-2 Artillery Battalions@

      BHQ: 6 AR sqds, 8 lorries, 3 OP Teams
      3 batteries@ 6x 105mm M101, 8 trucks

    1 Artillery Battalion:

      BHQ: 8 AR sqds, 10 lorries
      3 batteries@ 6x 155mm M114, 8 lorries

    Mike Force Mobile Strike Command Battalion (October 1964+)

      3? Companies@ 150 men

5. Army Support

Up to:

    20 Ranger Battalions@ (1965+)
      Bttn HQ: 4? AR/SMG sqds
      4 Companies@
        CHQ: 2(8 man) AR sqds
        2 platoons@ 8(6 man) AR sqds, 8x 40mm M79, 2 GPMG

    4 LLDB Special Forces Companies@ (1965-1968)

      3 B-Teams@ 10-11 A-Teams@ 12 men

    3 Armoured Cavalry Regiments (as above)

    3 Attack Squadrons@ 3 Flights@ 6x A-37 Dragonfly (1969+)
    1 Attack Squadron: 3 Flights@ 6x F-5A Freedom Fighter (by 1970)
    1 Fighter-Attack Squadron: 18?x T-28D (1962+)
    3 Attack Squadrons@ 18x A-1 Skyraider
    2 Transport Squadrons@ 22x C-47 Dakota
    4 Transport Squadrons@ #x CH-34 helicopters
    1-12 Transport Squadrons@ 12?x UH-1B/H (1 Sqn in 1967, 8 Sqns by 1969, 12 Sqns by 1971)
    1 Transport Squadron: 16x CH-47A Chinook (1969+)
    Other aircraft: 80x Cessna O-1 Bird Dog, 55x C-119G, 7x DHC-2 Beaver, #x DHC-4 Caribou

    3 US Special Forces C-Detachments (October 1964+) with:

      5 B-Detachments with 44 A-Teams@ 12 men

      # CIDG Camp Strike Companies@

        CHQ: 1 Carbine/SMG sqd
        3 platoons@ 1(2 man) PHQ team, 3(11 man) rifle/SMG/Carbine sqds, 3 BAR
        1 platoon: 3x 60mm M19 mortars

6. Notes

    a) Radios are in all AFV and other PHQ.
    b) Infantry may have M72 disposable LAW from 1970.
    c) The 10 Infantry Divisions in 1965 each have 3 Regiments each of 3 battalions.
    d) Divisional 105mm artillery was 1 battalion in 1965, two battalions by 1969, and 3 battalions in 1970.
    e) Details are provisional.
    f) Infantry have M16A1 from around 1968, M1 Garand before that.
    g) There are 4 Corps each with one Armoured Cavalry Regiments.
    h) Some M113 have turret with twin .30" MMG.


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© Copyright 1997-2003 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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