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.
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
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
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.
Colonial units1st 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 unitsHeadquarters & 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 unitsHeadquarters & 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 unitsHeadquarters 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 M1911 Pistol
United States Smith & Wesson Model 39 Pistol
France MAT-49 Submachine gun
United States M1A1 Thompson Submachine gun
United States M3A1 Grease Gun Submachine gun
United States M1/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/Mk 21 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 Grenade launcher
United States M101A1 105mm towed field howitzer
United States M102 105mm light towed field howitzer