| Republic of Vietnam Marine Division | |
|---|---|
 Shoulder sleeve insignia | |
| Active | 1948 – 30 April 1975 |
| Country |
 South Vietnam |
| Branch |
 South Vietnam Army |
| Type | Airborne |
| Engagements | Vietnam War |
| Insignia | |
| Division flag |
 |
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Paratrooper Hoàng Ngọc Giao (the 5h Airborne Battalion), 1967.
The Vietnamese Airborne Division was one of the earliest components of the Republic of Vietnam’s Military Forces (Quân Đội Quốc Gia Việt Nam). 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.
History[]
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.
References[]
William E. Le Gro Vietnam from Cease-Fire to Capitulation. Washington DC: US Army Centre of Military History, [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 Video
- Family photos of Red Berets
The original article can be found at Republic of Vietnam Airborne Division and the edit history here.