Viet Cong, Viet Minh and Army of the People’s Republic of North Vietnam

            10,000 days of war has strengthened the Vietnamese communist into an un-beatable entity on his home ground.  The French could not understand it, the American refused to understand it and the Chinese learned to accept it.  Vietnam beat them all!

Division Headquarters

HQ                                           1 HQ, 1 Truck

Viet Minh Regimental Headquarters

HQ                                           1 HQ, 1 Truck

 Company                                3 ZPU4

Viet Cong Regimental Headquarters

HQ                                           1 HQ

 Company                                3 ZPU4

People’s Army of Vietnam Regimental Headquarters

HQ                                           1 HQ, 1 Truck

 Company                                3 ZPU4, 3 Truck

Viet Minh Infantry Battalion

HQ                                           1 HQ,  

3 Companies each                   3 Rifle, 1 60M, 1 MG

Recon Platoon                         1 Recon

Mortar Platoon                         1 82M

Viet Cong Local Force Battalion

HQ                                           1 HQ

3 Companies each                   3 Rifle, 1 RPG7, 1 60M, 1 MG

Recon Platoon                         1 Recon

Viet Cong Main Force Battalion

HQ                                           1 HQ

3 Companies each                   3 Rifle, 1 82RR, 1 60M, 1 MG

Sapper Platoon                       1 Engr

Recon Platoon                         2 Recon

People’s Army of Vietnam Infantry Battalion

HQ                                           1 HQ

3 Companies each                   3 Rifle, 1 RPG7, 1 60M, 1 MG

1 Support Company                

Mortar Platoon             2 82M

AT Platoon                   1 82RR

Sapper Platoon           1 Engr

Recon Platoon             2 Recon

Viet Minh Artillery Battalion

HQ                                           1 HQ

3 Batteries each                       1 FAO, 1 Tube (or 2 Mortar and no trucks), 2 Trucks

Note                                         Tubes are:         75H

76H

120M

122H

152H

Viet Cong Artillery Battalion

3 Batteries each                       1 FAO, 1 Tube (or 2 Mortar and no trucks), 2 Trucks

Note                                         Tubes are:         82M

120M

122H

People’s Army of Vietnam Artillery Battalion

3 Batteries each                       1 FAO, 1 Tube (or 2 Mortar), 2 Trucks (or 3 Trucks)

Note                                         Tubes are:         BM21 (army level counter battery asset)

120M

122H

152H

Viet Minh Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion

3 Batteries each                       3 ZPU4

Viet Cong Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion

3 Batteries each                       3 ZPU4

People’s Army of Vietnam Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion

3 Batteries each                       3 Tubes, 3 Trucks

Note                                         Tubes can be     37AA

85AA

100AA (There were a lot of these)

ZPU4

People’s Army of Vietnam Tank Battalion

HQ                                           1 HQ

3 Tank Companies each          3 Tank

Note                                         Tank is as follows:         T34/85  to 1980

T55       from 1960 on

T62       1971 to 1993

Type59 from 1971

M48A3  from 1975 to 1985

Type63  from 1973

PT76     no restriction

M41      from 1975 to 1985

Large Units:

Sub Region – a geographic area in enemy terrain where a number of units operate permanently.  It is a sub component of a region.

Region - a geographic area in enemy terrain where a number of units operate permanently.  Less than Division in size. 

Tank Brigade – 1 Brigade Headquarters, 3 Tank Battalions (probably organized like Soviet Tank Regiments but never used as such)

Division – usually controls 3 to 6 regiments plus support attachments.  This unit was formalized as in the Soviet practice but only recently.

Artillery Division – usually controls 2 to 4 artillery regiments.  This unit was formalized as in the Soviet practice but only recently.