ARVN Airborne Division Vietnam War Order of Battle

ARVN Airborne Division

1st Airborne Brigade 1st Battalion, 1st Airborne Brigade 8th Battalion, 1st Airborne Brigade 11th Airborne Battalion 7th Airborne Ranger Bn

2nd Airborne Brigade 5th Battalion, 2nd Airborne Brigade 12th Airborne Battalion 10th Airborne Battalion 9th Airborne Ranger Battalion

3rd Airborne Brigade 2nd Battalion, 3rd Airborne Brigade 3rd Battalion, 3rd Airborne Brigade 6th Battalion, 3rd Airborne Brigade 4th Airborne Ranger Battalion

Division Support 101st Airborne Engineer Battalion

Division Artillery Support 1st Battalion, 101st ARVN Airborne Artillery Regiment 2nd Battalion, 101st ARVN Airborne Artillery Regiment 3rd Battalion, 101st ARVN Airborne Artillery Regiment

Notes: A branch of the VNAF which was formed by the French as the Airborne Group in 1955. Brigade strength by 1959, formed as division in 1965. Based at Tan Son Nhut airbase but used as a fire brigade throughout South Viet Nam. Included 9 Airborne Battalions, The division fought in Cambodia 1970 and in Laos 1971. Used as brigade Groups in 1975, 1st at Xuan Loc, then at Phan Rang and again at Nha Trang. An elite formation.

Primary Sources: "Vietnam Order of Battle" by Shelby L. Stanton "The Development and Training of the South Vietnamese Army 1950-1972" Vietnam Studies Series published by Department of the Army "South Vietnam on Trial" The Vietnam Experience series by Boston Publishing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_the_Republic_of_Vietnam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_the_Republic_of_Vietnam)