How many men were in a North Vietnamese battalion?

How many men were in a North Vietnamese battalion?

Each battalion of the regiment consisted of a HQ, three rifle companies and a heavy weapons company. The regiment consisted of about 1,500 men, recruited from outside the area of their operation supplemented by North Vietnamese Army regulars.

How large was the North Vietnamese Army?

North Vietnam has sufficient manpower to provide a total military force of over 500,000 men without serious strain. 260,000 and 280,000. The major combat elements inc some 38,000 North Vietnamese troops, approximately 63,000 VC regu- lar main and local forces, and about 100,000 to 120,000 guerrillas. D.

How many men were in a company in Vietnam?

A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–250 soldiers and usually commanded by a captain.

What were North Vietnamese soldiers called?

Viet Cong
Also known as “Viet Cong.” NVA Acronym for “North Vietnamese Army” (officially called the People’s Army of Viet-Nam or PAVN). peaceniks Early protesters against the Vietnam War.

What is a Vietnamese sapper?

In a sapper operation, a small well-trained command attacks a post held by a numerically superior (although still somewhat small) force that is inside the enemy’s lines. The Vietnamese called this type of combat the “blooming lotus” tactic—penetrating a fortified area and assaulting outward.

How many died at la Drang?

In the 43-day Ia Drang campaign, 545 Americans were killed. Enemy deaths have been estimated at 3,561. It was the greatest loss of American life in the Vietnam War at that point, and a premonition of how determined the enemy was.

Did any American soldiers stay in Vietnam after the war?

It’s estimated that tens of thousands of veterans have returned to Vietnam since the 1990s, mostly for short visits to the places where they once served. Decades after the fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) many former soldiers still wonder why they were fighting.

Why America lost the Vietnam War?

America “lost” South Vietnam because it was an artificial construct created in the wake of the French loss of Indochina. Because there never was an “organic” nation of South Vietnam, when the U.S. discontinued to invest military assets into that construct, it eventually ceased to exist.

What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat?

Of the 2.6 million, between 1-1.6 million (40-60%) either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack. 7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam.

What is the average life expectancy of a Vietnam veteran?

The Statistics in the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF 11/93) show an average age of death much higher than that of news reports. The average age of the 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date.

What did the Vietnamese call American soldiers?

American soldiers referred to the Viet Cong as Victor Charlie or V-C. “Victor” and “Charlie” are both letters in the NATO phonetic alphabet. “Charlie” referred to communist forces in general, both Viet Cong and North Vietnamese.

How many tunnel rats died in Vietnam?

That both sets of men had to endure this life is appalling. There were never more than 100 Tunnel Rats in country at any one time and around 700 in total. There were 36 killed and 200 wounded.

How many soldiers are in a NVA battalion?

The NVA field units were grouped into battalions and regiments. The standard battalion had a headquarters platoon of 15 to 20 men and three field companies of 60 members each. Every company was divided into three 20-man sections.

What are the different branches of the Vietnamese Army?

The Vietnamese People’s Army is subdivided into the following service branches: Vietnam People’s Ground Forces (Lục quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) Vietnam People’s Navy (Hải quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) Vietnam People’s Air Force (Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) Vietnam Border Defence Force (Biên phòng Việt Nam)

Who were the North Vietnamese in the Vietnam War?

In Vietnam, however, American troops used the name primarily for North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong units that broke through defensive lines using tactics more akin to raids by commandos than to the work of engineers.

What is the composition of the People’s Army of Vietnam?

The People’s Army of Vietnam is a “triple armed force” composed of the Main Force, the Local Force and the Border Force. As with most countries’ armed forces, the PAVN consists of standing, or regular, forces as well as reserve forces.