Dien Bien Phu order of battle
Encyclopedia
This is a list of units and commands that took part in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
during the First Indochina War
, with the major commands that took part in operations.
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union's French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The battle occurred between March and May 1954 and culminated in a comprehensive French defeat that...
during the First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
, with the major commands that took part in operations.
Command
| Group | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
Main Units |
|---|---|---|
| Operational Group North-West (GONO) |
Colonel Christian de Castries Christian de Castries Christian Marie Ferdinand de la Croix de Castries was the French commander at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Castries was born into a distinguished military family and enlisted in the army at the age of 19. He was sent to the Saumur Cavalry School and in 1926 was commissioned an officer but... |
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| Group Mobile 6 (GM 6) |
Lieutenant Colonel André Lalande André Lalande (soldier) André Lalande was an officer in the Chasseurs Alpins and in the French Foreign Legion.He was a Breton who studied at the French military academy, the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr from 1931 to 1933 and was posted 2nd Lieutenant at Metz.In 1937 he requested a transfer to the 6th Bataillon... |
3/3 REI 2/1 RTA 5/7 RTA |
| Group Mobile 9 (GM 9) |
Lieutenant Colonel Jules Gaucher Jules Gaucher Jules Gaucher was a French Army officer noted for his command of Foreign Legion troops in Indochina. Described as a "burly, hard-drinking veteran of years of jungle fighting, with a nose like an axe-blade and a mouth like its cut", Gaucher was a popular commander among the Legion, known as 'the... |
1/13 DBLE 3/13 DBLE 1/2 REI 3/3 RTA |
| 2nd Airborne Brigade (GAP 2) |
Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Langlais Pierre Langlais Pierre Charles Albert Marie Langlais was a French military officer who fought in World War II and Indochina. He is best known as the ad-hoc commander of the French garrison during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.-Early life:... |
1 BEP 8 BPC 5 BPVN |
| Artillery | Colonel Charles Piroth Charles Piroth Charles Piroth was a French Lieutenant Colonel and veteran of the Italian Campaign during the Second World War and more notably serving three tours in Vietnam during the First Indochina War. Piroth commanded the artillery of the French Dien Bien Phu garrison during the siege of the valley by the... |
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Infantry
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Battalion Battalion A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel... /13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade The 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade is a mechanized infantry demi-brigade in the French Foreign Legion. It is the only permanent demi-brigade in the French Army, and is a unit of particular notoriety and reputation within the Legion... (1/13 DBLE) |
Major de Brinon/Major Robert Coutant | Claudine |
| 3rd Battalion/13th Foreign Legion Half-Brigade 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade The 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade is a mechanized infantry demi-brigade in the French Foreign Legion. It is the only permanent demi-brigade in the French Army, and is a unit of particular notoriety and reputation within the Legion... (3/13 DBLE) |
Major Paul Pégot | Béatrice |
| 1st Battalion/2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment The 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the French Foreign Legion created in 1841 and is situated in the south of France at Nimes. The 2REI has participated in several conflicts, more notably in the Gulf war, in Bosnia, Chad and in different parts of Africa... (1/2 REI) |
Major Clémençon | Huguette |
| 3rd Battalion/3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment The 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the French Foreign Legion. The regiment is stationed in French Guiana, protecting the Centre Spatial Guyanais.-World War I:... (3/3 REI) |
Major Henri Grand d'Esnon | Isabelle |
| 2nd Battalion/1st Algerian Rifle Regiment Regiment A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel... (2/1 RTA) |
Capitaine Jean Sallot des Noyers; Capitaine Pierre Jeancenelle | Isabelle |
| 3rd Battalion/3rd Algerian Rifle Regiment (3/3 RTA) |
Capitaine Jean Garandeau | Dominique |
| 5th Battalion/7th Algerian Rifle Regiment (5/7 RTA) |
Major Roland de Mecquenem | Gabrielle |
| 1st Battalion/4th Moroccan Rifle Regiment (1/4 RTM) |
Major Jean Nicolas | Eliane |
| 2nd Thai Thai people The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of... Battalion (BT 2) |
Major Maurice Chenel | Eliane |
| 3rd Thai Battalion (BT 3) |
Major Léopold Thimonnier | Anne-Marie |
Parachute Infantry
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
|---|---|
| 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment was an airborne unit of the Foreign Legion. It fought in the First Indochina War, Suez Crisis and Algerian War, but was disbanded after taking part in a putsch against the French government in 1961.... (1st BEP) |
Major Maurice Guiraud |
| 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment is an Airborne regiment of the French Foreign Legion. It is a part of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste and the spearhead of the French Rapid reaction force.-Indochina:... (2nd BEP) |
Major Hubert Liesenfelt |
| 1st Colonial Parachute Battalion 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment The 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment is one of three regiments in the French Army Special Forces Brigade. Based in Bayonne in the local Citadel... (1st BPC) |
Capitaine Guy Bazin de Bezon |
| 6th Colonial Parachute Battalion 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment -Indochina:Formed as the 6th Colonial Commando Parachute Battalion in Quimper, Brittany on 16 May 1948 from elements of the 1st Colonial Commando Parachute Demi-brigade, disembarks in Saigon, French Indochina, in July 1949. The battalion distinguished itself in fighting throughout the First... (6th BPC) |
Major Marcel Bigeard Marcel Bigeard Marcel "Bruno" Bigeard was a French military officer who fought in World War II, Indochina and Algeria. He was one of the commanders in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and is thought by many to have been a dominating influence on French 'unconventional' warfare thinking from that time onwards... |
| 8th Shock Parachute Battalion 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment The 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment is an airborne regiment in the French Army. It is an elite unit that can be rapidly sent anywhere in the world... (8th BPC) |
Major Pierre Tourret Pierre Tourret Pierre Tourret was a French Army officer who served in World War II, the First Indochina War, the Suez Crisis and the Algerian War... |
| 5th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion 5th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion The 5th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion was a French-Vietnamese paratroop battalion formed in Hanoi, French Indochina in 1953.- Operational history :... (5th BPVN) |
Capitaine André Botella |
| 2nd Battalion/1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment The 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment is an airborne unit of the French Army. It was the first French parachute regiment and is today part of the 11th Parachute Brigade.-Organisation:*Command and Logistic “Yellow” Company*Support and Lightning “Blue” Company... (II/1RCP) |
Major Jean Bréchignac Jean Bréchignac Jean Bréchignac was a French Army officer that fought in World War II, First Indochina War and Algerian War. He led the 2nd Battalion, 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment in Indochina, most notable during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, and the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment in Algeria... |
Armoured Cavalry
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
Tank Tank A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities... |
Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd Squadron/1st Light Horse Regiment (3/1 RCC) |
Capitaine Yves Hervouët | M24 Chaffee M24 Chaffee The Light Tank M24 was an American light tank used during World War II and in postwar conflicts including the Korean War and with the French in the War in Algeria and First Indochina War. In British service it was given the service name Chaffee, after the United States Army General Adna R... (x10) |
Claudine Isabelle |
Artillery
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
- | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Group/4th Colonial Artillery Regiment Regiment A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel... (II/4 RAC) |
Major Guy Knecht | HM2 105mm howitzer M101 howitzer The 105 mm M2A1 howitzer was the standard light field howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly entered the war against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific, where it gained a reputation... (x12) |
Dominique |
| 3rd Group/10th Colonial Artillery Regiment (III/10 RAC) |
Major Alliou | HM2 105mm howitzer (x12) | Isabelle Claudine |
| 11th Battery/4th Group/4th Colonial Artillery Regiment (11/IV/4 RAC) |
Capitaine Déal | HM1 155mm howitzer M114 155 mm howitzer The M114 155 mm howitzer was a towed howitzer used by the United States Army. It was first produced in 1942 as a medium artillery piece under the designation of 155 mm Howitzer M1. It saw service with the US Army during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, before being... (x4) |
Claudine |
| Platoon Platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the... /1st Colonial Far East Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group (I GAACEO) |
Lieutenant Paul Redon | Quad-50 M2 0.50cal MG (x4) | Epervier |
| 1st Foreign Composite Heavy Mortar Company Company (military unit) A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure... (1 CMMLE) |
Lieutenant René Colcy | 120mm mortar (x8) | Claudine |
| 2nd Foreign Composite Heavy Mortar Company (2 CMMLE) |
Lieutenant Fetter | 120mm mortar (x8) | Gabrielle Anne-Marie |
| 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company (1 CEPML) |
Lieutenant Paul Turcy | 120mm mortar (x12) | Claudine Dominique |
Engineers
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
|---|---|
| 31st Engineer Battalion (31 BG) |
Major André Sudrat/Major Maurice Durieux |
Service Units
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
|---|---|
| 2nd Company/822nd Signals Battalion (2/822 BT) |
- |
| 2nd Company/823rd Signals Battalion (2/823 BT) |
- |
| 342nd Parachute Signals Company (342 CPT) |
- |
| 2nd Platoon/5th Foreign Legion Medium Repair Company (2/5 CRMLE) |
Lieutenant Bugeat |
| 3rd Ammunition Resupply Company (detachment) (3 CM) |
Sous Lieutenant Léonard |
| 730th Fuel Resupply Company (detachment) (730 CR) |
- |
| 712th Traffic Company (712 CCR) |
- |
| 3rd General Staff Transport Company (3 CTQG) |
- |
| 1st Exploitation Group (Quartermaster Corps) (GEO 1) |
- |
| 3rd Marching Battalion/Republican Guard Mobile Gendarmerie Gendarmerie A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as... (detachment) (3 LM/GRGM) |
- |
| 403rd Military Post Office (403 BPM) |
- |
Medical Service Units
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
|---|---|
| 29th Mobile Surgical Team (ACM 29) |
Major Paul Grauwin |
| 44th Mobile Surgical Team (ACM 44) |
Lieutenant Jacques Gindrey |
| 3rd Parachute Surgical Team (ACP 3) |
Lieutenant Louis Résillot |
| 5th Parachute Surgical Team (ACP 5) |
Capitaine Ernest Hantz |
| 6th Parachute Surgical Team (ACP 6) |
Lieutenant Jean Vidal |
Intelligence
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
|---|---|
| 8th Commando Group/Mixed Intervention Group (GC 8/GMI) |
Capitaine Hébert |
| Operations-Patrols Detachment (DOP) |
- |
Air Force
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
Aircraft Aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although... |
|---|---|---|
| Airfield Control Post 'Torri Rouge' (PCIA) |
Major Jacques Guérin | |
| Fighter Squadron Squadron (aviation) A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force... 1/22 'Saintonge Saintonge Saintonge is a small region on the Atlantic coast of France within the département Charente-Maritime, west and south of Charente in the administrative region of Poitou-Charentes.... ' |
Capitaine Claude Payen | F8F-1 Bearcat F8F Bearcat The Grumman F8F Bearcat was an American single-engine naval fighter aircraft of the 1940s. It went on to serve into the mid-20th century in the United States Navy and other air forces, and would be the company's final piston engined fighter aircraft... (x6) |
| 21st Artillery Air Observation Squadron (GAOA 21) |
Lieutenant Asselineau | MS-500 Criquet |
| 1st Light Medical Evacuation Company (1 CLES) |
– | Sikorsky H-19 S-55 |
| 21/374th Air Force Signals Company (CT 21/374) |
– | |
| 195th Air Base Detachment (DB 195) |
– | |
| Air Force Marching Company | Capitaine Jean Charnod | |
Air Force
| Unit | Aircraft Aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although... |
Base Military base A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a... |
|---|---|---|
| Fighter Squadron 2/22 'Languedoc Languedoc Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional... ' |
F8F-1 Bearcat | Haiphong Haiphong , also Haiphong, is the third most populous city in Vietnam. The name means, "coastal defence".-History:Hai Phong was originally founded by Lê Chân, the female general of a Vietnamese revolution against the Chinese led by the Trưng Sisters in the year 43 C.E.The area which is now known as Duong... (Cat Bi) |
| Bomber Squadron 1/19 'Gascogne' | B-26 Invader | Haiphong Haiphong , also Haiphong, is the third most populous city in Vietnam. The name means, "coastal defence".-History:Hai Phong was originally founded by Lê Chân, the female general of a Vietnamese revolution against the Chinese led by the Trưng Sisters in the year 43 C.E.The area which is now known as Duong... (Cat Bi) |
| Bomber Squadron 1/25 'Tunisie Tunisia Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area... ' |
B-26 Invader | Haiphong Haiphong , also Haiphong, is the third most populous city in Vietnam. The name means, "coastal defence".-History:Hai Phong was originally founded by Lê Chân, the female general of a Vietnamese revolution against the Chinese led by the Trưng Sisters in the year 43 C.E.The area which is now known as Duong... (Cat Bi) |
| Transport Squadron 2/62 'Franche-Comté Franche-Comté Franche-Comté the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighbouring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France... ' |
Dakota DC-3 C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and... |
Hanoi Hanoi Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam... (Bach Mai Airfield Bach Mai Airfield Bach Mai Airfield is a disused military airport in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, Vietnam, located along modern-day Le Trong Tan street. It was constructed by the French in 1917 and used by French forces until 1954; along with Gia Lam Airbase, it was one the major logistics bases supporting French... ) |
| Transport Squadron 2/63 'Sénégal Senegal Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north... ' |
Dakota DC-3 | Hanoi Hanoi Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam... (Gia Lam Gia Lam Gia Lâm is a district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Gia Lam Airport is located in the district. At one time Vietnam Airlines's headquarters were on the airport property.... ) |
| Transport Squadron 1/64 'Béarn Béarn Béarn is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, the principality of Bidache, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms in the... ' |
Dakota DC-3 | Hanoi Hanoi Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam... (Gia Lam Gia Lam Gia Lâm is a district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Gia Lam Airport is located in the district. At one time Vietnam Airlines's headquarters were on the airport property.... ) |
| Transport Squadron 2/64 'Anjou Anjou Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire... ' |
Dakota DC-3 | Hanoi Hanoi Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam... (Bach Mai Airfield Bach Mai Airfield Bach Mai Airfield is a disused military airport in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, Vietnam, located along modern-day Le Trong Tan street. It was constructed by the French in 1917 and used by French forces until 1954; along with Gia Lam Airbase, it was one the major logistics bases supporting French... ) |
| 23rd Artillery Air Observation Squadron (GAOA 23) |
MS-500 Criquet | Muong Sai |
| 80th Overseas Reconnaissance Squadron (EROM 80) |
RF-8F Bearcat (reco) B-26C Invader (reco) |
Hanoi Hanoi Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam... (Bach Mai Airfield Bach Mai Airfield Bach Mai Airfield is a disused military airport in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, Vietnam, located along modern-day Le Trong Tan street. It was constructed by the French in 1917 and used by French forces until 1954; along with Gia Lam Airbase, it was one the major logistics bases supporting French... ) |
| 52nd Air Liaison Squadron (ELA 52) |
Sikorsky H-19 S-55 | Bien Hoa Bien Hoa Biên Hòa is a city in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, about east of Ho Chi Minh City , to which Bien Hoa is linked by Vietnam Highway 1.- Demographics :In 1989 the estimated population was over 300,000. In 2005, the population wss 541,495... |
| 53rd Air Liaison Squadron (ELA 53) |
Sikorsky H-19 S-55 | Hanoi Hanoi Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam... (Gia Lam Gia Lam Gia Lâm is a district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Gia Lam Airport is located in the district. At one time Vietnam Airlines's headquarters were on the airport property.... ) |
Naval Air Arm
| Unit | Aircraft Aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although... |
Base Military base A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a... |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd Carrier Attack Squadron Group (air force unit) A group is a military aviation unit, a component of military organization and a military formation. Usage of the terms group and wing differ from one country to another, as well as different branches of a defence force, in some cases... (3F) |
SB2C-5 Helldiver SB2C Helldiver The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was a carrier-based dive bomber aircraft produced for the United States Navy during World War II. It replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless in US Navy service. Despite its size, the SB2C was much faster than the SBD it replaced... |
Carrier Aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations... Arromanches (Tourane) Hanoi (Bach Mai Airfield Bach Mai Airfield Bach Mai Airfield is a disused military airport in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, Vietnam, located along modern-day Le Trong Tan street. It was constructed by the French in 1917 and used by French forces until 1954; along with Gia Lam Airbase, it was one the major logistics bases supporting French... ) |
| 11th Carrier Fighter Squadron (11F) |
F6F-5 Hellcat F6F Hellcat The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big... |
Carrier Arromanches (Tourane) Hai Phong (Cat Bi) |
| 14th Carrier Fighter Squadron (14F) |
F4U-7 Corsair F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and... AU-1 Corsair F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and... |
Carrier Bois Belleau USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) USS Belleau Wood was a United States Navy active during World War II in the Pacific Theater, from 1943 to 1945. The ship also served in the First Indochina War under French Navy temporary service as Bois Belleau.... (Halong Bay Halong Bay Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a popular travel destination, located in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam. Administratively, the bay belongs to Hạ Long City, Cẩm Phả town, and part of Van Don district. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes... ) Hanoi (Bach Mai Airfield Bach Mai Airfield Bach Mai Airfield is a disused military airport in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, Vietnam, located along modern-day Le Trong Tan street. It was constructed by the French in 1917 and used by French forces until 1954; along with Gia Lam Airbase, it was one the major logistics bases supporting French... ) |
| 28th Bomber Squadron (28F) |
PB4Y Privateer PB4Y Privateer The Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer was a World War II and Korean War era patrol bomber of the United States Navy derived from the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. The Navy had been using unmodified B-24s as the PB4Y-1 Liberator, and the type was considered very successful... |
Hai Phong (Cat Bi) |
U.S. Central Intelligence AgencyCentral Intelligence AgencyThe Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
| Unit | Aircraft Aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although... |
Base Military base A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a... |
Pilots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Air Transport Civil Air Transport Civil Air Transport was a Chinese airline, later owned by the CIA, that supported United States covert operations throughout East and Southeast Asia... (CAT) |
Dakota DC-3 Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made... C-119 Flying Boxcar C-119 Flying Boxcar The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute... |
Hai Phong (Cat Bi) | 37 |
Command
| Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
Position | |
| Vietnam People's Army Vietnam People's Army The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt... (VPA) |
General Vo Nguyen Giap Vo Nguyen Giap Võ Nguyên Giáp is a retired Vietnamese officer in the Vietnam People’s Army and a politician. He was a principal commander in two wars: the First Indochina War and the Vietnam War... |
Muong Phang |
Infantry
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
Notes |
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| Division 304 (less) Title: Vinh Quang (Glory) Codename: 'Nam Dinh Nam Dinh Nam Định is a big city in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam. It is the capital of Nam Dinh Province and capital of the South of Red River Delta. Nam Dinh province was, at one time, part of Ha Nam Ninh province until it was split up again in 1996 to return to being two separate provinces,... ' |
Commissar Le Chuong Chief of Staff Chief of Staff The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of... : Nam Long |
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| Infantry regiment 9 | Tran Thanh Tu | Infantry battalions 353, 375, 400 |
| Infantry regiment 57 | Nguyen Can | Infantry battalions 265, 346, 418 |
| Division 308 308 Division (Vietnam) The 308th Division is an infantry division of the People's Army of Vietnam, first formed in 1948-49.As early as January 1947, the first regiment of the PAVN, the 308 'Capital' Regiment, was created for operations around Hanoi... Title: Quan Tien Phong (Vanguard) Codename: 'Viet Bac Viet Bac Việt Bắc is a region of Vietnam north of Hanoi that served as the Viet Minh's base of support during the First Indochina War .... ' |
Colonel Vuong Thua Vu Commissar Song Hao |
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| Infantry regiment 36 Title: Bac Bac Alias: Sa Pa |
Pham Hong Son | Infantry battalions 80, 84, 89 |
| Infantry regiment 88 Title: Tu Vu Alias: Tam Dao |
Nam Ha | Infantry battalions 22, 29, 322 |
| Infantry regiment 102 Title: Thu Do (Capital) Alias: Ba Vi |
Nguyen Hung Sinh | Infantry battalions 18, 59, 79 |
| Division 312 Title: Chien Thang (Victory) Codename: 'Ben Tre' |
Colonel Le Trong Tan Commissar Tran Do |
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| Infantry regiment 141 Title: Ba Vi |
Quang Tuyen | Infantry battalions 11, 16, 428 |
| Infantry regiment 165 Title: Lao Ha Yen, Thanh Dong Bien Gioi Alias: Dong Trieu |
Le Thuy | Infantry battalions 115, 542, 564 |
| Infantry regiment 209 Title: Song Lo |
Hoang Cam | Infantry battalions 130, 154, 166 |
| Division 316 Alias: Bien Hoa |
Colonel Le Quang Ba Commissar Chu Huy Man |
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| Infantry regiment 98 | Vu Lang | Infantry battalions 215, 439, 938 |
| Infantry regiment 174 Title: Cao Bac Lang Alias: Soc Trang |
Nguyen Huu An | Infantry battalions 249, 251, 255 |
| Infantry regiment 176 | Infantry battalions 888, 910, 999 |
Artillery
| Unit | Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Artillery-Engineer Division 351 Alias:Long Chau |
Dao Van Truong Commissar Pham Ngoc Mau |
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| Artillery Regiment 45 Title:Tat Thang (Inevitable Victory) |
Nguyen Huu My | 24 M101 105mm howitzers M101 howitzer The 105 mm M2A1 howitzer was the standard light field howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly entered the war against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific, where it gained a reputation... 632nd artillery battalion (12 M101 105mm howitzers M101 howitzer The 105 mm M2A1 howitzer was the standard light field howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly entered the war against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific, where it gained a reputation... ) 954th artillery battalion (12 M101 105mm howitzers M101 howitzer The 105 mm M2A1 howitzer was the standard light field howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly entered the war against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific, where it gained a reputation... ) |
| Artillery Regiment 675 Title:Anh Dung (Valiant) |
Doan Tue | 20 Type-41 75mm mountain guns Type 41 75 mm Mountain Gun The Type 41 75 mm mountain gun is a Japanese license-built copy of the Krupp M.08 mountain gun. Originally it was the standard pack artillery weapon. After it was superseded by the Type 94 75 mm mountain gun, it was then used as an infantry "regimental" gun, deployed 4 to each infantry... 16 M1938 120mm mortars M1938 mortar The Soviet M1938 120-millimeter mortar was the first modern 120 mm mortar developed by any country, entering production in 1939. The Red Army made significant use of its heavy caliber by treating it as an artillery piece in World War II. The Germans were impressed by the weapon and adopted it... 175th mountain gun battalion 275th mountain gun battalion 83rd mortar battalion |
| AAA Regiment 367 (less) | Le Van Tri | 2 AAA battalions (12 M1939 37mm AA guns each) |
| Heavy Weapon Regiment 237 | Mortar battalion 413(54 M-37 82mm mortars 82-PM-37 The M-37 is a Soviet 82 millimeter calibre mortar designed by B.I. Szayrin and accepted into service in 1937. The design of the M-37 is based on the earlier French Brandt mle 27/31 mortar with Russian modifications.... ) H6 rocket battalion (12 Chinese six-barrel 75mm H6 rocket launchers) 75mm recoilless gun battalion |
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| Engineer Regiment 151 | Pham Hoang |
External links
- Official website of the battle
- Source for Airplane crash at Dien Bien Phu (Aviation-Safety.net)
- Knights of the Legion of Honor to seven CAT pilots at Dien Bien Phu US secret involvement made official (French ambassy in USA)
- CAT pilots to be honored by France