Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps
Encyclopedia
The Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps (VNMC) ( (TQLC)) was part of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam
). It was established by Ngo Dinh Diem
in 1954 when he was Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam
, which became the Republic of Vietnam in 1955. The longest-serving commander was Lieutenant General Le Nguyen Khang
. In 1969, the VNMC had a strength of 9,300.
. The 1949 Franco-Vietnamese Agreement
stated that the Vietnamese Armed Forces
were to include naval forces whose organization and training would be provided by the French Navy.
In March 1952, the Navy of Vietnam
was established. In 1953, the French and Vietnamese governments agreed to increase the size of Vietnamese National Army, so an increase in the size of the Vietnamese Navy was also deemed necessary. As they debated whether the Army or Navy would control the river flotillas, French Vice Admiral
Philippe Auboyneau proposed for the first time the organization of a Vietnamese Marine Corps. When the French withdrew from Vietnam in 1954, the Vietnamese Marine Corps was a component of the Vietnamese Navy. The Marine Corps consisted of a headquarters, four river companies, and one battalion landing force. On October 13, 1954, Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem
signed a government decree formally creating within the naval establishment a section of infantry, then of brigade strength, later to be designated as the Marine Corps (VNMC).
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
). It was established by Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngô Đình Diệm was the first president of South Vietnam . In the wake of the French withdrawal from Indochina as a result of the 1954 Geneva Accords, Diệm led the effort to create the Republic of Vietnam. Accruing considerable U.S. support due to his staunch anti-Communism, he achieved victory in a...
in 1954 when he was Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam
State of Vietnam
The State of Vietnam was a state that claimed authority over all of Vietnam during the First Indochina War, and replaced the Provisional Central Government of Vietnam . The provisional government was a brief transitional administration between colonial Cochinchina and an independent state...
, which became the Republic of Vietnam in 1955. The longest-serving commander was Lieutenant General Le Nguyen Khang
Le Nguyen Khang
Lieutenant General Lê Nguyên Khang was a Marine Commander of the Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps for South Vietnam.-Assignments:*Commander of the Marine Corps,*VNN Commander,*Commander of the Capital Military Zone,...
. In 1969, the VNMC had a strength of 9,300.
History
The Vietnamese Marine Corps had it origins during French rule of IndochinaIndochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
. The 1949 Franco-Vietnamese Agreement
Elysee Accords
The Élysée Accords were an agreement made in 1949 which would give Vietnam greater independence from France. The agreement was intended to increase U.S. support for France’s actions in Indochina as well as to convince ex-emperor Bảo Đại that France would give Vietnam greater independence...
stated that the Vietnamese Armed Forces
Vietnamese National Army
On March 8, 1949, after the Elysee accords, the State of Vietnam was recognized by France as an independent country ruled by Vietnamese Emperor Bảo Đại. The Vietnamese National Army or Vietnam National Army was the State of Vietnam's military force created shortly after that. It was commanded by...
were to include naval forces whose organization and training would be provided by the French Navy.
In March 1952, the Navy of Vietnam
Republic of Vietnam Navy
The Republic of Vietnam Navy was the naval force of the former Republic of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. The early fleet consisted of boats from France. After 1955 and the transfer of the armed forces to Vietnamese control, the fleet was supplied from the United States...
was established. In 1953, the French and Vietnamese governments agreed to increase the size of Vietnamese National Army, so an increase in the size of the Vietnamese Navy was also deemed necessary. As they debated whether the Army or Navy would control the river flotillas, French Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Philippe Auboyneau proposed for the first time the organization of a Vietnamese Marine Corps. When the French withdrew from Vietnam in 1954, the Vietnamese Marine Corps was a component of the Vietnamese Navy. The Marine Corps consisted of a headquarters, four river companies, and one battalion landing force. On October 13, 1954, Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngô Đình Diệm was the first president of South Vietnam . In the wake of the French withdrawal from Indochina as a result of the 1954 Geneva Accords, Diệm led the effort to create the Republic of Vietnam. Accruing considerable U.S. support due to his staunch anti-Communism, he achieved victory in a...
signed a government decree formally creating within the naval establishment a section of infantry, then of brigade strength, later to be designated as the Marine Corps (VNMC).
Units
- 147th Marine Brigade (Brigades were numbered after the battalions they contained
- 1st Marine Battalion - “Wild Birds"
- 4th Marine Battalion - “Killer Sharks”
- 7th Marine Battalion - “Grey Tigers”
- 1st Marine Artillery Battalion - “Lightning Fire”
- 258th Marine Brigade
- 2nd Marine Battalion - “Crazy Buffaloes”
- 5th Marine Battalion - “Black Dragons”
- 8th Marine Battalion - “Sea Eagles”
- 2nd Marine Artillery Battalion - “Divine Arrows”
- 369th Marine Brigade
- 3rd Marine Battalion - “Sea Wolves”
- 6th Marine Battalion - “Divine Hawks”
- 9th Marine Battalion - “Ferocious Tigers”
- 3rd Marine Artillery Battalion - “Divine Crossbows”
See also
- Marines
- Republic of Vietnam NavyRepublic of Vietnam NavyThe Republic of Vietnam Navy was the naval force of the former Republic of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. The early fleet consisted of boats from France. After 1955 and the transfer of the armed forces to Vietnamese control, the fleet was supplied from the United States...
- Army of the Republic of VietnamArmy of the Republic of VietnamThe Army of the Republic of Viet Nam , sometimes parsimoniously referred to as the South Vietnamese Army , was the land-based military forces of the Republic of Vietnam , which existed from October 26, 1955 until the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975...
- Republic of Vietnam Air Force
- Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
Footnotes
- Pham Van Lieu, Tra ta song nui, 3 vols. Houston, TX: Van Hoa, 2002-(2003?). Vol. 1, 1928-1963. 2002. 472 pp. Vol. 2, 1963-1975. 2003. 544 pp. Vol. 3, 1975-1985. 2003?