9th Division (Vietnam)
9th Infantry Division | |
---|---|
Active | 1965–present |
Allegiance | Bình Dương Province |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Hoàng Cầm Nguyễn Thế Truyện[1] |
The 9th Infantry Division is a division of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), first formed from Viet Cong units in 1965 in the Mekong Delta region.
Vietnam War
In the Battle of Bình Giã from 28 December 1964 to 1 January 1965, future forces of the division lost 32 killed for Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) losses of 201 killed. In the Battle of Đồng Xoài from June 9 to 13, 1965, they overran the CIDG camp at Đồng Xoài and then ambushed the relief forces killing 416 ARVN and at least 20 U.S. troops while losing 126 killed.
According to the official history of the PAVN, the division was only formed on 2 September 1965 from the 1st (Bình Giã) Regiment, the 2nd (Đồng Xoài) Regiment and the newly formed 3rd Regiment drawn from local forces in the Mekong Delta.[2]: 156
The division was engaged in the Battle of Ap Bau Bang on 12 November 1965, losing 146 killed and 50 probably killed for U.S. losses of 20 killed.[3]: 80–4 The PAVN claimed that the division killed over 2,000 U.S. and destroyed 30 tanks and armored personnel carriers during the operation.[2]: 161
In
In the Battle of Suoi Bong Trang from 23 to 24 February 1966, elements of the division fought units of the U.S. 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division and the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment losing 154 killed and 15 captured for the loss of 11 U.S. troops killed.[4]
In Operation Cocoa Beach from 3 to 8 March 1966, the division's 272nd Regiment was engaged by the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division on Highway 13 near Lai Khê, losing 199 killed for U.S. losses of 15 killed.[3]: 175–8
In
In
The division and the 101st Regiment were the target of Operation Attleboro from 14 September to 25 November 1966, losing 1,016 killed and 200+ missing or captured for the loss of 155 U.S. killed and five missing.[5]: 57 The PAVN claimed that they "killed thousands of enemy troops" and forced the U.S. to withdraw.[2]: 196
The division was the target of
In Operation Billings from 12 to 26 June 1967, the Division's 271st Regiment was engaged by the U.S. 1st Infantry Division north of Phước Vĩnh losing 347 killed for U.S. losses of 57 killed.[5]: 339–43
In
In Operation Yellowstone from 8 December 1967 to 24 February 1968, the division was engaged by the U.S. 25th Infantry Division. In the attack on Firebase Burt on the night of 31 December 1967, the 271st and 272nd Regiments lost 379 killed and eight captured for U.S. losses of 23 dead.[8]
Elements of the division's 273rd Regiment were engaged by Australian/U.S. forces during Operation Coburg from 24 January to 1 March 1968.
During the
During Operation Quyet Thang from 15 to 17 March 1968, the U.S. 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and ARVN forces engaged the 272nd Regiment between Đức Hòa and Củ Chi, killing 273.[7]: 462
During the May Offensive of 1968, the division together with the 5th Division attacked west Saigon from 5–12 May losing over 2,600 killed.[7]: 575
During the
By 1971, the division was operating in Cambodia and PAVN command formed the Corps-sized Group 301 comprising the division and the 5th and
During Operation Chenla II from 20 August to 3 December 1971, the division defeated units of the Khmer National Army (ANK) who attacked their base areas in eastern Cambodia. The division claimed to have killed or dispersed 10,000 ANK troops and captured 4,700 weapons, 100 radios, 50 trucks and 150 tons of ammunition.[2]: 288
The entire division was involved in the Battle of An Lộc from 13 April to 20 July 1972. As a result of his failure to seize the town quickly, the commander of the 9th Division was officially reprimanded and local command was handed over the senior officer of the PAVN 5th Division.[10] The PAVN history acknowledges that "our units suffered heavy casualties and over half the tanks we used in the battle were destroyed."[2]: 296
In the Battle of Hồng Ngự from March to 4 May 1973, the Division's 272nd Regiment and 2 Regiments from the 6th Division lost 422 killed in their unsuccessful attempt to capture the town of Hồng Ngự. ARVN losses were 94 killed and 36 missing.[11]: 44–5
A battalion of the Division's 271st Regiment took part in the initial phases of the Battle of Tong Le Chon, starting on 25 March 1973, until replaced by a battalion of the 201st Independent Regiment.[11]: 76
In the Battle of the Iron Triangle from 16 May to 20 November 1974, the Division's 95C Regiment suffering heavy losses in the fighting at An Dien in May/June.[11]: 99
On 20 July 1974, the PAVN formed
From 24 to 31 March 1975, the division made repeated attacks on Chơn Thành Camp, losing at least 18 tanks and 340 killed before the defending Vietnamese Rangers of the 31st Ranger Group successfully evacuated the camp on the night of 31 March/1 April.[11]: 167–70
In early April, the division was assigned to the 232nd Group which also included the 3rd and 5th Divisions. The division began attacks on ARVN positions on the western approaches to Saigon.[2]: 408 On 30 April, the division entered Saigon and captured the headquarters of the ARVN Capital Military District.[2]: 419
Cambodian–Vietnamese War
From 18 to 26 November 1984, some 2,000 troops of the division attacked Khmer People's National Liberation Armed Forces forces in the Nong Chan Refugee Camp, capturing the base after a week of fighting.[12]
Present day
Today the division is part of the
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
- ^ "My Dad". congan.com.vn. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ ISBN 0-7006-1175-4.
- ^ .
- ISBN 1-86508-634-7.
- ^ .
- ^ .
- ^ .
- ^ Trass, Adrian (2017). The U.S. Army Campaigns of the Vietnam War: Turning Point 1967-1968 (PDF). Center of Military History. pp. 27–30. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ISBN 0891417699.
- ISBN 0939526107.
- ^ .
- ^ "Rebels at Nong Chan Hold Out: Assault by Vietnamese Troops on the Kampuchean Resistance Base". The Guardian. 26 November 1984.