325th Division (Vietnam)
| 325th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1951-present |
| Allegiance |  Vietnam |
| Branch | Vietnam People's Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Part of | 12th Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | Bắc Giang, Vietnam |
| Nickname | Bình Trị Thiên |
| Engagements | 1965–1967
Tet Offensive 1968 Easter Offensive 1972 |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | COL Trần Quý Hai COL Nguyễn Hữu An COL Trần Văn Trân COL Chu Phương Đới |
The 325th Infantry Division is a division of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), first formed in March 1951 from independent units of Bình - Trị - Thiên. It was one of the six original regular divisions of the Viet Minh.
First Indochina War
The 325th Infantry Division was first formed in March 1951 from independent regiments (18th, 95th, and 101st) of Bình - Trị - Thiên. It is likely that it only became fully operational in mid-1952. The division first commander cum commissar was Colonel Trần Quý Hai. It was one of the six original regular divisions of the Viet Minh.[1]: 150 [2]: 384–386
In December 1953 the 325th took part in the Viet Minh probe into Laos.[1]: 195
In late December 1953 seven battalions from Regiment 101 of the 325th and Regiment 66 of the 304th Division moving from Vinh attacked isolated French outposts in the Annamite Range in Annam and Central Laos.[1]: 274
Vietnam War
In early 1961 the Division was sent to Laos to support Pathet Lao forces and on 11 April captured Tchepone. This secured an essential area for the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh Trail.[3]: 88
In March 1964 the division was split into the 325A Division which was to begin preparations for moving to South Vietnam, while the 325B Division would rebuild in the North.[4]
The Division's 95th Regiment arrived in Kon Tum Province in December 1964. In February 1965 the 95th was joined by the 101st Regiment.[5]: 66 Coming along with the 101st (aka 101A) Regiment was the division commander - Sen. Col. Nguyễn Hữu An. A few months later, the third regiment - the 18th (aka 18A) also arrived but the division was actually dissolved: Col. An was appointed Deputy commander of the Central highlands Front (B3 Front), the 101A stayed in B3 Front while the 18A and the 95A moved to the 5th Military Region's lowlands (B1 Front).[6]: 5–10
In late 1965, following the Battle of Dak Sut, the 101A Regiment moved south to B2 Front; the 101B Regiment was deployed to B3 Front as a replacement unit and redesignated as the 33rd Regiment, subsequently taking part in the Siege of Plei Me and the Battle of Ia Drang.[6]: 21–23
In early March 1966, the 95B Regiment under the division deputy commander Trần Văn Trân attacked the A Shau Special Forces Camp of the US 5th Special Forces Group and the ARVN Special Forces, sufferring ~800 killed for allies ~300 killed.[7][8]
U.S intelligence indicated that the 325C Division was operating in the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone by July 1967.[9] In its December 1967 PAVN order of battle, III MAF identified elements of three regiments of the 324B Division — the 812th, the 803rd, and 90th — and two of the regiments of the 325C Division — the 29th (18C) and 95C operating south of the Demilitarized Zone.[10]: 33
In 20 January 1968, a PAVN rallier provided US intelligence officers detailed information concerning the 325C Division's plan for the attack and reduction of the Khe Sanh Combat Base before Tet. The 5th and 6th Battalions of the 95C Regiment was to capture Hill 1015 and Hill 861 respectively. The 4/95C Battalion had orders to coordinate with the 101D Regimen to attack the airstrip. The 29th Regiment was in reserve.[10]: 258
On 3 February 1968, a battalion of the 325C attacked the Marines on Hill 861A north of Khe Sanh Combat Base, the attack was repulsed with 7 Marines and 109 PAVN killed.[5]: 108–9 On the night of 6/7 February, the division's 101D Regiment and two PT-76 tanks companies of the 198th Armored Battalion coordinated with the 24th Regiment of the 304th Division overran the US special forces camp at Lang Vei killing 316 of the camp's defenders including seven Americans for the loss of 90 PAVN killed and seven tanks destroyed.[5]: 109–10 [3]: 222 On 8 February a reinforced battalion of the 101D Regiment attacked a 9th Marines' position west of the Combat Base, 21 Marines and 150 PAVN were killed.[5]: 110–1
In April 1968, the 325C Division, comprising two regiments (95C and 101D) under commander Chu Phương Đới and commissar Trần Văn Ân arrived the Central Highlands to relieve the 1st Division on Route 18 - west of Kontum.[6]: 74 [11]: 174 [12]: 556–7 Following the May Offensive, the 325C Division Headquarters returned to the North, its 95C and 101D Regiments shifted to independent operations under the command of the B3 Front, subsequently coordinating with the 66th Regiment of the 1st Division at Đức Lập during the August Offensive.[12]: 559, 642
On 12 July 1972, the Division with three regiments (18th, 95th and 101st) under commander Lê Kích and commissar Nguyễn Công Trang, together with the 312th Division was sent to support the Second Battle of Quảng Trị.[3]: 304 [13]: 114
On 15 May 1974 the Division's 95th Regiment attacked Dak Pek Camp overrunning one of the last Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) bases on Route 14.[3]: 353
On 17 May 1974 PAVN 2nd Corps was formed comprising the Division, the 304th and 324th Divisions, the 673rd Air Defense Division, the 164th Artillery Brigade, the 203rd tank Brigade, the 219th Engineer Brigade and the 463rd Signal Regiment under the command of Major General Hoàng Văn Thái.[14]: 13 [3]: 343
As part of the Hue-Da Nang Campaign on 19 March the Division and the 324th Division attacked the ARVN 1st Division and the 15th Ranger Group along Route 1 south of Huế.[15]: 69 On the afternoon of 22 March the 324th pushed the 15th Rangers out of Phú Lộc cutting Route 1 and forcing the ARVN forces to withdraw back to a defensive line around Phu Bai Combat Base[15]: 70 On 24 March all ARVN forces were ordered to abandon Huế and regroup in Danang, a disorganised seaborne evacuation followed and by 25 March the PAVN was in control of the city.[15]: 70–4
For the attack on Danang, by 26 March the Division advanced from the north, the 9th Regiment of the 304th was located northwest of Danang, while the rest of the 304th and 711th Divisions encircled from the south and the 3rd Regiment of the 324th was located southwest of the city. By the afternoon of 29 March the 2nd Corps had penetrated the ARVN defences and entered the city which finally fell on 31 March.[15]: 77–83
On 16 April the Division's 101st Regiment captured Phan Rang and then after defeating several ARVN counterattacks captured Phan Rang Air Base.[3]: 404 On 18 April the Division's 18th Regiment captured Phan Thiết.[3]: 405
By 26 April the Division and the 304th Division were attacking Route 15, the last overland link between Saigon and Vung Tau.[15]: 154 On 29 April the Division attacked Nhơn Trạch District, Thuy Ha and Cat Lai southwest of Saigon.[3]: 417
Present Day
Today the division remains part of the 12th Corps.
References
- 1 2 3 Windrow, Martin (2004). The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 0-297-84671-X.
- ↑ Võ Nguyên, Giáp; Hữu, Mai (2001). Chiến Đấu Trong Vòng Vây (in Vietnamese). Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản Quân đội Nhân dân.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Military History Institute of Vietnam (2002). Victory in Vietnam: A History of the People's Army of Vietnam, 1954–1975. trans. Pribbenow, Merle. University of Kansas Press. ISBN 0-7006-1175-4.
- ↑ Birtle, Andrew (2024). Advice and Support: The Middle Years, January 1964–June 1965. Center of Military History, United States Army. p. 91. ISBN 9781959302056.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - 1 2 3 4 Woodruff, Mark (2000). Unheralded Victory. Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-472540-9.
- 1 2 3 Nguyễn Hữu, An (2005). Chiến Trường Mới, Hồi Ức (in Vietnamese). Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản Quân đội Nhân dân.
- ↑ "MAJ. Bernard F. Fisher". National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. 26 April 2010. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ↑ "Thiếu tướng Trần Văn Trân và câu chuyện nghìn ngày huyền thoại". qdnd.vn (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ Coan, James (2004). Con Thien: The Hill of Angels. University of Alabama Press. p. 137. ISBN 0-8173-1414-8.
- 1 2 Shulimson, Jack (1997). US Marines in Vietnam: 1968 The Defining Year. History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps. ISBN 9781494285715. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ↑ Trịnh Vương, Hồng; Nguyễn Văn, Minh (2001). Lịch sử Kháng chiến chống Mỹ cứu nước 1954-1975 - Tập 5 (in Vietnamese). NXB Chính trị Quốc gia.
- 1 2 Villard, Erik (2017). United States Army in Vietnam Combat Operations Staying the Course October 1967 to September 1968. Center of Military History United States Army. ISBN 9780160942808. Archived from the original on February 6, 2018.
- ↑ Trịnh Vương, Hồng; Hồ, Khang (2007). Lịch sử Kháng chiến chống Mỹ cứu nước 1954-1975 - Tập 7 (in Vietnamese). NXB Chính trị Quốc gia.
- ↑ Trinh Vuong Hong; Pham Huu Thang (2006). History of the Tri-Thien Campaign and Da Nang Campaign during Spring 1975. People's Army Publishing House.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Dougan, Clark; Fulgham, David (1985). The Vietnam Experience: The Fall of the South. Boston Publishing Company. ISBN 0-939526-16-6.