304th Division (Vietnam)
The 304 Division is an infantry division of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). It was established in January 1950 at Thanh Hoa.[1][2]:149
| 304th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1950 |
| Allegiance |  |
| Branch |  |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Mechanized infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Part of | 2nd Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | Vĩnh Phúc, Vietnam |
| Nickname(s) | "Vinh Quang" (Glorious) |
| Engagements | First Indochina War Battle of Hòa Bình Operation Bretagne Battle of Dien Bien Phu Vietnam War Battle of Khe Sanh Battle of Lang Vei First Battle of Quảng Trị 1975 Spring Offensive Hue–Da Nang Campaign |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Hoàng Minh Thảo Hoàng Sâm |
First Indochina War
In late December 1953 seven battalions from 66th Regiment of the Division and 101st Regiment, 325th Infantry Division moving from Vinh attacked isolated French outposts in the Annamite Range in Annam and Central Laos.[2]:274
On 5 January 1954 General Võ Nguyên Giáp ordered the Division's 57th Regiment to move from Phú Thọ to Điện Biên Phủ and after a 10-day, 200 miles (320 km) march, by 23–24 January they were in position in the south of the valley.[2]:261 57th Regiment's main role during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu was to isolate the French garrison at Strongpoint Isabelle to the south of the main position in the valley.[2]:474 In late April following the heavy losses in the previous month's fighting, General Giáp ordered the Division's 9th Regiment to Điện Biên Phủ as reinforcements.[2]:492 Total estimated losses among the Division at Điện Biên Phủ are 490 killed.[3]
Vietnam War
One of its regiments took part in the November 14–18, 1965 Battle of Ia Drang.
In December 1967, US Intelligence reported that the Division had crossed over from Laos and had taken up positions southwest of Khe Sanh Combat Base.[4]:101 On 21 January 1968 a battalion of the Division attacked Khe Sanh, which was defended by local militia and a Marine Combined Action unit, the Division suffered at least 123 killed before the defending forces withdrew to the Combat Base.[4]:106
On the night of 6/7 February, the 22nd Infantry Regiment (attached to the Division) and the 101st Regiment, 325th Division supported by 12 PT-76 lights tanks of the 203rd Armored Regiment 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.[4]:109–10
On the night of 29 February, the 9th Regiment of the Division launched 3 attacks on the eastern perimeter of the Combat Base, but were beaten back each time by US firepower.[4]:115 These attacks marked the closest use of B-52 bombers to the Combat Base perimeter with base commander Colonel David E. Lownds reporting, "this was the only time that the kids on the lines told me…that they actually saw bodies being thrown into the air."[5]:108 The diary of one PAVN soldier killed in the battle reflected that while moving southward under the pressure of U.S. air power to replace casualties in the Division, 300 men had deserted rather than face the feared B-52. The Division’s official history acknowledges that one of its battalions was so devastated by a B-52 strike that subsequent desertions and self-inflicted wounds to avoid combat caused the PAVN leadership to doubt that the battalion would be of any further use at Khe Sanh.[5]:109 By March the 304th was reported to have withdrawn into North Vietnam to re-equip.[4]:135
On 4 April, the 1st Battalion 9th Marines attacked the 66th Regiment on Hill 471 south of the Combat Base, with the U.S. reporting 16 PAVN killed for the loss of 10 Marines. The following morning the 66th Regiment counter-attacked, losing 140 killed and five captured while the Marines lost only one killed.[6]:285
On 14 May 1968, units of the Division attacked a supply convoy on Route 9, the 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines pursued the attackers as they withdrew from the ambush site, killing 74 PAVN for the loss of seven Marines.[4]:135[6]:317 On 17 May, a patrol from the 2nd Battalion 1st Marines was ambushed by units of the Division west of Khe Sanh, the Marines called in artillery and air strikes and then overran the ambush positions suffering six dead, while the Division lost 52 killed.[4]:135[6]:318 On the same days units of the Division engaged the 3rd Battalion 4th Marines west of Khe Sanh on Hills 552 and 689, the Division were lost 50 dead and four prisoners.[4]:135 On the night of 18–19 May 2/1 Marines engaged a Battalion from the 304th on Route 9 east of Khe Sanh, with the Division losing 113 killed and eight Marines were killed.[6]:318[4]:136
In 1971, the Division, together with the 308th and 320th Divisions formed part of the PAVN B-70 Corps based in southern Laos.[7]:248
On 30 March 1972, the Division took part in the First Battle of Quảng Trị, the opening battle of the Easter Offensive.[7]:321
For the 1975 Spring Offensive, the 304th formed part of the PAVN 2nd Corps with the 324B and 325C Divisions.[8]:13 As part of the Hue-Da Nang Campaign the Division was moved to the southwest of Danang and by 26 March the Division's 9th Regiment was located northwest of Danang, while the rest of the Division and the 711th Division encircled Danang from the south and the 324B and 325C Divisions which had earlier captured Huế advanced from the north and west. By the afternoon of 29 March the 2nd Corps had penetrated the South Vietnamese defences and entered the city.[9]:75 By April 26, the 304th and 325C were attacking Route 15, the last overland link between Saigon and Vung Tau.[9]:154
Present Day
Today it remains part of the PAVN 2nd Corps.
References
- Conboy, Bowra, and McCouaig, 'The NVA and Vietcong', Osprey Publishing, 1991, 5.
- Windrow, Martin (2004). The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 0-297-84671-X.
- Fall, Bernard (1985). Hell in a Very Small Place: The Siege of Dien Bien Phu. Da Capo Group. p. 487. ISBN 0-306-80231-7.
- Woodruff, Mark (2000). Unheralded Victory. Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-472540-9.
- Callahan, Shawn (2009). Close air support and the battle for Khe Sanh (PDF). History and Museums Division, United States Marine Corps. ISBN 978-1494297893.
- Shulimson, Jack; Blaisol, Leonard; Smith, Charles; Dawson, David (1997). The U.S. Marines in Vietnam: 1968, the Defining Year (PDF). History and Museums Division, United States Marine Corps. ISBN 0-16-0491258.
- Sorley, Lewis (2000). A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam. Harvest Books. ISBN 0-15-601309-6.
- 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.
- Dougan, Clark; Fulgham, David (1985). The Vietnam Experience: The Fall of the South. Boston Publishing Company. ISBN 0-939526-16-6.