Laos, Vietnam: US forces make extensive use of cluster munitions in bombing campaigns. 1968. . There the crews slept with rats . The large number of waterways in Vietnam were also put to good use in moving materiel. It was the soft "crump" of a 122mm rocket launching in the distance. Data collated from the sensors were analyzed to predict the movement of PAVN convoys and units. Nevertheless, an enormous effort kept transportation networks open. Throughout most of the conflict the US generally enjoyed air superiority, although this was often challenged in the north by MiG fighters and especially modern Soviet surface-to-air missiles. [13] Some binh trams had extensive anti-aircraft defenses. [12] The Trail was a complex web of roads, tracks, bypasses, waterways, depots, and marshaling areas, some 12,000 miles (19,000km) in total. [22], As one of the world's foremost military powers, the US could bring a massive variety of sophisticated aerial technology to bear on the communist side, ranging from heavy B-52 bombers, to carrier-based striking forces, to precision munitions. p. 497-498, Mark Clodfelter. Air interdiction of the Trail hurt supply efforts but failed to stop the logistical buildup on a sustained basis. Air-power then hit suspected locations. [57] A post-war analysis by the BDM Corporation, a think-tank contractor in Vietnam, summarized the efficiency and effectiveness of VC/PAVN logistics as follows: Subsequently the Communist Vietnamese leadership outlasted America's eight-year combat effort in Southeast Asia, and finally reunited Vietnam by force of arms. Those headed further beyond might travel through Laos. Great pains were taken to camouflage movement. cit, Pike "Viet Cong", op. [22], Load bearing by porters was greatly enhanced by the use of ingenious "steel horses" bicycles specially modified by widening the handlebars, strengthening the suspensions and adding cargo pallets. by Merle Pribbenow, Lawerence KS: University of Kansas Press, 2002, p. 78-211, The BDM Corporation, "A Study of Strategic Lessons learned in Vietnam", (The BDM Corporation: 1979) p. 5-1, NLF and PAVN strategy, organization and structure, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group, "K vt gn lin lch s Cng an Vit Nam", "Sng tiu lin K61 ca anh hng c cng L B c", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NLF_and_PAVN_logistics_and_equipment&oldid=1150291885. Logs and bamboo were laid over the quickly dissolving mud and the Northern fighters moved on. On the night of July 14, the new 122mm launchers were set up in six . A massive American effort in the air failed to stop the men and material pushed forward by Hanoi. Soviet ships also aided dispersal by bringing in fuel and other material already pre-packed in drums, offloaded on to barges for quick distribution, with the ships themselves off-limits to US air attack. Known to the North Vietnamese as the Truong Son Strategic Supply Route, the Central Committee of the Lao Dong Party ordered construction of routes for infiltration as early as 1959, under the 559 Transport Group. Edward Miller and Tuong Vu (2009). According to the official People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) History: In 1964 our army began to send to the battlefield complete units at their full authorized strength of personnel and equipment By the end of 1965 our main force army in South Vietnam totaled almost 92,000 Our main force troops grew from 195,000 soldiers in early 1965 to 350,000 soldiers in May 1965 and finally to 400,000 by the end of 1965.. During 1966 the strength of our full-time forces in South Vietnam would be increased to between 270,000 and 300,000 soldiers By the end of 1966 the total strength of our armed forces was 690,000 soldiers.[56]. Flag images indicative of country of origin and not necessarily primary operator. Prepared for the Use of the Committee on Foreign Relations. This page is not available in other languages. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. Other versions used a more safer method of closed block (firing pin). Supply routes using multiple sources, (waterways, black-market transactions, cross-border sanctuaries, etc.) Of the NVA's supporting arms in those battles, the DKB 122mm rocket was the most commonly employed, but the M-43 120mm was the most powerful. Truck headlights were sometimes mounted under the vehicle to help escape detection from the air. Katyusha multiple rocket launchers (Russian: ) are a type of rocket artillery first built and fielded by the Soviet Union in World War II. 61 and PM-63 RAK machine pistols of Czech and Polish origin. Description. The ability for ruthless total mobilization of almost the entire population, for as long as the struggle required. One of the most used ground based Rocket (and System), The 122mm Rocket was used by both North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) Armies. The rocket was developed by engineers of the Naval . Precision munitions aided this mandate. Different 122mm rockets have ranges of four to forty kilometers. One example of this was seen in Operation Igloo White, which used air-dropped acoustic and seismic sensors in Laos, linked to processing computers in Thailand. Local tribesmen recruited by PAVN for example would beat on pots or gongs to warn of the presence or landing of US Special Operations teams and high rewards were offered for assisting with their capture.[54]. VC fighters in some areas ironically treasured the American M16 Rifle despite its sometimes quirky performance, for the wide availability of both the weapon and its ammunition on the black market or through purchase from corrupt ARVN soldiers, or through the careless handling and loss of magazines by US troops. 47178, Lanning and Cragg, Inside the VC and the NVA, pp. The attacks represent a Communist attempt to mount another sustained offensive close to the Tet season, though this one is far weaker than Tet 1968. Commo-Liaison units also operated along other trail segments and were tasked with providing food, shelter, medical support and guides to infiltrating troops between Trail segments. Ronald Oakes collection. [34], Concealment and evasion. Free shipping for many products! The 122 mm D-74, a towed gun that entered Soviet service in 1955, was the most numerous gun in the NVAs five independent artillery regiments, https://www.historynet.com/north-vietnam-d-74-gun/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, Day One at Chancellorsville Hookers Big Mistake, Why? share. Gordon et al. The Ho Chi Minh Trail consumed massive amounts of attention, but the internal pipelines were also crucial, and these were not closed off because the US and particularly the South Vietnamese Government failed to control the major population concentrations effectively.[20]. Binh Trams stations at intervals on the Trail, hosted the stream of men, weapons and supplies flowing to the battle zone. While outside material was vital to the war effort, much of the resources needed were obtained inside South Vietnam. During the bombing campaign over the north, facilities and installations were widely dispersed and concealed. To purchase the entire video go to https://militaryvideo.com/ and search Rocket City or click on the linkhttps://mi. Used sparingly and usually against a fire support base or special forces camps, the M-43 delivered a lethal punch, equal to that of the much larger 152mm howitzer use near the DMZ and the Cambodian border. On 21 May 1971 30 US infantrymen, many from Company A, 1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment, were killed when a People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 122mm rocket hit their bunker at Charlie 2. Vietnam War. Sound/seismic sensors were countered by destroying them, moving them to useless locations, removing their batteries, playing tape recordings of truck traffic, and running herds of cattle over them. A warhead designed for high explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) is included with the basic rocket. Exceptions were the set piece siege battles such as the battle of Khe Sanh or heavy artillery duels against US batteries across the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone. PAVN troops also faced US movement, auditory and chemical ("people sniffer") sensors on various parts of the Trail. GRADUAL FAILURE: THE AIR WAR OVER NORTH VIETNAM 19651966. hide. [46], Camouflage and concealment. Internal supply from within South Vietnam was also crucial, particularly food supplies. In the 9M22M the igniter leads extend about 305 millimeters 12.00 inches beyond the nozzle and terminate in a 2-prong plug. Ukrainian artillery uses Czech BM-21MT 122mm multiple rocket launchers on the front line https://mil.in.ua/en/news/the-armed-forces-of-ukraine-is-armed-with-bm-21mt . Outgunned and out-ranged in artillery, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam saw its weapons quickly silenced. [20] Food was always had locally, taxed away from peasants, purchased or even grown by VC units. United States Senate. In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony. Having plenty of both time and manpower, this "relay" method economized on wear and tear upon the valuable trucks, and maximized hiding opportunities from prowling US aircraft. [26] By 1966, some 130 SAM batteries were in North Vietnam by US estimates, manned primarily by Russian crews. Households in areas under VC control were required to keep a certain minimum supply of rice on hand, and a large number of secret caches and supply dumps honeycombed the countryside. Our collection contains a wealth of material to help you research and find your connection with the wartime experiences of the brave men and women who served in Australias military forces. United States Air Force, pp 164168, Jeffrey Record. The Rear Services grouping provided logistical support for military operations, such as digging bunkers or hauling supplies. When I first arrived in Phuoc Vinh mortar attacks were quite frequent. 2002. The rockets vary . 12 comments. Of the Sihanouk Trail and Cambodia, one American military history says:[16]. May 14: Five PAVN 122mm rockets hit the residential area of Da Nang, killing five civilians and wounding 18. [13], The Trail had over 20 major way-stations operated by dedicated logistics units or Binh Trams, responsible for air and land defence, and delivery of supplies and replacements to fighting points in the South. The sheer volumes moving down the trail however meant that the PAVN effort came under severe strain. (1989). Of all the enemy rockets fired, that was the only known dud. From there they marched south and southwest, towards the DMZ or Laos, using a variety of routes. The B-52 has been used in Vietnam, the . Format. But again North Vietnam proved capable of adapting; the will of the Hanoi leadership held strong. Duplication also produced a wider range of alternative sources for supplies, and made the whole structure more resilient. Different 122mm rockets have ranges of four to forty kilometers. At least some of the 5-inch Zuni air-launched rockets pledged to Ukraine by the United States have now been delivered, according to new photos. The NVA and Viet Cong frequently used bamboo launchers for 122 mm rockets, like these found east of Saigon by a U.S. 1st Infantry Division patrol in March 1969. The nickname for DaNang was "Rocket City" garnering that appellation from the frequent attacks on it by means of the "Katyusha" which is the name given the Soviet BM-21 122mm artillery rocket. [17] The need for massive amounts of manual labor for construction actually decreased on the Trail as heavy equipment like bulldozers and rock crushers were deployed, and both miles of road built and truck traffic expanded. Like many Soviet artillery pieces of the 1930s-50s, the D-74 had sights for direct fire missions, those aimed at a specific target, and a shield to protect the gunner and pointer from small-arms fire and shell fragmentation. This network was considered an integral part of the overall supply system incorporating Laos and North Vietnam and centered around the Cambodian port of Kompong Somor Sihanoukville. Chinese 60 mm mortar rounds captured by 1st Cav Quan Loi May 69Photo by Jim Beck, Radar unit on the wooden tower was used to pinpoint the origin of incoming rounds for retaliation purposes. . BM stands for boyevaya mashina (Russian: - combat vehicle . True HD Direct Film Transfers - NO UPCONVERSIONS!http://www.buyoutfootage.com/pages/titles/pd_dc_454.htmlVietnam 1968 - Rocket Attack On Tan Son NhutTan Son . Photo credits: Mykola Oleschuk. ARVN and US sources were also significant localized conduits of arms. Charlie started shelling the helipad area and a mortar landed within six feet of where we were standing. is familiar to Westerners, less is known about the tens of thousands of teenage girls and young women (ages 13 to 22) sent south: the young women warriors Hanoi sent to fight and die along the Ho Ch Minh Trail struggled daily not only with American bombs but also with hunger, disease, sexual abuse, and death. This page was last edited on 17 April 2023, at 08:57. It is used primarily by the Indonesian . To this end, it deployed 3 special formations. The simplest and most primitive was a lanyard ''pull'', attached to a simple firing pin ring. 31157, Krepinevich, The Army and Vietnam, pp. [4], Extensive use was made of the very effective Soviet-designed rocket propelled grenade anti-tank grenade launcher, the RPG-2 and RPG-7, commonly known as the B-40 and B-41, respectively. Laos was still a wide-open corridor, and U.S. forces were withdrawing. The limits of air power.. pp. [42] In the air defense effort around important targets, labor units often constructed up to 4 dummy positions for each real anti-aircraft concentration.[43]. It is estimated that a VC/PAVN division in the south typically required only 15 tons of supplies per day. Image. Infiltration numbers increased yearly. [9] The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino-Soviet border conflict. This video is from that back yard ceremony where Hendrickson received the award. Sep 17, 2015 - Soviet made 122mm Katyusha Rocket launched by Viet Communist from primitive ground mounts. A "dead drop" system for couriers was also extensively used for intelligence communications. [4], Submachine guns were also used by the PAVN early on, before being more and more by replaced by AK-47 automatic rifles, which made the army pass them down to the VC. 530, Bernard C. Nalty, The War Against Trucks: Aerial Interdiction in Southern Laos, 19681972. [27], VC/PAVN weapons had to be moved from shipment points in the North, Cambodia or down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The 122mm 40-tube multiple launch rocket system Grad (Hail), with a firing range of up to 20 km, was introduced into operational service with the Russian Army in 1963 [and initially designated in the West as the M1964]. [8] These Base Areas also served as sanctuaries for PAVN/NLF troops, who simply crossed the border from South Vietnam, rested, reinforced, and refitted for their next campaign in safety. Thousands of Chinese troops (the PLA's 1st and 2nd Divisions) made important contributions to Hanoi's war effort- building or repairing hundreds of miles of track and numerous other facilities such as bridges, tunnels, stations and marshaling yards. In Ukraine, these shells are reportedly being fired from BM-21 Grad, a soviet-era MLRS inherited by Ukraine, which is also the most widely used artillery rocket system in the world. [44] The Nixon regime removed some of the operational constraints on American power late in the war, but was already committed to removing US forces from the theater, and the punishment inflicted by expanded bombing, while heavy, did not fundamentally threaten Hanoi's existence. Both weapons used the same intermediate 7.62mm cartridge, which eased logistics. Action units sometimes helped with supply movement, such as floating 55-gallon drums of fuel down waterways a crude yet sometimes effective method of moving such material in bulk. The BM-21 "Grad" (Russian: -21 "", lit. The NVA employed the gun as the long-range component of independent artillery regiments assigned to advancing forces. An incoming round exploding is a noise forever embedded in your brain and for years to come you could be affected by similar sounds. Medical care like other aspects of the logistical system was austere, and field hospitals, whether in caves, underground bunkers or jungle huts usually suffered shortages. It snaked through parts of North Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. An ARVN reaction unit recovered our first 122mm rocket, complete with . American logistical largesse also provided a bonanza as fraud and corruption siphoned off resources. [28], VC/PAVN formations suffered a shortage of modern radios. United States Government Printing OFfice. Much of Hanoi however, along with other key port areas such as Haiphong, were off-limits to US air attack until late in the American war. Other types used by the less standardized VC included the Soviet PPS-43, captured or Chinese produced M1 Thompson and M3 Grease Guns, and ex-German MP 40. PAVN sources claim that the 559th Transport Group camouflaged some 2,000 miles (3,200km) out of the 12,000 miles (19,000km) of trail. There are some defeats more triumphant than victories. The 559th Transport Group was the biggest of the three, numbering an estimated 50,000 troops with 100,000 civilian porters in support. Yet, the VPA also managed to produce copies of 50mm, 60mm, 81mm and 120mm mortars employed by the French, thus facilitating the use of captured ammunition. This is a preview of our 78-minute video. Copyright 2013 - 2023 Stronghold Nation. Transit time could take months, and sometimes entire units were disrupted and disbanded. [55] Force strengths will always be imprecise given the large number of irregular or part-time guerrilla elements. Hezbollah fires more than 100 Chinese-produced Type-81 122mm cluster munition rockets into northern Israel. It was never a question of victory for the North, it was only a matter of time. The ICRC estimates that in Laos alone, 9 to . On 1 April 1972 in the face of the PAVN's Easter Offensive the base was abandoned by the ARVN. 122mm rockets, 82mm and 60 mm mortar rounds, and tons of RPG-7's - rocket propelled grenades, some artillery rounds, but not sure of . Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order (1-to-Z). Way-stations were located deep in the forest, and contained caches of supplies for use by the infiltrators. A major factor contributing to their success was the remarkable logistical support they created in an integrated network of bases, sanctuaries and lines of communication. The method also spread out available cargoes over time and space, enabling the entire network to better bear losses from such deadly enemies as the American C-130 Gunship, and such technologies as movement sensors. Coverage. . Although wire was sometimes run for field telephones in selected operations, they relied heavily on couriers for transmission of messages on the battlefield. Both weapons and food for example were readily available on the black markets of South Vietnam. Total war was preached from the beginning of the US intervention and a huge mobilization started as early as 1965 with population evacuation and construction of massive air defenses. 3 km 2 with varying level of impact. The Mu Gia binh tram area for example, was estimated to have no fewer than 302 anti-aircraft positions as early as 1966, a deadly flak trap for US aircraft. I then went back to check my AO ( sleeping area). It handled all storage, movement, anti-aircraft defense and fortification on the Ho Chi Minh Trail which snaked through parts of Laos and Cambodia. The sound of 122mm rockets slamming down in the area around the hooch where I was sleeping woke me up within seconds. This was lit to provide guide lights to moving men and material, invisible from the air. [51], Techniques used to fool US air-power also included placing gasoline-soaked rags along the trail to fool pilots into thinking they had hit or ignited something of value. Air Force History and Museums Program. They were fielded in 1966 and would remain dominant until the end of The War in 1975. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. She is fluent in German and is a member of the U.K. Military Historical Society. Impressed labor groups of civilians also hauled ammo and supplies for the Front. Her areas of interest include the Vietnam War and World Wars I and II, with a focus on Great Britain, Germany and Eastern Europe. They were originally designed for use against armored vehicles but it was adapted for anti-personnel use to good effect. [Source: Washington Post] . A large number of small supply depots, widely dispersed to guard against attack, furnished units on the move. Subsequent US analysis indicated skillful movement and dispersal by the North Vietnamese, with one of the missile sites a decoy, and another left empty deployed as bait to lure the American pilots to their doom.[43]. Official post-war North Vietnamese sources claim over half a million troops in place by 1967. [46] PAVN infiltration routes were keyed to the military regions the infiltrators were assigned to. One of the first is the sound a rocket makes coming off the launcher. [7] Total requirements to run the insurgency in the south were relatively small compared to the needs of US opponents, well below port and rail capacity. The Viet Cong's full-time soldiers were referred to as the "Main Force" (Chu Luc). [4], The most common infantry weapons of the PAVN was the Soviet SKS carbine or its Chinese variant. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. Copyright 2013 Stronghold Nation. eng. As the war progressed, the North Vietnamese expanded and improved the Trail, moving material by truck, installing missile batteries for air defense and laying fuel pipelines. It would end in disaster for both sides. Sturdier pontoon structures were made by tying wooden canal boats together with camouflage measures to hide them during the day from aerial observation. military supplies were sailed directly from North Vietnam on communist-flagged (especially of the Eastern bloc) ships to the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville, where that nation's neutrality guaranteed their delivery. One morning a bunch of us Blues were standing down at the helipad waiting for our choppers to arrive to fly us out for a recon mission. The American bombing campaign was geared towards attrition, wearing down the will of the Communist North to fight. Many 122mm Rockets were deployed against US Air Bases as well as US Army Base Camps throughout their history. They also made use of the Soviet/Chinese 122mm rocket which was used effectively against populated areas and large installations such as airfields. A variety of ''homemade'' launching systems were developed, with the most common being a simple set of steerage wheels (metal), attached to a low elevation mechanism. VC/PAVN troop strengths during the Vietnam War are the subject of numerous controversies and contradictory claims. One US intelligence estimate puts external communist supply requirements for Communist forces in South Vietnam at approximately 100 tons per day- 15 tons via the DMZ, 35 tons from Cambodia and 50 tons from Laos.[8]. [41], Road and bridge repair methods. 152175, Clodfelter. Early units of PAVN had also made use of the Soviet RP-46 machine gun and the variety of weapons of the VC also included Chinese made ZB vz. [53] Special trail-watching and reaction units were also used to counter infiltration by US-MACV Special Operations teams. And there was no mention of this on the pic but after doing a little research the units only enlisted KIA in Vietnam was killed that day inside the hanger. According to Neil Gibson, a weapons expert at the UK-based Fenix Insight group, who has reviewed the photos of the projectiles seen, they include the 122mm 3Sh1 artillery round, in use by Russian .
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