506:, the 308th's first action was on 14 March 1954 attacking the isolated French strongpoint Gabrielle at the north of the valley. After having prepared approach trenches the assault would be launched by Regiment 88 from the north and Regiment 165 from the 312th Division from the east, while Regiment 102 would invest the position from the west and south. The attack started with an artillery barrage at 6pm that continued for more than 2 hours before the ground assault began. By 2:30am on 15 March the Việt Minh assault stalled, but at 3:30am a new artillery barrage commenced and then Regiments 88 and 165 renewed their attacks penetrating the French lines. By 7am the Việt Minh captured the Battalion command post, but French forces continued fighting from their positions in the south of Gabrielle. At dawn on the 15th the French launched a counterattack with the
74:
459:. The only major fighting during the operation came during the withdrawal, when the Regiment 36 ambushed Groupe Mobiles 1 and 4 on Route 2 in a narrow valley near Chan Muong on morning of November 17. The Viet Minh managed to blow up one of the leading tanks, completely blocking the road and then, covered by heavy weapons fire from the surrounding hills, proceeded to methodically destroy the convoy. French air support eased the pressure on the forces caught in the valley and then in the afternoon the 2nd Battalion,
374:
56:
523:
the east of the base. By dawn on 31 March the attack had been repulsed. Regiment 36 renewed their attack on
Huguette 7 on the night of 31 March and in a ruse the 5 BPVN withdrew from their positions allowing Regiment 36 to take them over, but at 11pm a French artillery strike on Huguette 7 devastated Regiment 36 and by 10am the 5 BPVN had reoccupied the entire position.
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to overrun
Huguette 1. The loss of Huguette 1 meant that the Việt Minh controlled most of the airfield further reducing the French parachute drop zone. A French counterattack was attempted on the afternoon of 23 April but was repulsed. On the night of 30 April a Battalion from the 308th attacked Huguette 5 but were forced out by a French counterattack.
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638:) and the fighting continued throughout the night. On the night of 19 February the 102nd Regiment continued to attack Ranger North but were kept in check by airstrikes. By the afternoon of 20 February Ranger North was surrounded and radio contact was lost. The 211 survivors of the 39th Rangers fought their way to LZ Ranger South (
530:
Following the battle of the 5 Hills, Giáp ordered his forces to invest the remaining French positions with trenches and the 308th surrounded
Huguette 1 with trenches and gun positions choking off supplies from Huguette 2. On the night of 22 April the Việt Minh burst out of their trenches and tunnel
526:
For the battle of the 5 Hills, Regiment 102 was moved to the east of the base to be held in reserve. On 31 March following their failure to capture Eliane 2 the depleted
Regiment 98 of the 316th was relieved by Regiment 102. On the night of 31 March Regiment 102 again attempted to take Eliane 2 but
522:
On 28 March
Regiment 36 was engaged in the defense against a French attack against Việt Minh anti-aircraft machine guns to the west of the airfield. On the night of 30 March Regiment 36 attacked the 5 BPVN at Strongpoint Huguette 7, while the main Việt Minh attack took place against the 5 Hills to
450:
launched on 29 October, the largest operation attempted to date by the French Union forces. Giáp planned to wait until the French supply lines were overextended at which point they could be harassed and eventually forced to withdraw. Giáp detached
Regiment 36 of the 308th and Regiment 176 of the
463:
and the
Battalion de Marche Indochinois (BMI) inside the valley and the lead elements of Groupe Mobile 1 outside the ambush area counterattacked against the Việt Minh, culminating with a bayonet charge by the BMI. At this point the Việt Minh disengaged and the withdrawal could continue with the
400:
then surrounded Vĩnh Yên. The French counterattacked and began to airlift reinforcements into Vĩnh Yên. On 16 August the 308th and 312th launched human wave attacks against the French positions which were largely repulsed by French ground fire and airstrikes. At dawn on 17 January the Việt Minh
534:
On the night of 1 May, Regiment 36 was tasked with taking Lili 3 while
Regiment 88 would make another attempt to take Huguette 5. The Regiment 36 attack commenced at 8:30pm, but had been repulsed by daybreak on 7 May. Regiment 88's attack commenced at 2:30am and within an hour they had overrun
518:
tanks. By 6:30am the 1BEP and tanks were halted at a river ford south of
Gabrielle by Regiment 102 of the 308th. The 5 BPVN was delayed in joining the 1 BEP and so the 1 BEP and tanks pressed on without them through the choke point. Ar 7:45am after confusion in the French command as to whether
535:
Huguette 5. For the final assault on the French positions on the night of 6/7 May, Regiment 102 was tasked with taking
Claudine 5 while Regiments 36 and 88 would be held in reserve for a final assault. The attack on Claudine 5 began at 10pm and by dawn on 7 May Regiment 102 held the position.
542:. Three Battalions from the 308th were quickly moved south of the base to block any French breakout from the southern strongpoint Isabelle. Total estimated losses among the 308th Division at the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ are 2650 killed.
729:(ARVN), in on 25 March it was ordered to join a general offensive against the South. However the Division remained in North Vietnam to serve as the strategic reserve and defend the north and so did not participate in the offensive.
482:
By the end of December 1953, the 308th had arrived in the hills to the north of Điện Biên Phủ and Regiment 88 was soon at work helping improve Route Provinciale 41 which would form the main Việt Minh supply line to Điện Biên Phủ.
710:, composed of the Division, the 312th and 338th Divisions, 367th Air Defense Division, 202nd Tank Brigade, 45th Artillery Brigade, 299th Engineer Brigade and the 204th Signal Regiment under the command of Major General
498:
and the deployment of Groupe Mobile 7 to Luang Prabang, the Việt Minh force withdrew towards Điện Biên Phủ on 20/21 February. By the end of February the 308th was in positions to the west of Điện Biên Phủ.
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1139:
737:
On August 28, 1979, the division was reorganized into the first mechanized infantry division of PAVN and became the rapid response force of the 1st Corps since then.
424:
the Việt Minh were beaten back by determined resistance from the French garrisons, airstrikes and naval gunfire. Total Việt Minh losses exceeded 1500 killed.
464:
column arriving at Ngoc Tap at 22:30. The French had lost 56 dead, 125 wounded and 133 missing and 12 vehicles including 1 tank and 6 half-tracks destroyed.
722:
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On 9 October 1954, the 308th was the first Viet Minh Division to enter Hanoi at the same time as the last French troops departed for Haiphong across the
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On 7 May after the French ceased firing at 5pm, the 308th moved into the central position from the west and captured the command post of General
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198:
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Gabrielle was to be relieved or abandoned, the remaining defenders abandoned their positions and by 9am the Việt Minh controlled Gabrielle.
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the Division was working on flood protection dikes in North Vietnam. Later in 1968 the Division's 36th Regiment was sent to reinforce the
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389:' Division. By late 1950 the 308 Division had a full three infantry regiments, one heavy weapons regiment, and support units.
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with an attack on Groupe Mobile 3 on the evening of 13 January 1951, surrounding and half-destroying the unit. The 308th and
681:
launchers destroyed. By 19 March the Division was attacking ARVN positions north of Route 9 and harassing their withdrawal.
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and threatening the approaches to Laos. On 23 April 1953 the 308th and 316th had surrounded a French air-land base on the
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As early as January 1946, the first regiment of the PAVN, the 102 'Capital' Regiment, was created for operations around
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In January 1954, the 308th, accompanied by a Battalion from Regiment 176, 316th Division launched a probe towards
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In October 1970, the PAVN command formed the PAVN B-70 Corps comprising the Division, together with the
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captured the Division's command post. That afternoon the Division's 102nd Regiment attacked the ARVN
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on 1 February. Hampered by French airpower, the airdrop of the 1st Colonial Parachute Battalion on
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ordered a withdrawal. The two Divisions had lost at least 5000 killed and 500 taken prisoner.
360:(PAVN), first formed in August 1950 in southern China from the previous Regimental Group 308.
123:
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220:
1039:
A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam
443:
408:
In March 1951, General Giáp again tried a conventional assault on the French forces in the
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669:) leaving 178 dead and missing while PAVN losses were estimated at 639 killed with 423
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renewed their attacks but were once again devastated by French airstrikes and by midday
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1011:
Victory in Vietnam: A History of the People's Army of Vietnam, 1954–1975
874:
Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the making of America's Vietnam
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135:
61:
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decision to capitalise on the opportunity presented by the collapsing
385:. It consisted of Regiments 88, 102, and 36, and soon became the 308 '
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In 1971 the B-70 Corps and ancillary units participated in repulsing
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Front while the 88th and 102nd Regiments were sent to reinforce the
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overrunning the post in one hour. This attack triggered the French
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131:
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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Khe Sanh 1967–68: Marines Battle for Vietnam's Vital Hilltop Base
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Today the division remains part of the 1st Corps located in the
824:
The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam
274:
527:
was beaten back and then replaced by Regiment 98 on 3 April.
721:, the 1st Corps was held in reserve, however following the
954:
Hell on a Hill Top: America's Last Major Battle In Vietnam
467:
By early 1953 three Việt Minh Divisions were operating in
1013:. trans. Pribbenow, Merle. University of Kansas Press.
442:
On 17 October 1952 two regiments of the 308th attacked
929:
Hell in a Very Small Place: The Siege of Dien Bien Phu
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695:the Division and the 304th Division fought in the
1145:Military units and formations established in 1950
1073:. United States Army Center of Military History.
691:From late March to mid-September 1972 during the
599:bomb damage assessment north of Route 9 the ARVN
431:in May/June 1951, making diversionary attacks on
1009:Military History Institute of Vietnam (2002).
451:316th to defend the important supply bases at
427:The battered 308th played a minor role in the
377:Victorious Việt Minh soldiers at Điện Biên Phủ
1106:The Vietnam Experience: The Fall of the South
8:
706:On 24 October 1973 the PAVN command formed
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1108:. Boston Publishing Company. p. 94.
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97:Mechanized infantry, rapid respond force
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1104:Dougan, Clark; Fulgham, David (1985).
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684:In 1972 the division was commanded by
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595:. On 18 February while conducting a
412:when units of the 308th, 312th and
588:Divisions based in southern Laos.
25:
717:During the initial phases of the
287:1st Corps (Vietnam People's Army)
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851:. Osprey Publishing. p. 5.
307:102nd Infantry Regiment (Thủ Đô)
299:36th Infantry Regiment (Bắc Bắc)
72:
54:
727:Army of the Republic of Vietnam
319:15th Recoilless Rifle Battalion
931:. Da Capo Group. p. 487.
607:on Landing Zone Ranger North (
327:17th Combat Engineer Battalion
303:88th Infantry Regiment (Tu Vũ)
1:
1135:Infantry divisions of Vietnam
461:2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
416:threatened the approaches to
952:Harrison, Benjamin (2004).
1161:
956:. iUniverse. p. 208.
872:Logevall, Fredrik (2012).
826:. Orion Publishing Group.
231:Second Battle of Quảng Trị
1069:Nguyen, Duy Hinh (1979).
475:blocking the approach to
226:First Battle of Quảng Trị
977:Rottman, Gordon (2005).
847:Conboy, Kenneth (2012).
822:Windrow, Martin (2004).
392:The 308th initiated the
358:People's Army of Vietnam
339:25th Transport Battalion
80:People's Army of Vietnam
18:308th Division (Vietnam)
504:Battle of Điện Biên Phủ
429:Battle of the Day River
350:308th Infantry Division
323:16th Anti-Air Battalion
311:58th Artillery Regiment
276:308th Infantry Division
199:Battle of Điện Biên Phủ
184:Battle of the Day River
30:308th Infantry Division
1037:Sorley, Lewis (2000).
927:Fall, Bernard (1985).
902:Fall, Bernard (1989).
703:Battles of Quảng Trị.
601:1st Airborne Battalion
573:Front fighting in the
510:and the newly arrived
378:
335:24th Medical Battalion
216:Southern Laos Campaign
1071:Operation Lam Sơn 719
981:. Osprey Publishing.
849:The NVA and Viet Cong
719:1975 Spring Offensive
605:39th Ranger Battalion
593:Operation Lam Son 719
376:
331:18th Signal Battalion
315:14th Mortar Battalion
236:1975 Spring Offensive
723:Vietnamese Politburo
653: /
622: /
369:First Indochina War
169:First Indochina War
906:. Schocken Books.
904:Street Without Joy
657:16.736°N 106.472°E
626:16.744°N 106.493°E
575:Battle of Khe Sanh
563:Quảng Nam Province
547:Paul Doumer Bridge
448:Operation Lorraine
394:Battle of Vĩnh Yên
379:
211:Battle of Khe Sanh
189:Operation Lorraine
174:Battle of Vĩnh Yên
1041:. Harvest Books.
988:978-1-84176-863-2
883:978-0-375-75647-4
422:Battle of Mạo Khê
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110:Part of
741:Present day
660: /
648:106°28′19″E
629: /
617:106°29′35″E
557:During the
553:Vietnam War
540:de Castries
502:During the
492:Muong Khoua
457:Thái Nguyên
282:Parent unit
205:Vietnam War
165:Engagements
142:Nickname(s)
120:Garrison/HQ
1129:Categories
753:References
645:16°44′10″N
614:16°44′38″N
420:. In this
294:Components
251:commanders
244:Commanders
50:Allegiance
708:1st Corps
496:Muong Sai
477:Vientiane
433:Ninh Bình
158:The North
128:Chuong My
114:1st Corps
444:Nghĩa Lộ
418:Haiphong
387:Vanguard
354:division
154:Việt Bắc
124:Xuan Mai
105:Division
89:Infantry
673:and 15
571:Route 9
567:Da Nang
453:Yên Bái
364:History
356:of the
249:Notable
136:Vietnam
62:Vietnam
40: (
35:Founded
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701:Second
671:AK-47s
512:5 BPVN
437:Phủ Lý
77:
68:Branch
59:
697:First
586:320th
582:304th
508:1 BEP
398:312th
383:Hanoi
352:is a
132:Hanoi
1110:ISBN
1075:ISBN
1043:ISBN
1015:ISBN
983:ISBN
958:ISBN
933:ISBN
908:ISBN
878:ISBN
853:ISBN
828:ISBN
699:and
679:B-41
675:B-40
597:B-52
584:and
455:and
435:and
348:The
254:LTG
102:Size
94:Role
86:Type
42:1950
38:1950
516:M24
259:CG
152:),
1131::
1057:^
1029:^
997:^
892:^
760:^
749:.
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1118:.
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