VC D445 Battalion

D445 Battalion

Viet Cong soldiers, believed to be from D445 Battalion.
Active
Allegiance Viet Cong
Branch National Liberation Front for Southern Vietnam
Role Guerilla
Size 350 men

The VC D445 Battalion, also known as the Viet Cong D445 Provincial Mobile Battalion of the Ba Ria Battalion, was a Local Force battalion of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The battalion operated in the Đồng Nai river basin and also the Bien Hoa, Phước Tuy and Long Khánh provinces. It recruited principally from Dat Do, Long Dien and Hoa Long.[1]

The battalion or elements participated in the battle of Long Tần against Australian Army forces, as well as a number of other actions.[2] It consisted of three rifle companies and one weapons company with a total strength of approxiametly 350 men and was commanded by Nguyen Van Kiem.[1]

In 1968 a second local force unit was formed in Phước Tuy, known as D440 Battalion. The unit generally performed poorly against Australian forces however, and it was eventually disbanded in August 1970 with most of its personnel transferred to D445 Battalion.[1]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c McNeill and Ekins 2003, p. 48.
  2. ^ Dennis et al 2008, p.556.

References

  • Dennis, Peter; et al (2008). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History (Second ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand. ISBN 9780195517842. 
  • McNeill, Ian; Ekins, Ashley (2003). On the Offensive: The Australian Army and the Vietnam War 1967–1968. The Official History of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948–1975. St Leonards: Allen and Unwin. ISBN 1863733043.