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Civil Guard (Regional Forces)

Sector and Sub-Sector HQs existed in various strengths, but were tailored to how many people they had to support, which differed by various regions. Special number TOEs also existed for various special zones and sectors.

Sector HQs:

• 48-360 (also written 48-360A) - Sector Headquarters Type A, up to 5,000 personnel
• 48-361 - Sector Headquarters Type B, 5,000-10,000
• 48-362 - Sector Headquarters Type C, Over 10,000

Special sectors and zones:

• 48-363 - Capital Sub-Region HQ (Saigon)
• 48-370 (also written 48-370A) - Special Sector HQ Type A
• 48-371 - Special Zone HQ (Capital Area)
• 48-372 - Special Zone HQ (Gai Dinh Area)
• 48-373 - Special Sector HQ Type B

The standard Type A had 30 OFF, 62 NCO, and 74 EM. The Type B and C had 34 OFF both and 72 and 77 NCO respectively. Both had 74 EM still. Charts for the 3 units are provided ~1971 in the RF/PF Advisors Manual. TOE Which special sectors the Type A and Type B HQs were designed for is unclear. The RSSZ HQ TOE was numbered 48-375.

Sub-sector HQs worked the same way as standard sector HQs:

• 48-380 - Sub-Sector HQ Type A, up to 1,500
• 48-381 - Sub-Sector HQ Type B, over 1,500
• 48-382 - Sub-Sector HQ Type C

The Type C supported strength isn't listed, nor is its authorized man power. Type A had 8 OFF, 9 NCO, and 13 EM. Type B had 9 OFF, 15 NCO, and 14 EM. Charts for the Type A and B units are provided ~1971 in the RF/PF Advisors Manual. I have a source with a 48-380B and 48-381B variants, both listed as 11 OFF and 36 EM. The document is dated 1972 and both of these units were in the RSSZ. Sector logistics and similar units and below are similarly distributed based on sector size.

RF Rifle Company. The basic RF unit was the RF Rifle Company, TOE 48-742 (also written 48-742A). The RF/PF Advisors Handbook for 1971 has the manpower at 6 OFF, 18 NCO, and 99 EM. The IRAMP Monograph has it at 127 EM (no separate number for NCOs). I know for fact there was a Type B variant, TOE 48-742B that appears circa 1971-1972, with 113 EM (again not separating NCOs). These units were all broken down into the standard Company HQ, 3 Rifle Platoons, and Heavy Weapons Platoon (TOE 48-843). Each platoon had an HQ and 3 rifle squads. The weapons platoon had an HQ, MG section (also referred to as a Detachment), and mortar section (60mm; also referred to alternately as a detachment). Multi-company units existed by 1969, with the first of these being Company Groups. The RF Company Group HQ was TOE 48-642. It consisted of five sections, operations, logistics and personnel, signal, intell, and polwar. A complete Company Group consisted of the HQ and 2-5 RF Companies. By 1972 a Type B organization also existed for the HQ, 48-642B. The RSSZ sector RF CoGrp in 1972 was organized on this TOE. The Type B organization had 3 OFF and 25 EM.

RF Battalions. Also created in 1969 were RF Battalions. The IRAMP monograph doesn't have the complete organization even in the text for the RF Battalion, but it may be assumed to be 3 companies. There is a good TOE for the HHC on page 42 of the monograph. Note that the chart has attached Intell and Recon Teams. These are not included in the personnel numbers. Based on the Recon Team from the Intelligence Squad TOE (48-940A), then it would have been 1 NCO and 6 EM broken into 2 cells of 3. On a side note Intelligence Squads were allotted one per sub-sector. Each sector had an intelligence platoon (TOE 48-840).

PF platoons. In the MACV handbook for RF/PF advisors in 1969 and 1970, the TOE listed is 48-891A. The TOE listed in the 1971 for the Type A platoon is 48-890. 48-891 is listed as the reduced strength Type B platoon. Also, while the '71 manual says that the Type A platoon chart is included, the chart is labeled 48-891A. This chart shows a unit with a platoon HQ with 1 NCO and 4 EM, and 3 squads of 10 EM for a total of 34. The MACV-CORDS Vietnam Village Handbook for Advisors, also dated 1971, shows a platoon with 3 squads with 9 personnel (Squad Leader, Asst Squad Leader, 7x Rifleman) and a 5 man platoon HQ (Platoon Leader, Asst Platoon Leader, 2 RTOs, and Medic). This should be the reduced strength Type B platoon. The second version would mesh with the unit indicated in the RF/PF Advisors Manual, except for the HQ element, but this was probably based on a unit observed with 2 RTOs versus 1. It would be unusual for a PF platoon to have 2 radios or the need for 2 RTOs. Interestingly enough, the organization in the IRAMP monograph has 10 man squads and the 5 man HQ. The expanded HQ unit combined with the squads from both sources could recreate the standard strength Type A and reduced strength Type B platoons. The purpose of the Type B platoon was to help field additional PF platoons by removing small numbers of manpower from other platoons. These units appear with the reduced strength RF companies during 1971-1972, which coincides with the need to field additional units to make up for reductions in US strength.

Sector Tactical Headquarters. In May 1972, a joint JGS/MACV committee proposes the conversion of RF group HQs (Company Groups) into Battalion HHCs. 45 Sector Tactical Command Posts (STCP; also referred to as Sector Tactical Headquarters) were also to be activated to control these units. This was approved and reported to be "essentially" complete by the end of 1972. This from the MACV Command History for 1971-1972. Also from the MACV ComHis 71-72, the authorized personnel for all RF units (including combat support, combat service support, etc) combined was 324,561, while the PF total was 205,028. Force numbers like this should be in every MACV Command History, most of which can be found through the Virtual Vietnam Archive at Texas Tech. These Sector Tactical Headquarters were capable of controlling up to 5 RF Battalions. The Sector Tactical Headquarters organization can be found on page 44 of the IRAMP monograph.

RF Mobile Group. In 1974 these built off of the concept of using the Sector Tactical Headquarters to conduct more mobile operations within a province. The RF Mobile Group HQ was identical to the Sector Tactical Headquarters, less the polwar element, 3 RF battalions, and a 4-tube 105mm artillery battery. There were 7 of these active by April 1975, of a planned 27.

RF Mechanized Platoons. The RF Mechanized Platoons date back to the Civil Guard, which received third-hand Lynx armored cars from Malaysia and some Land Rovers from the Australians. The origin RF Mechanized Platoon, at least by 1963, was organized under TOE BA/CG-370 (which appears to be some form of early nomenclature, later replaced by the US style at some point, likely ~65-66), and had one HQ section and 2 combat sections, each with one Lynx and one GM C15TA armored truck. Its unclear when the RF received its first V-100s, but these replaced both types of vehicle. The revised Mechanized Platoon (TOE 48-883; also written TOE 48-883A) was organized the same, except with only V-100s (a total of 6 vehicles making up a complete platoon). A platoon was supposed to be attached to each sector command.

RF River Companies. he RF/PF advisors manual for 1971 only shows TOE 48-733 (there referred to as RF River Patrol Company) down to platoon level. The organization is a company HQ and 2 River Patrol Platoons. From a post-war study by the Center for Naval Analysis done on Operation Game Warden I filled in that there was a platoon HQ and 4 LCVP "squads" each with a single LCVP. This matches with equipment listed for the 29th RF Boat Company in the '72 RSSZ troop list. That unit was also listed as having a LCM, probably as a repair shop or command post. It also had a reduced authorized strength. The one in the advisor's manual had a strength of 4 OFF, 8 NCO, and 65 EM. The one in the troop list had 4 OFF and 62 EM (no separation for NCOs). These units were also intended to be deployed one to each sector, but only where necessary. Sectors without major waterways would not have been allotted one of these companies.