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DIVISIONS ACTIVATED in the SOUTH

At the beginning of 1965, the Viet Cong had 47 Main Force battalions, including those in five regiments. These numbers may or may not include such NVA units as Regiment 320, which had come south in 1964. Other NVA regiments were en route by early 1965. Expansion (including NVA regiments) allowed the activation of divisions beginning in Sep 1965.

Division 1 formed 10 Dec 1965 with Regiments 33, 66, and 320 (all of which had entered SVN earlier, and served in the Central Highlands under Division 325). Regiment 33 later left as a separate unit, and the division was joined by Regiment 88, which itself left in late 1967. It may have been reorganized before Dec 1972.

Division 2 activated 20 Oct 1965 in Quang Nam province, around 1st VC and NVA 21st Regiments and Battalion 70. The 1st was one of the original VC regiments from around 1962, and the 21st was a newly-arrived northern unit. NVA Regiment 31 joined in 1966. The division retreated to Laos in 1970, where it fought until Mar 1971, receiving NVA Regiment 141 in place of 21. The Mar 1972 list showed it with HQ in Quang Tin, VC Regiment 1 Quang Tin, NVA Regiments 21 (Quang Ngai) and 31 (Quang Tin), along with 10 NVA Sapper Bn, 12 NVA Art Bn and GK40 NVA Engr Bn (all Quang Tin), In spring 1972 it was back in the Tay Nguyn area and received Regiment 52 (from Division 320). A reorganization mid 1973 gave the division Regiments 31, 38 and 141; in late 1974 it gained also NVA Regiment 36 and Artillery Regiment 368.

Division 3 activated 2 Sep 1965 with Regiments 2, 12 and 22. The 2nd was one of the original VC regiments, the 12th had been Regiment 18 of NVA Division 312 (entering the south Feb 1965), and the 22nd was formed of northern and local troops. The division also had mortar, AA, and engineer battalions on formation. The division was largely dispersed after Tet 1968 until reassembled in Jun 1971, with Regiment 21 replacing the 22nd. In Jun 1973 NVA Regiment 141 replaced the 21st.

Division 4 formed (possibly 1973 or 1974) from previously separate Regiments D1, 18B and 95A, it first served in the 1975 spring offensive.

Division 5 activated 23 Nov 1965 in Ba Ria base area with Regiments 4 and 5. This unit operated at regiment strength until perhaps 1971. In Mar 1972 HQ was at Phuoc Long, with VC Regiment 275; NVA Regiment 174 was in Tay Ninh and VC Regiment 6 in Binh Long. Other division elements were 22 NVA Artillery Bn, 24 NVA Air Defence Bn, 27 VC Recon Bn and 28 VC Sapper Bn (all Binh Long)..

Division 6 formed (possibly 1973 or 1974) from previously separate Regiments 24, DT1, and 207, it first served in the 1975 spring offensive.

Division 7 activated 13 Jun 1966 in the Phuoc Lon area, with Regiments 16 [formerly NVA Regiment 101 of Division 325], NVA Regiments 141 and 165 (formerly of Division 312]. The 16th was soon replaced by Regiment 52 [of NVA Division 320]. In Mar 1972 the division had NVA 141, 165 and 209 Regiments, along with K22 Artillery, 24 Air Defence, 28 Engineer, and 95 Recon Sapper Bns (all in Tay Ninh).

Division 8 formed (possibly 1973 or 1974) from previously separate RegimentsZ15 and Z18, it first served in the 1975 spring offensive.

Division 9 activated 2 Sep 1965, the first all-VC division organized in the South (probably 271 and 272 Regiments and one regiment was newly-formed for the activation of the division [note 2]). The first Viet Cong unit of division size, the renowned 9th Viet Cong Division, operating in the general area north of Saigon, was formed in the latter part of 1964. The war was changing from simply a guerrilla campaign into a dual-natured war that was quickly becoming dominated by larger conventional units on both sides. It was reorganized over time, gaining Regiment 3B (the old Regiment 88 of NVA Division 308); that regiment was replaced 1969 by Regiment 95C [of NVA Division 325C], which took the designation at some point as 3rd. In Mar 1972 the division had VC Regiments 271 and 272, NVA Regiment 95C, 22nd VC Artillery, 24th VC Air Defence and T28 VC Recon Battalions (all in Tay Ninh except Binh Long for the air defence battalion).

Division 10 activated 20 Sep 1972 in the Tay Nguyen Front, with Regiments 28, 66 and 95B. Regiment 24 was incorporated spring 1973 and Regiment 95B transferred to Division 320 in spring 1975.

Division 711 organized 29 Jun 1971 in Binh Dinh province. Dissolved in late 1973, with personnel going to form Brigade 52.

69th VC Artillery Division This is shown as 69 VC Artillery Division in III CTZ with an established/operational date of Aug 1962 for the division and its HQ and support units. This date is not believable. In Mar 1972 the division controlled 96 NVA Artillery Regiment (which included one VC battalion, also with the Aug 1962 established date) and 208B BVA Rocket Regiment. Both regiments are shown as entering III CTZ in 1971. The division also had a VC air defence bn (established 1964) and VC mortar bn (established Nov 1965). Various units were in Tay Ninh and Binh Long.

1. These numbers may or may not include such NVA units as Regiment 320, which had come south in 1964.Other NVA regiments were en route by early 1965.
2. Regiments 271 and 272 might have originally been numbered as 1st and 2nd (duplicating numbers used further north in Division 5).The third regiment may have been numbered as 3^rd, which would also be a duplicate number.