Losing Vietnam (65 page)

3rd Airborne Brigade (South Vietnam),
135
,
137

3rd Armored Brigade (South Vietnam),
142

III Corps,
121
,
142

3rd Division (South Vietnam),
141

3rd FANK Division (Cambodia),
246
,
276
,
279
,
281

3rd KC Division (Cambodia),
246

3rd NVA Division (North Vietnam),
131
,
135

13th Brigade (Cambodia),
281
,
287

38th FANK Brigade (Cambodia),
278

36th FANK Brigade (Cambodia),
253

Tho, Brig. Gen. Tran Dinh,
4
,
25
,
26
,
47
,
83
,
139
,
203

301st NVA Corps (North Vietnam),
119

341st NVA Division (North Vietnam),
144
,
145

316th NVA Division (North Vietnam),
131
,
145

338th NVA Division (North Vietnam),
145–46

312th NVA Division (North Vietnam),
145

320th NVA Division (North Vietnam),
56–57
,
131
,
134
,
145

325th NVA Division (North Vietnam),
144

time of day: casualties related to,
54
,
54f
; initiation of attacks related to,
52
,
54f
,
55
,
341–42

Toan, Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van,
83
,
109
,
142
,
144–45

Tong Le Chan ranger camp (South Vietnam), siege of,
90–91

Tonle Sap River (Cambodia),
186
,
191
,
231

topography, military operations affected by,
52

Toul Leap, Cambodia, fall of,
278

Tra, Lt. Gen. Tran Van,
10

training: ARVN,
26–27
,
32–33
,
38
,
48
,
50
; FANK,
177
; Khmer Air Force,
180
; NVA,
113
; RVNAF,
26–27
,
48
,
183

Tri, Lt. Gen. Nguyen Bao,
26

tripartite deputies,
202–6
,
203f
; and ammunition shortages,
74–79
; and Mekong River convoys' security,
200
,
219
,
254–55
,
257–58
,
259

Tri Tam, South Vietnam, NVA attack on,
142

troop levels.
See
balance of forces
;
combat force structure
;
combat levels and tactics, South Vietnam

Truong, Lt. Gen. Ngo Quang: and problems in MR-1,
38
,
111
; and retrograde of forces,
132–33
,
137
,
139
,
147

Tu, Col. Tran Van,
143–44

Tuy Hoa, South Vietnam, retrograding troops to,
134

28th Brigade (Cambodia),
226

25th Division (South Vietnam),
142

21st Division (South Vietnam),
142

22nd ARVN Division (South Vietnam),
131
,
133–34
,
135
,
141
,
142
,
146

26th Army Regiment (North Vietnam),
31

23rd ARVN Division (South Vietnam),
131
,
135

23rd FANK Brigade (Cambodia),
244
,
280

213th NVA/VC Battalion (North Vietnam),
254

Ulmer, Col. W. F., Jr.,
33

United Nations, dispute over Cambodian seat in,
21
,
234
,
239–43

United States (U.S.),
66
,
87
,
171
; antiwar sentiment in,
122
,
173
,
277
; attempts at negotiated settlement in Cambodia,
276
,
288
; military presence in Thailand,
3
,
4
,
108
,
312–13
,
315
,
316
; personnel support for South Vietnam,
183–84
; presence in Laos,
318–19
,
320
; South Vietnam's feeling of abandonment by,
2
,
140–41
,
147
,
164
,
167–68
; troop withdrawal from South Vietnam,
11
,
19
,
36
,
170
,
298

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): Laotian demonstrations against,
318
,
319
; resettlement program,
235
; resupplying Cambodia,
206–8
,
211
,
219
,
266
,
270
,
284

U.S. Air Force: airdrop missions to Phnom Penh,
206–9
,
241
,
262
,
265
,
266–70
,
296
; assistance with South Vietnam evacuation,
155
,
162
; Cambodia supported by,
176
,
207
; in 1972 Easter Offensive,
27–28
; support of South Vietnamese army,
9
,
78
,
79
,
108
.
See also
Seventh Air Force (U.S., 7AF)

U.S. Army Matériel Command, PROJECT ENHANCE and ENHANCE PLUS,
26
,
27
,
28

U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), assessment of RVNAF,
100

U.S. Congress: Cooper-Church amendment of 1970,
173
; Foreign Aid Authorization Act of 1974,
194–95
; limit on U.S. personnel allowed in Cambodia,
181
,
283–84
,
298
; PL 480,
207–8
; reduced Cambodian War funding,
194–99
,
242–43
,
253
,
270
,
276–79
,
282–83
,
297–98
; termination of combat air operations in Southeast Asia,
3
,
14
,
18
,
29
,
170
,
221
,
241
,
298

U.S. Congress, reduced Vietnam War funding,
1
,
140
,
147
,
153–54
,
277
; and ammunition shortages,
68
,
70
,
74
,
77–78
,
87–90
,
92–98
,
106
,
107–9
; effects on RVNAF,
5
,
35–37
,
98–100
,
102
,
110
,
112
,
125–26
,
125t
; as factor in fall of South Vietnam,
164
,
167–70
,
298

U.S. Defense Assistance to Vietnam Program, FY 75 (U.S.),
92
,
94
,
95
,
184

U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, assessment of RVNAF,
100

U.S. Department of Defense,
26
,
97
,
104
,
106
,
163
,
358
.
See also
Commander-in-Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC)

U.S. Embassy: and Cambodian evacuation,
284–85
,
288
,
359
; Laos,
318
,
319
; and South Vietnamese evacuation,
150
,
151
,
153
,
160–62
; Thailand,
315

U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS),
74
,
115
,
155
,
282
; and Cambodian airdrops,
262
,
266
,
269

U.S. Marines:
Mayaguez
incident,
301–2
,
304–9
; Phnom Penh evacuation,
284
,
285
; South Vietnam evacuation,
155
,
158
,
160
,
161
,
162

U.S. Military Assistance Command (MACV): in South Vietnam,
1
,
2
,
64
,
108
,
202
; in Thailand,
266

U.S. Navy: South Vietnam evacuation assistance,
154
,
155
,
159
,
162

U.S. Pacific Command Intelligence Unit,
169–70

U.S. Support Activities Group (USSAG): deactivation of,
316
; and
Mayaguez
incident,
299
,
300
; mission,
2
,
83
; Thailand headquarters,
3–4

U.S. Support Activities Group (USSAG), in Cambodia: airdrops,
269–70
; ammunition supply analysis,
185
,
193
,
283
; evacuation plan,
150
,
284
; as MEDTC support,
174
; Mekong River security situation,
216
,
217
,
218
,
263
; operational analyses,
229–34
; and Pochentong Airfield attacks,
265
; population study,
235–36
; radio contact with FANK and MNK,
221–22
; and siege of Kompong Seila,
241–42
; situation assessments,
179
,
227
,
228
,
249–53
; transportation activities,
201
,
207

U.S. Support Activities Group (USSAG), in South Vietnam: ammunition conservation program,
70
,
71–72
,
77
,
96
; combat analyses,
39–59
; evacuation plan,
150–64
; funding issues,
96
,
101
,
167–68
; hamlet evaluation survey responsibility,
64–65
,
116
; MACV functions transferred to,
2
,
108
; RVNAF studies,
39–59
,
100–112
; Seventh Air Force affiliation with,
2
,
156
,
160
,
163
,
202
,
301
; threat assessment studies,
112–28
,
146
,
151

U-Tapao airbase, Thailand,
158–59
,
266
,
268
,
269

Vayama, Thailand, as supply port,
201

Vernamonti, Maj. Leonard F.,
65

Vien, Gen. Cao Van,
21
,
25–26
,
107
,
146
; and accounting of aircraft losses,
128–29
; and ammunition conservation,
70
,
81
,
83
,
84
,
85
,
87
; combat analyses,
34
,
47
,
61
,
62
,
126–27
; evacuation planning,
153–54
; politics and,
148
,
149
; and redeployment of forces,
18–19
,
123
,
133
; and U.S. funding cuts,
93
,
95–96
,
99
,
101

Viet Cong (VC),
6–20
; Cambodian invasion,
172
,
174–75
,
183
,
237
; historical perspective,
6–9
;
Mekong River interdictions,
254
; military regions,
45
; order of battle data for,
12t1
,
12t2
,
13–14
,
13t
; propaganda by,
2
,
58
.
See also
communists
;
North Vietnamese Army (NVA)

Viet Cong Dong Thap I unit (North Vietnam),
254

Viet Cong Infrastructure (VCI), terrorism by,
57–58

Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF),
181
,
331
; aircraft lost or destroyed,
128–29
; air support from,
9
,
37–38
,
50
,
55
,
144–45
; ammunition use,
70
,
76
,
78
; evacuation involvement,
141–42
,
154
,
156–59
; firepower and mobility of,
27
,
31
; lack of sophisticated electronic countermeasures,
18
,
29–30
,
122
; leadership issues,
25
,
34
; modernization program,
27
,
28
; troop withdrawals and,
144
; and U.S. funding cuts,
98–99
,
100
,
111
,
112

Vietnamization program,
7
,
321
; enhancing firepower and mobility,
27
,
76
; problems with,
19
,
26
; U.S. support for,
38
,
172
,
173

Vietnam War,
21
,
108–9
,
145
,
174–75
,
227
; Cambodian War related to,
171
,
174
,
182–84
; combat analysis,
39–59
; minor skirmishes dominating,
165
,
167
; 1972 Easter Offensive,
8–9
,
13–14
,
21–22
,
25
,
27–28
,
32
,
38
,
48
,
77
,
108
; NVA/VC in,
6–20
; reasons for South Vietnamese loss,
164–70
,
264
,
298
; South's strategy in,
20–27
; Tet Offensive,
12–13
,
122
; as war by budget,
185
,
298
; as war of attrition,
71
,
75
,
80
,
82
,
164
,
296
.
See also
ammunition, Vietnam War
;
attacks by fire, Vietnam War
;
casualties, Vietnam War
;
casualties, Vietnam War, enemy
;
casualties, Vietnam War, friendly
;
cease-fire agreement, Vietnam War; cease-fire agreement, Vietnam War, violations of
;
combat intensity factor (CIF), Vietnam War
;
combat levels and tactics, Vietnam War
;
dry-season offensives, Vietnam War
;
ground attacks, Vietnam War
;
U.S. Congress, reduced Vietnam War funding
;
weapons, Vietnam War