[46] PAVN infiltration routes were keyed to the military regions the infiltrators were assigned to. Truck headlights were sometimes mounted under the vehicle to help escape detection from the air. It was most actively used during the fighting in Vietnam, as well as in other conflicts involving Americans. Flag images indicative of country of origin and not necessarily primary operator. The bulk of VC/PAVN foodstuffs was procured within South Vietnam via purchase, taxation on peasants in controlled areas, and personal farming by troops in remote areas. A Romanian LAROM multiple rocket launcher which can fire 122mm rockets, as seen here, or 160mm types., DoloresRKT via Wikimedia Any of the dozens of existing 122mm rocket launcher operators could . 34159, Edward Doyle, Samuel Lipsman, Terrence Maitland- THE NORTH: The Vietnam Experience, (Boston Publishing Company, (1986), pp. Soviet aid outstripped that of China, averaging over half a billion dollars per year in the later stages of the war, with some $700million in 1967 alone. 530, Bernard C. Nalty, The War Against Trucks: Aerial Interdiction in Southern Laos, 19681972. The bombing began with the expectation that it would break the will of the enemyalthough many questioned its capability to do so. In terms of stopping Hanoi's ruthless drive for reunification, the overall US bombing campaign, with its varied stops and starts, was ultimately ineffective in the face of cascading imports from socialist allies, political restraints on American action, the remorseless marshaling of the populace and the stoic endurance of the North Vietnamese. Viet Cong and People's Army of Vietnam use of terror in the Vietnam War One example of this was seen in Operation Igloo White, which used air-dropped acoustic and seismic sensors in Laos, linked to processing computers in Thailand. [53] Special trail-watching and reaction units were also used to counter infiltration by US-MACV Special Operations teams. The 11,000 artillery rounds and several thousand rockets fired that day were a clear demonstration that the North Vietnamese Army had improved and expanded its artillery arm. Staff Sgt Dave Roger. In 1968 alone, some 200,000 PAVN troops made the journey south according to some American estimates. The two most common types included the French MAT 49, using either its original 919mm ammunition or having been converted to use the 7.6225mm Tokarev cartridge, and the Soviet/Chinese PPSh-41, often modified and converted in PAVN arsenals to the K-50M. Traffic was regulated by numerous civilian helpers, often young girls. Other missile salvos damaged accompanying aircraft. And there was no mention of this on the pic but after doing a little research the units only enlisted KIA in Vietnam was killed that day inside the hanger. Arsenal: Enemy Rockets - historynet.com The infamous punji sticks soaked in excrement and urine received much press, but they were of negligible effect compared to the massive quantity of anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines deployed by main communist units. The gun had a horizontal sliding-wedge breech block, a hydropneumatic recoil system, a muzzle brake and a split tail carriage. The American bombing campaign was geared towards attrition, wearing down the will of the Communist North to fight. Chinese troops also built bunkers and other fortifications, and manned dozens of anti-aircraft batteries. [4], Heavier machine guns were used in fixed mode as anti-aircraft weapons or carried disassembled due to their weight, to be used in set piece assaults. Katyusha multiple rocket launchers (Russian: ) are a type of rocket artillery first built and fielded by the Soviet Union in World War II. [46], Camouflage and concealment. Estimative products on Vietnam, 19481975. 37169, Stanley Karnow, Vietnam: A History, (Viking Press: 1983) pp. Swiney was there. Sometimes the troops camped on the Trail itself between stations. In preparation for the daily Last Post Ceremony. I mean, we won: The Century-Long Battle Over This Confederate Flag. HD Historic Archival Stock Footage Vietnam War Rocket Attack - YouTube Attacks on these were also forbidden by American policymakers. NVA 122mm Rocket | Missiles and Rockets of War | Stronghold Nation The range was approx 20km . An American or ARVN sweep for example that wiped out several supply caches did not shut down the whole district. Esoteric American technology- such as the Calgon brand "mud maker" compounds deployed to slow movement on the Trail were met with typical PAVN practicality. Week of July 16 | Vietnam War Commemoration Rocket and Mortar Attacks | My Vietnam Experience [19] Amounts ten times or more this size however, were entering the top of the logistical pipeline before trickling down into South Vietnam, Laos and adjoining border regions. Simon And Schuster. Some 2,000 imported generators provided essential power, and oil and gas were shuttled ashore on small craft from Soviet ships and stored in thousands of small 55-gallon drums throughout the countryside, alongside roads and in rice paddies. One US intelligence estimate puts external communist supply requirements for Communist forces in South Vietnam at approximately 100 tons per day- 15 tons via the DMZ, 35 tons from Cambodia and 50 tons from Laos.[8]. Until late in the War, American pilots, hindered by their government's rules of engagement, could only watch helplessly as munitions, heavy weapons and advanced components like SAM missile batteries were unloaded at such harbors as Haiphong. By the time of the aerial offensives, most US forces (over 500,000 troops) were already out of the Vietnam theater. [42] In the air defense effort around important targets, labor units often constructed up to 4 dummy positions for each real anti-aircraft concentration.[43]. B. Lippincott Publishing: 1969), pp. Data collated from the sensors were analyzed to predict the movement of PAVN convoys and units. The Wrong War: Why We Lost in Vietnam, pp 753, Bombing As a Policy Tool In Vietnam: Effectiveness. There are a total of [ 8 ] Vietnam War Mortars entries in the Military Factory. The Soviet Union was the largest supplier of war aid, furnishing most fuel, munitions, and heavy equipment, including advanced air defense systems. In the latter year of the conflict, field units of the VC/PAVN deployed Soviet SA-7 Man-portable air-defense system that presented a significant challenge to US air dominance, particularly helicopters. pp. China made significant contributions in medicines, hospital care, training facilities, foodstuffs, and infantry weapons. Blog - Homemade Vietnamese Heavy Weapons of the 1st Indochinese War U.S. Government Printing Office, Ray Bonds, ed., "The Vietnam War, (Salamander Books: 1979), pp. Copyright 2013 Stronghold Nation. It seemed like we got hit at least three times a day, and Charlie had our Company Area zeroed in. Air interdiction of the Trail hurt supply efforts but failed to stop the logistical buildup on a sustained basis. The North Vietnamese were quick to take advantage of the leverage afforded under both Johnson and Nixon. The simplest and most primitive was a lanyard ''pull'', attached to a simple firing pin ring. (AP Photo) Full size 3000 2058 The 122mm Rocket was 75-inches in length and weighted 102-pounds. The VC/PAVN used a wide variety of grenades from explosives inserted into discarded American C-ration cans to modern Chicom types. Israeli-Made Bolt-On Kit Turns 122mm 'Grad' Artillery Rockets Into Women survivors, who often would be left sterile, disfigured, and bitterly alone in a society that treasured the extended family, adapted to the unspeakable carnage in war.[39]. 152175. (Two above Photos by Chris Bussells, 31st HHC), Newly built Charlie Troop hooches before sandbags, Two above photos by Jordan Green (Charlie Troop Maintenance, 1969-70). It handled all storage, movement, anti-aircraft defense and fortification on the Ho Chi Minh Trail which snaked through parts of Laos and Cambodia. [34], The Nixon administration, looking for a way out, pursued a less restrained course under Operation Linebacker launched in response to the PAVN's 1972 Easter Offensive and Operation Linebacker II. In the space of 20 seconds, a single Grad can launch its 40 122mm rocket-propelled rounds, hitting targets across a 15-20 hectare territory at distances of between 25-45 km. Charlie started shelling the helipad area and a mortar landed within six feet of where we were standing. Of the NVA's supporting arms in those battles, the DKB 122mm rocket was the most commonly employed, but the M-43 120mm was the most powerful. Other weapon systems were also used. Those headed further beyond might travel through Laos. The Type 85 single-tube launcher is not a necessity in this regard, although using it makes the rocket more accurate. Ukrainian Armed Forces use American Zuni rockets - Militarnyi An AC-47 on station at the time forced the VC to abort their attack and abandon some equipment. A one-day supply of medicines was usually kept on hand, with the rest hidden off-site until needed. It is used primarily by the Indonesian . Photo credits: Mykola Oleschuk. Hezbollah fires more than 100 Chinese-produced Type-81 122mm cluster munition rockets into northern Israel. Russian 122mm DKZ-B Rocket | Imperial War Museums 22126, JACOB VAN STAAVEREN. It snaked through parts of North Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The long pouch carried the flight and launch motor. R-Han 122 - Wikipedia Tet Offensive '68 - the 122mm rocket. Outgunned and out-ranged in artillery, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam saw its weapons quickly silenced. The Nixon regime forbade the bombing of dams and dikes for example, along with POW camps, hospitals and religious shrines. If such targets as the North's petroleum facilities were attacked, it was argued, Hanoi's capabilities would be sharply reduced. Twelve to sixteen hours of work per day were expected of laborers. [21], Civilian labor was crucial to VC/PAVN success, and was deployed in building fortifications, transporting supplies and equipment, prepositioning material in readiness for an operation, and general construction such as road repair. rockets, fired without warning from the surrounding area, rained down on the U.S. camp. Interview: Weapons of War in Ukraine | Human Rights Watch Trucks arriving at a station were unloaded, and the cargo shifted to new trucks, which carried out the next segment of the journey. Precision munitions aided this mandate. Unauthorised Copying of any kind is strictly prohibited. Both weapons and food for example were readily available on the black markets of South Vietnam. Tonnages needed for communist forces were modest for the low-intensity protracted war style. Ferries shuttled troops across rivers and streams. The sound of 122mm rockets slamming down in the area around the hooch where I was sleeping woke me up within seconds. Both weapons used the same intermediate 7.62mm cartridge, which eased logistics. One of the most used ground based Rocket (and System), The 122mm Rocket was used by both North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) Armies. 27 Apr 2023 08:27:47 HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. . Several activation systems (primers) were also used. Supply routes using multiple sources, (waterways, black-market transactions, cross-border sanctuaries, etc.) cit, John Prados, The Blood Road, (New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1998), p. 2-45, Colonel Jack Broughton, Thud Ridge, (J. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for New 1:72 China PLA PHZ89 122MM Multi Barrel Self-propelled Rocket Launcher Model at the best online prices at eBay! [57] A post-war analysis by the BDM Corporation, a think-tank contractor in Vietnam, summarized the efficiency and effectiveness of VC/PAVN logistics as follows: Subsequently the Communist Vietnamese leadership outlasted America's eight-year combat effort in Southeast Asia, and finally reunited Vietnam by force of arms. In 1968 with the Tet Offensive and other major operations, these numbers surged but still weighed in at a modest daily 120 tons. [27], VC/PAVN weapons had to be moved from shipment points in the North, Cambodia or down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The supplies were unloaded and then transferred to trucks which transported them to the frontier zones that served as PAVN/NLF Base Areas. [38] American bombers caused substantial damage to Northern road and rail infrastructure, including bridges, culverts, depots, ports and docks. Used sparingly and usually against a fire support base or special forces camps, the M-43 delivered a lethal punch, equal to that of the much larger 152mm howitzer use near the DMZ and the Cambodian border. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. North Vietnamese - Viet Cong used specialised BM 21 single round manportable tripod rocket launchers, developed by the Soviets as the Grad P which were originally intended for use by Spesnatz and other specialised users. [4], The most common infantry weapons of the PAVN was the Soviet SKS carbine or its Chinese variant. Binh Trams stations at intervals on the Trail, hosted the stream of men, weapons and supplies flowing to the battle zone. One 1972 analysis for the US Senate on bombing notes the tenacity and resilience of PAVN and its logistics system: Throughout the war, the results of the bombing of North Vietnam have consistently fallen far short of the claims made for it. [2] Contrary to some popular impressions of simple peasant farmers armed with low quality or obsolete weapons, the VC and PAVN main units (as well as the local forces in the latter years) were well equipped with modern arms either from Soviet bloc or Chinese sources. 'hailstorm') is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. Two days later however the traffic was moving again, despite huge landslides caused by the bombing, and the use of numerous delayed action munitions. These military airbases were off-limits to American retaliation.[11]. 122 rocket | My Vietnam Experience 26, French FM 24/29, Soviet DP-28, captured M1918 BAR automatic rifles and even ex-german MG-34 (for Anti-Air use). Nor did it stop China from continuing to massively supply its North Vietnamese client. Estimated impact area: Rockets were fired separately to an area of approx. The main characteristics of the Zuni rocket: diameter - 127 mm, length - 2790 mm, weight - 46,3 - 61,6 kg, depending on the engine and warhead, warhead weight: 20,7 - 25,6 kg (high-explosive fragmentation, high-explosive, armor-piercing . R-Han 122 is a family of rocket artillery developed by PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) of Indonesia with maximum speed Mach 2.95 (3,614 km/h) and maximum range of 32 km. Katyusha rocket launcher | Military Wiki | Fandom [Source: Washington Post] . I rolled out of bed to the floor and low crawled as fast as I could to the nearest bunker.When the attack seemed to be over, we came out of the bunker to access the damage. It is similar to the BM-13 "Katyusha" and was partly replaced in service by the 122 mm BM-21 Grad. Recoilless rifles against bunkers, buildings and vehicles included American and Chinese variants of the 57mm M18 and 75mm M20 recoilless rifle, as well as the Soviet 73mm SPG-9. Bridges across water obstacles were often built under water, difficult to detect from the air, and multiple crossing points were developed. V. This article appeared in the October 2021 issue of Vietnam magazine. Each binh tram had its own force of porters, guides, engineers, specialists, transportation units and infantry. [46], The hardships of the Trail were many. Edward Miller and Tuong Vu (2009). Zita is the editor of both Military History Quarterly and Vietnam Magazine. According to the official People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) History: In 1964 our army began to send to the battlefield complete units at their full authorized strength of personnel and equipment By the end of 1965 our main force army in South Vietnam totaled almost 92,000 Our main force troops grew from 195,000 soldiers in early 1965 to 350,000 soldiers in May 1965 and finally to 400,000 by the end of 1965.. During 1966 the strength of our full-time forces in South Vietnam would be increased to between 270,000 and 300,000 soldiers By the end of 1966 the total strength of our armed forces was 690,000 soldiers.[56]. PHIL M. HAUN, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF. The Australian War Memorial acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. Small, jungle workshops produced simpler types of ordnance such as reloaded rifle cartridges and grenades. Air Force History and Museums Program. Our hooch did not take a direct hit, but a Red platoon hooch across the road did and was on fire. The 122 mm D-74, a towed gun that entered Soviet service in 1955, was the most numerous gun in the NVA's five independent artillery regiments. Note that all Soviet weapons also had common Chinese copies. By 1968, activity was brisk on the Trail. McNamara pictured enemy soldiers under combined assault in the South, utterly devoid of flying machines for mobility or retaliation in the sky.. 'They only thing that will prevent it [stalemate] Mr. President, is their morale breaking' he said 'that's the only chance we have of winning this thing because we are just not killing enough of them to make it impossible for the North to continue to fight. The Binh Trams were responsible for numerous functions in the sector of the Trail it controlled- including subordinate camps and way-stations, the care and feeding of troops, road repair, anti-aircraft defenses, vehicle repair and maintenance, and medical care. On 1 April 1972 in the face of the PAVN's Easter Offensive the base was abandoned by the ARVN. Thus, 187mm (7.4-inch) super-heavy mortars were made by sawing the tops off steel oxygen tanks, while in southern Vietnam, automobile shock absorber cylinders were converted into mortar barrels. The Trail covered a wide diversity of rough terrain. Evidence Of American Zuni Rockets Arming Ukrainian Su-25s Emerges The Vietnam War Commemoration is conducted according to the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act to help honor and pay tribute to Vietnam . From there they marched south and southwest, towards the DMZ or Laos, using a variety of routes. Primarily an agrarian country with little industrial and technical base, North Vietnam compared poorly with the advanced material and technical systems of its American opponent, and often invoked a David versus Goliath comparison in its propaganda campaigns. At noon on March 30, 1972, North Vietnam opened its spring offensive with a massive artillery barrage against South Vietnamese positions just south of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two countries. 122 mm DKZ-B Rocket Launcher and Stand : Viet Cong Vietnam War. Tet Offensive '68 - the 122mm rocket by Dave Berry The initial American Operation Rolling Thunder campaign while inflicting painful local damage, did not halt the continual stream of men and materiel into the south. Pre-positioning of these groups allowed them to spring rapidly into action after an attack had passed.[34]. But again North Vietnam proved capable of adapting; the will of the Hanoi leadership held strong. Mines and booby traps applied significant psychological pressure on US/ARVN forces and slowed and disrupted both military operations and civilian life. [13] Some binh trams had extensive anti-aircraft defenses. Two technicals MLR GRAD 122MM, 52 km range. Viet Cong 122 mm DKZ-B Rocket Launcher and Stand. By 1970, the communist inventory was mostly standardized, even at the village guerrilla level. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. Vehicles rolled on a "relay" basis, moving mostly at night to avoid American air power, and the trail was plentifully supplied by jungle-like camouflage at all times. The longest-serving weapons still in service in 2023 - Spec Ops Magazine The warhead is painted light or dark gray, and the rocket motor is painted light or silver gray. Sound/seismic sensors were countered by destroying them, moving them to useless locations, removing their batteries, playing tape recordings of truck traffic, and running herds of cattle over them. Camouflage was used heavily. Vietnam war, 1972 [916x608] 709. The unit tasked by Hanoi with organizing movement was the 470th Transport Group, which established a similar network on binh trams' and way-stations.[15]. Later ''modified versions'' claimed distances of 11,000-meters. [13], The Trail had over 20 major way-stations operated by dedicated logistics units or Binh Trams, responsible for air and land defence, and delivery of supplies and replacements to fighting points in the South. Transit time could take months, and sometimes entire units were disrupted and disbanded. The 470th Transport group was established to move material from Cambodia. Since July 3, 1863, there have been many calls for Confederate flags to be returned to their home states, and in particular, for the 28th Virginia Infantry Regiment flag return to Virginia. [55] Force strengths will always be imprecise given the large number of irregular or part-time guerrilla elements. Indeed the sanctuaries gave them the trump card that enabled them to fight a protracted war and outlast the United States commitment to the Republic of Vietnam.[58]. A 122mm rocket is an unguided surface-to-surface artillery rocket delivered by a multiple rocket launcher (MRL). Large gangs of civilian laborers were drafted to keep the network functioning. The method also spread out available cargoes over time and space, enabling the entire network to better bear losses from such deadly enemies as the American C-130 Gunship, and such technologies as movement sensors. [28], Medical care. BM stands for boyevaya mashina (Russian: - combat vehicle . [17] The need for massive amounts of manual labor for construction actually decreased on the Trail as heavy equipment like bulldozers and rock crushers were deployed, and both miles of road built and truck traffic expanded. The ICRC estimates that in Laos alone, 9 to . Segmentation enhanced security and was also sometimes used in moving troops with guide units only knowing their section of the trail or transport network. Remnants of a misfired 9M22S incendiary 122mm Grad rocket near Ilovaisk, Ukraine in 2014. . Within the southern logistical organization, 3 agencies were responsible. The Toyota Hiace with 122mm rockets that was used to attack Ain al-Asad air base, January 2022. PAVN troops also faced US movement, auditory and chemical ("people sniffer") sensors on various parts of the Trail. The SKS carbines were passed down to the guerrillas, which were later armed with AK rifles themselves. Overview. Washington, D.C.: Air Force Museums and History Program, 2005, p. 39, Victory in Vietnam: The Official History of the People's Army of Vietnam, 19541975. By that evening, virtually every ARVN fire support base within 20 miles of the border was surrounded and fighting for survival. Multiple rocket launchers such as these deliver a devastating amount of explosives to a target area more quickly than conventional . Conflict. The 122 mm D-74, a towed gun that entered Soviet service in 1955, was the most numerous gun in the NVAs five independent artillery regiments, https://www.historynet.com/north-vietnam-d-74-gun/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, Day One at Chancellorsville Hookers Big Mistake, Why? These trucks were also a staple of the Iraqi insurgency when US forces were present in large . The BM-21 Grad has 40 launching tubes for 122mm rockets. Like many Soviet artillery pieces of the 1930s-50s, the D-74 had sights for direct fire missions, those aimed at a specific target, and a shield to protect the gunner and pointer from small-arms fire and shell fragmentation. . The view below is of a 122 MM rocket hole on Camp Holloway in Pleiku. [31] However, Communist forces had several important advantages that translated into successful tactics to survive American bombing:[32], From 1965 to 1968, North Vietnam was bombed on a scale heavier than that of the entire Pacific theater during World War II, and absorbed about 20% of US bombing efforts in Southeast Asia. The NVA employed the gun as the long-range component of independent artillery regiments assigned to advancing forces. The hole in the ground between the boots is the results of a small VC mortar round. [52] About 100,000 people were kept working on the Trail as porters, drivers, mechanics and anti-aircraft troops. [47] Recruits were generally given an optimistic picture of conditions in the south, with claims that victory was close at hand and that they would be welcomed as liberators by their oppressed southern brethren. An ARVN reaction unit recovered our first 122mm rocket, complete with . Soviet ships also aided dispersal by bringing in fuel and other material already pre-packed in drums, offloaded on to barges for quick distribution, with the ships themselves off-limits to US air attack. This included large quantities of American food aid to South Vietnam, a phenomenon sometimes observed by US troops that found enemy supply caches. by Merle Pribbenow, Lawerence KS: University of Kansas Press, 2002, p. 78-211, The BDM Corporation, "A Study of Strategic Lessons learned in Vietnam", (The BDM Corporation: 1979) p. 5-1, NLF and PAVN strategy, organization and structure, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group, "K vt gn lin lch s Cng an Vit Nam", "Sng tiu lin K61 ca anh hng c cng L B c", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NLF_and_PAVN_logistics_and_equipment&oldid=1150291885. BM-14 - Wikipedia I would not be writing this now if I wouldnt have woken when I did. They were originally designed for use against armored vehicles but it was adapted for anti-personnel use to good effect. Gordon et al. Total war was preached from the beginning of the US intervention and a huge mobilization started as early as 1965 with population evacuation and construction of massive air defenses. Some 80% of the non-food supplies used by the VC/PAVN in the southern half of South Vietnam moved through Sihanoukville. Local tribesmen recruited by PAVN for example would beat on pots or gongs to warn of the presence or landing of US Special Operations teams and high rewards were offered for assisting with their capture.[54]. PAVN possessed privileged enclaves in Laos and Cambodia, immune from ground attack creating vital sanctuaries and strategic depth, Friendly socialist allies that provided a massive pipeline of war material off-limits to US strikes until it had entered North Vietnam, including the vital border with an unassailable China, Heavy tropical vegetation and periods of poor weather in the battle zone, that facilitated the movement of men and material and hindered aerial attacks. Cambodia's port of Sihanoukville made possible the flooding of the South Vietnam battlefield with a family of Sino-Soviet equipment that was completely compatible with that used by VC/NVA forces in the rest of Vietnam. When I first arrived in Phuoc Vinh mortar attacks were quite frequent. 5. 116. [51], Anti-sensor techniques. PAVN headquarters in Hanoi was responsible for the coordinating the North to South logistical effort. hide. A 122mm rocket is an unguided surface-to-surface artillery rocket delivered by a multiple rocket launcher (MRL). The rockets vary . Charlie 2 - Wikipedia Civilians undertook various pledges as directed by the regime (the "three readies", the "three responsibilities" among others,) as part of a high mobilization of the population for total war in the North and areas controlled by the VC/PAVN in the South. Air Force History and Museums Program. That was a close one to say the least! It almost seemed safer on a recon mission in the middle of the jungle. Ronald Oakes collection. The Vietnam War as a Vietnamese War: Agency and Society in the Study of the Second Indochina War. . The BM-14 can fire 140 mm M-14 rockets with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, a smoke warhead or a chemical warhead. This particular example was recovered from an arms dump near the Cambodian border.