The 18th Division (; Chữ Hán: 師團18) was an infantry division in the III Corps of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). The U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam considered the 18th as undisciplined and was well known throughout the ARVN for its "cowboy" reputation. In 1975 the 18th was made famous for its tenacious defense of Xuân Lộc, the last major battle before the Fall of Saigon. __TOC__
History 1965-1971
The division was initially activated as the 10th Infantry Division in May 1965 under the command of General Lữ Mộng Lan. Headquartered in Long Khánh province, it assumed responsibility for the defense of eastern III Corps. The move reflected concern over the increased threat that had emerged in the area during the Vietcong (VC) Winter-Spring Offensive, as well as dissatisfaction with the ability of special zones to adequately meet their duties. The presence of a division commander, with a larger staff and resources would it was hoped, redress these issues. Preexisting elements began functioning under the new headquarters immediately, but the division was not declared operational until mid-July. Formal activation occurred in August.
By the end of 1965 US advisers to the division regarded Lan as "moody and vacillatory" and "a marginal commander who would have to be worked with." They gave Lan high marks for his "perceptiveness and dexterity in civil affairs and troop morale" but saw his interest in local politics as too distracting. Although they found his three regimental commanders "capable and willing people," they felt that it was too early to judge if the division was going to jell into a fighting unit. COMUSMACV General William Westmoreland predicted that combined operations with the US 1st Infantry Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade would inspire the division to higher standards.
In early May 1966 Westmoreland suggested a "buddy" effort, matching the US 173d Airborne Brigade and the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) with the division.
In 1967 MACV assessed that the three ARVN divisions surrounding Saigon, the division, 5th and the 25th Divisions had shown no improvement, and US advisers considered their commanders, Generals Đỗ Kế Giai, Pham Quoc Thuan (5th Division) and Phan Trong Chinh (25th Division), flatly incompetent. The senior Junta generals had repeatedly agreed on the need to replace them, but, for political reasons, had taken no action. Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support (CORDS) leader Robert Komer accused several battalion commanders in the division of using the new pacification mission as an excuse to withdraw from all meaningful operations, except to provide for their own self-protection.
On 27/8 June 1967 units of the division engaged forces from the VC 5th Division near Tuc Trung and had to be assisted by the US 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment which was conducting Operation Akron. ARVN losses were 51 killed, but they killed 167 VC while US forces claimed a further 49.
From 3 November 1967 to 5 January 1968 the division participated in Operation Santa Fe, a security operation with the US 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division and 1ATF against the VC 5th Division's base in the May Tao Secret Zone.
From 8 April to 31 May 1968 the division participated in Operation Toan Thang I to continue pressure on PAVN/VC forces in III Corps after the successful Operation Quyet Thang. The operation involved nearly every combat unit in III Corps. The operation was a success with allied forces claiming 7,645 VC/PAVN killed, however the operation did not prevent the PAVN/VC from launching their May Offensive attacks against Saigon.
In September 1968 MACV rated Giai as inept and division advisers noted that the division was even a "laughing stock" to the Vietnamese. II Field Force, Vietnam commander Lieutenant general Walter T. Kerwin Jr. appealed to COMUSMACV General Creighton Abrams for help, and the MACV commander reportedly "raised hell" with President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu over the matter, but Thiệu, perhaps feeling safer with old friends like Giai around the capital to keep a watch on his rivals, did nothing.
On 15 January 1969 the Headquarters and 3rd Battalion 52nd Regiment and the 5th Marine Battalion joined Operation Goodwood with the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF) replacing the 1st Marine Battalion.
In June 1969 the new II Field Force commander Lt. Gen. Julian Ewell initiated the Dong Tien (or "Progress Together") Program with III Corps commander, General Đỗ Cao Trí, to "buddy up US and ARVN units to conduct combined operations [that would]... maximize the effectiveness of both forces [and] achieve in 2, 3, or 4 months a quantum jump in ARVN and RF/PF performance." The US 199th Light Infantry Brigade moved to Xuan Loc, headquarters of the division, and began a series of combined operations with what was still considered one of the worst units in the ARVN.
In July 1969, Major General Roderick Wetherill, the IV Corps senior adviser, suggested deploying elements of the division out of the placid Saigon area and into the delta border regions where they might pick up some useful combat experience, however, Ewell treated the proposal as a joke saying "the 18th couldn't hit the ground with their hat in Delta terrain against the VC" and insisted they stay at home, out of harm's way. Abrams apparently agreed and let the matter drop.
From July to December 1969 division battalions were rotated through the 1ATF base at The Horseshoe for training in small arms handling and small unit tactics. The ARVN were described by the 1ATF deputy commander as "the worst battalion in the worst regiment in the worst division in the world." After training the ARVN units, mixed platoons would then mount patrol operations in the Horseshoe tactical area of responsibility.
In August 1969 Giai was finally replaced as division commander by General Lâm Quang Thơ, however, US officials had major reservations about this replacement, not regarding Tho as a dynamic leader. One MACV evaluation later described Tho as a "highly respected and admired general," while another judged him to be a "coward and military incompetent."
On 20 September 1971 the division base camp located 2 km west of Tây Ninh received 50 82 mm mortar rounds followed by a sapper attack by an estimated PAVN battalion. The PAVN lost 52 killed and 9 captured and 17 individual and two crew-served weapons, while the division lost 21 killed. On 22 September elements of the 1st Battalion, 43rd Infantry Regiment operating 12 km north of Tây Ninh engaged a PAVN force, supported by ARVN and U.S. artillery and U.S. helicopter gunships killing 20 PAVN and capturing 3 individual and four crew-served weapons.
Easter Offensive During the Easter Offensive in late March 1972 the Division's 2nd Battalion, 52nd Infantry Regiment and 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment were both transferred to the 5th Division to serve as a border screen. During the Battle of Loc Ninh, on 6 April 5 Division commander Brigadier general Lê Văn Hưng organised the two Battalions as Task Force 52 and ordered them to move north to relieve the 9th Infantry Regiment under siege in Lộc Ninh. As the 2nd Battalion to advance towards Lộc Ninh it was ambushed at the junction of National Highway 13 and Route 17. Unable to withstand the VC's superior firepower, it was forced to withdraw. To prevent Task Force 52 from evacuating to either Lộc Ninh or An Lộc, the VC pursued Task Force 52 and bombarded their bases with heavy artillery throughout the day. As Lộc Ninh fell on the morning of 7 April at 09:00 Hưng ordered Task Force 52 to abandon its bases, destroy all heavy weapons and vehicles, and withdraw to An Lộc, following their failed attempt at reinforcing Lộc Ninh. As Task Force 52 tried to break through National Highway 13, they ran into another large VC ambush. It would take the soldiers of Task Force 52 about a week to reach An Lộc, infiltrating through PAVN/VC positions along the main road. The next step in the offensive was the Battle of An Lộc.
On 13/4 June a regiment of the division was landed in An Lộc to reinforce the exhausted 5th Division. On 11 July the entire division arrived at An Lộc to replace the 5th Division. The division would spread out from An Lộc and push the PAVN back, increasing control in the area. On 8 August the division launched an assault to retake Quản Lợi Base Camp but were stopped by the PAVN in the base's reinforced concrete bunkers. A further attack was launched on 9 August with limited gains and attacks on the base continued for the next 2 weeks eventually gaining one third of the base. The ARVN finally attacked the PAVN occupied bunkers with TOW missiles and M-202 rockets and this broke the PAVN defense forcing the remaining defenders to flee the base.
Following the battle Col. Lê Minh Đảo was appointed to replace General Tho in command of the division.
In late November the division was replaced at An Lộc by the 3rd, 5th and 6th Ranger Groups.
1973–74 In April 1974 during the Battle of Svay Rieng a battalion from the division formed part of the reserves for the battle and another battalion formed part of a task force that swept PAVN base areas in the Angel's Wing () area of Cambodia.
From 16 May to 2 July 1974 the division fought the PAVN 7th and 9th Divisions in the Battle of the Iron Triangle, until relieved by the 5th Division. In mid-November the 48th and 52nd Regiments rejoined the battle in its final phases.
On 9 December in response to the PAVN 812th Regiment attack on Tánh Linh District III Corps ordered the division, with the 7th Ranger Group attached, from Xuân Lộc to reinforce the territorials in Bình Tuy Province. When the 32d Ranger Battalion fell into a well-laid ambush along Route 333 and sustained heavy casualties, it became clear that the PAVN 33rd Regiment was not going to permit the reinforcement of Bình Tuy to proceed without a fight. Later the 1st and 2d Battalions of the 48th Regiment joined the attack along Route 333 and were soon in heavy combat north of Gia Ray. In the days that followed, the 85th Ranger Battalion made it a four-battalion task force pushing up Route 333, but the lead elements never made it past Gia Huynh, still 16 km south of Hoai Duc. The PAVN 33rd Regiment was dug in along the road, well supported by mortars and artillery. On 17 December Duy Can Village, between Vo Xu and Tanh Linh, was overrun by the PAVN 812th Regiment, and the few survivors of the 700th RF Company struggled into Tánh Linh. Although outposts still in ARVN hands, as well as Hoai Duc and Tánh Linh were receiving heavy indirect fire, General Dư Quốc Đống, commanding III Corps ordered the division not try to press forward past Gia Huynh on Route 333. With his Corps under attack from Tay Ninh to Phuoc Long, he was unwilling to risk having four of his battalions cut off and decimated. Meanwhile, the PAVN blew a bridge south of Hoai Duc, occupied Vo Xu, and increased the intensity of its attack on Tánh Linh. Following a 3,000 round bombardment on 23 and 24 December, the PAVN launched five successive assaults, finally overrunning the last defenses in Tánh Linh on 25 December. Hoai Duc, meanwhile, was under attack by the PAVN 274th Infantry, 6th Division. After the PAVN 274th Regiment had penetrated the local defenses of Hoai Duc and had gained a foothold in the northeastern and southwestern edges of the town, the division moved the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 43rd Regiment by helicopter west and north of the town respectively, and began pushing the PAVN out. While two battalions of the 48th Regiment held their positions on Route 333 north of Gia Ray, the tired and depleted 7th Ranger Group was withdrawn to Binh Duong Province to rest and refit. Since all available battalions of the division had been committed, the JGS moved the 4th Ranger Group from Kontum to Long Binh where it was rested and re-equipped and made available to Đống as a reserve.
1975