PARAMILITARY FORCES IN SOUTH VIET-NAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2014
• Sequence Number: 79
• Publication Date: February 21, 1963
• Content Type: MF

Declassified in Part-Sanitized Copy Approved forRelease2014/01/31 CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
410 410
THE W-11 1' }-I C 17:
WAS
February 21, 1963
MEMORANDUM FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL GROUP (CI)
SUBJECT: Paramilitary Forces in South Viet-Nam
I have attached for your perusal a table on Paramilitary Forces
in South Viet-Nam, recently prepared by Major Dingeman. Although it
does not purport to be a definitive study, it may be helpful to you
in sorting out the various programs.
Michael V. Forrestal
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
Organization
**Hamlet Militia or
Village Defenders (Now
Citizens Irregular ?
Defense Groups(CIDG)
Formally Montagnard Tri-
bal Area Development Pro-
gram. Part-time)
**Strike Forces (Same
program as above. Full-
time)
Fighting Fathers or
Catholic Youth
PARAMILITARY FORCES TT SOUTH VIET-NAM
Mission
Defense of their hamlet
and patrol in immediate
area
Trained patrol units,
operate throughout develop-
ment area, check defenses,
weapons, and retrain Hamlet
Militia.
Organize Parish centers into
combat villages
50X1
Status
Current: 15,627 - trained and
armed
Programmed: 42,000 - end of
FY63
Current:. 6,044 - trained and
armed
Programmed: 13,000 - end of
FY63
Current: 3,500 - trained and
armed.
Programmed: potentials as
develops
U. S, Agency
Responsiblow
Now CIA - To DOD
under "Switchback"
?
Now CIA - To DoD
under "Switchback"
Now CIA - to DOD
under "Switchback"
Note: Eventual
goal of CIDG/
Switchback program
to train 100,000
in the Hamlet
Militia, Striiiik
Forces and Firing
Father/Catholic
Youth
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy forRelease2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
ion
MissionStatus U. S. Agency"
Responsible
50X1
-
Republican Youth
Movement (RYM)
Force Populaire" or
Popular Force
Self Defense Corps
(Part-time)
Provide the village youth
with the capability to
assist in the defense of
the strategic hamlets.
Civic action capability now
being developed.
Political and civic action
to win over peasants by
personal contact
Provide local security at
hamlet and village level. (35
man platoons normally operates
as 7-man squad)
-2-
Current: Total approx. 1,350,000 CIA - Civic action
of which 85,000 have program supported by
received some military AID and CIA
training. 4,300 rekained
at CIDG camps and armed.
Programmed: 6,000 - end FY63
civic action cadre
2,600 end FY 63
Current: 7,000 cadre trained and CIA - Cadre will AIL
,armed training in provincMir
Programmed: 7,025 - cadre at the village level
distributed in
provinces
Current: over 96,000 of which MAP - support for
50,000 trained and armed by 80,000
MAP
Programmed: 79,000 - end of FY63
npclassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
Orq;anizaLion
Civi,1 Guard
(Full-time)
Civil Police
a. Police and Surete
b. Gendarmerie
Miss.1:on
Provide provincial security
at the province and district
level (130-Man companies)
Perform normal civil police
functions and special police
tasks related to insurgency
operations, both in rural and
urban areas. ,Under jurisdic-
tion of GVN/Ministry of '
Interior.
Perform normal military police
functions and special police
tasks related to insurgency
operations, both in rural and
urban areas. Under jurisdic-
tion of GVN/D0D-.
Status
Current: over 76,000 of which
40,000 trained and armed by
MAP
Programmed: 81,000 - end of FY63
U. S. Agency
.Responsible
MAP - support for 81,906
Current: 21,000 trained and AID
armed
Programilled: Current level
maintained to end
FY 63
Current: 2,500 - trained and
armed.
Programmed: Current level
maintained to
end FY63
?
MAP (Proposal pending
to transfer from MAP
to AID)
-3-
)
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
Note 2: Strength of Republic of Viet-Nam Armed Forces as of 15 December 1962 was as follows:
13,206 Officers 35,704 NCO's
165,140 Enlisted Men TOTAL: 214,050
-4-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2
PARAMILIDMY G1Q4PS SOUTH VIETNAM
Mission:
To provide local security and perform defensive tasks
thus freeing the regular milftary forces to conduct
offensive operations against the VC.
Citizens Irregular Defense Groups
(Montagnard
0Eganization
Hamlet Militia
Strike Force
Mission
Defend hamlets inside
the fence.
Patrol between hamlets and
village hqs. Serve as
reinforcement forces at
district and province level.
(Generally-perform same mission
as SDC and CG).
NOTE: This chart indicates both actual and
planned missions for paramilitary forces.
-5-
'
Strategic Hamlet Pro ram
Organization
Hamlet Militia
Self Defense Corps
Civil Guard
Civil Guard
Mission
Hamlet Level
Defend hamlets - inside
the fence.
Village Level
Patrol between hamlets and
village hqs. Platoon
normally stationed at
village level. Serve as.
reinforcement force to
hamlets.
District Level
2 Companies normally
stationed at district level.
Patrol between villages*
district hqs. Serve as
reinforcement force to
villages.
Province Level
2 Companies normally
stationed at province level.
Serve as reinforcement force
to district.
npclassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/31 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001900150079-2