# Battle of Dien Bien Phu order of battle

This is a list of units and commands that took part in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu during the First Indochina War, with the major commands that took part in operations.

## Operational Group North-West (GONO)
### Command

| Group | Commander | Main units |
| Operational Group North-West (GONO) | Colonel Christian de Castries | |
| Group Mobile 6 (GM 6) | Lieutenant Colonel André Lalande | 3/3 REI 2/1 RTA 5/7 RTA |
| Group Mobile 9 (GM 9) | Lieutenant Colonel Jules Gaucher | 1/13 DBLE 3/13 DBLE 1/2 REI 3/3 RTA |
| 2nd Airborne Brigade (GAP 2) | Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Langlais | 1 BEP 8 BPC 5 BPVN |
| Artillery | Colonel Charles Piroth | |

### Infantry

| Unit | Commander | Position |
| 1st Battalion/13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (1/13 DBLE) | Major de Brinon/Major Robert Coutant | Claudine |
| 3rd Battalion/13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (3/13 DBLE) | Major Paul Pégot | Béatrice |
| 1st Battalion/2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (1/2 REI) | Major Clémençon | Huguette |
| 3rd Battalion/3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3/3 REI) | Major Henri Grand d'Esnon | Isabelle |
| 2nd Battalion/1st Algerian Rifle Regiment (2/1 RTA) | Capitaine Jean Sallot des Noyers; Capitaine Pierre Jeancenelle | Isabelle |
| 3rd Battalion/3rd Algerian Rifle Regiment (3/3 RTA) | Capitaine Jean Garandeau | Dominique |
| 5th Battalion/7th Algerian Rifle Regiment (5/7 RTA) | Major Roland de Mecquenem | Gabrielle |
| 1st Battalion/4th Moroccan Rifle Regiment (1/4 RTM) | Major Jean Nicolas | Eliane |
| 2nd Tai Battalion (BT 2) | Major Maurice Chenel | Eliane |
| 3rd Tai Battalion (BT 3) | Major Léopold Thimonnier | Anne-Marie |

### Parachute Infantry

| Unit | Commander |
| 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion (1st BEP) | Major Maurice Guiraud |
| 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion (2nd BEP) | Major Hubert Liesenfelt |
| 1st Colonial Parachute Battalion (1st BPC) | Capitaine Guy Bazin de Bezon |
| 6th Colonial Parachute Battalion (6th BPC) | Major Marcel Bigeard |
| 8th Shock Parachute Battalion (8th BPC) | Major Pierre Tourret |
| 5th Vietnamese Parachute Battalion (5th BPVN) | Capitaine André Botella |
| 2nd Battalion/1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment (II/1RCP) | Major Jean Bréchignac |

### Armoured Cavalry

| Unit | Commander | Tank | Position |
| 3rd Squadron/1st Light Horse Regiment (3/1 RCC) | Capitaine Yves Hervouët | M24 Chaffee (x10) | Claudine Isabelle |

### Artillery

| Unit | Commander | - | Position |
| 2nd Group/4th Colonial Artillery Regiment (II/4 RAC) | Major Guy Knecht | HM2 105 mm howitzer (x12) | Dominique |
| 3rd Group/10th Colonial Artillery Regiment (III/10 RAC) | Major Alliou | HM2 105 mm howitzer (x12) | Isabelle Claudine |
| 11th Battery/4th Group/4th Colonial Artillery Regiment (11/IV/4 RAC) | Capitaine Déal | HM1 155 mm howitzer (x4) | Claudine |
| Platoon/1st Colonial Far East Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group (I GAACEO) | Lieutenant Paul Redon | Quad-50 M2 0.50cal MG (x4) | Epervier |
| 1st Foreign Composite Heavy Mortar Company (1 CMMLE) | Lieutenant René Colcy | 120 mm mortar (x8) | Claudine |
| 2nd Foreign Composite Heavy Mortar Company (2 CMMLE) | Lieutenant Fetter | 120 mm mortar (x8) | Gabrielle Anne-Marie |
| 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company (1 CEPML) | Lieutenant Paul Turcy | 120 mm mortar (x12) | Claudine Dominique |

### Engineers

| Unit | Commander |
| 31st Engineer Battalion (31 BG) | Major André Sudrat/Major Maurice Durieux |

### Service Units

| Unit | Commander |
| 2nd Company/822nd Signals Battalion (2/822 BT) | – |
| 2nd Company/823rd Signals Battalion (2/823 BT) | – |
| 342nd Parachute Signals Company (342 CPT) | – |
| 2nd Platoon/5th Foreign Legion Medium Repair Company (2/5 CRMLE) | Lieutenant Bugeat |
| 3rd Ammunition Resupply Company (detachment) (3 CM) | Sous Lieutenant Léonard |
| 730th Fuel Resupply Company (detachment) (730 CR) | – |
| 712th Traffic Company (712 CCR) | – |
| 3rd General Staff Transport Company (3 CTQG) | – |
| 1st Exploitation Group (Quartermaster Corps) (GEO 1) | – |
| 3rd Marching Battalion/Republican Guard Mobile Gendarmerie (detachment) (3 LM/GRGM) | – |
| 403rd Military Post Office (403 BPM) | – |

### Medical Service Units

| Unit | Commander |
| 29th Mobile Surgical Team (ACM 29) | Major Paul Grauwin |
| 44th Mobile Surgical Team (ACM 44) | Lieutenant Jacques Gindrey |
| 3rd Parachute Surgical Team (ACP 3) | Lieutenant Louis Résillot |
| 5th Parachute Surgical Team (ACP 5) | Capitaine Ernest Hantz |
| 6th Parachute Surgical Team (ACP 6) | Lieutenant Jean Vidal |

### Intelligence

| Unit | Commander |
| 8th Commando Group/Mixed Intervention Group (GC 8/GMI) | Capitaine Hébert |
| Operations-Patrols Detachment (DOP) | – |

### Air Force

| Unit | Commander | Aircraft |
| Airfield Control Post 'Torri Rouge' (PCIA) | Major Jacques Guérin | |
| Fighter Squadron 1/22 'Saintonge' | Capitaine Claude Payen | F8F-1 Bearcat (x6) |
| 21st Artillery Air Observation Squadron (GAOA 21) | Lieutenant Asselineau | MS-500 Criquet |
| 1st Light Medical Evacuation Company (1 CLES) | – | Sikorsky H-19 S-55 |
| 21/374th Air Force Signals Company (CT 21/374) | – | |
| 195th Air Base Detachment (DB 195) | – | |
| Air Force Marching Company | Capitaine Jean Charnod | |

## Air Units Support
### Air Force

| Unit | Aircraft | Base |
| Fighter Squadron 2/22 'Languedoc' | F8F-1 Bearcat | Haiphong (Cat Bi) |
| Bomber Squadron 1/19 'Gascogne' | B-26 Invader | Haiphong (Cat Bi) |
| Bomber Squadron 1/25 'Tunisie' | B-26 Invader | Haiphong (Cat Bi) |
| Transport Squadron 2/62 'Franche-Comté' | Dakota DC-3 | Hanoi (Bach Mai Airfield) |
| Transport Squadron 2/63 'Sénégal' | Dakota DC-3 | Hanoi (Gia Lam) |
| Transport Squadron 1/64 'Béarn' | Dakota DC-3 | Hanoi (Gia Lam) |
| Transport Squadron 2/64 'Anjou' | Dakota DC-3 | Hanoi (Bach Mai) |
| 23rd Artillery Air Observation Squadron (GAOA 23) | MS-500 Criquet | Muong Sai |
| 80th Overseas Reconnaissance Squadron (EROM 80) | RF-8F Bearcat (reco) B-26C Invader (reco) | Hanoi (Bach Mai) |
| 52nd Air Liaison Squadron (ELA 52) | Sikorsky H-19 S-55 | Biên Hòa |
| 53rd Air Liaison Squadron (ELA 53) | Sikorsky H-19 S-55 | Hanoi (Gia Lam) |

### Naval Air Arm

| Unit | Aircraft | Base |
| 3rd Carrier Attack Squadron (3F) | SB2C-5 Helldiver | Carrier Arromanches (Tourane) Hanoi (Bach Mai) |
| 11th Carrier Fighter Squadron (11F) | F6F-5 Hellcat | Carrier Arromanches (Tourane) Hai Phong (Cat Bi) |
| 14th Carrier Fighter Squadron (14F) | F4U-7 Corsair AU-1 Corsair | Carrier Bois Belleau (Halong Bay) Hanoi (Bach Mai) |
| 28th Bomber Squadron (28F) | PB4Y Privateer | Hai Phong (Cat Bi) |

### U.S. Central Intelligence Agency

| Unit | Aircraft | Base | Pilots |
| Civil Air Transport (CAT) | Dakota DC-3 C-119 Flying Boxcar | Hai Phong (Cat Bi) | 37 |

## Việt Minh
### Command

| | Commander | Position |
| Vietnam People's Army (VPA) | General Võ Nguyên Giáp | Muong Phang |

### Infantry

| Unit | Commander | Notes |
| Division 304 (less) Title: Vinh Quang (Glory) Codename: 'Nam Định' | Commissar Le Chuong Chief of Staff: Nam Long |
| Infantry regiment 9 | Tran Thanh Tu | Infantry battalions 353, 375, 400 |
| Infantry regiment 57 | Nguyen Can | Infantry battalions 265, 346, 418 |
| Division 308 Title: Quan Tien Phong (Vanguard) Codename: 'Việt Bắc' | Colonel Vuong Thua Vu Commissar Song Hao |
| Infantry regiment 36 Title: Bac Bac Alias: Sa Pa | Pham Hong Son | Infantry battalions 80, 84, 89 |
| Infantry regiment 88 Title: Tu Vu Alias: Tam Dao | Nam Ha | Infantry battalions 22, 29, 322 |
| Infantry regiment 102 Title: Thu Do (Capital) Alias: Ba Vi | Nguyen Hung Sinh | Infantry battalions 18, 59, 79 |
| Division 312 Title: Chien Thang (Victory) Codename: 'Bến Tre' | Colonel Lê Trọng Tấn Commissar Tran Do |
| Infantry regiment 141 Title: Ba Vi | Quang Tuyen | Infantry battalions 11, 16, 428 |
| Infantry regiment 165 Title: Lao Ha Yen, Thanh Dong Bien Gioi Alias: Dong Trieu | Le Thuy | Infantry battalions 115, 542, 564 |
| Infantry regiment 209 Title: Song Lo | Hoang Cam | Infantry battalions 130, 154, 166 |
| Division 316 Alias: Biên Hòa | Colonel Le Quang Ba Commissar Chu Huy Man |
| Infantry regiment 98 | Vu Lang | Infantry battalions 215, 439, 938 |
| Infantry regiment 174 Title: Cao Bac Lang Alias: Sóc Trăng | Nguyễn Hữu An | Infantry battalions 249, 251, 255 |
| Infantry regiment 176 | | Infantry battalions 888, 910, 999 |

### Artillery

| Unit | Commander | Notes |
| Artillery-Engineer Division 351 Alias:Long Chau | Dao Van Truong Commissar Pham Ngoc Mau |
| Artillery Regiment 45 Title:Tat Thang (Inevitable Victory) | Nguyen Huu My | 24 M101 105mm howitzers 632nd artillery battalion (12 M101 105mm howitzers) 954th artillery battalion (12 M101 105mm howitzers) |
| Artillery Regiment 675 Title:Anh Dung (Valiant) | Doan Tue | 20 Type-41 75mm mountain guns 16 M1938 120mm mortars 175th mountain gun battalion 275th mountain gun battalion 83rd mortar battalion |
| AAA Regiment 367 (less) | Le Van Tri | 2 AAA battalions (12 M1939 37mm AA guns each) |
| Heavy Weapon Regiment 237 | | Mortar battalion 413(54 M-37 82mm mortars) H6 rocket battalion (12 Chinese six-barrel 75 mm H6 rocket launchers) 75 mm recoilless gun battalion |
| Engineer Regiment 151 | Pham Hoang |