Shmakalakan involvement in the Vietnam War

## 1963 to 1966

Shmakalakan Involvement in the Vietnam war began in 1963 when advisers were deployed to assist the South Vietnamese Forces along with Australians and Americans.

## Escalation

It became apparent by 1965 that the ARVN would be unable to win the war without further involvement from there allies. In 1965 ARVN request for additional support from its allies was rejected by Shmakalaka, however this decision was reversed shortly after. In January 1966 Shmakalaka began deploying ground forces as part of the newly created Shmakalakan Task Force or (STF), The STF operated for the most part by itself however was occasionally deployed alongside Australian, United States and ARVN troops, US Air Power was also called on. The Royal Shmakalakan Navy and the Royal Shmakalakan Air Force was also deployed to South East Asia.

## 1966 to 1972

In 1967 with the situation in Vietnam escalating the Shmakalakan, New Zealand and Australian Governments were in discussion about the creation of a joint command, the Commonwealth Command, as well as seeing about bringing other Commonwealth countries into the conflict. The Commonwealth command was active from mid 1967 till the end of 1972.

## Vietnamization and Withdrawl

By 1970 it became apparent that the US backed coalition would be unable to win the war in Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand were soon to be taken out of the conflict and Shmakalaka would follow suit, with the last ground troops departing the country in September 1972, with Special Forces remaining as well as advisers, elements of the Air Force and Artillery units remained in country till the end of 1972, by January 1973 all Shmakalakan personnel were out of the conflict, marking an end to Shmakalaka's 10 year involvement.

## Consequences

The Conflict divided opinion in the country and as the length of the war dragged on and the cost in terms of Shmakalakan lives lost grew the nation became ever increasingly hostile towards the conflict, by 1971 it was shown in a survey conducted by the Porto Azul Times that over 73% of the local population were against the conflict.

Shmakalakas 10 year involvement in Vietnam resulted in 519 Killed and 2479 Wounded making the 3rd worst conflict in terms of number of Shmakalakan's killed after the First World War and the Second World War. The conflict was also the longest until it was surpassed by Shmakalaka's involvement in Afghanistan in 2012.

With preventing a communist victory in Vietnam seeming unlikely by the turn of the decade, in 1971 Shmakalaka sent advisers to assist the Portuguese in the Angolan war of Independence, this was a result of Shmakalakas commitment to contain and prevent the expansion of communism throughout the world, Shmakalaka's involvement in Angola would come to an end in 1974.

## Order of Battle

### Shmakalakan Task Force (STF) 1966-1972

#### Infantry

--1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment (1966-67)

--2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment (1966-67, 1970-71) (AMAGLMATED STATES VOLS.)

--3rd Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Regiment (1966-67) (AMAGLMATED STATES VOLS.)

--1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Marine Regiment (1966-67, 1969-70)

--2nd Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Marine Regiment (1965-66, 1967-68, 1971-72)

--1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Airborne Regiment (1965-66, 1967-68, 1970-71)

--1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Highland Regiment (1966-67, 1970-71)

--1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Guards Regiment (1968-69)

--1st Infantry Battalion, Royal 1º Carabino Regiment (1969-70)

--1st Infantry Battalion, Royal Regiment of Ordenanças (1969-70)

-Special Air Service

--1st Squadron

--2nd Squadron

-Training Centres

--Royal Costa Dourado Regiment (CS Barracks)

--Royal Soresta Regiment (Soresta Barracks)

--Royal Hamilton Regiment (Hamilton Barracks)

--Royal Porto Azul Regiment (Porto Azul Barracks)

--Acula Island Barracks

--Relantors Barracks

#### Armour

-1st Armoured Regiment

--1st Squadron

--2nd Squadron

--3rd Squadron

-2nd Armoured Regiment

--1st Squadron

--2nd Squadron

--3rd Squadron

-1st Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Cavalry Regiment

--1st Squadron

--2nd Squadron

--3rd Squadron

-2nd Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Cavalry Regiment

--4th Squadron

--5th Squadron

--6th Squadron

#### Artillery

-1st (Medium) Artillery Regiment (1966-1969)

--14th Battery

--15th Battery

--16th Battery

-2nd (Light) Artillery Regiment (1966-1969)

--

--

--

-3rd (Light) Artillery Regiment (1969-1973)

--

--

--

-4th (Light) Artillery Regiment (1970-1972)

--

--

--

-5th (Medium) Artillery Regiment

--

--

--

#### Engineers

-14th Engineers Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Regiment

-11th Engineers Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Regiment

-9th Engineers Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Regiment

-2nd Engineers Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Regiment

-1st Engineers Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Engineers Regiment

#### Support

-1st Reconnaissance Company, Royal Shmakalakan Scouting Regiment

-1st Intelligence Company, Royal Shmakalakan Scouting Regiment

-1st Support Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Logistical Corps

-1st Logistics Battalion, Royal Shmakalakan Logistical Corps

-1st Medical Regiment

-2nd Medical Regiment

-1st Military Police Battalion

-OIS (Office of International Services) and SIFA (Shmakalakan Internal Federal Agency)

## Company Breakdown

Rifle Company
* Company Headquarters
	+ Company Commander (Commanding Officer/CO) – Captain (O-3)
	+ Executive Officer (XO) – usually a First Lieutenant (O-2)
	+ First Sergeant (1stSgt, E-8)
	+ Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt, E-7)
	+ Property NCO (Sgt, E-5)
	+ Messenger/Driver (Pvt-LCpl, E-1/3)
* Rifle Platoon (3)
	+ Platoon Headquarters
		- Platoon Commander – Lieutenant (O-1/2)
		- Platoon Sergeant – Staff Sergeant (E-6)
		- Platoon Guide – Sergeant (E-5)
		- Messenger – (Pvt-LCpl, E-1/3)
	+ Rifle Squad (3)
		- Squad Leader – Sergeant (E-5)
		- Fire Team (3)
			* Team Leader/Grenadier – Corporal (E-4)
			* Automatic Rifleman – Lance Corporal (E-3)
			* Assistant Automatic Rifleman – (Pvt-LCpl, E-1/3)
			* Rifleman/Scout – (Pvt-LCpl, E-1/3)
* Weapons Platoon
	+ Platoon Headquarters
		- Platoon Commander – usually a First Lieutenant (O-2)
		- Platoon Sergeant – Gunnery Sergeant (E-7)
	+ Machine Gun Section (6 – M240G 7.62mm general-purpose machine guns)
		- Section Leader – Staff Sergeant (E-6)
		- Machine Gun Squad (3)
			* Squad Leader – Sergeant (E-5)
			* Machine Gun Team (2)
				+ Team Leader – Corporal (E-4)
				+ Gunner – Lance Corporal (E-3)
				+ Ammunition Man – (Pvt-LCpl, E-1/3)
	+ LWCMS Mortar Section (3 – M224 60mm Light Weight Company Mortar Systems)
		- Section Leader – Staff Sergeant (E-6)
		- Mortar Squad (3)
			* Squad Leader/Gunner – Corporal (E-4)
			* Assistant Gunner – Lance Corporal (E-3)
			* Ammunition Man (2) – (Pvt-LCpl, E-1/3)
	+ Assault Section (6 – Mk153 SMAW Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon launchers)
		- Section Leader – Sergeant (E-5)
		- Assault Squad (3)
			* Squad Leader/Team Leader/Gunner – Corporal (E-4)
			* Team Leader/Gunner – Lance Corporal (E-3)
			* Assistant Gunner (2) – (Pvt-LCpl, E-1/3)

Company made of 4 **platoons** and a headquarters section. There were **three** rifle squads in each platoon, a mortar squad in each platoon, and a machine gun attached to each rifle squad

example of above.... for ww2 e company

## Commonwealth Division

Australian, New Zealand and Shmakalakan commands and governments were in talks of unifying efforts into a commonwealth division.