43rd Infantry Regiment - TRUNG ĐOÀN 43

43rd Infantry Regiment patch, silk woven, RVNHS Archive.

 

                 The 43rd Infantry Regiment was first known as the 404th Regiment of the 5th Light Division. It was formed on August 1, 1955, and first raised at Ninh Hoa. The regiment was re-designated the 43rd Regiment when it was transferred to the 23rd Division. When the 23rd Division was relocated, the 43rd Regiment was separated from the division, and made an independent regiment, before later being assigned to the 18th Division. '

Soldiers of the 43rd being decorated by the then 18th Division commander,

General Lam Quang Tho, 1970s, RVNHS Archive.

       The 43rd Infantry Regiment remained with the 18th Division through 1975. The 43rd participated in every major engagement of the division, including at Xuan Loc in 1975. The 43rd suffered great losses as it fought to delay the Communist forces heading towards Saigon. By making the stand at Xuan Loc, the 43rd Infantry Regiment was one of the units that sacrificed itself, so that others may have time to escape the coming Communist invasion. Nearly all members of the 43rd Infantry Regiment, including the unit's commander, Nguyen Ba Manh Hung, were either killed or captured. In this posting, RVNHS would like to highlight the history of the 43rd Infantry Regiment by sharing some photographs from the RVNHS Archive.

General Lam Quang Tho decorating soldiers of the 43rd,

regimental commander Nguyen Ba Manh Hung can be seen in center,

1970s, RVNHS Archive.

Officers of the 43rd Infantry Regiment in Cambodia,

(unit commander Nguyen Ba Manh Hung - fourth from left),

January 17, 1971, RVNHS Archive.

Officers and soldiers of the 43rd Infantry Regiment in Cambodia

enjoying a performance for morale boosting,

(unit commander Nguyen Ba Manh Hung - second from right)

January 17, 1971, RVNHS Archive.

Officers of the 43rd with General Lam Quang Tho standing at attention

during an awards ceremony (unidentified US general in the background),

1970s, RVNHS Archive.

 

Soldiers of the 43rd being decorated by General Lam Quang Tho,

1970s, RVNHS Archive.

Soldiers of the 43rd being decorated by General Lam Quang Tho,

1970s, RVNHS Archive.