316th division

The 316th division was a division of the Vietnam People's Army which fought in many battles, including the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. It was created in the Spring of 1951 and consisted of some 10,000 to 15,000 men. They received the Order of Ho Chi Minh in 1985.

First Indochina War

 * Battle of Mao Khe
 * Operation Lorraine
 * Battle of Dien Bien Phu, with commanding officer Colonel Lê Quang Ba
 * Many operations in Laos throughout the 1960s

Later wars

 * 1975: The division was the first to infiltrate the south after the Paris Peace Accords of 1973. It spearheaded Campaign 275 to take Ban Me Thuot.  It then participated in the Fall of Saigon, where it was part of the newly formed 3rd Corps.  The commanding officer was Senior Colonel Dam Van Nguy
 * The 1979 invasion of Lao Cai by the Chinese