22nd Division (South Vietnam)

The 22nd Division  of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)&mdash;the army of the nation state of South Vietnam that existed from 1955 to 1975&mdash;was part of the II Corps that oversaw the region of the central highlands north of the capital Saigon. The 22nd Division was based in Ba Gi near the south central coast. The Division was initially raised as the 2nd Light and 4th Light Divisions in 1955. The 4th Light Division was renamed the 14th Light Division in 1956. Both were combined to become the 4th Infantry Division, which was later renamed the 22nd Division in 1959.

The Division was comprised on the following:

Division HQ

40th Regiment

42nd Regiment

47th Regiment

1 Battalion of 155mm artillery

3 Battalions of 105mm artillery

1 Battalion of Sapper/Engineers

North Vietnamese armoured units equipped with the T-54 tank achieved one of their greatest victories in April 1972, when the PAVN 203rd Armored Regiment attacked the ARVN 22nd Infantry Division at Tan Canh, which dominated a main route into the city of Kontum. After a two-day artillery barrage, eighteen T-54 tanks from the 203rd regiment attacked the 22nd Division at dawn from two directions, breaking the ARVN unit, which quickly abandoned its positions.