Cambodian Para-Commando Battalion
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Cambodian Para-Commando Battalion Bataillon de Commandos Parachutistes | |
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Active | March 1972 - March 1975 |
Country | Cambodia |
Allegiance | Khmer Republic |
Branch | Cambodian Army |
Type | Special operations force |
Role | Airborne force Counter-insurgency Direct Action Jungle warfare Raiding Reconnaissance Special operations Special reconnaissance Unconventional Warfare |
Size | 400-500 (at height) |
Part of | Khmer National Armed Forces |
Headquarters | Pochentong Airborne Base, Phnom Penh |
Nickname(s) | BCP (PCB in English) |
Engagements | Fall of Phnom Penh |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | (unknown) |
The Cambodian Para-Commando Battalion (French: Bataillon de Commandos Parachutistes – BCP) was one of the main elite military units of the Cambodian Army (French: Armée Nationale Khmère – ANK), part of the Khmer National Armed Forces (French: Forces Armées Nationales Khmères – FANK), which fought in the final phase of the Cambodian Civil War of 1970-75.
Origins[]
The BCP had its origins in a 60-man contingent sent by the ANK Command in March 1972 to Indonesia to attend the Para-Commando course at the Airborne Commando School, near Bandung in West Java.[1] A significant number of the contingent was made of recruits drawn from the Muslim Cham ethnic minority of Cambodia. After a nine-month course conducted by Indonesian Kopassus instructors, the contingent returned to Phnom Penh in November 1972. Upon their return, however, two dozen of its members were posted to the ANK's , a predominantly Muslim formation; the remaining 36 Cham graduates were assigned to a ceremonial unit allocated in the Cambodian Capital until 1974.
Operations[]
They were then used as the cadre for the BCP and in March 1975, loosely under assignment to the Khmer Special Forces, the Para-Commandos were sent to man the defensive perimeter north-west of Phnom Penh.[2][3]
Weapons and equipment[]
The BCP employed the standard weaponry and equipment of US origin issued to all ANK formations, though it remains unclear if they ever used captured Soviet or Chinese small-arms like other Cambodian elite units.
- Belgium FN GP35 Pistols
- United States Colt.45 M1911A1 Pistols
- United States Smith & Wesson Model 39 Pistols
- United States Smith & Wesson Model 10 Revolver
- United States CAR-15 Assault carbine
- United States M16A1 Assault rifle
- United States M1918A2 BAR Light machine gun
- United States Browning M1919A4 .30 Cal Medium machine gun
- United States Browning M2HB .50 Cal Heavy machine gun
- United States M79 grenade launcher
- United States M72 LAW Anti-tank rocket launcher
- United States M19 Mortar 60 mm
- United States M29 Mortar 81 mm
- United States M18 Claymore anti-personnel mines
See also[]
Notes[]
References[]
- Kenneth Conboy, FANK: A History of the Cambodian Armed Forces, 1970-1975, Equinox Publishing (Asia) Pte Ltd, Djakarta 2011. ISBN 978-979-3780-86-3
- Kenneth Conboy, Kenneth Bowra, and Mike Chappell, The War in Cambodia 1970-75, Men-at-arms series 209, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1989. ISBN 0-85045-851-X
- Kenneth Conboy and Simon McCouaig, South-East Asian Special Forces, Elite series 33, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1991. ISBN 1-85532-106-8
External links[]
- Military history of Cambodia
- Special forces of Cambodia
- Military units and formations disestablished in 1975