What were the US Advisers in Vietnam composed of (pre-1964)?

Keith -- the Second Indochina war lasted 21 and a half years, from May 1954 (the date most historians use) until 4 December 1975 when the Pathet Lao took Vientiane, Laos. The other date used for the start is 1 November 1955 when the first US advisers were sent to Vietnam.

The war did not end when Saigon fell to the PAVN/NLF on 30 April, 1975 nor when the anti-Lon Nol forces took Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 15 April, 1975. The US Marines attacked the Khmer Rouge at Kompong Som in May 1975 during the Mayaguez Incident and several marines were killed.

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The US had the air force flying combat missions from late 1960 onwards and the US navy was operational in the area from 1954 onwards but not engaged in any combat until late 1960 early 1961.

This is cross-posted from History, but there are a number of people here who probably don't read the History section who might be of help.

I know that the United States sent many military advisers to support South Vietnam prior to 1964, under MACG and MACV.

I know their approximate strength, and that there were many soldiers attacked to ARVN battalions to help train South Vietnamese soldiers.

However, what I'm looking for is information on just how many of these men were doing what, at various times, and what other military support the US was giving to South Vietnam prior to the Gulf of Tonkin incident.

For example, how many US soldiers were in Vietnam training ARVN soldiers in the field? How many were conducting operations on their own (if any)? How many were technical advisers, teaching South Vietnamese how to maintain or operate special equipment? How many American aircraft and their operations and support personnel were based in Vietnam? Artillery? How many personnel were in a staff role, coordinating the activities of these American personnel?

I guess the key date would be Kennedy's assassination, but other dates are good, too. I really just want to know the extent of American military support for South Vietnam prior to our sending in large numbers of combat troops and the war escalating.

There were Special Forces and Marine advisers. As usual, the Marine Corps takes the back seat to the Army because of its smaller numbers. The Vietnamese Marines were officially formed in 1954 after the French were defeated. They were trained by US Marines and held many of US Marine values. They did not surrender. Their loyalty was tattooed on their bodies, if they were taken prisoner they were tortured an executed.

There were few US Marine advisers and few Vietnamese Marines. Viet Marines were a very effective and feared fighting unit. Unlike ARVN they never ran from battle and they never surrendered.

I remember back then there were complaints that those advisers were ordered to not fire on those who fired on them. Most accounts say there were 16,000 advisers there then. JFK was about to pull them out before he was killed. LBJ then sent 550,000 US troops to Vietnam. We were losing 20 to 40 US troops a day, as a result, LBJ said he would not accept his parties nomination for a 2nd term as president.

Most of the problem why we were losing troops so quickly was because the Pentagon and the White House insisted on micro-managing the war, rarely giving generals in 'nam much control.

In 8 years we lost 58,000 US troops there, 20 a day average. All to stop the spread of communism which took control of Vietnam literally on our heels as we were pulling out in 1975.

The CIA. Dummy, with some French Mercinary;s

Regardless of people here who probably don't read the History section who might be of help...

I think this is in the wrong category. Should be in history. Please repost your question in the correct category.

Ho Chi Minh began supplying and supporting communists in the south.

People like you should die.