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People's Liberation Army
Order of Battle

by Xinhui

Guangzhou Military Region (3/4)

41 Group Army (53010) Liuzhou /Guangxi

Category B;

Cmdr: Ou Jin-Cok Commissar Zhong Wei Xian.

Took part in 79 Sino-Vietnam war and fought the 1998 flood.

- 121 Motorized Infantry Division (53013) Guilin/Guangxi

Its 362 motorized infantry regiment is being reform as “reformed regiment” with organic tank support.

Part of 4th Field Army 41th Army Group during the Civil War

Received new unit designation in 1948.11Includes the Honored Heroic defense regiment of Tower Mountain (361 regiment) , its 3rd company is an honored Hero Company

364 is the honored “Expert and Brave Fighters Model Regiment"

- 123 Motorized Infantry Division (53023) Guigang/Guangxi

Its 368 motorized infantry regiment is being reform as “reformed regiment” with organic tank support.

Part of 4th Field Army 41th Army Group during the Civil War.

Received new unit designation in 1948.11Includes the Tower Mountain Hero Regiment and the Bai Taishan Hero Regiment (369 regiment).

During the battle of Tower Mountain, those regiments helped to destroy 6 Nationalist Divisions (100,000)men, Consider one of the greatest victory one sided victory of the Chinese Civil War. 1946 – 49.

The Current Vice Chairman of CMC Zhang Wannian was a member of the 367 regiment.

- 163 Motorized Infantry Division Guangxi

Its 489th motorized infantry regiment is being reform as “reformed regiment” with organic tank support.

Ex- 55 GA, transfer to 41 GA after disbands. Might already transfer to PAP.

- 164 Motorized Infantry Division / 164 Marine Brigade Suixi/Guangdong or Zhanjiang, Guangdong

Transferred to PLAN Marine, see the Marine section.

- 9 Armor Brigade (53063) Guilin, Guangxi

It was a division.

- Unidentified Artillery Brigade (53061)

- Unidentified AA Artillery Brigade (53062) Hunan

- Unidentified Engineering Regiment

Directory of PLA personalities 2000 edition

- Unidentified Transportation Regiment

- Unidentified Communication Regiment

- Unidentified River-Crossing Regiment (53701) Changshan, Hunan

Directory of PLA personalities 2000 edition.

- Unidentified NBC Battalion

42 Group Army (53200) Huizhou/Guangdong

Category B; Youngest of all PLA Group Armies, formed in 1948,

Cmdr Major General Ip Aiqun
Political Commissar Major General Deng Hanmin;
Deputy Cmdr Major General Luo Lai Sheng,
Deputy Political commissar Major General Yang Feng Hai;

The 42nd Group Army was formed after the anti-Japanese war, from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd independent divisions of the LiaoDong Military Region. It joined the China North Field Army as its 5th column in March 1948 with WanYi as its commander and Liu Xingyuan as its political commissar. The 5th column renamed as 42nd army and its 1st, 2nd and 3rd independent divisions were renamed as 12th, 14th, and 15th divisions in November of the same year.

It took part in the battles of Liaochen, Pingjin, Xinan and Mt Yuxi Funiu. After the Civil war, the 42nd ended in Heilongjiang province right next to the Sino-Soviet boarder, and prepare to state its new life as farmer-colonist of this remote area. The outbreak of the Korea war changed the plan. It was China North Field Army’s only mobile formation and it entered Korea in October 19, 1950.

The 42nd army took part in the 1st to 4th PVA Korea War battles, the Spring and Autumn Position Defense Battle of 1951, and the 1952 Spring and Summer Stubborn Trench Defensive Battle.

The Army returned China in October 1952 and became the first PLA unit to be equipped with all soviet equipment. It also took part in the 1979 Sino-Vietnam War.

- 124 Amphibious Mechanized Infantry Division (53203) Bolou/Guangdong or Boluo, Buangdong

Part of 4th Field Army 42th Army Group during the Civil War.

Received new unit designation in 1948.11Designated as one of the first PLA RDF; Took part in many Amphibious excise.

Renamed from light mechanized infantry division to Amphibious Mechanized Infantry Division in 2001.

372nd regiment’s 1st battalion is the honored as a Hero battalion, 4th company as the “Flood Fighting Hero Company”.

370 regiment’s 4th company is the honored as “Yan Taifeng Defense Company”

371st regiment’s 4th company is the 38th Parallel Hero Company.

The first PLA division to get amphibious wheeled APC/IFV is the 124th Division. After reequipment is complete, it will be renamed as a light mechanized infantry division.

Its 371 motorized infantry regiment is being reform as “reformed regiment” with organic tank support

370th, 371st, 372d Regts

- 126 Motorized Infantry Division

376th, 377th, 378th Regts

Part of 4th Field Army 42th Army Group during the Civil War.

Received new unit designation in 1948.11, transferred to PAP in 1996.

- 132 Motorized Infantry Division (53506) Huizhou

Its 396 motorized infantry regiment is being reform as “reformed regiment” with organic tank support.

Took part in many Amphibious excise.

- 163 (2) Motorized Infantry Division (reported Disband in 1999)

Part of 4th Field Army 48th Army Group during the Civil War.

Received new unit designation in 1948.11, as 144 ID, joined 55 FA in 1952, renamed as 163 ID (2) in 1969. Assigned to 42 GA in 1985.

387th regiment is the Red 1st regiment, transferred to HK Garrison Brigade. The Legendary Langya Shan (Mt. Wolf Teeth) 5 Heroes was Red 1st regiment’s 7th company 6th squad.

- 1 Digital Artillery Division (53802) at Qujing/Guangdong

Took part in many Amphibious excise, was North-Eastern Artillery group. One of the first units to enter the Korea War.

A PLA artillery division generally has three artillery regiments:

- One howitzer regiment.
- One rocket regiment (recent photo stated it is now equipped with the new long range A-100 MRL) (6-13-2002)
- One anti-tank regiment

Each regiment has 3 battalions, each with 18 guns/howitzers/rocket launchers, giving a total of 54.

The anti-tank regiment has anti-tank guns and ATGM. Recently, the type 120mm 89 SP-ATG has begun to equipment formations, greatly enhancing the fighting capabilities of the anti-tank regiment. Most nations have retired their SP-ATG, and yet the PLA has started to induct them in mass. This has puzzled many analysts.

SP-ATG’s main mission is not to fight another tanks, but to support infantry. It is much cheaper then a tank, and much lighter. It is thus well suited to South China’s terrain.

An artillery division’s guns have the same range as those of an artillery regiment or artillery brigade, i.e., 20 km+. But an artillery division has about 33% more firepower then an artillery brigade, and twice the firepower of an artillery regiment.

Since the 1990s, the 42nd GA’s Artillery Division is an all weather formation.

It is digitally linked to reconnaissance, artillery radar, laser range finder, reconnaissance e helicopter, HQ command vehicles, battalion commander, company commanders, and to all firing platforms.

- 9 light Armor Brigade (53263) Huadu/Guangdong

Took part in many Amphibious excises, including the one in 1996 mock attack against Taiwan.

2nd Tank Coy commander: Tang KaMing. PLAdaily 3-12-2002.

- Unidentified Anti-tank regiment

HJ-8E ATGM

- Unidentified AD Brigade (Chao Zhou)

HQ-7 SAM.
PLAdaily 7-22-02
Political Commissar ( Hu Yuliu)

- Unidentified Communication Regiment

Directory of PLA personalities 2000 edition

- Unidentified EW Battalion

- Unidentified Special Operations Unit

- Unidentified Transportation Regiment

- Unidentified Engineering Regiment /Guangzhou

- Unidentified River crossing regiment

based in Hunan Province. -- Andrew KC

- Unidentified NBC Regiment (54423) Shenzhen Guangdong

- Unidentified Recon Battalion

Was active in the Sino-Vietnam boarder.

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