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57-595: The Royal Lao Government was the ruling authority in the Kingdom of Laos from 1947 until the communist seizure of power in December 1975 and the proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic . The Franco-Lao Treaty of 1953 gave Laos full independence but the following years were marked by a rivalry between the neutralists under Prince Souvanna Phouma , the right wing under Prince Boun Oum of Champassak , and

114-518: A French-style Beige-Khaki service uniform or Sailor suit , consisting of a Navy jumper (or pullover shirt) and trousers flared as "bell bottoms". A French-style Navy blue striped long sleeve T-shirt was worn under the jumper. For formal occasions, Laotian Navy officers retained the earlier ANL white summer cotton full dress, which consisted of a French-style eight-buttoned tunic with a standing collar and two built-in side pockets closed by straight flaps, worn with matching white slacks. The tunic's front fly

171-551: A Navy blue Sailor suit as their overseas service uniform. MRL personnel also began to wear U.S.-supplied OG 107 jungle fatigues, standard issue in the FAR; Thai and South Vietnamese versions, as well as Laotian-made copies were also worn. All these variants of the OG-107 fatigues often featured modifications to the original design such as shirts with shoulder straps and pockets closed by dual-buttoned straight flaps or pen pockets added on

228-482: A gilt metal cap badge featuring a anchor superimposed on a spinning Buddhist "Wheel of Law" ( Chakra ) whose design recalled a circular saw . French M1946 and M1957 light khaki sidecaps ( Bonnet de police de toile kaki clair Mle 1946 and Bonnet de police de toile kaki clair Mle 1957 ) were also worn by all-ranks. A French-style Navy blue Sailor cap ( Bachi ) with a distinctive scarlet red pompom on top and an inscribed black silk ribbon ( tally ) tied around

285-750: A major FAR military base in the southern outskirts of the Laotian capital, whose facilities also housed the main repair yard, the Fleet Command and the Independent Directorate of Laotian River Transports ( Régie Autonome des Transports Fluviaux du Laos – RATFL), which handled military logistics and monotorized commercial shipping along the Mekong river . By April 1975 Royal Lao Navy strength peaked at 500 Ratings and enlisted men led by Commander Tiao Sinthanavong Kindavong , who manned

342-571: A new set of distinctive uniforms was introduced for the MRL in the early 1960s. Senior officers and petty officers were given a Navy blue overseas service uniform, which consisted of a double-breasted reefer jacket with a double row of six gilt metal buttons bearing the Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR) wreathed "Vishnu" trident, and was worn with a white shirt and Navy blue tie, completed with matching Navy blue trousers. Enlisted ranks received

399-839: A page from the Royal Thai Navy , the MRL was tasked with augmenting the Laotian Royal Guard; when the Laotian King Savang Vatthana was in residence at his Palace in Luang Phrabāng , eight MRL sailors on guard duty were split among the Palace's four entrances. During the King's official trips around the country, 31 guards from the MRL were among his bodyguard detail. In November 1972, the MRL carried out its third and final combat operation, when it

456-685: A program to support the local currency, the kip . King Savang Vatthana visited the United States in 1963 to meet with President Kennedy . Laos was also supported by France , Australia , Burma , Thailand and Japan . In 1960, amidst a series of rebellions, fighting broke out between the Royal Lao Army and the Soviet Union -backed, communist Pathet Lao , a second Provisional Government of National Unity formed by Prince Souvanna Phouma in 1962 proved to be unsuccessful, and

513-728: A re-education camp in Sam Neua . All former MRL assets – including the handful of vessels that were still operable – were seized by the Pathet Lao government and repurposed to equip the new Lao People's Navy (LPN). The MRL, along with the Royal Lao Air Force (RLAF) and the Royal Lao Army (RLA), was subordinated to the Ministry of Defence in Vientiane ; its administrative headquarters was allocated at Camp Chinaimo ,

570-511: A simple metal circle bearing a fouled anchor, issued in gilt metal for officers. A miniature pin-on silver metal version of the FAR cap badge edged scarlet red was worn placed on the front panel of OG baseball caps by both Ratings and enlisted ranks. The steel helmet models worn by Laotian Navy vessel crews in the mid-1950s were the WWII-vintage U.S. M-1 or the newer French M1951 NATO ( Casque Mle 1951 OTAN ) models, standard issue in

627-559: A single river flotilla totalling 42 light vessels, divided since the mid-1950s into a patrol squadron ( Escadrille Fluviale du Haut Mekong – EFHM) and a squadron-sized transport section ( Séction de Transports Fluviaux du Laos – STFL). Throughout its existence, the MRL received technical and training assistance mainly from France and the United States , who also supplied river patrol boats and transportation craft to equip their patrol and transport squadrons respectively. Most of

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684-411: A unique Beige - Khaki service uniform of French pattern, which consisted of a double-breasted reefer jacket ( Vareuse ) with open collar and lapels, and featuring two internal skirt pockets with external flaps. The jacket had a double row of six gilt metal anchor motif buttons, and was worn with a white shirt and black tie, completed with matching Beige-Khaki trousers. Enlisted personnel also received

741-826: Is a landlocked country , the new ANL River Squadron was provided at the time with eleven ex- French Navy FOM escort crafts, which had seen service during the First Indochina War , ten Mytho - class flat-bottomed wooden boats and six outboard canoes for light transportation duties. Initially headquartered at the French Air Force 's Wattay Airbase near Vientiane , with small elements stationed in Savannakhet and Pakse , EFL strength in 1952 stood at just 80 all-ranks, including three French naval officers, three ANL officers, five French senior Petty Officers and 18 ANL Non-commissioned officers (NCOs). Most of

798-605: The French Far East Naval Forces ( Forces Maritimes en Extrême-Orient – FMEO) of the First Indochina War , and even after the United States took the role as the main foreign sponsor for the Royal Laotian Armed Forces at the beginning of the 1960s, French military influence was still perceptible in their uniforms and insignia. Upon the formation of the MRL at the early 1950s, Laotian naval senior officers and petty officers adopted

855-584: The French Navy pattern . Junior officers ( Officiers supérieurs et officiers subalternes ) and petty officers' ( Officiers mariniers ) ranks were worn on black removable shoulder boards ( pattes d'épaule ) or shoulder strap slides ( passants d'épaule ) similar to the Army pattern, with the addition of a fouled anchor on the inner end. NCOs and enlisted men ( Quartier-maîtres et matelots ) wore metal or cloth chevrons on both upper sleeves or pinned to

912-474: The French Union and a federation with the rest of French Indochina , the 1953 Franco-Lao Treaty finally established a sovereign, independent Laos, but did not stipulate who would rule the country. In the years that followed, three groups, led by the so-called Three Princes , contended for power: the neutralists under Prince Souvanna Phouma , the right-wing party under Prince Boun Oum of Champassak, and

969-649: The International Agreement on the Neutrality of Laos in 1962. The Royalist defeat at the Battle of Luang Namtha weakened their bargaining position so that they agreed to the coalition. After the communist takeover in 1975, the communist Pathet Lao government killed members of the Royal Lao family, including: Kingdom of Laos Given self-rule with the new Constitution in 1947 as part of

1026-612: The Paris Peace Accords between the United States and North Vietnam. In April 1974, another Provisional Government of National Unity was established, with Prince Souvanna Phouma as Prime Minister. However, by this time, Pathet Lao forces controlled large areas of the country, and following the fall of Saigon and Phnom Penh to communist forces in April 1975, removed any chances of a coalition government forming in Laos. Following

1083-764: The Royal Lao Armed Forces (FAR), the official military of the Royal Lao Government and the Kingdom of Laos during the Laotian Civil War between 1960 and 1975. The Laotian Navy ( Marine Laotiènne ) was first formed on August 1, 1952, as the "naval" wing of the Laotian National Army (ANL) and designated the Lao River Squadron ( Escadrille Fluviale Lao – EFL) or River Squadron ( Escadrille Fluviale ) for short. An exclusively brown-water force since Laos

1140-580: The United States , which gave the country aid and assisted it in the campaign against the Pathet Lao and the North Vietnamese Communist movement. During 1957, the United States spent more per capita on foreign aid for Laos than it had on any other nation. That worked out as US$ 150 per Laotian, twice the average person's annual income. Some of the money went to support pro-American candidates in an election, while other money went to

1197-568: The World War II U.S. Army tropical "Chino" working dress was also issued. While the cut of the matching khaki trousers was virtually identical to the Navy pattern, the shirt had two patch breast pockets closed by clip-cornered straight flaps and shoulder straps. In alternative, the short-sleeved M1946 ( Chemisette kaki clair Mle 1946 ) – whose cut was almost identical to the M1948 variant – and

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1254-451: The "Chino"-style M1949 ( Chemisette kaki clair Mle 1949 ) khaki shirts could be worn with the matching M1946 khaki shorts ( Culotte courte kaki clair Mle 1946 ) in hot weather. On active service, Laotian Navy boat crewmen wore French all-arms M1947 drab green fatigues ( Treillis de combat Mle 1947 ), standard issue in the FAL in the 1950s. Reflecting the increasing American influence,

1311-413: The 1960s and early 1970s, a wide range of OG Boonie hats and baseball caps from the United States, South Vietnam and Thailand were adopted by MRL Ratings and enlisted men. The RLA general service beret made of scarlet red wool was also adopted by some MRL officers. It was worn pulled to the left in typical French fashion with the standard MRL beret badge placed above the right eye, which consisted of

1368-691: The ANL, the fledgling Laotian Navy soon found itself involved in the political turmoil that engulfed the Kingdom of Laos in the early 1960s. During Major general Phoumi Nosavan November 1960 counter-coup against Captain Kong Le 's rebel Neutralist airborne units , four pro-Neutralist Laotian Navy river gunboats blocked the Mekong River at Ban Sot in an effort to halt the advance northwards from Savannakhet of Maj. Gen. Nosavan's rebel troops towards Vientiane . Other Laotian Naval units however, supported

1425-595: The ANL. In the later 1960s, the MRL standardized on the M-1 1964 model provided with the U.S. Army Mitchell "Clouds" camouflage pattern cover (usually removed on the field), though many boat crewmen retained the older American and French steel helmets throughout the War. Brown low laced leather shoes were prescribed to wear with the Laotian Navy Beige-Khaki service/work uniform for all-ranks and white ones with

1482-470: The Beige-Khaki service dress and the white high-collared full dress uniforms, respectively, and later with the Navy blue overseas service uniform. The peaked caps were worn with a gold wreathed fouled anchor embroidered on black, set on a black round-shaped background patch based on the standard French Navy cap badge. After September 1961 , the MRL replaced the earlier wreathed fouled anchor badge with

1539-639: The Cabinet, and in return Souphanouvong would integrate 1,500 of his 6,000 Communist troops into the royal army. Prince Souphanouvong was given the post of Minister of Planning, Reconstruction and Urbanization, while another member of the Communist Party was named Minister of Religion and Fine Arts. The legislature of the Kingdom was bicameral. The Kingdom of Laos was divided into five military regions. The Royal Lao Armed Forces were responsible for

1596-887: The Laotian EFL junior ranks were immediately sent for four months of riverine training in Saigon , South Vietnam , manned by French Officers and senior Petty Officers seconded from the naval forces component of the French Far East Expeditionary Corps (CEFEO). In July 1959 the ANL River Flotilla was re-designated Laotian Navy and became an independent branch, now part of the newly created Laotian Armed Forces ( Forces Armées Laotiennes – FAL), renamed Royal Lao Armed Forces ( Forces Armées du Royaume – FAR) in September 1961. Like

1653-570: The Laotian Navy river assets were stationed permanently at Chinaimo Naval Base, with secondary riverine stations set along the Mekong at Luang Prabang , Pak Lay , Thakhek , Savannakhet , Paksé and Khong Island . Besides its tiny surface fleet, the MRL was also unique in its genre for not maintaining a permanent Naval Infantry branch or even specialist combat diver / Marine Commando units. The Laotian Navy owed its origin and traditions to

1710-586: The MRL adopted as regulation footwear black leather combat boots – the early U.S. Army M-1962 "McNamara" model and the later M-1967, together with limited quantities of U.S. Jungle boots , and local copies of both the Canadian Bata tropical boots and the South Vietnamese black canvas-and-rubber Indigenous Combat Boots. Initially, the Laotian Navy wore the same rank insignia as their French and ANL counterparts, whose sequence followed closely

1767-461: The MRL flotilla included a recommendation that four patrol boats be handed over, but these were never forthcoming. Meantime, attrition was taking a heavy toll. By 1970, all the Privat gunboats had been effectively decommissioned and most of the landing crafts were down for repairs. Rather than combat operations, the MRL more often found itself saddled with ceremonial duties and VIP protection. Taking

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1824-507: The North Vietnamese assaults. There were no further combat assignments, and for the remaining three years of the War, the MRL's flotilla was largely inactive apart from occasionally escorting supply convoys. This situation lasted until May 1975, when the Pathet Lao entered Vientiane and dissolved the FAR. On 2 November that year the MRL was disbanded, with Commander Tiao Sinthanavong Kindavong being forced to resign and sent to

1881-542: The Pathet Lao fight the Royal Lao Army. The attack resulted in the army largely demobilizing, leaving the conflict to irregular forces raised by the United States and Thailand. Massive aerial bombardment against Pathet Lao and PAVN forces was carried out by the United States. It has been reported that Laos was hit by an average of one B-52 bombload every eight minutes, 24 hours a day, between 1964 and 1973. US bombers dropped more ordnance on Laos in this period than

1938-698: The Royal Lao Navy, although when wearing Beige-Khaki service dress or U.S. OG jungle fatigues, naval personnel skills and trades were identified by collar badges, in either metal pin-on or cloth embroidered versions. These were worn on the left collar only by Ratings and on both collars by enlisted ranks as per in the RLA. Following the French example, Laotian Navy officers initially wore metal riverine squadron insignia suspended from pocket hangers over their right breast button; enlisted personnel wore cloth versions on

1995-540: The Three Princes and King Sisavang Vatthana to establish a coalition government. The First Government of National Unity was established in 1958 under Prince Souvanna Phouma , but collapsed after two months. The Prime Minister, who under the constitution appointed his ministers and received advice from the King, made a deal with his brother Prince Souphanouvong . Souvanna Phouma gave the Communists two seats in

2052-513: The United States initiated a bombing campaign against the North Vietnamese positions, supported regular and irregular anticommunist forces in Laos, including those led by Hmong General Vang Pao , and supported Army of the Republic of Vietnam incursions into Laos. It also provided supplies, training and funding for the central government. In 1968, the PAVN launched a multi-division attack to help

2109-571: The base bearing the 'MRL' title in Lao script , was worn with both the Beige-Khaki and Navy blue overseas service uniforms by enlisted personnel. Laotian Navy personnel frequently wore in the field a mixture of French M1946 "Gourka" light Khaki tropical berets ( Bérét de toile kaki clair Mle 1946 ), baseball cap-style Khaki cotton field caps, and French M1949 bush hats ( French : Chapeau de brousse Mle 1949 ) in Khaki or Drab green cotton cloth. During

2166-472: The chest. In 1959 the Royal Lao Army (RLA) adopted a new distinctively Laotian-designed system of military ranks, which became in September 1961 the standard rank chart for all branches of service of the newly created Royal Lao Armed Forces . Under the new regulations, MRL officers were now entitled to wear on their service or dress uniforms stiffened red shoulder boards edged with gold braid identical to

2223-521: The communist victories in both countries, they advanced on to Vientiane. On 2 December 1975 in Vientiane, Prince Vong Savang submitted the letter of abdication of King Savang Vatthana to the Pathet Lao. The Lao People's Democratic Republic was established with Prince Souphanouvong as President . Kaysone Phomvihane acted as Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party . About 30,000 to 40,000 citizens and members of

2280-405: The coup by transporting up the Mekong in landing crafts from Savannakhet Lieutenant colonel Siho Lamphouthacoul and his Directorate of National Coordination (DNC) elite para-commando regiment, the 1st Special Mobile Group ( Groupement Mobile Speciale 1 – GMS 1), on 21 November to join the Battle of Vientiane . In 1970, a US-funded Royal Lao Navy Jungle School ( MRL École de la Jungle )

2337-553: The defense of the country, comprising three branches of service: the Royal Lao Army , the Royal Lao Navy , and the Royal Lao Air Force , which was under the control of the Ministry of Defence in Vientiane. The United States supplied the Royal Lao Navy with twenty river patrol boats and sixteen amphibious landing craft. Between 1962 and 1971, the United States provided Laos with an estimated US$ 500 million in military assistance. The Royal Lao Government had close relations with

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2394-551: The earlier ANL white cotton full dress for formal occasions, whilst black shoes were worn with the MRL Navy blue overseas service uniforms. On the field, Laotian seamen initially wore brown leather U.S. M-1943 Combat Service Boots , French M1953 brown leather "Rangers" ( French : Rangers modéle 1953 ) and French M1917 brown leather hobnailed ankle boots ( French : Brodequins modéle 1917 ), or French canvas-and-rubber Pataugas tropical boots, and sandals while in garrison. After 1960,

2451-501: The last king Sisavang Vatthana abdicated the throne to the Pathet Lao , who abolished the kingdom and proclaimed Laos as a communist state . Following the Franco-Lao Treaty of 1953, which gave Laos independence, the Royal Lao Government took control of the country. This treaty established a constitutional monarchy, with Sisavang Vong as King and Prince Souvanna Phouma as Prime Minister . Many attempts were made by

2508-489: The latter being either supplied by the same sources or locally produced. Olive green U.S. M-1951 field jackets were also issued to all-ranks. Laotian Navy Officers and Petty Officers initially received a service peaked cap copied after the French M1927 pattern ( Casquette d'officier Mle 1927 ) in both Navy blue and white summer top versions with a black lacquered leather peak and gold cord chinstrap, to wear with

2565-539: The left sleeve above the elbow, an affection common to all Laotian, South Vietnamese and Cambodian military officers, and additional side "cargo" pockets on the trousers. Olive Green M1967 Jungle Utility Uniforms also came into use in 1970-71. Camouflage fatigues were sometimes worn, consisting of Tigerstripe patterns from the United States, Thailand ( Thai Tadpole and the so-called 'Rubber' Tigerstripe variant) and South Vietnam ( Tadpole Sparse ), and Highland patterns ( ERDL 1948 Leaf pattern or "Woodland pattern"),

2622-487: The left-wing, Lao Patriotic Front under Prince Souphanouvong and future Prime Minister Kaysone Phomvihane . During this period, a number of unsuccessful attempts were made to establish coalition governments. The First Coalition Government was founded on the basis of the Vientiane Agreements of 1957. It would last until May 1958. The Second Coalition Government was founded as a condition toward enacting

2679-556: The left-wing, North Vietnamese -backed Pathet Lao under Prince Souphanouvong and future Prime Minister Kaysone Phomvihane . The Pathet Lao would eventually emerge victorious in the Laotian Civil War and establish the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975. The Kingdom of Laos was officially proclaimed when the new Constitution was promulgated in 1947, as part of the colonial French Union , and obtained full independence in 1953. The monarchy lasted until 2 December 1975, when

2736-421: The old government, including the royal family, were taken to re-education camps in remote areas of Laos. The King, Queen and Crown Prince all died in captivity. 17°58′N 102°36′E  /  17.967°N 102.600°E  / 17.967; 102.600 Royal Lao Navy The Royal Lao Navy ( Lao : ກອງທັບເຣືອພຣະຣາຊອານາຈັກລາວ ; French : Marine Royale Laotiènne – MRL) was the naval component of

2793-417: The shirt's front fly following French Army practice. By the late 1960s the MRL adopted the same American-style system as their RLA counterparts, in which metal pin-on or embroidered cloth rank insignia – either in yellow-on-green full-colour or black-on-green subdued form – were worn on both collars by Ratings and on the right collar only by enlisted ranks. There were no arm-of-service designations as such in

2850-617: The situation steadily deteriorated thereafter as the conflict in Laos became a focus for superpower rivalry. During the North Vietnamese invasion of Laos , the Pathet Lao were backed militarily by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Vietcong . Laos was also dragged into the Vietnam War after parts of Laos were invaded and occupied by North Vietnam for use as a supply route for its war against South Vietnam . In response,

2907-423: The standard RLA pattern. Junior officers added an appropriate number of five-pointed gold stars to their boards whilst petty officers' wore chevrons on the upper sleeve or diagonal bars on the lower sleeve. Enlisted men wore no insignia. In the field, Laotian naval officers had their shoulder boards initially replaced by either shoulder strap slides or a single chest tab ( patte de poitrine ) buttoned or pinned to

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2964-721: Was a strong advocate of the Convention on Cluster Munitions to ban the weapons and assist victims and hosted the First Meeting of States Parties to the convention in November 2010. In 1975, the Pathet Lao, along with the PAVN and backed by the Soviet Union, overthrew the royalist Lao government, forcing King Savang Vatthana to abdicate on 2 December 1975. A ceasefire was finally attained in February 1973, following

3021-481: Was called to participate in the defence of the river town of Thakhek , the capital of Khammouane Province in the Third Military Region (MR 3) , threatened by a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) ground offensive. Several FOM 11 gunboats were dispatched from Savannakhet and promptly arrived near Thakhek, providing heavy-weapons fire in support of a combined RLA counter-offensive that successfully repulsed

3078-407: Was dropped during the whole of the Second World War. Of the 260 million bombs that rained down, particularly on Xiangkhouang Province on the Plain of Jars , some 80 million failed to explode and continue to injure and kill residents to this day. Laos is the most heavily bombed country, per capita, in the world. Because it was particularly heavily affected by cluster bombs during this war, Laos

3135-446: Was established at Thakhek in Khammouane Province , which offered courses for MRL students in basic infantry amphibious tactics and river patrolling techniques. Graduation exercises had the Laotian naval cadets assault beaches from landing craft, though these tactics were never used in actual operations. Besides training programs and technical assistance, what no country agreed to provide was new hardware. A 1971 US Navy assessment of

3192-424: Was provided with shoulder straps ( Epaulettes ) and had long sleeves with buttoned cuffs. It was worn with matching khaki M1945/52 slacks ( Pantalon kaki clair Mle 1945/52 ), which featured two pleats at the front hips, side slashed pockets and an internal pocket at the back, on the right side. The French Army 's tropical light khaki cotton shirt and pants ( Tenue de toile kaki clair Mle 1945 ), modelled after

3249-463: Was secured by gilt metal buttons initially bearing the ANL Airavata crest ( Erawan ), replaced after 1959-60 by a FAR wreathed "Vishnu" trident motif. Most Laotian Navy personnel received the standard French Navy 's tropical working and service dress, consisting of a light khaki cotton shirt and pants. The French Navy's M1948 shirt ( Chemise kaki clair Mle 1948 ) featured a six-buttoned front and two pleated breast pockets closed by pointed flaps,

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