As early as January 1946, the first regiment of the PAVN, the 102 'Capital' Regiment, was created for operations around Hanoi. It consisted of Regiments 88, 102, and 36, and soon became the 308 'Vanguard' Division. By late 1950 the 308 Division had a full three infantry regiments, one heavy weapons regiment, and support units. The 308th initiated the Battle of Vĩnh Yên with an attack on Groupe Mobile 3 on the evening of 13 January 1951, surrounding and half-destroying the unit. The 308th and 312th then surrounded Vĩnh Yên. The French counterattacked and began to airlift reinforcements into Vĩnh Yên. On 16 August the 308th and 312th launched human wave attacks against the French positions which were largely repulsed by French ground fire and airstrikes. At dawn on 17 January the Việt Minh renewed their attacks but were once again devastated by French airstrikes and by midday General Giáp ordered a withdrawal. The two Divisions had lost at least 5000 killed and 500 taken prisoner. In March 1951, General Giáp again tried a conventional assault on the French forces in the Red River Delta when units of the 308th, 312th and 316th Division threatened the approaches to Haiphong. In this Battle of Mạo Khê the Việt Minh were beaten back by determined resistance from the French garrisons, airstrikes and naval gunfire. Total Việt Minh losses exceeded 1500 killed. The battered 308th played a minor role in the Battle of the Day River in May/June 1951, making diversionary attacks on Ninh Bình and Phủ Lý. On 17 October 1952 two regiments of the 308th attacked Nghĩa Lộ overrunning the post in one hour. This attack triggered the French Operation Lorraine launched on 29 October, the largest operation attempted to date by the French Union forces. Giáp planned to wait until the French supply lines were overextended at which point they could be harassed and eventually forced to withdraw. Giáp detached Regiment 36 of the 308th and Regiment 176 of the 316th to defend the important supply bases at Yên Bái and Thái Nguyên. The only major fighting during the operation came during the withdrawal, when the Regiment 36 ambushed Groupe Mobiles 1 and 4 on Route 2 in a narrow valley near Chan Muong on morning of November 17. The Viet Minh managed to blow up one of the leading tanks, completely blocking the road and then, covered by heavy weapons fire from the surrounding hills, proceeded to methodically destroy the convoy. French air support eased the pressure on the forces caught in the valley and then in the afternoon the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment and the Battalion de Marche Indochinois inside the valley and the lead elements of Groupe Mobile 1 outside the ambush area counterattacked against the Việt Minh, culminating with a bayonet charge by the BMI. At this point the Việt Minh disengaged and the withdrawal could continue with the column arriving at Ngoc Tap at 22:30. The French had lost 56 dead, 125 wounded and 133 missing and 12 vehicles including 1 tank and 6 half-tracks destroyed.
Vietnam War
The 308th appears to have played a supporting role in the Battle of Khe Sanh in 1967-68. During the Tet Offensive it was working on flood protection dikes in North Vietnam and in October 1970, the division was in training in North Vietnam. In 1971 the Division formed part of the B-70 Corps with the 304th and 320th Divisions based in southern Laos and units participated in repulsing Operation Lam Son 719. In 1972 the division was commanded by Nguyễn Hữu An. From late March to mid-September 1972 the 308th and the 304th fought in the First and Second Battles of Quảng Trị. When the PAVN 1st Corps was organized in October 1973, the 308th, 312th, and 338th Divisions, having returned from the Quảng Trị front, were all assigned to it. During the initial phases of the 1975 Spring Offensive, the 1st Corps was held in reserve, however following the Vietnamese Politburo decision to capitalise on the opportunity presented by the collapsing ARVN, in late March it was ordered to join a general offensive against the South. By late April the 1st Corps was situated north of Saigon threatening the ARVN 5th Division at Bến Cát.
Post-Vietnam War
In August 28, 1979, the division was reorganized into the first mechanized infantry division of PAVN and became the rapid response force of the 1st Corps since then.
Present day
Today the division is part of the 1st Corps located in the Red River Delta.
