Does the US military have penal units?

Penal battalions, penal companies, etc., are military formations consisting of convicted persons for which military service in such units was either the assigned punishment or an alternative to imprisonment or capital punishment.

Did soldiers in Vietnam cutting off ears?

As the ground troops swept through, in many cases they gunned down men, women and children, sometimes mutilating bodies — cutting off ears to wear on necklaces. They threw hand grenades into dugout shelters, often killing entire families.

What was the role of the penal battalions in the Red Army?

Infantry battalions Penal battalion service in infantry roles was the most common use of shtrafniki, and viewed by many Soviet prisoners as tantamount to a death sentence.

Do penal battalions still exist?

The last time penal battalions were used en mass was during the WWII by both the Germans and the Soviet Army. Neither was very effective as they had inherent problems with discipline. There were never any US penal battalions or any other units in Viet Nam.

Did Russia shoot their own troops?

According to some estimates, Soviet barrier troops may have killed as many as 150,000 of their own men over the course of the war, including some 15,000 during the Battle of Stalingrad.

What regiments served in Vietnam?

Independent Brigades

• 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division.
• 3d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division.
• 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment.
• 11th Infantry Brigade.
• 173d Airborne Brigade.
• 196th Infantry Brigade.
• 198th Infantry Brigade.
• 199th Infantry Brigade.

Did convicts fight in ww2?

Convicts were sent to serve as common soldiers in regular units. In 1941, over 420,000 soldiers were sent to the war, and in 1942-43 they were joined by a further 157,000. During the whole period of WWII, almost one million Gulag prisoners were dispatched to fill the ranks of the Red Army.