Paraguay Armed Forces 1947
v.1.0 November 25, 2001
Adrian J. English
ARMY (EJERCITO NACIONAL) - estimated strength approx. 6600:
Estado Mayor General del Ejército
Comando General del Ejército
Policía Militar del EMGE
R.I. 14 CERRO CORA (Asunción – establishment 577)
Equipment: 2 x 81 mm mortars; 4 Hvy. & 36 Lt. MGs
R.A. 1 GENERAL BRUGUEZ (Paraguarí/Viñas-Cué – establishment 332)
G.A. 1 (Paraguarí – establishment 284)
Equipment: 4 x 105 mm howitzers; 12 x 75 mm mountain guns; 4 lt. MGs
Dirección General de Ingeniería:
R.Z. 1 GENERAL AQUINO (Villa Hayes – establishment 336)
Bn. Escuela de Ingenieros (Villa Hayes – establishment 245)
Equipment: 2 x 81 mm mortars; 2 Hvy. & 24 Lt. MGs
Dirección General de Transmisiones:
R. de TRANSMS. 1 (Asunción – establishment 332)
Bn. Escuela de Transmisiones (Asunción – establishment 245)
Equipment: 2 x 81 mm mortars; 2 Hvy. & 12 Lt. MGs
Dirección General de Intendencia
Dirección General de Material de Guerra
Dirección General del Servicio Tren
Dirección General del Servicio de Sanidad Militar:
Hospital Militar (Asunción)
MILITARY INSTITUTES
Escuela Militar MARISCAL FRANCISCO SOLANO LOPEZ
Escuela Superior de Guerra
Escuela de Sub-Oficiales y Clases
Escuela de Especialidades del Ejército
TERRITORIAL DIVISIONS:
Región Militar I (HQ Concepción)
Región Militar II (HQ Paraguarí)
Región Militar III (HQ Pilar)
Región Militar IV (HQ Encarnación)
Región Militar V (HQ Camacho)
TACTICAL FORMATIONS:
D.I. 1 (HQ Camacho – establishment 1278)
Cdo. y PM (establishment 124)
R.I. 2 YTORORO (Camacho– establishment 577)
R.I. 4 CURUPATY (Pto. Casado/Km 180, Chaco– establishment 577)
Equipment: 4 x 81 mm mortars; 8 Hvy. & 80 Lt. MGs.
D.I. 2 (HQ Concepción – establishment 1278)
Cdo. y PM (establishment 124)
R.I. 1 DOS DE MAYO (San Pedro– establishment 577)
R.I. 3 CORRALES (Concepción– establishment 577)
Equipment: 4 x 81 mm mortars; 8 Hvy. & 80 Lt. MGs.
D.C. 1 (HQ Campo Grande - establishment 1516)
Cdo. y PM (establishment 124)
R.C. 1 VALOIS RIVAROLA (Villa Hayes? – establishment 464)
R.C. 2 CORONEL TOLEDO (Viñas-Cué – establishment 464)
R.C. 3 CORONEL MONGELOS (Campo Grande – establishment 464)
Equipment: 6 x 81 mm mortars; 12 Hvy. & 57 Lt. MGs
Estimated Total Manpower:
5 Rgts. of Infantry @ 577 ea. 2885
3 Rgts. of Cavalry @ 464 ea. 1392
1 Rgt. of Arty @ 332 332
1 Rgt. of Engineers @ 336 336
1 Rgt. of Signals @ 332 332
_____
Total Combat Troops: 5277
Estimated HQ & Support Troops + Military Institutes 1319
_____
Estimated Grand Total: approx. 6600
Total Avalable Heavy Equipment:
8 x 105 mm Schneider M/28 mountain howitzers
2 x 105 mm Vickers-Armstrong field guns
14 x 75 m Schneider M/28 mountain guns
8 x 65 mm Vickers-Armstrong infantry guns
6 x 47 mm Vickers-Armstrong anti-tank guns
7 x 20 mm Oerlikon A/A guns
106 x 81 mm Stokes-Brandt mortars
NAVY (ARMADA NACIONAL) - strength 1900:
Dirección General de la Armada
Dirección General de Hidrografía, Baliza y Canalización
Dirección General de Arsenales
Arsenales de Guerra y Marina
Escuela Naval
Escuela de Especialidades de la Armada
FLOTILLA DE GUERRA:
3 Gunboats (Cañoneras):
HUMAITA & PARAGUAY (Armoured River Gunboats, built Italy 1930)
747 tons. 17.5 knots. Lightly armoured steel hull.
4 x 4.7", 3 x 3" A/A, 2 x 40 mm A/A. Crew: 86
TACUARI (Armed Yacht, built UK 1901)
150 tons, 10 knots, Wooden Hull.
4 x 3" (2 Vickers; 2 Armstrong), 2 x 37 mm. Crew: 54
(status uncertain; probably out of service)
4 Patrol Vessels (Avisos de Guerra):
CAPITAN CABRAL (Armed Tug, built Netherlands 1908)
180 tons. 12.5 knots.
1 x 3". 2 x 37 mm. Crew: 47
TENIENTE HERREROS (Tender to dredging train & General Purpose Vessel, built Netherlands 1908. Re-built by Naval Arsenal 1930)
100 tons. 6 knots.
1 x 3". 2 x 37 mm.
CORONEL MARTINEZ (Armed Tug, built Netherlands 1908)
80 tons, 9 knots,
1 x 3", 2 x 37 mm. Crew: 32
CAPITAN FIGARI (Small Tug-type Patrol Craft. Built by Arsenals during Chaco War with salvaged materials from tugs CAPITAN BADO and PIRABEBE)
60 tons. 6 knots.
1 x 3". 2 x 37 mm.
6 Patrol Launches (Lanchas Torpederas):
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6
(all ex USCG patrol craft, built & transferred 1944)
16 tons, 20 knots.
2 x 20 mm. Crew: 10.
Despite classification did not carry torpedoes.
1 (Transport (Transporte)
TENIENTE PRATS GILL (Former River Passenger Ship POSADAS; served as Hospital Ship during Chaco War; purchased by Navy and converted to Transport, 1937). No further details known.
2 Dredgers (Dragas):
ASUNCION (Bucket Dredger. Built in Netherlands 1907) 107 tons. No engines. Crew: 28
PROGRESO (Suction Dredger. Built in Netherlands 1907) 140 tons. 5 knots. Crew: 30
CUERPO DE DEFENSA FLUVIAL (establishment 406):
Bn. de Infantería de Marina RIACHUELO (Pto. Sajonia/Bahía Negra – establishment 245)
Bat. de Artillería de Costas (Olimpo – establishment 74)
PREFECTURA DE PUERTOS (HQ Asunción)
Harbour Police. Detachments at all ports and river crossing points
AVIACION NAVAL (HQ Puerto Sajonia):
Escuadrilla de Caza-Bombardeo (Bahia Negra):
2 x Caproni A.P. 1 Idro
1 x Macchi 18 (unserviceable)
Escuadrilla de Entrenamiento (Pto. Sajonia):
1 x Breda Ba 25
2 x Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3
AIR FORCE (FUERZA AEREA) - strength 800:
Dirección General de Aeronautica
Escuela de Aviación Militar
I Escuadrón de Caza (Campo Grande):
5 x Fiat C.R. 32 quater
2 x Fiat C.R. 30B
II Escuadrón de Caza (Campo Grande):
5 x Caproni A.P. 1 (only three operational)
Escuadrón de Reconocimiento y Bombardeo (Campo Grande):
2 x Caproni Ca 309 Ghibli
2 x Potez 25TOE (status uncertain; probably out of service)
Escuadrón de Transporte (Campo Grande):
2 x Beech UC-45
1 x Curtiss Robin
Escuela de Aviavión Militar (Campo Grande):
3 x North American AT-6
10 x Vultee BT-13 (only seven operational)
18 x Fairchild PT-19
3 x Breda Ba 25
Bn. de Aeronautica SILVIO PETTIROSSI (Campo Grande – establishment 245)