[0888-71.cm 02/25/96]
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REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
DECLASSIFIED PER EXECUTIVE ORDER 12356, SECTION 3.3, NND PROJECT
NUMBER NN8937 597, BY RB1VSW, DATE 1/23/96
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE REPORT
Note: This Document contains information affecting the national defense of the
United States within the meaning of the espionage laws. Title 18, U.S.C., Sec
793 and 794. The transmission or revelation of its contents in any manner to an
unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
CONFIDENTIAL
This report contains unprocessed information. Plans and/or policies should not
be evolved or modified solely on the basis of this report.
1. COUNTRY: LA 8. REPORT NUMBER: 6 029 0888 71
2. SUBJECT: (C) Sighting of 40 to 60 US 9. DATE OF REPORT: 6 Oct 71
US PW in LAOS (handwritten-W32064)
10.NO. OF PAGES: 4
3. ISC NUMBER: 723.600 11.REFERENCES: DIRM: 6G3
BRIGHT LIGHT
4. DATE OF INFORMATION: Mar 68 12. ORIGINATOR: US Element, CMIC, USMACV
5. PLACE AND DATE OF ACQ: CMIC, SAIGON, VS
18 Jul 71
13. PREPARED BY: CARL K. DAVIS
SP5, USA
6. EVALUATION: SOURCE F INFORMATION 6
7. SOURCE: Returnee Interrogation 14. APPROVING AUTHORITY: (SIGNED)
PAUL G. SPERO
LTC, USA
Dir, US Elm, CMIC
15. SUMMARY
(C) This report contains information concerning the sighting of 40 to 60
US PW in LAOS, to include circumstances of sighting, description of the
PW, and evacuation procedures. THIS IS A BRIGHT LIGHT REPORT. MACV FOR JPRC.
1. (C) Background Information:
a. Name: NGUYEN DUY BINH (NGUYEENX, ZUY BINHS), CMIC 0312-71
b. Rank: SGT
c. Position and Unit of Assignment: Asst Chief; Military Personnel
Section, J-95 Regt, Rear Service Office, T-7
d. DPOB: Sep 45; THANH HONG Village, THANH HA District, HAI HUNG
Province, NVN
16. DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR:
DIA 1 cy
DIRNSA 1 cy
SAC 1 cy
CINPAC 1 cy
CINPAC AF 2 cys
CINCUSARPAC 2 cys
COMUSMACTHAI 1 cy
MACJ212-2 2 cys
MACJ213-1 1 cy
MACJ23 1 cy
MACJ231 10 cys
17. DOWNGRADING DATA: GROUP 3
DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED
THIS DOCUMENT IS RELEASEABLE TO REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM AND FREE WORLD
MILITARY ASSISTANCE FORCES
18: ATTACHMENT DATA: None
[stamped] THIS MATERIAL CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL
DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE LAWS.
TITLE 18 U.S.C., SECTIONS 793 AND 794. THE TRANSMISSION OR REVELATION OF
WHICH IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Page 2 of 4
e. Parents' Names: Father, NGUYEN DUY BAT (NGUYEENX, ZUY BATV), deceased;
Mother, PHUONG THI GHE (FUOWNGL, THIV GHER), living
f. Circumstances of Return. Source submitted an application to attend an
officer training course, but was turned down. The cadre suspected him of
wanting to desert the unit to rally. On 29 Dec 70, the cadre sent out security
guards when Source was discovered missing. One of the security guards caught
up with the Source and an argument occurred. Source killed the guard and
rallied at the DAC CAI Post, PHUONG LAM Village, DINH QUAN District, LONG
KHANH Province, RVN.
g. Significant Activities:
(1) DOB to 2 Jan 68. From 1953 to 1957, Source attended his
village school and then attended the THANH CUONG Village School, THANH HA
District, HAI HUNG Province, NVN, from 1957 to 1961. From 1961 to 1964, he
continued his studies at the TU KY District School, HAI HUNG Province. He then
worked as a carpenter at his POB until he was drafted into the NVA in Sep 65.
Source was assigned to the 15th Co, 9th Bn, 8th Regt, 320th Div, located in a
jungle area of CHI LINH District, HAI HUNG Province. He worked as a clerk for
the 15th Co, and during this period of time, he received basic infantry
training three to four hours a day. Source then attended the administration
training course for noncommissioned officers given by the cadre of the 320th
Div in CHI LINH District for 25 days. After the completion of this course, he
was assigned as a clerk in the headquarters of the 9th Bn, 8th Regt, 320th
Div. His work consisted of maintaining a list of the personnel and weapons of
the battalion and submitting weekly and monthly reports to the Military
Personnel Section, 8th Regt, 320th Div. He did this work until 2 Jan 68.
(2) 2 Jan 68 to Apr 69. On 2 Jan 68, the 9th Bn, 8th Regt, 320th
Div, was designated the 297th Infiltration Group and, with an approximate
strength of 600 men, left the jungle area of CHI LINH District, HAI HUNG
Province, on foot. The group arrived in the KATUM area, CAMBODIA, in Jul 68.
Source contracted malaria and was sent to the K-20 Hospital and then the K-30
Hospital, both located in the KATUM area. In Sep 68, he was released from the
K-30 Hospital and assigned to the 3d Bn, A-57 Regt, R, located in the KATUM
area. Source worked as a clerk in the 3d Bn Hq where he maintained lists of
the personnel and equipment of the battalion. In Oct 68, the A-57 Regt moved
to PHUOC LONG Province, RVN, and equipment of the battalion. In Oct 68, the
A-57 Regt moved to PHUOC LONG Province, RVN, and conducted operations in this
province until Dec 68, when the A-57 Regt moved to the BAO BINH area, PHUOC
TUY Province. In Apr 69, Source was sent to the regimental dispensary, where
he was treated for jaundice until Jun 69.
(3) Jun 69 to DOR. In Jun 69, Source was released from the A-57
Regiment Dispensary and was sent to the 80A Convalescent
Page 3 of 4
Group, 84th Rear Service, located along the DONG NAI River, LONG KHANH
Province, where he rested for 20 days. He then worked as a clerk in the
headquarters of the 80A Convalescent Group until Jan 70. Source was then
assigned as the third assistant of the Military Personnel Section, A-57 Regt,
R, located on the ONG Mountain, BINH TUY Province. Source maintained records
of the personnel and equipment of the entire regiment, and held this position
until May 70. In May 70, while Source was on a rice procurement mission, his
group hit a Claymore mine. Source was taken to the A-57 Regiment Dispensary,
where he was treated for shock for 17 days. In Jun 70, Source was sent to the
400th Convalescent Station located along the DA QUAY River, DINH QUAN
District, LONG KHANH Province, where he rested for 15 days. He was then
assigned as assistant chief of the Personnel Section, J-95 Regt, Rear Service
Office, T-7, located near the DA HOUAI Stream, DINH QUAN District, LONG KHANH
Province. The mission of the J-95 Regt was to provide supplies to the units
subordinate to T-7. Source worked in the Personnel Section until he rallied on
29 Dec 70.
h. Additional References: CMIC PW/Rallier Exploitation Guide; 525 MI Gp PW
Photo Album, dtd 10 Nov 68
2. (C) Sighting of 40 to 60 US PW in LAOS:
a. Circumstances of Sighting. During Mar 68 (exact date unknown), while
Source was infiltrating through LAOS to the RVN as a member of the 297th
Infiltration Group (aka 8th Regt), he observed 40 to 60 US PW and 30 ARVN PW
sitting in a commo-liaison station bivouac area. Source's unit had just left
Commo-liaison Station 5 and was approaching Commo-liaison Station 6. The
bivouac area in which the PW were resting belonged to Commo-liaison Station 6
and was located approximately 800 meters north of Highway 9 in LAOS (district
and exact location unknown). The station was located approximately midway
between Highway 9 and the bivouac area (exact location unknown). Source
assumed that the PW were on their way to Commo-liaison Station 5. Source
observed the PW at a distance of five to 10 meters for approximately 10
minutes. They were sitting in a heavy jungle area along the bank of a
five-meter wide stream (name unknown) and were eating rice. There were four or
five NVA guards with the group of PW; the guards were armed with AK-47s.
Source, through conversation with these guards, learned they were members of
the 3023 NVA Bn (subordination unknown) and that the remainder of the
battalion was following close behind the group of PW and always kept them in
sight. Source later saw some NVA soldiers, whom he assumed were members of the
3023 Bn. The 3023 Bn was armed with various individual weapons, and 75mm RR
and 82mm mortars (exact amounts of each unknown). The guards with the PW wore
NVA helmets and variouskhaki uniforms. None of the PW were bound or
blindfolded, and Source saw no evidence of mistreatment.
b. Description of PW:
Page 4 of 4
(1) Identification. Source was unable to identification on these
PW, and his description was provide any limited to the fact that there were 40
to 60 Americans (assumed) and 30 ARVN soldiers. All of the Americans had
beards of various lengths and appeared to have been captives for some time.
Source stated that they all seemed well-educated and that he thought the
majority were officers (sic).
(2) Clothing Worn by PW. The US PW wore various types of uniforms;
some wore US jungle fatigues, some wore NVA khaki uniforms, and some wore
black pajamas. Their footwear consisted of US jungle boots and H0 CHI MINH
sandals. Source saw no hats, unit insignias, or name tags. All uniforms were
ragged looking.
(3 ) Physical Condition of the PW. All the PW appeared pale and
were possibly suffering from malaria. All PW were ambulatory. One man had a
white, cloth sling on his left arm and minor cuts on his right arm. Source saw
no evidence of any recent medical treatment.
(4) Personal Information. Due to the length of the sighting and
the number of PW, Source was unable to provide any personal information.
(5) Capture Data. Source learned through conversations with the NVA
guards that the majority of the US PW were captured in the KHE SANH, QUANG
NAM, and QUANG NGAI areas of the RVN (NFI).
c. Evacuation Procedures. Source knew only that the FIN were being moved
by foot by way of the Commo-liaison network to an unknown destination in NVN
and that they were being escorted by the 3023 NVA Bn. The ARVN PW were kept
separated from the US PW. Source knew of no special treatment given according
to rank or nationality.
d. Biographical Correlation. Due to the lack of sufficient capture data
and description on these US PW, no biographical correlation could be made.
e. Photo identification. Source was shown the 525 MI Gp PW Photo Album
and was unable to make an identification due to the number of PW, length of
the sighting, and the fact that all PW had beards.
(U) COMMENTS: Source was very cooperative throughout the interrogation, his
answers to all control questions were consistent, and he was of above average
intelligence.
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