Memorandum #8
Date: 19 February 1996
To: Al Santoli, Dino Carluccio, Bill Bell
From: Jay Veith
re: More Post-war Lao SIGINT
After the Nhommarth operation, there was another intriguing
SIGINT/HUMINT combination. On 30 Aug 1984, the Thai again informed
the U.S. government, through the NSA, of a 21 August HUMINT report of
a POW camp holding 23 Americans located in Laos. (See page 1 of my
[NOTE: BLANK AREAS WERE REDACTED - ORIGINAL TEXT COPY WAS POOR] 1
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * AGE 1 MLN=48112 >>> P R I O R I T Y A)=406?142271 OCDSN=MDP212
OR = 301604Z AUG 84
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ACTION = ** UNASSIGNED **
INFO + DB-2(1) DB-4(1) NMIC(-)
SAFE(-) DC(1)
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TOTAL COPIES = 00003 MDC = WW
ZNY MMNSH ZKZK PP ASP DE P/301525Z AUG 84 FM DIRNSA TO SSD DIA//DC-2// WHITE HOUSE CIA/DDO/EA/VKL// ZEM
QQQQ
NSC FOR MR. CHILDRESS ROOM 392 OLD EOB; CIA FOR MR. FALLS;
DIA FOR MR. TROWBRIDGE
85-0210-84
SUBJ THAI REPORT OF AMERICAN POW CAMP IN LAOS
1. THE FOLLOWING IS AN UNEVALUATED VERSION OF THE TRAI
LANGUAGE ROYAL THAI ARMED FORCES SECURITY CENTER (AFSC) HUMINT
REPORT WHICH HAS PASSED TO U.S. ADVISORS BY AN AFSC OFFICER,
CONCERNING A POW/MIA CAMP LOCATED IN SARAVAN PROVINCE, LAOS,
QUOTE
SUBJECT: AMERICAN POW CAMP IN SARAYAN PROVINCE ((LAOS))
DATE: 21 AUG 84
1. THE SPECIAL AFSC DETACHED ELEMENT RECEIVED AN UNCONFIRMED
REPORT THAT THERE IS A CAMP FOR AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR IN THE
AREA OF THE HEUP VALLEY, BAN KADON VILLAGE, NAM HIANG SUB-DISTRI
MYANG LAMAMDISTRICT, SARAVAN PROVINCE. A SUMMARY OF THE IMPORT
FACTS ARE AS FOLLOWS: (BRIEF MAP IS ATTACHED)
1.1 NUMBER OF PERSONS IN CUSTODY: 23 AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR
1.2 LOCATION: THE CAMP IS IN THE AREA OF THE FOOT OF A MOUNTAI
[HANDWRITTEN, CIRCLED, WITH A LINE TO
THE #23 ABOVE
"CIA/JCRC REPORTING
SAYS 20 POWS"]
* * * * * * * * *
fax. This document was generously given to me by another
researcher.) There was some confusion over the exact location of the
camp, which resulted in several cables back and forth. Note who this
message is from, Director NSA (DIRNSA), to the Special Security
Officer (SSO), DIA.
The Thai source reported that the camp had "a radio transceiver in
contact with the parent station in Vientiane." NSA asked the Thai
SIGINT group to "search for any comms which may be emanating from
that area or serving units stationed in the area." On 4 Sept 1984,
someone, probably the Thai again, intercepted a message coming from
the Savannakhet Headquarters reporting the movement of "23
unidentified prisoners." (See page 2 of my fax.) The Comments
[NOTE: BLANK AREAS WERE REDACTED/{COMMENTS} WITHIN BRACKETS WERE
HANDWRITTEN] 2
P 132106Z SEP 84 FM TO
SUBJ: UNIDENTIFIED PRISONER TRANSFER IN SOUTHERN LAOS
{SAVANNAKHET PROVINCE HQA} THE SA THA CENTER
(POSS BAN SA THE 1624N 10625E XD5214 ) ON 4 SEPTEMBER CONCERNING
THE TRANSFER OF 23 UNIDENTIED PRISONERS FROM THE MUONG SEPONE
PRISON (1641N 10614E X03244 ) TO THE THA VANG CENTER (1553N
10716E Y04357 ). THE SA THA CENTER WAS TO RESPOND
IMMEDIATELY CONCERNING WHAT ARRANGEMENTS IT HAD MADE CONCERNING
THE PROVISION OF RATIONS AND WHETHER SEPONEHAD PROVIDED
THE FUNDING FOR THE PRISONERS RATIONS.
COMMENT: {DISCUSSIONS BY ONE LAO OF} UNIDENTIFIED
PRISONER TRANSFERS ARE INFREQUENT BUT NOT UNUSUAL. RECENT
COLLATERAL, HOWEVER, REPORTED THE PRESENCE OF THE SAME NUMBER
(23) OF AMERICAN POW'S AT A CAMP IN SOUTHERN LAOS IN THE
AREA OF BAN KADON (1519N 10658E YB1195)
DECL: OADR
section mentions the earlier Collateral on the 23 U.S. POWs.
While the areas given in the HUMINT and the SIGINT are somewhat
different, for NSA to request the Thai to search for "comms" and then
to have one discussing 23 prisoners turn up several days later is a
highly unusual coincidence. However, I'm sure these reports were
dismissed as "23 Lao" under going "reeducation."
Cover Name: Sontay
One of my goals has been to find a "common ground" between Bell and
Mooney. I have arranged discussions between the two, and the results
so far have been interesting. First, we have identified the location
of the PW camp where Jerry claims the Soviets began processing U.S.
POWs for "Moscow Bound," called "Sontay." While Bill does not have
any knowledge of Soviets in this area, the location of the camp and
another nearby major PAVN base are fascinating. We also have a solid
grid location on the area were Mooney claims the Vietnamese began
building large underground bunkers to store AAA munitions, which
would include the American "Pick and Shovel" Brigade Jerry has spoken
of. Also, we have a possible grid for the area were the "10
Americans" were executed. If you care, I would ask DPMO to do a
circle search for sources and crash sites around these locations.
This would provide you with both potential Americans for "Moscow
Bound" and source reporting.