[231628.OH 06/09/96]

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INQUIRE=DOC19D
ITEM NO=00232112
ENVELOPE
CDSN = LGX833 MCN = 92267/28545     TOR = 922671625
RTTUZYUW RUEKJCS1967 2671628-UUUU--RUEALGX.
ZNR UUUUU
HEADER
R 231628Z SEP 92
FM JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUCGDEF/NATS PENTAGON WASHINGTON DC
RUCQVAB/USCINCSOC INTEL OPS CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RUEALGX/SAFE
R 231221Z SEP 92
FM CJTFFA DET ONE BANGKOK TH
TO RUHQHQE/CDR JTF-FA HONOLULU HI
INFO RUHQHQB/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J3//
RUEKJCS/USCINCPAC LO WASHDC//
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC//J5 PW-MIA/J3-JOD/CJCS PA-J//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//OASD-ISA/PW-MIA/DDI/C31//
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC//POW-MIA/DOF/DOF-3//
RUHVAAA/CDRUSACILHI HICKAM AFB HI//TAPC-PED-H//
RUEADWW/NSC WASHDC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC//CA/OCS/CCS/EAP//
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC//OEA/SEA/IB/DDO/EA/ICOG//
RUETIAA/DIRNSA FT GEO MEADE MD//B51/DCN//P-S//
RUEADWD/DA WASHDC//DAMO-ODO-AOC/DAMI-FII//
RUEACMC/CMC WASHDC//MNP-LO/INT//
RUEAHQA/HQUSAF WASHDC//IN//
RUENAAA/CNO WASHDC//OP-092/DNI//
RUCJAAA/USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL//J3//
RHHMMCY/JICPAC HONOLULU HI//OIO//
RUEAHOF/CDRPERSCOM ALEX VA//TAPC-PED-P//
RUEACNP/COMNAVMILPER WASHDC//N64DD//
RHWRMPC/AFMPC RANDOLPH AFB TX//DPMCA//
BT
CONTROLS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK TH 43338
UNCLASSIFIED 0324 SEP 92
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
/*********** THIS IS A COMBINED MESSAGE ************/
BODY
SUBJ: 19TH JOINT FIELD ACTIVITY IN VIETNAM: ATTEMPT TO
INVESTIGATE CASE 1242
REF: CJTFFA DET ONE 190522Z SEP 92
1. REF IS THE SUMMARY REPORT OF THE l9TH JOINT FIELD

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ACTIVITY CONDUCTED IN VIETNAM 20 AUG - 17 SEP 92.
                                                                                    
PARAGRAPH 20 OF REF NOTES THE UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT OF
IEL TO OBTAIN INFORMATION THAT COULD BE CORRELATED TO
CASE 1242.

2. ON 8 SEP 92 LTC CHU OF VNOSMP INFORMED IEL THAT IN
THE COURSE OF HIS PREPARATIONS FOR JOINT INVESTIGATION
OF CASE 1242 HE HAD BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION
WHICH COULD BE CORRELATED TO THE CASE IN LOC YEN (LOOCJ
YEEN) VILLAGE, HUONG KHE DISTRICT, HA TINH PROVINCE, THE
VILLAGE IN WHICH THE COORDINATES ASSOCIATED IN U.S.
RECORDS WITH CASE 1242 ARE LOCATED.

3. ON 9 SEP THE TEAM TRAVELLED TO HUONG KHE DISTRICT, TO SEE IF
INFORMATION ON THIS CASE MIGHT BE AVAILABLE AT THE DISTRICT
LEVEL. AT THE DISTRICT MILITARY HEADQUARTERS (WF 74020985) THE
TEAM WAS RECEIVED BY A DELEGATION OF CIVIL AND MILITARY
OFFICIALS, INCLUDING NGUYEN XUAN THAI (XUAAN THAIS), DEPUTY
DISTRICT CHAIRMAN; DANG CHAU (DAWNG QUANG CHAAU), CHIEF
ADMINISTRATOR; AND MAJORS NGUYEN DINH PHUC (DINH PHUCS, THAN
DINH TA (DINHF TAS), AND NGUYEN TRONG THE (TRONGJ THEER), ALL OF
WHOM WERE IDENTIFIED TO THE TEAM AS DEPUTY MILITARY COMMANDERS.
THESE OFFICIALS WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE NO INFORMATION CONCERNING
CASE 1242. THEY DID, HOWEVER, EXPRESS AN INTEREST IN THE WORK OF
THE TEAM, AND, AT THEIR REQUEST, THE TEAM LEFT A LIST OF
UNRESOLVED CASES WHICH, ACCORDING TO U.S. RECORDS, TOOK PLACE IN
HUONG KHE DISTRICT.

4. BOTH LTC CHU AND THE DISTRICT OFFICIALS STRESSED THAT LOC
YEN VILLAGE IS LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF THE MOUNTAIN OF THE
SAME NAME, AND IS VERY DIFFICULT OF ACCESS. IN LIGHT OF THE
REPORT OF LTC CHU AND THE PROBLEMATIC NATURE OF THE
COORDINATES IN THE CASE FILE (SEE COMMENT), THE TEAM DECIDED
NOT TO VISIT LOC YEN VILLAGE.

5. IT APPEARS THAT CASE 1242 DID NOT TAKE PLACE IN THE AREA
SUGGESTED BY THE COORDINATES IN THE CASE FILE. THE TEAM
RECOMMENDS THAT DURING A FUTURE JOINT ACTIVITY IN HA TINH
PROVINCE THE INVESTIGATORS LOOK INTO ENTRIES 1305 AND 1306 OF
THE MR-4 DOCUMENT, WHICH INDICATE THAT AN A-4 AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT
DOWN BY THE 8TH BN ON 1 AUG 68. ENTRY 1305 NOTES THAT THIS
INCIDENT TOOK PLACE AT 1400 HOURS ON "NHAT LE MOUNTAIN," HA
TINH PROVINCE, AND THAT THE PILOT WAS RESCUED. ENTRY 1306
PROVIDES A TIME OF 1555 FOR THE INCIDENT, AND INDICATES THAT
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED OFF THE COAST OF THINH LOC VILLAGE. THIS
INFORMATION MAY CORRELATE TO CASE 1242. (NOTES: THE HUONG KHE
DISTRICT OFFICIALS WERE UNAWARE OF ANY MOUNTAIN BEARING THE
NAME "NHAT LE" IN HA TINH PROVINCE.

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"NHAT LE.. IS WELL KNOWN BOTH TO JOINT TEAM MEMBERS AND
THE HUONG KHE OFFICIALS AS THE ESTUARY ON WHICH THE TOWN
OF DONG HOI, IN QUANG BINH PROVINCE IS LOCATED. THINH
LOC IS A COASTAL VILLAGE IN CAN LOC DISTRICT, THE
DISTRICT LYING BETWEEN NGHI XUAN AND THACH HA DISTRICTS,
JUST NORTH OF HA TINH CITY.
                                                                                    
6. COMMENT: THE CRASH SITE OF THIS AIRCRAFT IS NOT
KNOWN. THE COORDINATES CONTAINED IN THE CASE FILE ARE
THE ESTIMATED LOCATION OF THE LAST KNOWN RADIO CONTACT


/****** BEGINNING OF SECTION 002 ******/

WITH THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE 1242 AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING
COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTY, THE OTHER THREE MEMBERS OF THE FLIGHT
WERE NOT AWARE OF THE ABSENCE OF THIS AIRCRAFT UNTIL IT FAILED
TO MAKE A RENDEZVOUS ON THE WAY BACK TO THE FLEET. IN THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES, SHOULD INVESTIGATION OF THE MR-4 DOCUMENT
ENTRIES FAIL TO PROVIDE ANSWERS, IT APPEARS THAT THE ONLY WAY
INFORMATION CONCERNING THE FATE OF THIS AIRCRAFT MAY BE
OBTAINED IS BY SYSTEMATIC GEOGRAPHIC SEARCH.

AD
BT
#1968
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