September 1996
SIGINT REPORT 
                                                                                                                                                   
Special Study:
Southeast Asia/POW-MIA Affairs:
NSA SIGINT Correlation Study - POW/MIA (FOUO)
 
                                                                                                                             
Released by NSA on 14 Feb 2002
pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act
case # 11529

SECRET

September 1996
               Memorandum:
                (S-CCO)  The NSA SIGINT Correlation Study - POW/MIA originated with a request levied by the 1991 Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs. The NSA POW/MIA Team was tasked to review wartime SIGINT reporting for relevance to the POW/MIA issue and possible correlation to individual POW/MIA cases. At the request of the Senate Select Committee, B56 published the initial results of this review as 856 Technical SIGINT Report 2-92 for use in the Committee's investigation. The report was also provided to the DIA Special Office for POW/MIAs for all-source analysis and comparision with their existing POW/MIA case files. This review has been ongoing since 1991 and the body of information has more than doubled in size from the initial input to the Senate Committee.
                                                                                                    
                                                                                   - 1 -

Handle VIA COMINT CHANNels only
secret
                                                              
                 secret                                

Southeast Asia/POW-MIA Affairs:
NSA SIGINT Correlation Study - POW/MIA (FOUO)      

Executive Summary: ...

(C-CCO)  This SIGINT correlation study is the result of a nearly five-year effort by NSA to colate all avail1 able Vietnam War-era SIGINT to specific Vietnam War Prisoner Of War/Missing In Action (POW/MIA) cases.

(S CCO)  This effort reevaluated all available Vietnam War-era SIGINT holdings for any information pertaining to U.S. POW/MIAs in Southeast Asia in an attempt to correlate this information to specific POW/MIA cases. The resulting correlations are based primarily on SIGINT reports from 1961 through 1975. In some isolated cases memoranda, watch officer notes, and/or analyst communications have been included where the input or analysis adds to the understanding of accompanying documents or could aid in the resolution of the case. The correlations are not definitive and arc intended for further all-source analysis within the Department of Defense.

(S CCO)    Primary emphasis was placed on the retrieval and review of electronic storage of wartime SIGINT: reports. Supplemental searches through physical records were conducted by NSA Records Center and History personnel. Over 75 million reports were machine-scanned, with more than 30,000 documents extracted for manual review. Successive analysis further reduced this total to about 6,200 documents. Of these, nearly 2,500 were tentatively correlated to approximately 1,400 specific POW/MIAs cases. These are the documents listed in this report.

                                                                              -3-

Handle VIA COMINT CHANNels only
secret
                                                          

secret 

(U) This report is composed of three primary fields, in columnar format:

  • (C CCO) The first column is the Department of Defense POW/MIA case reference number (REFNO). The REFNO is assigned
    strictly by case/incident, and many represent more than one individual POW/MIA Some entries have no assigned REFNO; these entries are accounted for by date only. Many of these "no-REFNO" entries involve individuals identified by name in SIGINT. These individuals were released without a REFNO being assigned to their incident.
  • (U) The second column is the date of the loss incident. All entries are chronological, therefore some REFNOs are out of numerical order.

(FOUO)  The third column is a list by date-time-group (DTG) and report serial for SIGINT reports which may correlates or have been evaluated for correlation to each case. Many entries have no SIGINT correlations listed. This is accurate within the parameters of our computer search and subsequent initial analysis.

(FOUO)  In some instances there is a fourth column containing an additional or partial serial within parentheses. This reflects either a corrected or an alternate report serial. These arc included to aid in retrieval of the reports.

(C COU)  As previously noted, these SIGINT correlations are not definitive and require all-source analysis and validation by the Defense I Missing Persons Office (formerly the Defense POW/MIA Office, formerly the DIA Special Office for POW/MIAs). This is an ongoing effort and, consequently, this document may be updated due to further analysis or as more information becomes available.

                                                                                   -4 -
Handle VIA COMINT CHANNels only
secret

========================================================================================

[NOTE: The pages below reflect pages 5-30 of the SIGINT correlations - The page numbers, "secret" And  "Handle VIA COMINT CHANNels only, secret  stamps have NOT been repeated for ease of use.  The use of     /     /    designates the area on the paper report where it was "sanitized"]

                                                 
secret

Case #        Incident Date        Possible SIGNET Correlations                                                              

0001             29 Nov 52                No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0002             13 Jan 61                 No SIGINT Reflections (U) -

0003             23 Mar 61               SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                      41459z     Mar 61         2/0/    /T17-61
                                                             28 Mar 61             3/0/   /R17-61 
                                                             20 Apr 61              2/0/   / R13-61

0004             23 Mar 61                 SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                                                                                                               FOIA (b) 1
                                                        241459z  Mar 61    2/0/   /T17-61                                FOIA(b)3 - 50 USC 403
                                                                   28 Mar 61    3/0/   /R17-61                               FOIA(b)3 - 18 USC 798
                                                                   20 Apr 61     2/0/   / R13-61                              FOIA(b)3 - P.L. 86-36 sec 6
                                                                  
0005             22 Apr 61                    SIGINT Reflections (S CCO):
                                                          261936z  Apr 61        2/0/   /T 64-61
                                                         261934z  Apr 61        2/0/   /T63-61
                                                         261947z  Oct 61        3/0/   /T65-61
                                                         011919z  Jun 62        2X/0/   /T02-62         (0/8499-62)

0006             No Entry

0007             No Entry

0008             15 May 61                 No SIGINT reflections (U)

---                9 Dec 61                     SIGINT ref1ections (U)
                                                         201513z  Mar 62        2X/01/   /T35-62         (0/5333-62)
                                                                  05 Apr 62         3/0/   / R17-62

---                18 Dec 61                  SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                        201513z  Mar 62         2X/0/   /T35-62         (0/5333-62)
                                                                05  Apr 62           3/0/   /R17-62

0009             24 Dec 61                SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                       231555z  Feb 62         2/0/   /lT134-62
                                                      071611z  Jun 62         2X/O/   /T74-62            (0/13752-62)
                                                      130230z  Jun 62         2X/   /T15-62 
                                                      170045z  Jun 62         2X/   / R06-62 
                                                      26083Sz  Jun 62         WX/   /T18-62
                                                      131339z  Jul 62          2X/0/   /T95-62             (0/13773-62)
                                                                                                              
---                30 Mar 62                 SIGINT reflections (S CCO):                                     FOIA(b) 1
                                                      160006z  Jun 6.2        2X/   /T16-62                             FOIA (b) 3 - 50 USC 403
                                                      l70045z  Jun 62         2X/   /RO6-62                            FOIA(b)3 - 18 USC 798
                                                                                                                                            FOIA(b)3 - P.L. 86-36 sec 6
0010             8 Apr 62                   SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                       030900z  May 62     2X/      / R04-62
                                                      091135z  May 62     2X/0/   /T49-62                (0/5347-62)
                                                      231955z  May 62     2X/0/   /T58-62                (0/8358-62) 
                                                      011919z  Jun 62       2X/0/   /T0-62                  (0/8499-62) 
                                                      071611z  Jun 62       2X/O/   /T74-62               (0/13752-62)
                                                      141907z  Jun 62       2X/O/   /T75-62               (0/13753-62)
                                                      170045z  Jun 62       2X/      /R06-62
                                                       271335z  Jul 62        2X/0/   /T109-62              (0/13787-62)

 ---                13 Apr 62                 SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                      291427z  May 62     2X/0/   /T63-62                 (0/8363-62)
     
0011            30 May 62               SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                      Ol1919z  Jun 62         2X/0/   /T02-62               (0/8499-62)

0012             14 Jul 62                No SIGINT reflections (U)-
  
0013             23 Jul 62                 SIGINT reflection (S CCO):
                                                    16 Aug 62                 2X/01/   /ROB-62              (0/16660-62)

0014              28 Aug 62              No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0015             6 Oct 62                  No SIGINT reflections (U) -                                      FOIA(b) 1
                                                                                                                                          FOIA(b)3 - 50 USC 403
---                 4 Mar 63                 No SIGINT reflections (U) -                                      FOIA (b) - 18 USC 798
                                                                                                                                          FOIA(b)3 - P.L. 86-36 sec 6

0016             8 Jun 63                   NSOC Watch Officer Notes:
                                                                       11 Oct 63     Watch Officer Notes (extracted from /         / Int Sum #  119-63, 
                                                                                             09221lz Oct 63)
                                                      No SIGINT-originated reflections (U) -

0017             2 Sep 63                  No SIGINT reflections

0018             5 Sep 63                  NSOC Watch Officer Notes:
                                                                       19 Oct 63 Watch Officer Notes (extracted from FBIS, Radio Hanoi, 18 Oct 63)
                                                                       22 Dec 64 Watch Officer Notes (extracted from       /07164-6, 21 Dec 64)
                                                             SIGINT reflections (S CCO):                             FOIA(b) 1
                                                             221551z  Oct 63       3/0/   /T81-63                       FOIA(b)3 - 50 USC 403
                                                             110102z  Jun 71       2/      /T733-71                     FOIA(b) 3 - 18 USC 798
                                                                                                                                           FOIA(b)3 - P.L. 86-36 sec 6

0019             8 Oct 63                    No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0020             8 Oct 63                    No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0021             29 Oct 63                  SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                       291430z  Sep 65     2X/      /T316-65

0022             29 Oct 63                 NSOC Watch Officer Notes:
                                                                    25 Nov 63     Watch Officer Notes (extracted from AP, 24 Nov 63 and 
                                                                                           COMUSMACV, MAC 313 9034, 24 Nov 63)
                                                      No SIGINT-oriqinated reflections (U) -

0023             24 Nov 63                 NSOC Watch Officer Notes:
                                                                    25 Nov 63     Watch Officer Notes (extracted from AP, 24 Nov 63 and
                                                                                           COMUSMACV, MAC 313 9034, 24 Nov 63)
                                                       SIGINT Reflections (S CCO):
                                                        170758z  Jan 64     2X/      /R04-64

0024             24 Nov 63                 NSOC Watch Officer Notes:                                                     
                                                                     25 Nav 63     Watch Officer Notes (extracted from AP, 24 Nov 63 and
                                                                                           COMUSMACV, MAC 313 9034, 24 Nav 63)
                                                        SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                        291430z  Sep 65     2X/   /T316-65
                                                        122345z  Dec 65     2X/  /T46-65

0025             6 Dec 63                     No SIGINT reflections (U) -
                                                                                                                                             FOIA(b)1
0026             12 Dec 63                   No SIGINT reflections (U) -                                     FOIA(b)3 - 50 USC 4C3
                                                                                                                                             FOIA(b)3 - 18 USC 798
0027                                                 NSOC Watch Officer Notes:                                    FOIA(b)3 - P.L. 86-36 sec 6
                                                                     15 Jan 64         Watch officer Notes (extracted from 
                                                                                              COMUSMACV, 313 0360, 41244z Jan 64)
                                                         No SIGINT-originated reflections (U) -

0028                                                 No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0029                                                 SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                          031727z  Apr 64         3/0/   /T11-64

---                    1 Jun 64                   No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0030                 6 Jun 64                  No SIGINT reflections (U) - 

0031                                                 No SIGINT reflections (U) -
                                                         
0032                19 Jun 64                 No SIGINr reflections (U) -

0033                 21 Jul 64                 SIGINT Reflections (S CCO):
                                                         081500z  Nov 64     2X/      /R47-64
                                                        181127z   Nov 64     2X/      /R52-64

0034                 5 Aug 64                 SIGINT Reflections (S CCO):
                                                         041933z  Aug 64     2/0/   /Tl0-64
                                                         041630z  Aug 64     2/      /R38-64
                                                         050837z  Aug 64     2/      /R21-64 
                                                         090336z  Aug 64     2/      /R50-64
                                                         090340z  Aug 64     2/      /R51-64
                                                         092208z  Aug 64     2/0/      /R07-64
                                                                                                                                            FOIA (b) 1
0035                 5 Aug 64                 SIGINT reflections (S CCO):                                  FOIA(b)3 50 USC 403 
                                                         040224z  Aug 64     2/0/   /TI0-64                             FOIA (b) 3 - 18 USC 798
                                                         041630z  Aug 64     2/      /R38-64                            FOIA(b)3 - P.L. 86-36 sec 6
                                                         050837z  Aug 64     2/      /R21-64
                                                         061150z  Aug 64     2/      /R27-64
                                                         061656z  Aug 64     2/0/      /T11-64
                                                         06l735z  Aug 64      2/         /R30-64
                                                         062323z Aug 64      2/      /R48-64
                                                         260750z Aug 64      2/      /R39-64

0036                 6 Aug 64                 No SIGINT reflections (S CCO):

0037                 8 Aug 64                 SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                        181127z   Nov 64     2/X/      /R52-64
   
0038               18 Aug 64                 No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0039               23 Sep 64                 No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0040                2 Oct 64                  No SIGINT reflections (U)

0041               22 Oct 64                 SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                        251613z  Oct 64        3/0/   /T33S-64
                                                        092232z  Nov 64       3/0/   /T1501-64
                                                                                                                                            FOIA (b)1
 0042              24 Oct 64                SIGINT reflections (S CCO):                                    FOIA (b) 3 - 50 USC 403
                                                       262111z   Oct 64       2/0/    /T72-64                            FOIA (b )3 - 18 USC 798 .
                                                       271334z   Oct 64       3/0/   /T343-64                           FOIA (b) 3 - P.L. 86-36 Sec 6
                                                       271644z   Oct 64       3/0/   /T346-64
                                                       2S1341z   Oct 64       2/0/   /T74-64
                                                       301416z   Oct 64       3/0/   /T373-64
                                                                  04 Nov 64      NSOC Watch Officer Notes (extracted from
                                                                                         2X/         /T135-64, 3l0125z  Oct 64)

0043                 6 Nov 64                No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0044                 13 Nov 64              No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0045                 21 Nov 64              No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0046                 10 Dec 64              No SIGINT reflections (U) -
                                                            
0047                 11 Dec 64              No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0048                 22 Dec 64              SIGINT reflections ((S CCO):                                    FO1A (b)1
                                                        010030z   Jan 65     2X/      /R87-64                            FOIA (b) 3 50 USC 403 
                                                        201611z   Jan 65     2X/      /T27-65                             FO1A (b) 3 - 18 USC 798
                                                                                                                                              FO1A(b) 3 - P.L. 86-36 sec 6
0049                 29 Dec 64              SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                         121622z   Jan 65     2X/      /T15-65
                                                        201611z   Jan 65     2X/      /T27-65
                                                                   27 Jun 65     NSOC     Watch Officer Notes (extracted from FBIS, Radio, 
                                                                                                        Hanoi, 26 Jun 65)
                                                        281503z   Jun 65     2X/         /T237-65
                                                        140620z   Ju1 65     2X/        /R40-65

0050                 31 Dec 64               SIGINT reflections  (S CCO):
                                                         121622z   Jan 65     2X/     /T15-65
                                                         201611z   Jan 65     2X/     /T27-65

0051                 31 Dec 64              SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                        201611z   Jan 65     2X/         /T27-65

0052                 2 Feb 65                 SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                                    20 Jul 66      3/0/         /T154-66

/    /                    7 Feb 65                 SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                         070858z   Feb 65     2/     /R46-65
                                                         071450z   Feb 65     2/     /R01-65
                                                                   08  Feb 65       NSOC Watch Officer Notes
                                                                                           (extract; FBIS, 7 Feb 65)
                                                         091014z   Feb 65     2/     /R69-65
                                                         281239z   Jan 66     2/       /R08-66                                   FOIA (b) l
                                                         290335z   Jan 66     2/       /R09-66                                   FOIA (b) 3 - 50 USC 403
                                                                                                                                                    FOIA (b) 3 - 18 USC 798
0054                  9 Feb 65                SIGINT reflections (S CCO):                                           FOIA (b) 3 - P. L. 86-36 sec 6
                                                        170233z   Feb 65     2X/         /T64-65

0055                 11 Feb 65                SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                         110912z   Feb 65     2/      /R81-65
                                                         112007z   Feb 65     2/         /R01-65
                                                                    19  Jun 65     Watch Officer Notes (/     / /     /08464-65 , 18 Jun 65)

0056                 14 Feb 65                No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0057                 24 Feb 65                No SIGINT reflections (U) -
      
0058                 2 Mar 65                 No SIGINT reflections (U) - 

0059                 11 Mar 65               No SIGINT reflections (U) -
      
0060                 15 Mar 65               No SIGINT reflections (U) 

0061                 29 Mar 65               No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0062                 31 Mar 65               No SIGINT reflections (U) -

----                      1 Apr 65                SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                         101446z   Jan 68     3/0/      /T15-68                            FOIA (b) 1
                                                                                                                                              FOIA (b) 3 - 50 USC 403
0063                   2 Apr 65                No SIGINT reflections (U) -                                      FOIA (b) 3 - 18 USC 798
                                                                                                                                              FOIA (b) 3 - P.L. 86-36 sec 6
0064                   3 Apr 65                SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                          071003z   Apr 65     2X/      /T157-65
                                                         151539z   Apr 65      2X/      /T173-65

0065                 3 Apr 65                  SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                         071003z   Apr 65       2X/      /T157-65
                                                         151539z   Apr 65       2X/      /T173-65

0066                 3 Apr 65                  SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                          071003z   Apr 65       2X/     /T157-65
                                                          151539z   Apr 65       2X/     /T173-65

0067                 4 Apr 65                  SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                         071003z   Apr 65        2X/     /T157-65
                                                                 151539z Apr 65  2X/      /T173-65

0068                  4 Apr 65                  SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                         071003z   Apr 65        2X/         / T157-65
                                                         151539z   Apr 65        2X/         / T173-65
                                                         212156z   Nov 68       2/00/     / R54-68     Sec.2 of 7

/    /                      4 Apr 65               SIGINT reflections  (S CCO):
                                                        071003z   Apr 65         2X/         / T157-65 
                                                        151539z   Apr 65         2X/         / T173-65
                                                        212156z   Nov 68        2/00/   /R54-68       Sec.2 of 7
      
0070                  7 Apr 65                No SIGINT reflections (U)
                                                                                                                                                        (b) (1)
0071                  7 Apr 65                No SIGINT reflections                                                          (b) (3)-50 USC 403
                                                                                                                                                        (b) (3) -18 USC 798
0072                   9 Apr 65               NSOC Watch Officer Notes:                                                (b) (3)-P.L. 86-36
                                                        20 Sep 65     NSOC Summ (ACC# 38111)

0073                   11 Apr 65             No SIGINT reflections (U) -
                            
0074                   17 Apr 65             No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0075                   18 Apr 65             No SIGINT reflections (U) -                                                                     CIA 

0076                   20 Apr 65             SIGINT reflections (S CCO):                                                                    (b)(1)
                                                        121727z   Sep 69  /                          /                                                           (b) (3)

0077                   20 Apr 65             No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0078                   28 Apr 65             No SIGINT reflections  

0079                 29 Apr 65                SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                         020740z  May 65     2/      / T023-65
                                                        040330z  May 65     2/      / TOl15-65
                                                        191725z   May 65     T1101/RR-1387

0080                   6 May 65             No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0081                   8 May 65             No SIGINT reflections (U) -
                                                                                                                                                          FOIA (b) 1
0082                   9 May 65             No SIGINT reflections (U) -
                                                                                                                                              FOIA (b) 3 - 50 USC 403
0083                   9 May 65             No SIGINT reflections (U) -                                       FOIA (b) 3 - 18 USC 798 
                                                                                                                                              FOIA (b) 3 - P.L. 66-36
0084                 18 May 65             SIGINT reflections
                                                        040233z   Jun 65     2/      /T069-65
                                                        100248z   Jun 65     2/     /T078-65
                                                        
0085                 19 May 65             No SIGINT reflections  (U) -

0086                 23 May 65             SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                        271400z  May 65     2X/      /T206-65 
                                                        021220z   Jun 65     2X/       / T213-65 
                                                        111315z   Jun 65     2X/       / T218-65

0087                 25 May 65             SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                        040233z   Jun 65     2/      /T069-65
                                                        100248z   Jun 65     2/     /T078-65

0088                 27 May 65             No SIGINT reflections (U) -
                                                                                
0089                 31 May 65             SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                        090956z  Jun 65     3/        /R12-65
                                                 
0090                  1 Jun 65               No SIGINT reflections (U) -
      
0091                  2 Jun 65                SIGINT reflections (S CCO):
                                                        090956z   Jun 65    3/       /R12-65
                                                        171400z   Apr 72     2/      /R16-72
     
0092                   2 Jun 65                SIGINT reflections  (S CCO):
                                                         090956z   Jun 65     3/      / R12-65
     
0093                   2 Jun 65                No SIGINT reflections (U) - 
                                                                                                                                              FOIA (b) 1
0094                   9 Jun 65                No SIGINT reflections (U)-                                       FOIA (b) 3 - 50 USC 403
                                                                                                                                              FOIA (b) 3 - 18 USC 798
0095                 10 Jun 65                No SIGINT reflections                                               FOIA (b) 3 - P.L. 86-36 sec 6

0096                 10 Jun 65                 No SIGINT reflections (U) -

0097                 12 Jun 65      &