[0077-71.cm 02/25/96] [NETWORK NOTE: This document was scanned and retyped to make it an ASCII file. The Block format of a USG document was altered to just "text") 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: VN, HANOI City 8. REPORT NUMBER: 6 029 0077 71 2. SUBJECT: (U) Sighting of US PWs in 9. DATE OF REPORT: 25 Jan 71 HANOI City, NVN (handwritten-W28342) 10.NO. OF PAGES: 4 3. ISC NUMBER: 723.600 11.REFERENCES: DIRM: 6G3 SICR: D-7CX-49018 BRIGHT LIGHT 4. DATE OF INFORMATION: Feb 68 12. ORIGINATOR: US Element, CMIC, USMACV 5. PLACE AND DATE OF ACQ: CMIC, SAIGON, VS 21 Jan 71 13. PREPARED BY: ROBERT L. WILLIAMS SP5, USA 6. EVALUATION: SOURCE F INFORMATION 6 7. SOURCE: PW Interrogation 14. APPROVING AUTHORITY: (SIGNED) W.H. BEARDSLEY LTC, USA Dir, US Elm, CMIC 15. SUMMARY (C) This report contains limited information concerning the sighting of 58 US PWs in HANOI City, NVN, two weeks after Tet 68, to include circumstances of sighting, description of clothing, and security. THIS IS A BRIGHT LIGHT REPORT. MACV FOR JPRC. 1. (C) Background Information: a. Name: HOANG DANG THANH (HOANGL, DEANG THANH), aka HOANG PHAN DIUE ( HOANGL, FAANS DIEEUS), CMIC 3309-70 b. Rank: PFC c. Position and Unit of Assignment: Member; Recon Sqd, 5th Co, 7th Bn, 66th Regt, 75th Arty Gp d. DPOB: 28 May 50; NIEN NINH Village, THANH TRI District, HA DONG 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 1 cy 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 Page 2 of 4 e. Parents' Names: Father, HOANG PHAN LUC (HOANGL, FAANS LUCV), deceased; Mother, NGUYEN THI KHUNG (NGUYEENX, THIV KHUNG), living f. Circumstances of Capture. On 19 Dec 70, Source surrendered to elements of the 35th ARVN Ranger Bn in PHU KHUONG. District, TAY NINH Province, RVN. He carried with him one K-53 pistol with 35 rounds of ammunition. Source was on a reconnaissance mission to survey the BAU CO area, PAY NINH Province, with 31 other individuals of his unit, when he surrendered. b. Background Information: (1) DOB to Sep 69. Source attended the village school at his POB from 1958 to 1965, and then worked as a farmer with his parents until Apr 68. In Apr 68, Source was drafted into the NVA and sent to HOA BINH Village, LAP THICH District, VINH PHUC Province, NVN, for basic training with the 4th Co, 4th Bn (further subordination unk). On 20 Jun 68, the 4th Bn was redesignates the 4030th Gp and began infiltration with a strength of approximately 600 men. After crossing through NVN, LADS, and GIA LAI (VC) Province, RVN, the group regrouped in KATUM, TAY NINH Province, RVN, in Feb 69. The group rested in KATUM for three months; in Apr 69, Source and five other men from the 4030th Gp were assigned to the Recon Plat, 7th Bn, 66th Regt, 75th Arty Gp, located in CAU SAU CAY, KOMPONG CHAM Province, CAMBODIA. Source received reconnaissance training with two other men until Jun 69; at the completion of training, Source was sent for treatment of malaria to the K-53 Hospital in KOMPONG CHAM, Province, CAMBODIA. Source remained at the hospital for three months, then returned to his unit in Sep 69. (2) Sep 69 to Capture. In Feb 70, Source and four others in his unit were sent to the H-10 Technical School, located in KOMPONG CHAM Province, CAMBODIA, located near LOC NINH District, TAY NINH Province, RVN. In Jul 70, the school moved to a jungle area approximately 15 kilometers north of MEMOT City, KOMPONG CH AM Province, CAMBODIA. In Sep 70, the 7th Bn moved to a location about 15 kilometers north of MEMOT In Oct 70, the Recon Plat of the 7th Bn was divided into squads which were assigned to each company of the battalion. At this time, Source was assigned to the Recon Sod, 5th Co, 7th Bn. On 11 Dec 70, Source and 31 other men were given the mission to survey the BAU CO area, TAY NINH Province, RVN. However on 19 Dec 70, Source departed the group on the way and surrendered to elements of the 35th ARVN Ranger Bn along Highway 4 in CAMBODIA. h. Additional References: CMIC PW/Rallier Exploitation Guide: US PW Photo Album, HQ, 525th MI Gp, dtd 10 Nov 68; Map. TacCTA, HANOI, NVN, AP-1-380-1-21-64-INT, Sheet 1 of 2 (Orientation and HANOI Urban Area Maps) 2. (C) Sighting of US PWs in HANOI City, NVN: a. Circumstances of Sighting. Approximately two weeks after the conclusion of Tet 68, source observed 58 US PWs in HANOI City, NVN. Page 3 of 4 Source was riding a bus from TAY Lake to the KIM LIEN bus Station at the time; the bus route follower QUANG THANH Street for several blocks. Source passed the group of PWs at approximately 0900 hours (HANOI time); the PWs were walking in an eastward Direction along QUANG THANH Street in the vicinity of (WJ88422643). Source observes the group for about three minutes and counted the PWs as he passed by in the bus. The PWs were walking on the right side of the street in a column of 29 pairs, guarded on both sides by 10 NVA soldiers. b. Identification of PWs source observed the PWs for only three minutes and could remember no faces and could provide no descriptions. He stated that most of the PWs were taller than the Interrogator (1.80 meters tall). All of the PWs were light-skinned males. Many of the PWs wore watches and rings however, Source could provide no descriptions of any of these. Only a few-of the PWs wore glasses. Source was able to describe one type of sunglasses worn by two of the PWs. (For a sketch, see page 4.) c. Clothing. All of the PWs wore light Green uniforms of "khaki" material. These pajama-like suits consisted of a shirt and matching pants. The shirt had two hand pockets near the bottom four buttons down the middle, and long sleeves The pants were ankle-length and had four pockets, two in front and two in back. Each PW wore black shoes or boots. (Source could not see the footwear clearly.) Source could provide no further information concerning clothing. d. Health of PWs. All of the PWs appeared to be uninjured and in good health. e. Security. The PWs were handcuffed in pairs. The right arm of one PW was handcuffed to the left arm of the other PW by a 40-centimeter long chain, leaving one hand free for smoking. The PWs marched in a column of 29 pairs To the right and left sides of the column were a total of about 10 NVA guards (units unknown). Each of the guards was equipped with an AK-47 (basic load unknown). f. Attitude of Local Inhabitants. Source claimed that he did not know the attitudes of the people who gathered around the PWs. Source heard from the general chatter around him that any citizen who approached closer than three meters to the PWs, or who attempted to harm the PW's in any way, would be arrested. Source knew of nobody who was arrested. Source claimed that he loved the PWs because of the sorrowful situation forced upon them by their cruel government. (C) COMMENTS: Source claimed to have surrendered to an ARVN unit and turned his weapon and ammunition over to them. He stated that initially he was treated as a HOI CHANH, but at BIEN HOA - he was told that he would temporarily have to be treated as a prisoner. However, his status was never reverted from PW to Rallier. Source was administered the Cross-cultural IQ Test and scored average (19). Source was very cooperative and appeared to be telling the truth. He was not able to identify any of the photographs in the US PW Photo Album. This report partially satisfies the requirements of SICR D-7CX-49018. Collection action continues. Page 4 of 4 Sketch of sunglasses worn by two US PWs, as provided by returnee HOANG DANG THANH, CMIC 3309-70 (DOI: Feb 68) [NETWORK NOTE: a copy of the 4" x 6" SKETCH OF THE SUNGLASSES is available - call or write using the file number 0077 71.] (Not to scale) silver copper copper dark green [Distributed through the P.O.W. Network]