[0143-71.CM 02/27/96]
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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: VS, RVN, MR-3 8. REPORT NUMBER: 6 029 0143 71
2. SUBJECT: (U) Death of Two US PWs 9. DATE OF REPORT: 13 Feb 71
in HOC MON District, GIA (handwritten-W28342)
DINH Province, RVN
10.NO. OF PAGES: 4
3. ISC NUMBER: 723.600 11.REFERENCES: DIRM: 6G3
SICR: D-7CX-49018
4. DATE OF INFORMATION: 28 Feb 68 12. ORIGINATOR: US Element, CMIC, USMACV
5. PLACE AND DATE OF ACQ: CMIC, SAIGON, VS
11 Feb 71
13. PREPARED BY: STEVE M. KALININE
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 information concerning sighting of three US PWs
in the RVN, to include the death of two prisoners, probable location of
burial site, and the destruction of captured US property. THIS IS A BRIGHT
LIGHT REPORT. MACV FOR JPRC.
1. (C) Background Information:
a. Name: TRAN QUANG LIEU (TRAANL, QANG LIEEU) aka TRAN QUANG HUNG
(TRAANL, QANG HUNGL), CMIC 0021-71
b. Rank: CPT
c. Position and Unit of Assignment: Chief of Military Staff; 15th
Bn, 2d Regt (F-55), WS-9
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
Page 2 of 4
d. DPOB: 1930; HUNG MY Village, TRAN THOI District, BA XUYEN
Province, RVN
e. Parents' Names: Father, TRAN VAN HOI (TRAANL, VEAN HOOI), living;
Mother TRUONG THI NAM (TRUOWNG, THIV NEAM), living
f. Circumstances of Capture. On 3 Jun 70, Source was captured by an
ARVN element at TRA CAO Village, DIA GAI area, SVAY RIENG Province, CAMBODIA.
Source's mission at the time of capture was to rest on a convalescent leave in
BATHU area, CAMBODIA.
g. Significant Activities:
(1) DOB to early 1963. Source attended the village school
for one year and also worked part-time as a farmer, fisherman, and wood
cutter. In Sep 48, Source joined the 410th VIET MINH Main Force Unit, which
operated against the French in South VIETNAM. In Oct 54, he regrouped by boat
arriving at SAN SON Beach, THANH HOA Province, NVN. From there he went to HA
DONG City, HA DONG Province, where he received training with the 13th Mortar
Co, 660th Regt, 338th Div. Training consisted of battalion size tactics and
firing the 81mm and 82mm mortars. In Sep 58, Source was promoted to platoon
leader. In Oct 58, he took a 25 day leave. In Arp 62, Source began
infiltration with the 15th Bn, 2d Regt. The Regiment traveled by truck from
HA DONG Province to the BEN HAI Mountains to LAOS and CAMBODIA. In Aug 62,
the regiment arrived at the MA DA River, War Zone D (VC), DONG NAI District,
PHUOC LONG Province, RVN.
(2) 1963 to Oct 67. In early 1963, the 2d Regt remained in
War Zone D, training new recruits until the end of 1963, when it moved to the
DAU TIENG area, BINH DUONG Province, RVN. There, its mission was to shell the
BEN CAT, BEN SUC, and TRACH areas, and an unidentified RVN battalion in the
DAU TIENG area. In Dec 64, the regiment moved to BINH GIA area, PHUOC TUY
Province, with the convoys on Highway No 236. In Apr 65, the regiment
attacked the Vietnamese Marines who were trying to reinforce the DONG XOAI
subsector, PHUOC LONG Province. In Jun 65, the regiment moved to BINH DUONG
Province to rest. During 1966, the regiment was engaged in countering the
Allied offensives in TAY NINH and BINH DUONG Provinces. In Jul 67, the
regiment moved to PHUOC LONG Province.
(3) Oct 67 to DOC. In Oct 67, the regiment attacked the BU
DOP subsector and shelled the Special Forces Training School there. In Feb
68, the regiment was engaged in offensive operations against US convoys
traveling on Highway No 236, during which time Source was wounded and
evacuated to the K-71 Hospital located in KOMPONG CHAM Province, CAMBODIA. In
Nov 68, Source was reassigned to the Z-32 Convalescent Battalion, Worksite 9.
While going to this unit, Source developed a fever and was admitted to
Commo-liaison Station 41 for
Page 3 of 4
treatment. After 20 days at the commo-liaison station Source proceeded to
Z-32 Convalescent Battalion; however, his leg swelled several times along the
way, and he had to stop at various stations for treatment. In Mar 69, Source
arrived at the Z-32 Battalion, located along the Cambodian/Vietnamese border.
In Arp 70, Source fled to the BATHU area during the Allied incursion into
CAMBODIA. He was captured on 3 Jun 70, in the DIA GAI area of SVAY BIENG
Province, CAMBODIA.
h. Additional References: CIMC PW/Rallier Exploitation Guide; Map:
VIETNAM, AMS Series L7014, Sheet 6330 IV, Edition 1, dtd 1965, Scale 1:50,000
2. Sighting of Three US PWs in HOC MON District, GIA DINH Province, RVN:
a. Circumstances of Sighting. On 28 Feb 68, at approximately 0900
hours, the 7th Co, T-15 Bn, 2d Regt, WS-9, consisting of 400 men (sic),
engaged a convoy of the US 25th Infantry Division which was traveling east on
Highway No 236. The engagement occurred at location (vic XT712014 to vic
XT748004). At approximately 1600 hours (sic), Source was seriously wounded in
the left leg and lost consciousness until 1800 hours; at this time he heard
that three US soldiers were captured, two of whom were wounded.
b. Description of PWs. Source could not provide any description of
the US PWs because he did not see them. He heard that the captives were two
Caucasians and one Negro lieutenant.
c. Physical Condition of PWs. One Caucasian was wounded in the chest,
and the second was wounded in the arm. The physical condition of the Negro
lieutenant was good.
d. Disposition of the PW. Source stated that while he was a patient
at the K-71 hospital in CAMBODIA during Nov 68, he heard from a medic that the
two wounded Caucasian prisoners died shortly after their evacuation from the
area where the encounter occurred. The soldier who was wounded in the arm
died of shock. The Negro lieutenant was evacuated (NFI).
e. Disposition of the Bodies. Death occurred shortly after the
evacuation took place. Source assumed that the bodies were buried east of
Highway No 236 between (vic XS725998) and (vic XS746984), since every second
man in Source's unit carried a shovel. Source said that no markings would
have been placed on the grave.
f. Results of Ambush. Source stated that in the ambush against the
US convoy his unit captured one M41 truck and two M113 armored personnel
carriers. These vehicles were destroyed because no member of the 7th Co had
experience with them. Source said that the 7th Co destroyed approximately 50
trucks and captured two K-54s and four AK-47s from the US convoy during the
engagement (sic).
Page 4 of 4
g. Record of Activities. Source stated that a record of activities
that occurred during the ambush was maintained by Sr. Lt MINH, a member of the
7th Co, who would also possess detailed information concerning the disposition
of the three US prisoners. Source gave the following description of Sr Lt
MINH: age 28, 1.60m, 65kg, light complexion.
COMMENTS: Source was cooperative throughout the interrogation; however he
did not volunteer information and contradicted himself many times. In
addition, he stated that for as long as there are foreign troops in VIETNAM,
there will be war. Source scored Low (7) on the Cross-Cultural IQ Test. This
report partially satisfies the requirements of SICR D-7CX-49018. Collection
action continues.
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