[0810-71.CM 03/02/96]
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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, THUA THIEN Province 8. REPORT NUMBER: 6 029 0810 71
2. SUBJECT: (U) US PW Sighting in 9. DATE OF REPORT: 27 Jul 71
THUA THIEN Province, RVN (handwritten-W31437)
10.NO. OF PAGES: 5
3. ISC NUMBER: 723.600 11.REFERENCES: DIRM:6G3
4. DATE OF INFORMATION: Mar 67 12. ORIGINATOR: US Element, CMIC, USMACV
5. PLACE AND DATE OF ACQ: CMIC, SAIGON, VS
13. PREPARED BY: ARTHUR A. BOULETTE
SP4, USA
6. EVALUATION: SOURCE F INFORMATION 6
7. SOURCE: Returnee Interrogation 14. APPROVING AUTHORITY: (SIGNED)
PAUl G. SPERO
LTC, USA
Dir, US Elm, CMIC
15. SUMMARY
(C) This report contains information concerning the sighting of two US
PW in THUA THIEN Province, to include circumstances of sighting,
description, clothing worn by the PW, physical condition, personal
information, capture data, and evacuation procedures. THIS IS A BRIGHT
LIGHT REPORT. MACV FOR JPRC.
1. (C) Background Information:
a. Name: TRAN VAN TU (TRAANL, VEAN TUWS), CMIC 0269-71
b. Rank: CPT
c. Position and Unit of Assignment: XO; 2d Co, 804th Inf Bn, HUE
City Unit
d. DPOB: 1945; THIEN LOC Village, CAN LOC District, HA TINH
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 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
Aug 20 1971
Page 2 of 5
c. Parents' Names: : Father, TRAN VAN HANG (TRAANL, VEAN HEANGL),
deceased; Mother, VO THI NIEM (VOX, THIV NIEEM), living
f. Circumstances of Return. On 8 Mar 71, Source went to LOC AN Village,
PHU LOC District, THUA THIEN Province, on his regular visit to the village to
buy rice for his unit. Source decided that it was an opportune time to carry
out his previous plans to take advantage of the CHIEU HOI Program; therefore,
he rallied to an unidentified ARVN unit in the area. Source turned in one
K-54 pistol with 14 rounds of ammunition at the time he rallied.
g. Significant Activities:
(1) DOB to Oct 65. Source attended village and district schools near his
POB from 1955 to 1962. On 22 Jun 62, Source was drafted into the NVA, and
assigned to the 2d Co, 8th Bn, 18th Regt, 325th Inf Div, in LOC NINH District
(sic), QUANG BINH Province, NVN. While with this unit, Source received one
year of basic training. In Jan 64, Source was reassigned to the 2d Co, 804th
Inf Bn, HUE City Unit (NFI). The battalion reviewed training in preparation
for infiltration until Jun 64. From Jun to Sep 64, the unit infiltrated to
QUANG TRI Province, RVN, in a series of small moves accompanied by frequent
rests. From Sep 64 to Apr 65, the battalion carried out many successful
attacks on ARVN outposts in TRIEU PHONG and CAM LO (VC) Districts, QUANG TRIG
Province. In Apr 65, the unit moved to HAI LANG District, QUANG TRI Province,
to continue attacking outposts. In Jun 65, the battalion moved to HUONG HOA
District, QUANG TRI Province, to gain control of Highway 9. The battalion
stayed there until Oct 65.
(2) Oct 65 to Date of Return. In Oct 65, the unit moved to the BA LONG
area, TRIEU PHONG District, QUANG TRI Province. It remained there, attacking
small ARVN units in the area, until Jan 67. In Jan 67, the battalion moved to
PHONG DIEN District, THUA THIEN Province. At this time, Source was promoted
to assistant platoon leader of the 3d Plat, 2d Co, 804th Inf Bn. The
battalion continued operations throughout THUA THIEN Province, frequently
attacking Allied units and periodically attacking HUE City. In Jan 68, Source
was promoted to executive officer of the 2d Co, 804th Inf Bn. During the 1968
Tet Offensive, the battalion participated in massive attacks on HUE City, and
subsequently returned to PHONG DIEN District, THUA THIEN Province. In Nov 68,
Source was promoted to commanding officer of the 2d Co, 804th Inf Bn. In
early 1969, the battalion moved to the Jungle areas of PHU LOC District, THUA
THIEN Province. The unit remained in this area for the remainder of the time
Source was with the unit. In Jul 70, Source was promoted to executive officer
of the 804th Inf Bn. Source was still in this position at the time he
rallied.
h. Additional References: CMIC PW/Rallier Exploitation Guide; 525th MI
Group Photo Album, dtd 10 Nov 68; Nap: VIETNAM, AMS Series L7014, Sheet 6441
I, Edition 2, dtd 1968, Scale 1:50,000
2. (C) PW Sighting in HUE City, THUA THIEN Province, RVN:
Page 3 of 5
a. Circumstances of Sighting. on or about 21 Feb 68, Source, while serving
as the executive officer of the 2d Co, 804th Bn, HUE City Unit, was engaging
elements of the 1st ARVN Div, when he captured two US PW in HUE City (vic
YD773210). At the time Source captured the two PW, he and four other men were
searching buildings in HUE City. Source and the four other men then brought
the two PW to a central collection point in HUE City (vic YD771217). Upon
delivering these two PW to the central collection point, Source sighted
approximately nine other US PW, but the sighting was of such a short duration
that he could not furnish any information about them, except that they all
wore Jungle fatigues. After a couple of hours, all the PW were brought to the
headquarters of the HUE City Unit, which was at this time located at (vic
YD794214).
b. Description of PW No 1:
(1) Identification:
(a) Name: Unknown
(b) Rank and Branch of Service: Unknown
(c) Nationality: American
(d) Physical Description:
1 Height: 1.70m
2 Weight: 60kg
3 Color Or Hair and Eyes: Brown; Brown
4 Race: Caucasian
5 Complexion: Light
6 Hair Length: Short
7 Nose: Long and pointed
8 Scars: Unknown
9 Tatoos: Unknown
10 Birthmarks: Unknown
11 Build: Small
12 Age: 30
13 Glasses Worn: White rimmed glasses
14 Ring and Watches: The PW wore a watch with a silver
band.
Page 4 of 5
(2) Clothing. This PW wore a white, short-sleeved shirt, with black pants
and black shoes. As the PW wore civilian clothes, he wore no rank or unit
insignia.
(3) Physical Condition. Source stated that the PW appeared to be in good
condition, physically The PW was not wounded at the time of capture.
(4) Personal Information. Source could not provide any personal
information concerning the PW, except that the PW was born in the US and spoke
Vietnamese.
c. Description of PW No 2:
(1) Identification:
(a) Name: Unknown
(b) Rank and Branch of Service: Unknown
(c) Nationality: Korean (assumed)
(d) Physical Description:
1 Height: 1.60m
2 Weight: 60kg
3 Color of Hair and Eyes: Black; Black
4 Race: Oriental
5 Complexion: Dark
6 Hair Length: Short and straight (had a
moustache)
7 Nose: Short and curved
8. Scars: Unknown
9 Tatoos: Unknown
10 Birthmarks: Unknown
11 Build: Small
12 Age: 25
13 Glasses Worn: None
14 Rings and Watches: This PW wore a watch
which had a gold band and a black face.
Page 5 of 5
(2) Clothing. This PW was wearing a yellow and brown checkered shirt and a
pair of white pants. He was also wearing brown civilian boots which had no
shoe laces. As this PW wore civilian clothes, he wore no ranks or unit
insignia.
(3) Physical Condition. Source stated that the PW appeared to be in good
physical condition. The PW was not wounded at the time of capture.
(4) Personal Information. Source could not provide any personal
information concerning PW No 2.
d. Capture Data: The two PW were captured on or about 21 Feb 68 by Source
and four other members of the 2d Co, 804th Inf Bn, HUE City Unit. The PW were
captured during a house to house search being conducted by the 804th Inf Bn,
HUE City Unit. At the time of their capture, the two PW had in their posession
two revolvers and four hand grenades. The PW did not offer any resistance to
their captors. The two PW were captured at (vic YD773210).
e. Evacuation Procedures. From the point of capture, the two PW were taken
by foot to a central collection point (vic YD771217). After approximately a
two hour stay at this collection point, the two PW and nine other US PW were
taken to the headquarters of the HUE City Unit (vic YD794214). The prisoners
traveled by Jeep from the collection point to the headquarters. The jeeps were
those that were abandoned by RVN forces who had withdrawn from the city.
f. Photo Identification. Source was shown the US PW Photo Album, but could
not make any identification from these photographs.
g. General Information. The following is a description of the
interrogator, as given by Source. It is submitted for comparative purposes.
Estimated Actual
Height 1.80m 1.94m
Weight 70kg 8Okg
Age 26 23
Build Large Medium
(C) COMMENTS: Source was cooperative and appeared to be of average
intelligence. Current OB holdings do not mention the HUE City Unit. They show
the parent unit of the 804th Inf Bn to be the 5th NVA Regt. However, an aka
for the 5th NVA Regt is the HUE City Group 5.
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