[0933-71.CM 02/27/96] [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: VS, RVN MR-4, AN XUYEN Province 8. REPORT NUMBER: 6 029 0933 71 2. SUBJECT: (U) US PW Sighting in AN 9. DATE OF REPORT: 20 Sep 71 XUYEN Province, RVN (handwritten-W32064) 10. NO. OF PAGES: 4 3. ISC NUMBER: 723.600 11.REFERENCES: DIRM: 6G1, 6G3 SICR: D-7CX-49018 BRIGHT LIGHT 4. DATE OF INFORMATION: May or June 1966 12. ORIGINATOR: US Element, CMIC, USMACV 5. PLACE AND DATE OF ACQ: CMIC, SAIGON, VS 14 Sep 71 13. PREPARED BY: DAVID O. JOHNSON 1LT, USA 6. EVALUATION: SOURCE F INFORMATION 6 7. SOURCE: PW 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 US PW being transported by sampan on the HANG Canal, (NC) KHANH BINH TAY Village, SONG ONG DOC District, AN XUYEN Province, RVN, to include the circumstances of sighting, description of the PW, location of sighting, and evacuation procedures. THIS IS A BRIGHT LIGHT REPORT. MACV FOR JPRC. 1. (C) Background Information: a. Name: TRUONG HONG HAI (TRUOWNG, HOONGL HAIR), aka SAU HAI (SAAU, HAIR), CMIC 0352-71 b. Rank: None (VC) c. Position and Unit of Assignment: Acting Platoon Leader, Adjutant, 1st Plat, C-292 Co, CAN THO City Unit d. DPOB: 1939; RACH LUM Hamlet, KHANH BINH TAY Village, SONG ONG DOC District, AN XUYEN Province, RVN 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 [stamped] THIS MATERIAL CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE LAWS. TITLE 18 U.S.C., SECTIONS 793 AND 794. THE TRANSMISSION OR REVELATION OF WHICH IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. OCT 15 1971 Page 2 of 4 e. Parents' Names: Father, TRUONG VAN THIET (TRUOWNG, VEAN THIEETS), living; Mother, NGUYEN THI NUOI (NGUYEENX, THIV NUOOI), deceased f. Circumstances of Capture. Source's unit, the C-292 Co, CAN THO City Unit, was attacked by an unidentified ARVN unit on 7 May 71, in LOI DU Hamlet (vic WS7906), AN HINH Village, CHAU THANH District, PHONG DINH Province, RVN. HAI VAN (HAI VEAN), the executive officer of the C-292 Co, BA HAI (BA HAIR), Finance Officer of the CAN THO City Unit, and Source were captured. Source had in his possession one .45 caliber pistol and six rounds of ammunition. g. Significant Activities. Source attended the village school at his POB from 1950 to 1954; he then began working as a farmer and occasionally as a fisherman. Source became a village guerrilla in 1963. In 1964, Source became the assistant squad leader of the 2d Sqd, 1st Plat, Village Guerrilla Force; in Apr 66, he was made assistant platoon leader of the 1st Plat; and in Mar 67, he became platoon leader of the 1st Plat. In Dec 68, Source was chosen to become a regular VC, and he was assigned as assistant squad leader of the 1st Sqd, 1st Plat, C-292 Co, CAN THO City Unit. The C-292 Co was located in TRUONG XUAN Village, PHONG DINH Province, RVN. Source was promoted to squad leader in Apr 69. In Apr 69, Source and half of the company moved to LOI NGUYEN Hamlet (vic WS8207), AN BINH Village, CHAU THANH District, PHONG DINH Province, RVN. Their mission was to prepare for the arrival of the other half of the C-292 Co which was in training at that time. In Dec 69, Source was promoted to assistant platoon leader of the 1st Plat. In May 70, the C-292 Co only had about 15 members left. Source was promoted to acting platoon leader in May 70, but the company was no longer divided into platoons. In Aug 70, an ARVN sweep operation forced the entire C-292 Co to move to LOI NGUYEN Hamlet. In Apr 71, the C-292 Co and the C-28 Co attacked an ARVN engineer convoy. the next day an ARVN unit conducted a sweep operation through LOI NGUYEN Hamlet and the C-292 Co moved to LOI DU Hamlet (vic WS7906) where it stayed until 7 May 71, when the ARVN unit attacked again and Source was captured. h. Additional References: CMIC PW/Rallier Exploitation Guide; US PW Photo Album, MACV JPRC, dtd Sep 71; MACV IDHS PW Biographical File, dtd 1 Aug 71; Map: VIETNAM, AMS Series L7014, Sheets 5927 II and 6128 IV, Edition 1, dtd 1965, Scale 1:50,000; VIETNAM, AMS Series L7014, Sheet 6129 II, Edition 2, dtd 1965, Scale 1:50,000 2. US PW Sighting in AN XUYEN Province, RVN. The following information is based on SICR D-7CX-49018 (Prisoner of War Intelligence): a. Circumstances of Sighting: (1) Location. The sighting occurred on the HANG canal (vic VR886047) in KHANH BINH TAY Village, SONG ONG DOC District, AX XUYEN Province, RVN, on an undetermined day in either May or Jun 66. (2) Source's Mission. At the time of the sighting, Source was assigned to the C-292 Co, CAN THO City Unit, and his mission was as security guard for the KHANH BINH TAY Village, SONG ONG DOC District, AN XUYEN Province, RVN. (3) Extent of Sighting. Source was standing at a distance of five to six meters form the canal when the American captive passed him in a sampan moving south. There were three sampans proceeding the US PW and three more following the sampan holding the US PW. The total time Source observed the American prisoner was three to four minutes. The time was approximately 1600 hours. (4) Guards. Three guards accompanied the American captive in the sampan; one guard sat in front of the PW and two guards sat behind him. All three guards were armed with AK-47s and an unknown amount of ammunition. The guards were wearing black uniforms with soft green jungle hats. b. Description of PW: (1) Identification: (a) Name: Unknown (b) Rank and Branch of Service: Unknown Nationality: American (d) Physical Description: 1 Height: 1.70m 2 Weight: 70kg (Interrogator's Note: Source stated that the US PW was fat.) 3 Color of Hair and Eyes: Black; unknown 4 Race: Negro 5 Complexion: Dark 6 Hair Short (Interrogator's Note: Source stated that the prisoner appeared to have several days' growth of beard.) 7 Nose: Long, straight 8 Scars, Tattoos, and Birthmarks: None observed 9 Build: Large 10 Age: 35-36 11 Glasses: None worn 12 Rings: None observed 13 Watches: None observed (2) Clothing Worn by PW. The American PW still wore his green jungle fatigues and US jungle boots. Source did not observe any insignia of rank or patches. The US PW did not wear a hat of any kind. (3) Physical Condition. Source stated that the US PW appeared to be in good health with no apparent wound or injury. The prisoner was bound with a rope restraining the elbows behind his back. (4) Personal Information. Source was unable to speak with either the guards or the prisoner; thus, he had no knowledge concerning this topic. (5) Capture Data. Source had no knowledge of where or when the prisoner was captured. c. Evacuation Procedures. Source had no information concerning evacuation routes or procedures. d. Photo Identification. Source was shown the US PW Photo Album, but could not make a positive identification. (U) COMMENTS: Source was administered the Cross-Cultural IQ Test and scored Average (16). His answers to control questions were consistent. The interrogator received full cooperation during all interrogation sessions. This report partially satisfies the requirements of SICR D-7CX-49018. [Distributed through the P.O.W. Network]