[0933-71.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-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.
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