[230355Z.OH 06/07/96]
ORIGIN INFO DCM POL SA DAO PW/MIA EXA DALO INHB (9)
VZ CZC
RR RUHQHQE RUMTFS RUFHPF RUEKJCS RUEKJCS RUHQHQB
RUEKJCS RUEKJCS RUEAIIA RUHVAAA RUEADWW RUEHC
DE RUEHBK #1585/01 082 **
ZNR UUUUU CLASS: UNCLASSIFIED
R 230355Z MAR 93 CHRGE: CJTF 03/23/93
FM JTF-FA DET ONE BANGKOK TH APPRV: CJTF:GEB
TO RUHQHQE / CDR JTF-FA HONOLULU HI DRFTD: CJTF: GEB
INFO RUMTFS / AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE//CJTF-FA DET THREE// :NONE
RUEHPF / USMISSION PHNOM PENH//CJTFFA DET FOUR// DISTR: CJTF
RUEKJCS / JOINT STAFF WASHDC//OCJCS-PW-MIA/J5// ORGIN: OCR
RUEKJCS / SECDEF WASHDC//OASD-ISA/PW-MIA//
RUHQHQB / USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J3//
RUEKJCS / USCINCPAC LO WASHDC//
RUEKJCS / DIA WASHDC//POW-MIA//
RUEAIIA / CIA WASHDC/DEA/SEA/IB/DDO/ICOG//
RUHVAAA / CDHUSACILHI HICKAM AFB HI//
RUEADWW / NSC WASHDC
RUEHC / SECSTATE WASHDC//CA/OCS/CCS/RAP//
BT
UNCLAS SECTION O1 OF 04 BANGKOK TH 11585
UNCLASSIFIED 0064 MAR 93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
SUBJ: JTFFA SPECIAL ASSISTANT TRIP TO VIETNAM
1. JTFFA SPECIAL ASSISTANT, MR G.E. BELL VISITED THE
SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM (SRV) DURING THE PERIOD
3 TO 19 MARCH 1993. ASSIGNED COUNTERPART FOR THE TRIP
WAS MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE (MND) REP AND
VIETNAMESE OFFICE FOR SEEKING MISSING PERSONNEL
(VNOSMP) DEPUTY DIRECTOR, LTC PRAM TEO. ALSO
ACCOMPANYING WAS MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR REP, MR
NGUYEN THE CONG. THE FOLLOWING REPORT PROVIDES A
SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED.
2. ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS:
A. FORMER MILITARY REGION NINE POW CAMP (TG36)
COMMANDER SR CPT NGUYEN CHI CONG: SOURCE PROVIDED
FIRSTHAND INFORMATION CONCERNING NINE US POWS,
INCLUDING ONE ESCAPEE (REFNO 0022 ROWE) THREE
RELEASEES (0022 PITZER, 0033 JOHNSON, 0384 JACKSON),
AND FIVE DIED-IN CAPTIVITY (0021 VERSACE, 0048 PARKS,
0047 TADIOS, 0086 WALKER, AND ONE BLACK AMERICAN POW
TRANSFERRED FROM TO THE MR9 CAMP FROM TRA VINH WHO
SOURCE COULD ONLY IDENTIFY AS "ROBAT" ). SOURCE ALSO
PROVIDED GENERAL LOCATION INFORMATION CONCERNING FOUR
DIC BURIAL SITES, AND THE IDENTITIES/CURRENT
WHEREABOUTS OF CADRE WHO WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN
THE BURIAL OF THESE FOUR DIC'S. SOURCE WAS NOT ABLE
TO PROVIDE INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BURIAL OF THE
FIFTH DIC (0021 VERSACE), BECAUSE HE WAS TRANSFERRED
BY SOURCE TO THE MR9 PARTY COMMITTEE (KHU UY), IN
THE CUSTODY OF THE MILITARY PROSELYTING SECTION
(TG35), PRIOR TO HIS REPORTED DEATH (NOTE:
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TECHNICAL MEETING TALKING POINTS REGARDING THE
REPORTED ADDITIONAL WITNESSES AND DIC BURIAL SITES WILL
BE FORWARDED SEPARATELY).
-B. FORMER ENEMY PROSELYTING OFFICE (EPO) POLICY
SECTION CHIEF, MR BUI THANH NGON: SOURCE PROVIDED
LIMITED INFORMATION CONCERNING THE WARTIME
ORGANIZATION OF THE EPO, SVNLAF. SOURCE CLAIMED NO
FIRSTHAND CONTACT WITH US POWS PRIOR TO "OPERATION
HOMECOMING", DUE T0 HIS HIGH POSITION. SOURCE ALSO
PROVIDED IDENTITIES/CURRENT LOCATIONS OF ADDITIONAL
CANDIDATES FOR INTERVIEW. (NOTE: SA RECOGNIZED SOURCE
AS SR COL BUI VAN THANH, THE DEPUTY HEAD OF THE
PROVISIONAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT (PRO) DELEGATION
FOR OPERATION HOMECOMING, WHO WORKED WITH SA IN HANOI
DURING FEBRUARY AND MARCH 1973)
-C. FORMER EPO POLICY OFFICE DEPUTY CHIEF, LTC HUYNH
KHAC CHIEU, AKA BAY (7) CA: SOURCE CLAIMED KNOWLEDGE
OF THREE POLITBURO DIRECTED WARTIME POW SWAPS WHICH
OCCURRED PRIOR TO OPERATION HOMECOMING. SOURCE ALSO
CLAIMED KNOWLEDGE OF ONE US DESERTER (NOLAN) AND TWO
RELEASEES (0234 RAMSEY AND 1169 SCHRUMP). SOURCE
PROVIDED THE IDENTITIES/CURRENT LOCATIONS OF OTHERS
POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR INTERVIEW.
-D. FORMER EPO CHIEF, MG VO VAN THOI:SOURCF PROVIDED
LIMITED INFORMATION CONCERNING THE WARTIME EPO
ORGANIZATION AND THE IDENTITIES/CURRENT LOCATIONS OF
ADDITIONAL CANDIDATES FOR INTERVIEW. SOURCE
VOLUNTEERED TO ARRANGE A MEETING WITH FORMER POW CAMP
CADRE IN ORDER TO LOCATE THE GRAVES OF US PERSONNEL
WHO DIED IN CAPTIVITY. SOURCE REPORTED WARTIME SERVICE
IN LAOS IN CONJUNCTION WITH HIS DUTIES AS THE CHIEF OF
THE MILITARY PROSELYTING SECTION OF THE NATIONAL
REUNIFICATION COMMITTEE, 0F WHICH VO DONG GIANG
(NOTE: REAL NAME PRAM BA) HAS THE GENERAL SECRETARY.
(NOTE: TECHNICAL MEETING TALKING POINTS ADDRESSING
MC THOI'S OFFER TO ARRANGE A MEETING WITH PERTINENT
WARTIME CADRE WILL BE FORWARDED SEPARATELY).
-E. FORMER EPO DEPUTY POLICY SECTION CHIEF PWAM PHI
LONG, AKA SAU (6) PWI LONG: SOURCE PROVIDED INFORMATION
CONCERNING THE WARTIME ORGANIZATION OF THE SOUTHERN EPO
AND CAMP SYSTEM. SOURCE ALSO PROVIDED THE IDENTITIES
AND CURRENT LOCATIONS OF ADDITIONAL CANDIDATES FOR
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 BANGKOK TH 11595
INTERVIEW.
-F. FORMER COMMANDER OF INTER-CAMP A , MR TRUONG HUYNH
MAO, AKA TU (4) TRUONG, AKA TU (4) MAO: SOURCE SAID HE HAS
INTERVIEWED PREVIOUSLY BY A US ELEMENT IN HO CHI
MINH CITY DURING 1992 AND HAD NOTHING FURTHER CONCERNING
US POWS TO ADD. SOURCE SAID INTER-CAMP A HAS LOCATED
IN TRY NINH PROVINCE SOUTH OF KATUM AND ABOUT ONE KM
FROM THE BO TUC BRIDGE DURING THE WAR. SOURCE DID
PROVIDE THE IDENTITIES OF ADDITIONAL CANDIDATES FOR
INTERVIEW. SOURCE HAS EVASIVE CONCERNING HIS POST-75
DUTIES, AND WHEN SA INDICATED THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE
SUGGESTED MR MAO'S EMPLOYMENT WITH THE INFORMATION AND
CULTURE OFFICE COLLOCATED WITH THE HOI OFFICE ON DONG
KHOI STREET IN HO CHI MINH CITY, HE WOULD ONLY SAY THAT
HE WAS PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED TO THE MILITARY PROSELYTING
OFFICE.
-G. FORMER EPO POLICY SECTION CADRE NGUYEN DAU, AKA BAI
(7) DAU: SOURCE REPORTED THE PRESENCE OF FOUR US POWS IN
A CAMP DESIGNATED INTER-TEAM (LIEN DOI) "B" FROM 1967 TO
1969. SOURCE SAID HE HAS TRANSFERRED TO THE CRIMINAL
I INVESTIGATION SECTION IN MID-1369, AND THE FOUR US POWS
WERE LEFT IN THE CUSTODY OF THE DEPUTY POLITICAL
OFFICER. SOURCE ALSO PROVIDED THE IDENTITIES/CURRENT
LOCATION OF POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR INTERVIEW.
-H. FORMER EPO CADRE SR COL NGUYEN GONG TRUNG: SOURCE
REPORTED THE BURIAL OF ONE AMERICAN KIA (NOTE: POSS
REFNO 0032 TALLEY) DURING A FIREFIGHT WHICH OCCURRED
IN THE AREA VEST OF LOC NINH BRIDGE (XT 3963) DURING LATE
1963. SOURCE ALSO REPORTED THE CAPTURE 0F THREE
AMERICANS DURING THE BATTLE OF BINH GIA IN DECEMBER
1354 (NOTE: REFNOS 0049 BENNETT AND CRAFTS AND 0050
COOK). SOURCE SAID AN ARTIST, MR HUYNH PHUONG DONG,
MAT HAVE PAINTED PORTRAITS OF THE CAPTURED AMERICANS.
ACCORDING TO SOURCE, MR DONG WILL BE DEPARTING VIETNAM
FOR THE US SHORTLY ON A CULTURAL TOUR. SOURCE ALSO
REPORTED THE CAPTURE OF A US SOLDIER NORTH OF LOC NINH
IN BINH LONG PROVINCE DURING 1967. THE WOUNDED
AMERICAN WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE K42 HOSPITAL OF THE
HQ, SVNLAF, AKA MIEN. SOURCE DESCRIBED THE MAN AS A
TALL CAUCASIAN FROM THE LOLST AIRBORNE DIV. SOURCE
ALSO REPORTED THE CAPTURE OF A CAUCASIAN AMERICAN
MEMBER OF THE US LLTH ACR VEST OF QUAN LOI, BINH LONG
DURING 1969. SOURCE SAID THE WOUNDED SOLDIER WAS
TRANSFERRED BY THE VC 9TH DIV TO THE K71 HOSPITAL
WHERE HE WAS TREATED AND LATER SWAPPED AT THE
VIETNAM-CAMBODIA BORDER FOR COMMUNIST PRISONER "NGUYEN
QUANG VUNG" DURING 1972. SOURCE ALSO PROVIDED THE
IDENTITIES/CURRENT LOCATIONS OF ADDITIONAL INTERVIEW
CANDIDATES.
I. FORMER LONG KHANH PROVINCE MILITARY PROSELYTING
CADRE NGUYEN HONG CHAU, AKA THAN CHAU: SOURCE PROVIDED
FIRSTHAND INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CAPTURE OF TWO
AMERICANS DURING THE BATTLE OF BINH GIFT IN 1954.
BOTH
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AMERICANS WERE MOVED ALONG A COMMO-LIAISON ROUTE
ACROSS QL20 AND TURNED OVER TO HIGHER AUTHORITIES.
SOURCE ALSO REPORTED THE CAPTURE OF ONE AMERICAN WHO
BECOME LOST WHILE WALKING ON QLL IN THE AREA OF THE
FORMER ARVN 18TH DIV BASECAMP 4 NEAR XUAN LOC
SOMETIME DURING THE MID-1960'S. THE MAN HAS EVACUATED
ACROSS QL20, BUT SOURCE BEARD THE MAN ESCAPED BEFORE
HE COULD BE TURNED OVER TO HIGHER AUTHORITIES. SOURCE
REPORTED THAT ONE OTHER US POW CAPTURED IN THE SA
RIFT AREA WAS ALSO EVACUATED ACROSS QL20, ALSO DURING
THE MID-1960'S, BUT SOURCE DID NOT HEAR ABOUT THE
DISPOSITION OF TEE MAN. SOURCE ALSO PROVIDED
INFORMATION CONCERNING EVACUATION ROUTES FOR US POWS
AND THE IDENTITIES/CURRENT LOCATIONS OF ADDITIONAL
INTERVIEW CANDIDATES.
-J. THE FORMER DAC LAC PROVINCE PARTY COMMITTEE
SECRETARY, MR NGUYEN KHAC TINH: SOURCE PROVIDED
LIMITED INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CAPTURE OF ONE
AMERICAN FEMALE AND TWO MALE PERSONNEL FROM THE BUON
EA ANA LEPROSARIUM DURING 1552; (NOTE: REFNO 0011
VIETTI, GERBER, AND MITCHELL). SOURCE PROVIDED THE
NAMES AND
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{THIS DOCUMENT WAS RECEIVED INCOMPLETE}