[270012Z.OH 07/21/96]
ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
ROUTINE
R 270U12Z SEP 93 ZYB PSN 721702P19
FM CDR JTF-FA HONOLULU HI//J2//
TO SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP:RSA//
INFO WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASH DC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC//CA/EAP/VLC/CCS/OCS//
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//OCJCS/J5/PW-MIA/03-JOD//
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J2/J3/J30-M//
USCINCPAC LO WASHINGTON DC
DIA WASHINGTON DC//CH-3//
RUEHBT/CJTFFA DET ONE BANGKOK TH
RUEHBT/USDAO BANGKOK TM//PW-MIA//
JICPAC HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS //N03460//
MSGID/GENADMIN/CDR JTF-FA/ J223//
SUBJ/INTERVIEW OF REQUESTED SOURCE. TRAN NGOC KHANH//
REF/A/FAX/CJTFFA DET ONE BKK/16MAY93//
AMPN/ENTRY NUMBER 60. LIST OF 83 INTERVIEW REQUESTS//
RMKS/1. BACKGROUND ON 18 JUNE 1993, A JOINT U.S./VIETNAM PRIORITY
CASE INVESTIGATION TEAM (PCIT) INTERVIEWED MR. TRAN NGOC KHANH (AKA
BA KHANH, AN APPROXIMATELY 65 YEAR OLD THU DAU MOT TOWN, SONG BE
PROVINCE. RESIDENT. MR. KHANH IS CURRENTLY THE SONG BE PROVINCE
PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN. THE TEAM MET IN THE SONG BE PROVINCE
PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE HEADQUARTERS TO INTERVIEW MR. KHANH. LISTED IN
REFERENCE AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF INFORMATION CONCERNING U.S.
PERSONNEL MISSING IN ACTION (MIA) IN VIETNAM. THE U.S. CONTINGENT
CONSISTED OF MSGT [XXXX][XXXX][XXXX], PCIT TEAM LEADER; AND MSGT
[XXXX][XXXX][XXXX] JOINT TASK FORCE-FULL ACCOUNTING (JTF-FA)
ANALYST/LINGUIST. THE VIETNAMESE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CONTINGENT
CONSISTED OF PHAM TEO, MINISTRY OF DEFENSE; AND NGUYEN DUY THANH.
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR. MR. KHANH HAD NOT BEEN INTERVIEWED BY A JOINT
TEAM BEFORE.
2. SUMMARY. THE SOURCE, TRAN NGOC KHANH. PROVIDED INFORMATION
CONCERNING THE K4 PRISONER OF WAR (PW) CAMP NEAR DAK NHAO IN
PHUOC LONG (CURRENTLY SONG BE) PROVINCE' INCLUDING A BRIEF
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ACCOUNT OF AN AMERICAN HELD THERE IN 1965. KHANH CLAIMED THE
AMERICAN WAS LOST WHEN U.S. FORCES ATTACKED THE CAMP AREA,
AND THEREAFTER KHANH HEARD NO FURTHER NEWS OF THIS AMERICAN.
THIS INFORMATION PROBABLY CORRELATES TO CASE 0054-1-01 AN
UNRESOLVED CASE. THE SOURCE DID NOT KNOW THE DISPOSITION OF
WARTIME PROVINCE PW CAMP RECORDS. HE NAMED INDIVIDUALS WHO
MAY PROVIDE FURTHER LEADS IN THE SEARCH FOR U.S. PERSONNEL
MISSING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. MR. KHANH SAID HE HAD NO
KNOWLEDGE OF U.S. PERSONNEL' LIVING FREELY OR AGAINST THEIR
WILL. IN VIETNAM SINCE 1973.
3. DETAILS.
A. AFTER FORMAL INTRODUCTIONS, PHAM TEO, THE VIETNAMESE
PCIT LEADER, EXPLAINED THE JOINT TEAM'S MISSION. MSGT [XXXX]
THANKED MR. TRAN NGOC KHANH (TRAANF NGOCJ KHANHS) FOR HIS
PARTICIPATION AND INVITED HIM TO RELATE ANY INFORMATION HE
KNEW CONCERNING U.S. PW'S OR AMERICANS MISSING IN ACTION IN
VIETNAM.
B. MR. KHANH EXPLAINED THAT DURING THE WAR, FROM 1961
TO 1975, HE WORKED WITH THE PHUOC LONG PROVINCIAL MILITARY
UNIT (TINHR DOOIJ); FROM 1976 UNTIL THE PRESENT, HE SERVED
WITH THE SONG BE (FORMERLY PHUOC LONG) PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT.
C IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS CONCERNING CIRCUMSTANCES
SURROUNDING THE LOSS OF MISSING INDIVIDUAL IN CASE 0054. MR.
KHANH TOLD OF A WARTIME PRISON CAMP DESIGNATED K4 IN DAK NHAO
(VICINITY TU3412). PHUOC BINH DISTRICT, PHUOC LONG PROVINCE.
THE K4 CAMP WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 12 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF
BU GIA MAP (YU3437). PHUOC LONG-PUBLIC SECURITY (COONG AN
TINHR) AUTHORITIES HAD ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL OVER THE CAMP,
NOT PROVINCIAL MILITARY AUTHORITIES. A MAN NAMED KHOAT
(KHOATS) (LNU). THE ASSISTANT PROVINCE PUBLIC SECURITY CHIEF.
ADMINISTERED THE CAMP FROM THE PROVINCE LEVEL.
D. AFTER THE BATTLE OF BU DANG IN 1965, MR. KHANH
RELATED, THE CAMP HELD A SINGLE AMERICAN PRISONER; A YOUNG
CAUCASIAN MEDIC. RATHER SHORT WITH A SLIGHT BUILD. IN EARLY
1966, A U.S. AIRBORNE ASSAULT BRIGADE (SEE PARA. 7.B.,
BELOW), UTILIZING AIR AND ARTILLERY SUPPORT, ATTACKED THE
DAK NHAO AREA. THE ASSAULT KILLED THE K4 CAMP COMMANDER,
WHO WAS A FIRST LIEUTENANT WITH PUBLIC SECURITY (NAME NOT
RECALLED), AND ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE CAMP STAFF (NAME ALSO
NOT RECALLED).
E. THE AMERICAN MEDIC, ACCORDING TO KHANH, WAS THE ONLY
PRISONER AT THE K4 CAMP WHEN THE ATTACK OCCURRED. DESPITE
THEIR SEARCH EFFORTS, THE VIETNAMESE (COMMUNISTS) COULD NOT
LOCATE THE U.S. PRISONER, AND MR. KHANH NEVER HEARD OF HIM
AGAIN. KHANH CLAIMED THAT FOLLOWING THE BOMBING ATTACK. THE
CAMP WAS CLOSED AND-NEVER USED AGAIN.
F. CONCERNING WARTIME RECORDS OF U.S. PW'S, KHANH DIDN'T
KNOW IF ANY STILL EXISTED OR WHERE THEY MIGHT BE. SINCE
PUBLIC SECURITY AUTHORITIES CONTROLLED THE PW CAMP SYSTEM
IN THE SOUTH. HE SAID THAT PUBLIC SECURITY
COMPARTMENTALIZED THE CAMP
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ORGANIZATIONS IN SUCH A WAY THAT NO ONE INDIVIDUAL AT HIS LEVEL
HAD A CLEAR IDEA OF THE SYSTEM. ADDITIONALLY, HE DID NOT HAVE
ACCESS TO SECRET 'MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE (MOD) AND MINISTRY
OF THE INTERIOR (MOI) INFORMATION. HIS ONLY SUGGESTION WAS THAT
PUBLIC SECURITY RECORDS FROM THE FORMER MILITARY REGION 6 MIGHT
BE HELPFUL (SEE PARA. 7.C.. BELOW). HE COULD PROVIDE NO CLUE AS
TO WHERE THESE RECORDS MIGHT BE.
G. IN RESPONSE TO THE JOINT TEAM'S QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE T52
PRISON CAMP. HE STATED THAT HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THAT CAMP. HE
KNEW THAT IT DEFINITELY WAS NOT SUBORDINATE TO PHUOC LONG PROVINCE.
SO OPINED THAT CENTRAL MOD OR MOI AUTHORITIES MUST HAVE CONTROLLED
T52. HE SUGGESTED THE TEAM QUERY THOSE AGENCIES FOR INFORMATION.
H. IN CLOSING. AND IN RESPONSE TO MSGT [XXXX] QUERY. MR. KHANH
STATED THAT HE HAD NEVER, SINCE 1973, SEEN OR BEEN AWARE OF ANY U.S.
PERSONNEL LIVING FREELY OR AGAINST THEIR WILL IN VIETNAM.
I. WITH NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. KHANH, THE JOINT TEAM
AGREED TO CONCLUDE THE INTERVIEW.
4. CORRELATIONS TO EXISTING POW/MIA CASES. TRAN NGOC KHAN'S
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE U.S. PRISONER IN THE K4 PRISON CAMP
PROBABLY CORRELATE TO CASE 0054-1-01, AN UNRESOLVED CASE. BASED
ON GENERAL TIME FRAME; GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION; GENERAL PHYSICAL
DESCRIPTION OF THE MISSING INDIVIDUAL; DUTY POSITION; AND THE
FACT THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL REPORTS CLAIMING THE MISSING
INDIVIDUAL WAS INCARCERATED AFTER HIS LOSS.
5. POTENTIAL LEADS. TRAN NGOC KHANH IDENTIFIED THE FOLLOWING
INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY PROVIDE INFORMATION RELATING TO MISSING U.S.
PERSONNEL IN SOUTHEAST ASIA:
A. KHOAT (LNU)' FORMER PHUOC LONG PROVINCE ASSISTANT PUBLIC
SECURITY CHIEF. A NORTHERN VIETNAM NATIVE. CURRENTLY RESIDING
SOMEWHERE IN NORTHERN VIETNAM. (THIS INDIVIDUAL IS A DESIRED ORAL
HISTORY INTERVIEW SUBJECT, PRESENT WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN.)
B. DO VAN NGUYEN (DOOX VAWN NGUYEEN). AKA TU NGUYEN (TW
NGUYEEN), PHUOC 'LONG PROVINCE PUBLIC SECURITY CHIEF AND PROVINCE
//
MSGID/GENADMIN/CDR JTF-FA/ J223//
SUBJ/INTERVIEW OF REQUESTED SOURCE, TRAN NGOC KHANH//
RMKS/ PUBLIC SECURITY CHIEF AND PROVINCE PARTY CHAIRMAN AT THE
TIME U.S. FORCES ATTACKED DAK NHAO IN 1966. (THIS INDIVIDUAL IS
A DESIRED ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW SUBJECT, AND THE PCIT TEAM
INTER,VIEWED HIM ON 21 JUNE 93. REPORT OF INTERVIEW PENDING.
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ANTICIPATE RELEASE PRIOR TO 30 JUNE 93.)
C. KIEU VIET OANH (KIEEU VIEETJ OANH). CHILDHOOD NAME
HOANH (HOANH). FORMER PHUOC LONG PUBLIC SECURITY OFFICER.
PRESENTLY WITH THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR IN HANOI.
D. TU BINH (TW BINH), SERVED IN THE FORMER BINH
LONG DISTRICT. CURRENTLY RESIDING IN DONG NAI
PROVINCE.
E. BA NAM. FORMER SONG BE (NOT PHUOC LONG)
PROVINCIAL MILITARY OFFICER. PRESENTLY RESIDING IN
VUNG TAU.
6. MATERIAL EVIDENCE: NONE. THIS SOURCE BROUGHT NO
RECORDS, NOTEBOOKS, DIARIES. OR ANY MATERIAL EVIDENCE
ASSOCIATED WITH UNACCOUNTED FOR U.S. PERSONNEL.
7. COMMENTS.
A. THE PCIT INTERVIEWED TRAN NGOC KHANH PURSUANT TO PCIT
TASKING DURING THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO CASE 0054. SINCE
MR. KHANH IS LISTED IN REFERENCE AS A DESIRED ORAL HISTORY
INTERVIEW
SUBJECT. THE PCIT AND ORAL HISTORY TEAMS COORDINATED LINES
OF QUESTIONING PRIOR TO THIS INTERVIEW TO MORE EFFECTIVELY
FULFILL BOTH PCIT AND ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
B. THE SOURCE MENTIONED THREE DESIGNATORS IN
ASSOCIATION WITH THE U.S. "BRIGADE" THAT ATTACKED DAK NHAO:
THE 80TH, THE 60TH, OR THE 101ST HE WAS EVIDENTLY UNSURE OF
THE DESIGNATOR.
C. THE SOURCE EXPLAINED THAT SIX WARTIME PROVINCES
COMPRISED MILITARY REGION 6: BINH THUAN. NINH THUAN, LAM
DONG, TUYEN DUC, KHANH HOA, AND QUANG DUC.
D. REQUEST THE VNOSMP MAKE TRAN NGOC KHANH AVAILABLE FOR
REINTERVIEW IF NECESSARY.//
BT
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J2(1)...INFO FOR USCINCPAC HONOLULU H(14)
J3O-M(1) J3(1) DO-01-D4(1) MDT(1) LRNO61PCMT(1) J52 (1)
J51(1) J1(1) JO32(3) JO3(1) CDO(1)
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