Mountains to the west sloped down to the river. Only 8 miles up the mountains to the west the peaks
were 2000 feet, and higher beyond that. At the highway-ferry the land was 20 feet above the river and
gradually flowed to the Tonkin Gulf some 10 miles to the North. This land has sandy soil in gently rolling
swales with scrub vegetation and a variety of palm trees. A few fields were planted with vegetables, but it
was mostly palms, low bushes and a few bomb craters that collected water.
Takeoff was at 1858 hrs local. The climb to 10,000 feet took only minutes. They checked in with
“Dressy Lady” GCI and were eventually handed off to “Lion” GCI. At 1959 hrs they contacted the
airborne command and control center “Alley Cat”. They had just crossed the Mekong River into Laos
when they began their automatic letdown to TF altitude, first a gentle nose-over, then as the radar
altimeter picked up the terrain as they passed through 5,000 feet, a 12 degree plunge. By the time they
reached their pre-planned turn point over Laos they were at 500 ft AGL, probably with a medium ride
selected on the TFR. The land below ranged from valley floors 500 to 800 feet above sea level, to karst
ridges at 1500 ft. At their turn point they swung 40 degrees to the left, now heading northwest. Alleycat
cleared them into North Vietnam at 2004 hrs and and handed them off to “Waterboy”, a ground based
radar station in Don Ha, South Vietnam. At that point they were 10 minutes from their target and
traveling at 500 kts.
At their IP on the west side of the Anamite Mountains they turned 60 degrees right and headed straight to
the river crossing. The final 50 miles took them over the mountains and down the east slope. At 500 ft
AGL they were below the 5000 ft scattered cloud layer. The TFR took them over karst that reached
straight up to 2500 ft, then began the rollercoaster ride to the bomb release point.
As they left the IP inbound, Palmgren would have had the target set up in the Bomb-Nav computer. As
they crossed the last ridge 8 miles from the target at 1500 ft MSL and 500 ft AGL, Cooley would have
disengaged the autopilot and began jinking . At 30 seconds and 4 miles out he would have stabilized the
plane for bomb release. At 500 meters from the target they likely pickled the bombs in ‘train’ mode so
they would impact 100 feet apart.
What happened next is conjecture. The problem could have been the failure of a weld on the stabilator
actuator. Investigators later learned that the loss of the second Vark over the Mekong was due to such a
failure. Another ship was lost near Nellis because of the same type of failure. Subsequent inspections of
the F-111 fleet turned up over 40 defective welds. When the weld broke during the loss of the second F111 the stabilator reportedly pitched the plane up and into a rapid roll. At 10,000 feet AGL the aircraft
commander had time to recover before the cycle started again, and the crew ejected. But for Cooley and
Palmgren at 500 feet, the plane would have impacted the ground before they had time to even react. A
few years later during preparation for the 1972 Constant Guard V deployment a wing broke completely
off an F-111 as it pulled off its practice run. Cracks were also found in many wing carry-through boxes.
Or it could have been the bombs. If the folding fins don’t extend on a ‘retarded’ bomb, it flies formation
with you as it loses altitude. At 500 feet the fragmentation pattern could destroy the plane or at least put a
lot of holes in it.
Mrs. Tich and others said the plane impacted on the edge of route 6. The site they identified is some 600
meters east of the combination highway-railway bridge that crosses the river today. Two and one half
seconds beyond the target. Five seconds after bomb release. The Vietnamese filled the crater and
2
repaired the road within a few days. Two other craters, said to be where parts of the plane struck, were
later joined and filled with water to form a fish pond.
Fifty meters from the impact site towards the bridge is a house and garden, though neither were there in
1968. Every time the garden is tilled some metal is found. JTF-FA crews dug up the garden in 1992.
The dirt was sifted and strained as they looked for anything that could be identified. From the garden they
took pieces of tubing, linkage, wiring, cannon plugs, and other metal parts, almost all with numbers and
markings on them. Later they would identify most as parts that are common to a variety of US military
aircraft. One local resident brought a part to the JTF-FA. It was eventually identified by the Sacramento
Air Logistics Center as a bell crank from an F-111. The Logistics Center said that in the late 1960s to
early 1970s this bellcrank was replaced due to an engineering change. It was replaced on all F-111s
except two: 66-022, the first loss crewed by ‘Mac’ MacCann and Dennis Graham; and 66-024, the
Cooley-Palmgren aircraft. The problem is, it isn’t known where the bell crank was found, from this site
or from somewhere else. The MacCann-Graham target was only 15 NM north of this garden, and a
helmet identified as MacCann’s was later found in the Military Museum in Vinh. Not a scratch was on it.
When the JTF-FA returned to the site in 1993 they dug again. This time they found more metal, part of a
seat harness, part of a flotation bladder, a trim button from a control stick, part of a helmet liner and other
mechanical items. They also found a faded oak leaf cluster rank insignia.
Based on this information, primarily the rank insignia, they concluded, and probably rightfully so, that it
was the Cooley-Palmgren crash site. Other details are bothersome. Several people reported the finding of
a parachute. None of the “witnesses” had the date correct. Only one, Mrs. Tich, claimed to have actually
seen the crash and she had the direction of ingress wrong and her testimony was widely discredited. The
others who were interviewed were in bunkers or in their homes and only heard the explosion. An
engineer whose job was to repair bomb damage described the hole in route 6 as a “bomb crater”, not as a
“crash site”.
The two reports prepared by JTF-FA are available. God bless Spade Cooley and Ed Palmgren.
Doug Loeffler
10-2001
3
Followng are transcript of reports compiled by the DoD POW-MIA Office:
*************************************************************************************
*************************************************************************************
U N CL A S S I F I E D
ROUTINE
R 221206Z JUL 92 PSN 2993llP25 Ft’ CJTF-FA DET ONE BANGKCK TH TO CDR JTF-FA
HONOLULU HI
INFO JCS WASHDC//OCJCS-PW-MIA/J5//
SECDEF WASHDC//OASD-ISA/PW-?(,IA//
USCINCPAC HONOLULU H.I//J3//
USCINCPAC LO WASHDC//
DIA WASHDC//POW-PIA/I
CDRUSACILHI HICKAM AFB HI//
NSC WASHDC SECSTAIE W-ASHDC//EAP-VLC// CIA
WASHDC//CEA/SEA/IB/DDO/EA/ICOG//
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 18 BANGKOX TH 33655
UNCLASSIFIED 0222 JUL 92
DIA PAS S TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
SUBJ:
INVESTIGATION OF AN ALLEGED AIRCRAFT CRASH INCIDENT
IN LONG DAI HAMLET HIEN NINH VILLAGE: POSSIELY
ASSOC IATED WITH EITHER CASE 1107 OR 1139
R E F JTF-FA DET ONE 200315Z JUL 92
1.
REF IS THE SUMYARY REPORT OF THE 18TH JOINT FIELD ACTIVITY CONDUCTED
IN VIETNAM-FROM 19 JUN-18 JUL 92, PARAGRAPH 2A OF REF CONCERNS THE
4
THE AMOUNT OF WRECKAGE OBSERVED AT THE SITE, BUT GENERALLY CONFIRMED
THE DISCCVERY OF A PIECE OF CAUCASIAN SCALP TISSUE, A SEVERED ARM, AND
AT LEAST ONE PARACHUTE IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH SITE. THE DISPOSITION
OF THE REMAINS RECOVERED FROM THE SITE IS UNKNOWN. ONLY ONE WITNESS,
LATER DISCREDITED BY THE TEAM’S VIETNAMESE COUNTERPARTS, CLAIMED TO
HAVE OBSERVED A PARACHUTE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. ON 23 JUN, THE
TEAM SURVEYED THE ALLEGED CRASH SITE, RECOVERED A NUMBER OF PIECES OF
WRECKAGE AND PROBABLE CREW-RELATED ITEMS, AND EXAMINED ADDITIONAL
WRECKAGE ALLEGEDLY RECOVERED FROM THE AREA BY LOCAL RESIDENTS.
SOME PIECES OF WRECKAGE BORE SERIALIZATION THAT WAS CONSISTENT WITH
AN F-111 AIRCRAFT, RATHER THAN AN A-6, THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATED
WITH CASE 1816. COMPARISON OF WITNESS’TESTIMONY CONCERNING THIS
INCIDENT WITH INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN U.S. FILES ALSO REVEALED THAT IT DID
NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE KNOWN FACTS OF CASE 1816. PRELIMINARY FIELD
ANALYSIS OF THE INFORMATION OBTAINED CONCERNING THIS INCIDENT
SUGGESTS THAT IT IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH CASE 1816, BUT POSSIBLY WITH
EITHER CASE 1107 OR CASE 1139.
3DETAILS OF INVESTIGATION:
? A. ON 21 JUN 92, SELECTED MEMBERS OF INVESTIGATION ELEMENT I (IEL) MET
WITH THEIR VIETNAMESE COUNTERPARTS TO RECEIVE THE RESULTS OF THEIR
UNILATERAL INVESTIGATION EFFORTS AND TO DISCUSS THE TEAM’S WORKING
PLAN FOR THE 18TH JOINT FIELD ACTIVITY (JFA). DURING THIS MEETING, THE
VIETNAMESE TEAM CHIEF LTC LE KY, ANNOUNCED THAT VIETNAMESE
UNILATERAL EFFORTS HAD LOCATED A NUMBER OF WITNESSES IN HIEN NINH (V)
(XE7516), QUANG NINH (D) WHO POSSESSED INFORMATION BELIEVED TO RELATE
TO CASE 1816.
B. ON 22 JUN 92, IEL TRAVELED TO CO HIEN (H) (XE757169), HIEN NINH (V)- THE
PERSONNEL PRESENT DURING THIS INVESTIGATION INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING:
U.S. CONTINGENT:
TEAM LEADER
CPT- ASSISTANT TEAM LEADER
MSGT - ANALYST
SFC- ANALYST
SGT
- LINGUIST/ANALYST
SSG
SEARCH AND RECOVERY
? SPECIALIST
? SEARCH AND RECOVERY SPECIALIST
? SSGT
LIVE SIGHTING
? INVESTIGATOR
-(2)
?
VIETNAMESE-CONTINGENT:
LTC LE KY (LEE KYF) - VIETNAMESE TEAM
5
? CHIEF AND MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE
? (MND) REPRESENTATIVE
? DAO VU THANG (DAOF VUX THANG) - MINISTRY
OF INTERIOR (MOI) REPRESENTATIVE
LE THANH LONG (LEE THANH LONG) MINISTRY 0F INTERIOR (MOI) REPRESENTATIVE
LE DUC DUONG (LEE DWCS ZWONG) MEMBER OF THE QUANG BINH PROVINCE
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OFFICE AND CHIEF OF THE PROVINCIAL TASK T EAM
MAJ DO VAN PHAN (DOOX VAWN PHANS) REPRESENTATIVE OF THE QUANG EIKH
PROVINCIAL MILITARY COMMAND
NGUYEN NGUYEN LUONG (NGUYEENX NEUYEEN LWONGJ) - REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE QUANG EINH PROVINCIAL PUBLIC SECURITY OFFICE C. THE TEAM WAS
RECEIVED BY THE HIEN NINH VILLAGE PELIPLE’S COM14ITTEE CHAIRMAN, LE HUU
PHUOC (LEE HWUX PHWOCS), THE PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE VICE CHAIRMAN AND THE
VILLAGE PUBLIC SECURITY CHIEF THAN DINH TAN (TRAANF DIN TANS) , AND THE
VILLAGE’S ASSISTANT PUBLIC SECURITY CHIEF LE VAN THE (LEE VAWN THEEJ). MR
PHUOC WELCOMED THE TEAM AND GAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION IN WHICH HE
INDICATED THAT ONLY ONE AIRCRAFI CRASHED IN THE HIEN NINH VILLAGE AREA
DURING THE WAR. HE THEN INTRODUCED A NUMBER OF WITNESSES TO BE
INTERVIEWED BY THE TEAM.
D. THE FIRST WITNESS PRESENTED WAS HOANG MINH DUC (HOANGF MINH ZWCJ).
DUC, A NATIVE OF THUA THIEN PROVINCE IS PRESENTLY 64 YOA AND RESIDES
IN CO HIEN HAMLET. HE JOINED THE PAVN IN 1946 AND WAS ASSIGNED TO
QUANG BINH PROVINCE IN 1958. FROM 1958-64, HE WAS THE DISTRICT FORCES
COMMANDER FOR QUANG NINH DISTRICT. IN 1965, HE TRANSFERRED TO THE
QUANG BINH PROVINCIAL MILITARY COMMAND, WHERE HE SERVED AS AN
ASSISTANT - STAFF OFFICER. HE HELD THIS POSITION UNTIL 1974, WHEN HE
BECAME THE CHIEF OF THE INSTRUCTORS OFFICE (PHONGF GIAO VIEEN) OF
THE MILITARY REGION 4 (MR4) SCHOOL. HE HELD THIS POSITION UNTIL HIS
RETIREMENT IN 1979.
(1) DUC EXPLAINED THAT DURING THE YEARS WHEN THE U.S. BOMBING WAS
HEAVIEST IN QUANG BINH PROVINCE, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE
PROVINCIAL MILITARY COMMAND. HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR RECEIVING
THE REPORTS OF AIRCRAFT SHOOT DOWN INCIDENTS FROM THE
RESPONSBLE MILITARY UNITS OR VILLAGE MILITIA FORCES AND
RECORDING THEM IN A RECORD BOOK. DUC’S DESCRIPTION OF THIS
RECORD BOOK, WAR TIME REPORTING PROCEDURES, AND HIS
SPECULATIONS CONCERNING IT DISPOSITION WILL BE REPORTED
SEPARATELY.
(2) BASED ON DUC’S RECOLLECTION OF THE CONTENTS OF THE RECORD
BOOK, HE STATED THAT THERE WERE 2 U.S. AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN IN
QUANG NINH DISTRICT DURING THE WAR. HE INSISTED THAT HE DID NOT
PERSONALLY WITNESS ANY CRASH OR SHOOT DOWN INCIDENTS, NOR DID
HE EVER PARTICIPATE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ANY CRASH SITES. WHEN
PRESSED FOR HIS KNOWLEDGE OF ANY SPECIFIC INCIDENTS, HE CLAIMED
HE ONLY RECALLED TWO.
6
(3) THE FIRST INCIDENT HE DESCRIBED INVOLVED THE CRASH OF AN
UNKNOWN TYPE U.S. AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY ONE KILOMETER NORTH
OF THE LONG DAI FERRY. DUC CLAIMED HE COULD NOT RECALL THE YEAR
SEASON, OR MONTH THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. HE ALSO COULD NOT
REMEMBER THE FATE OF THE PILOT OR ANY OTHER CREW MEMBERS.
DURING REPEATED QUESTIONING, DUC ADAMANTLY DENIED RECALLING
ANY OTHER DETAILS OF THIS INCIDENT. WHEN PRESSED AGAIN TO RELATE
THE DETAILS OF THE CRASH, HE THEN INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS
ONE OF A FLIGHT OF TWO F-4S, BOTH OF WHICH WERE STRUCK BY AAA
FIRE FROM THE 9TH AAA-BN. HE ADDED THAT ONLY ONE OF THE TWO
AIRCRAFT WAS KNOWN TO HAVE CRASHED AND THAT NO PARACHUTES
WERE OBSERVED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. DUC EXPLAINED THAT HIS
KNOWLEDGE WAS BASED ONLY ON THE RADIO REPORT HE RECEIVED FROM
THE 9TH BNP WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS A 37MM AAA UNIT WHICH WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE LONG DAI FERRY. ACCORDING TO
DUC, THE 9TH BN WAS DIRECTLY SUBORDINATE TO THE QUANG BINH
PROVINCIAL MILITARY COMMAND.
(4) REPEATED QUESTIONING FAILED TO ELICIT ANY FURTHER INFORMATION
FROM DUC CONCERNING THE INCIDENT NEAR THE LONG DAI FERRY. HE
INSISTED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW THE FATE OF THE CREW MEMBERS OR
ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THEIR DISPOSITION OR THE DISPOSITION
OF ANY AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE OR PERSONAL EFFECTS.
(5) DUC DESCRIBED THE SECOND INCIDENT OF WHICH HE CLAIMED
KNOWLEDGE ONLY BY STATING THAT IT INVOLVED A U.S. AIRCRAFT THAT
WAS FLYING IN THE DIRECTION OF GIA NINH VILLAGE (XE8416) WHEN IT WAS
STRUCK BY FIRE AND IMPACTED OUT TO SEA. HE CLAIMED HE RECALLED
7
ORGANIZING A GROUP OF MILITIA TO SEARCH FOR THE WRECKAGE AND
CREW. IF ANY CREW MEMBERS WERE ALIVE THEY WERE TO BE CAPTURED.
IF THEY HAD DIED, HE WAS TO RECOVER THEIR DOG TAGS AND THE
AIRCRAFT DATA PLATE AS PROOF Of THEIR DEATH. THE ORGANIZED A
GROUP OF FOUR MILITIA MEMBERS (INCLUDING HIMSELF) AND CONDUCTED
A SEARCH ALONG THE BANKS OF THE LONG DAI RIVER. THE SEARCH WAS
UNSUCCESSFUL. TWO DAYS LATER HE HEARD FROM SEVERAL LOCAL
VILLAGERS (NFI) THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD IMPACTED ALONG ROUTE 15 IN
LONG DAI HAMLET.
(3) THE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE AREA DESCRIBE BY THE VILLAGERS.
THERE HE FOUND A CRATER APPROXIMATELY FIVE METERS IN DIAMETER
AND THREE METERS DEEP ADJACENT TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE ROAD.
THE EXPLOSION THAT CREATED THE CRATER ALSO DESTROYED A PORTION
OF THE ROAD. AT THE EDGE OF THE CRATER WAS A PIECE OF WRECKAGE
ABOUT TWO BY FIVE FEET IN SIZE THAT APPEARED TO BE A SECTION OF
AIRCRAFT WING. NO WRECKAGE WAS VISIBLE IN THE CRATER. THERE
WERE ALSO NO TRACES OF THE PILOT’S REMAINS UNIFORM, PERSONAL
EFFECTS, OR IDENTIFICATION MEDIA IN THE AREA OF THE CRATER.
(4) SEVERAL DAYS LATER, TWO LOCAL VILLAGERS (NFI) DISCOVERED
ADDITIONAL WRECKAGE ALONG THE BANK OF THE LONG DAI RIVER NEAR
THE CRATER- THE NEVER SAW THIS WRECKAGE AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT
PORTIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE INCLUDED. HE INSISTED THAT HE
COULD NOT RECALL THE NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO FOUND IT, BUT
COMMENTED THAT ONE OF THEM IS NOW DECEASED AND THE OTHER HAS
MOVED AWAY TO THANH HOA PROVINCE.
(5)
ACCORDING TO THE, THE SECTION OF ROAD THAT WAS
DESTROYED WAS REPAIRED VERY QUICKLY TO MAKE THE ROAD PASSABLE.
THE NEVER HEARD OF THE DISCOVERY OF ANY REMAINS, PERSONAL
EFFECTS, OR SUBSTANTIAL PIECES OF WRECKAGE DURING THIS REPAIR
PROCESS.
F. THE NEXT WITNESS INTERVIEWED WAS LE VAN HIEM (LEE VAWN HIEEMR), A
RESIDENT OF LONG DAI HAMET PRESENTLY 52 YOA HIEM WAS A MEMBER OF
THE LONG DAI MILITIA FROM 1965-66. IN 1966 HE WAS RECRUITED INTO THE
PAVN AND SERVED IN QUAN HA ( V) , QUANG NINH (P) . IN JUN 68, HE RETURNED
TO HIEN NINH VILLAGE AND AGAIN BECAME A MEMBER OF THE VILLAGE MILITIA.
HIEM CLAIMED KNOWLEDGE 0F ONLY ONE INCIDENT IN THE LONG DAI AREA.
(1 ) HIEM STATED THAT’ THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE EARLY PART OF THE
WINTER SEASON AROUND THE EIGHTH OR NINTH LUNAR MONTH OF 1968. HE
WAS CONFIDENT THAT HE RECALLED THE GENERAL TIME FRAME OF THE
INCIDENT ACCURATELY BECAUSE HE RELATED IT TO HIS RETURN TO THE
VILLAGE SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE. HIEM EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS IN A
BUNKER IN HIS HOME IN LONG DAI HAMLET WHEN, AT ABOUT 2000 HOURS, HE
HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. HE LOOKED OUT OF THE BUNKER AND SAW A
LARGE COLUMN OF FLAME SHOOT UPWARD IN THE DIRECTION OF ROUTE 15.
BELIEVING THE EXPLOSION AND FLAME TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE CRASH
8
OF AN AIRCRAFT, HE IMMEDIATELY LEFT THE BUNKER AND JOINED WITH
0THER MEMBERS OF THE MILITIA TO SEARCH FOR THE WRECKAGE AND THE
CREWMEMBERS OF THE AIRCRAFT.
(2) DURING THEIR SEARCH, THE MILITIA DISCOVERED A LARGE CRATER ABOUT 600
METERS NORTH OF THE LONG DAI FERRY ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF ROUTE 15.
THE EXPLOSION THAT CREATED THE CRATER HAD ALSO DESTROYED A PORTION
OF THE ROAD. HIEM BELIEVED THAT THIS CRATER, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY
FIVE METERS IN DIAMETER AND THREE METERS DEEP, WAS THE CRASH SITE OF
THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF UNEXPLODED BOMBS LYING AROUND
THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE CRATER AND SEVERAL SMALL FIRES BURNING IN
THE AREA. THERE WEIRE NO LARGE PIECES Of WRECKAGE SEEN, HOWEVER.
(3) HIEM AND THE OTHER MILITIA MEMBERS SEARCHED THE AREA SURROUNDING
THE CRATER. APPROXIMATELY 50 METERS FROM THE CRATER AND 60 METERS
FROM THE RIVER BANK, HE FOUND A PIECE OF FLESH ABOUT THE SIZE OF HIS
HAND WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS FROM THE FOREHEAD OF THE PILOT- ONE
SECTION OF THE FLESH WAS COVERED WITH BLOND HAIR ABOUT THREE CMLONG WHILE THE REMAINDER WAS BARE SKIN. WHEN ASKED TO DESCRIBE THE
COLOR OF THE SKIN, HIE FIRST STATED THAT IT WAS WHITE, THEN CLAIMED THAT
IT WAS SO COVERED WITH DIRT AND DRIED BLOOD THAT HE COULD NOT DISCERN
ITS COLOR HIEN TURNED THE PIECE OF FLESH OVER TO THE LONG DAI HAMLET
MILITIA COMMANDER, NGUYEN BA (NOW DECEASED). ITS DISPOSITION
THEREAFTER IS UNKNOWN. NO OTHER REMAINS, PERSONAL EFFECTS, OR
IDENTIFICATION MEDIA WERE FOUND NEAR THE CRATER.
(4) AFTER GIVING THE PIECE OF FLESH TO BA, HIEM WALKED BACK TO HIS HOME.
ON THE WAY, HE NOTICED A RED AND GRAY PARACHUTE ON THE WEST SIDE OF
ROUTE 15 ABOUT 80 METERS NORTH OF THE CRATER. A NUMBER OF
MEMBERS.OF A YOUTH WORK GROUP (REFERRED TO AS BOTH THE VOLUNTEER
YOUTH GROUP/THANH NIEEN SUNG PHONG AND THE THREE READINESSES
YOUTH GROUPS/THANH NIEEN BA SAWN;( SANGF) WERE ALSO PRESENT. THEY
DECIDED TO TAKE THE RED HALF OF THE PARACHUTE AND GIVE THE GRAY HALF
TO HIEM. HIEM TOOK HIS PORTION OF THE PARACHUTE AND TURNED IT IN TO
NGUYEN BA AS WELL. ITS SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION IS ALSO UNKNOWN.
5) HIEM STATED THAT THERE WAS CONTINUOUS U.S AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY IN THE
LONG DAI AREA AFTER THE CRASH INCIDENT, BUT INSISTED THAT ALL THE
AIRCRAFT WERE OF THE FIXED WING PROPELLER TYPE. NO FIGHTER AIRCRAFT
OR HELOCOPTERS WERE SEEN. HE ALSO COMMENTED THAT MEMBERS 0F THE
MILITIA AND THE YOUTH WORK GROUP FILLED IN THE CRATER THAT SAME
EVENING TO MAKE THE ROAD PASSABLE. HIEM NEVER HEARD OF THE
DISCOVERY OF ANY REMAINS OR CREW-RELATED ITEMS DURING THE REPAIR
PROCESS OR AT ANY TIME AFTER THE INCIDENT. HE ALSO CLAI-MED NO
KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECOVERY OF ANY AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND DID NOT
KNOW OF ANYONE WHO MIGHT STILL BE KEEPING ANY PIECES OF WRECKAGE.
G.
THE TEAM NEXT INTERVIEWED NGUYEN VAN TUC (NGUYEENX VAWN
TUCJ), THE FORMER ENGINEER FOR HIEN NINH VILLAGE. TUC IS
9
PRESENTLY 60 YOA AND RESIDES IN LONG DAI HAMLET. HE ALSO
CLAIMED KNOWLEDGE OF ONLY ONE INCIDENT IN THE LONG DAI AREA.
(1) TUC EXPLAINED THAT AT AROUND 2000 HOURS ON AN UNRECALLED DAY IN
1968, HE WAS IN A BUNKER NEAR HIS HOME IN LONG DAI HAMLET WHEN HE
HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. HE DID NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE THE
EXPLOSION BECAUSE OTHER AIRCRAFT COULD STILL BE HEARD AND
REMAINED IN THE BUNKER THE REST OF THE NIGHT. THE FOLLOWING
MORNING HE LEFT THE BUNKER TO TRY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE
EXPLOSION, AND TO DO A DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF THE VILLAGE AND
ROUTE 15. DURING HIS INSPECTION OF ROUTE 15, HE NOTED A SINGLE NEW
BOMB CRATER ABOUT 500-600 METERS NORTH OF THE LONG DAI FERRY.
TUC EXPLAINED THAT, SINCE THE REPAIR OF THE SECTION OF ROUTE 15
THAT PASSED THROUGH HIEN NINH VILLAGE WAS ONE OF HIS PRIMARY
RESPONSIBILITIES, HE WAS INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH ITS CONDITION. HE
COULD THEREFORE IMMEDIATELY DISTINGUISH NEW BOMB CRATERS FROM
THOSE THAT PREVIOUSLY EXISTED. THIS CRATER WAS PARTICULARLY
EVIDENT BECAUSE IT EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY 1.5 METERS INTO THE
ROAD SURFACE, DESTROYING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE ROAD.
(2) TUC DESCRIBED THE CRATER AS APPROXIMATELY FIVE METERS IN
DIAMETER AND THREE METERS DEEP. THERE WAS SMOKE RISING FROM
THE BOTTOM Of THE CRATER AS IF SOMETHING WERE SMOLDERING, BUT
NO WRECKAGE WAS VISIBLE. WITH THE EXCEPTICN OF THE SMOKE, IT DID
NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM A NORMAL BOMB CRATER. TUC DID NOT
NOTICE ANY TRACES OF REMAINS, CLOTHING, PERSONAL EFFECTS
IDENTIFICATION MEDIA, OR WRECKAGE IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRATER.
(3) AFTER EVALUATING THE DAMAGE TO THE ROAD, TUC RETURNED TO THE
VILLAGE AND REPORTED HIS ASSESSMENT TO THE DISTRICT. SHORTLY
THEREAFTER, MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE MILITIA AND THE THREE
READINESSES YOUTH GROUP FILLED IN THE CRATER TO MAKE THE ROAD
PASSABLE. TUC WAS NOT PRESENT DURING THESE REPAIRS,, BUT DID NOT
HEAR OF ANY REMAINS, WRECKAGE, OR CREW-RELATED ITEMS BEING
DISCOVERED DURING THE PROCESS. TUC COMMENTED THAT THERE WAS
NO AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY IN THE LONG DAI AREA FOR THE ENTIRE DAY
FOLLOWING THE CRASH. NORMAL AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY DID RESUME THE
DAY AFTER
THAT, HOWEVER(4) WHEN PRESSED FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING ANY
WRECKAGE FOUND IN THE AREA OF THE CRATER, TUC’S IMMEDIATE
RESPONSE WAS THAT HE NEVER HEARD OF ANY WRECKAGE BEING
DISCOVERED THERE. HE WAS THEN PROMPTED BY THE HIEN NINH VILLAGE
CHAIRMAN TO MENTION THAT SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT, A
NUMBER OF LOCAL VILLAGERS FOUND A NUMBER OF PIECES OF
WRECKAGE ALONG THE RIVER BANK IN THE AREA OF THE CRATER. TUC
IDENTIFIED ONE OF THE VILLAGERS AS (LNU) LO (LOO), A RESIDENT OF
LONG DAI HAMLET- LO ALLEGEDLY SHOWED TUC ONE OF THE PIECES OF
WRECKAGE HE HAD FOUND, WHICH TUC DESCRIBED AS A PIECE OF ROUND
10
STAINLESS STEEL ABOUT ONE FOOT IN DIAMETER WITH A SERIES OF
RIVETS AROUND ITS CIRCUMFERENCE. TUC DID NOT KNOW IF LO STILL HAD
THIS PIECE, BUT WAS CONFIDENT THAT HE STILL RETAINED SOME SMALL
PIECES OF WRECKAGE.
(5) AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INTERVIEW, TUC WAS ASKED AGAIN TO
CONFIRM THE YEAR THAT THE INCIDENT HE DESCRIBED TOOK PLACE. HE
MAINTAINED THAT IT WAS 1968.
DO DUC DUONG, THE SENIOR MEMEER OF THE QUANG BINH PROVINCIAL TASK
TEAM, THEN INTERJECTED AND ASKED TUC TO RECALL THE YEARS DURING WHICH
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS OF THE WAR OCCURRED. TUC WAS UNABLE TO RECALL ANY
OF THEM CORRECTLY. TUC WAS FINALLY QUERIED CONCERNING ANY OTHER
INFORMATION HE MIGHT POSSESS THAT MIGHT PERTAIN TO WAR TIME LOSS
INCIDENTS. HE CLAIMED HE HAD NO FURTHER IN FORMATION.
H. ON 23 JUN 92, THE MEMBERS OF IEL TRAVELED TO LONG DAI (H), HIEN NINH (V)
TO SURVEY THE AREA WHERE WITNESSES HAD SEEN THE-ALLEGED IMPACT
CRATER. NGUYEN VAN TUC AND LE VAN HIEM WERE ASKED SEPARATELY T0
IDENTIFY THE AREA WHERE THE CRATER HAD BEEN. THEY BOTH IDENTIFIED
AN SECTION OF ROUTE 15 APPROXIMATELY 500 METERS NORTH OF THE
PRESENT LONG DAI BRIDGE AT GRID COORDINATES XE73481635 (COORDINATE
DETERMINED BY GPS). THE AREA NOW LIES BENEATH THE ASPHALT
PAVEMENT OF THE ROAD. HIEM EXPLAINED THAT ROUTE 15 WAS PREVIOUSLY
A DIRT ROAD ABOUT THREE METERS WIDE. IT WAS WIDENED TO ABOUT FIVEMETERS WHEN IT WAS PAVED AFTER THE WAR. AT THE TIME OF THE
INCIDENT, THERE WERE NO HOUSES IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA; HOWEVER
WITHIN THE PAST 2-3 YEARS, SEVERAL HOMES HAVE BEEN BUILD ALONG THAT
SECTION OF THE ROAD.
I. HIEM WAS THEN ASKED TO POINT OUT THE AREA WHERE HE HAD DISCOVERED
THE PIECE OF FLESH. HE IDENTIFIED AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 50 METERS
FROM WHERE THE CRATER HAD BEEN AND APPROXIMATELY SIX METERS
FROM THE RIVER BANK. WHEN REMINDED OF HIS ASSERTION THE PREVIOUS
DAY THAT HE HAD FOUND THE PIECE OF FLESH ABOUT 60 METERS FROM THE
RIVER, HE CORRECTED HIMSELF EXPLAINING THAT HE HAD MEAN TO SAY SIX
RATHER THAN 60. THE AREA HIEM IDENTIFIED WAS SUBSEQUENTLY HIT BY
TWO BOMBS. THE SOIL BETWEEN THE CRATERS WAS THEN DUG OUT AND
LEVELED TO CONNECT THEM. IT IS NOW THE SITE OF A RECESSED VEGETABLE
GARDEN.
J. WHILE EXAMINING THE SITES IDENTIFIED BY THE WITNESSES, LTC KY, THE
VIETNAMESE TEAM CHIEF, INFORMED THE TEAM THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THE
HOUSE NEAREST THE SITE .HAD DISCOVERED SOME WRECKAGE. THE TEAM
WAS THEN INVITED INTO THE HOUSE TO INTERVIEW THEM. BEFORE ANY
WITNESSES WERE PRESENTED, DO DUC DUONG, THE CHIEF OF THE
PROVINCIAL TASK TEAM, PRODUCED A SMALL TAPE RECORDER AND PLAYED A
.RECORDED INTERVIEW OF A WITNESS HE IDENTIFIED AS (LNU) VI. IN THIS
INTERVIEW, VI PROVIDED HIS ACCOUNT OF THE INCIDENT THAT ALLEGEDLY
CCCURRED IN LONG DAI. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT A FEMALE MILITIA MEMBER
NAMED (LNU) KICH (KICHJ) RECCVERED A PORTION OF FLESH BELIEVED TO BE
11
FROM THE SCALP OF THE AIRCRAFT’S PILOT. MR. DUONG STOPPED THE TAPE
AT THIS POINT AND EXPLAINED THAT THIS ASSERTION WAS UNTRUE AND THAT
THE SCALP HAD BEEN FOUND BY ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. HE THEN ASKED THAT
THE TAPED INTERVIEW BE INCLUDED IN THE INFORMATION COLLECTED BY THE
TEAM. THE U.S. TEAM CHIEF REFUSED, HOWEVER, INSISTING THAT THE TEAM
BE ALLOWED TO PERSONALLY INTERVIEW MR. VI.
K. NGUYEN THI PHUONG (NGU’(EENX THIJ PHWONG) WAS THE FIRST WITNESS
PRESENTED. SHE IS PRESENTLY 28 YOA AND CURRENTLY RESIDES IN A HOME
NEAR THE ALLEGED CRASH SITE. PRIOR TO 1988, SHE LIVED IN A DIFFERENT
HOUSE IN LONG DA HAMLET AEOUT ONE KM NORTH OF THE SITE. SHE
EXPLAINED THAT, AFTER HER FAMILY BUILT THEIR PRESENT HOUSE AND
BEGAN TO FARM THE AREA AROUND IT, THEY DISCOVERED A NUMBER OF
PIECES OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND IN HER
GARDEN, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 METERS FROM WHERE THE CRATER
HAD BEEN AND IN AN ADJACENT AREA WHERE THERE HAD BEEN TWO BOMB
CRATERS. THE LATTER AREA WAS DUG WITH A BULLDOZER IN JUN 91 TO JOIN
THE TWO CRATERS AND CREATE A FISH POND. PHUONG CLAIMED TO HAVE
RECOVERED A TOTAL OF ABOUT 2-3 KILOGRAMS OF SHEET METAL FROM THE
TWO AREAS AND SHOWED THE TEAM SEVERAL PIECES OF THIS WRECKAGE.
THE WRECKAGE WAS EXAMINED, PHOTOGRAPHED, AND RECORDED AND
RETURNED TO HER. WITH HER PERMISSION, TEAM MEMBERS ALSO USED
METAL DETECTORS TO CONDUCT A SEARCH FOR ADDITIONAL WRECKAGE IN
THE AREAS SHE IDENTIFIED. PHUONG INSISTED THAT SHE HAD NO
KNOWLEDGE 0F ANY CRASH INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED, IN LONG DAI DURING
THE WAR, CLAIMING SHE WAS TOO YOUNG THEN TO HAVE ANY RECOLLECTICN.
SHE ALSO CLAIMED SHE DID NOT KNOW OF ANYONE ELSE WHO RECOVERED
WRECKAGE OR REMAINS FROM THE AREA OR THE NEARBY RIVER.
L. THE SECOND WITNESS PRESENTED WAS NGUYEN HUU VI (NGUYEENX HWUX
VI), THE SUBJECT OF THE TAPED INTERVIEW PLAYED EARLIER BY MR- DUONG.
VI IS 49 YOA AND IS A RESIDENT OF LONG DAI HAMLET. FROM 1968-73, HE WAS
THE ASSISTANT MILITIA COMMANDER FOR LONG DAI HAMLET. HE ALSO
CLAIMED THAT ONLY ONE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE HAMLET DURING THE
WAR.
(1) VI STATED THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 1930 HOURS
ON 8 APR 68. HE RECALLED THIS DATE ACCURATELY BECAUSE MEMBERS
OF HIS FAMILY WERE ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY AMERICAN BOMBING THE
FOLLOWING DAY. HE WAS IN HIS HOME IN LONG DAI HAMLET WHEN HE
HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE AND:OTHER
MEMBER OF THE LOCAL MILITIA (NFI) WENT OUT TO INVESTIGATE. THE
FOUND A NEW CRATER ALONG WHICH HAD DESTROYED A PORTION 0F THE
EASTERN EDGE OF ROUTE 15 ABOUT 500 METERS NORTH OF THE LONG DAI
FERRY. IN THE BOTT’OM OF THIS CRATER, WAS A NUMBER OF PROTRUDING
ELECTRICAL WIRES THAT WERE RED AND YELLOW IN COLOR. AROUND THE
CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE CRATER THEY ALSO SAW A NUMBER OF
12
UNEXPLODED BOMBS. BASED ON THIS, HE SPECULATED THAT THE CRATER
HAD BEEN CREATED BY THE CRASH OF AN AIRCRAFT.
(2) VI AND THE OTHER MILITIA MEMBERS SEARCHED THE AREA AROUND THE
CRATER FOR WRECKAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ANY TRACES OF THE PILOTACCORDING TO VI, LE VAN HIEM, A FELLOW MILITIA MEMBER, FOUND A
PIECE OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE PILOT’S SCALP NEAR THE SITE. VI
DESCRIBED THIS PIECE AS REDDISH IN COLOR AND COVERED WITH DIRT.
ONE PORTION OF THE PIECE HAD BLOND HAIR STILLATTACHED.
THE
PIECE WAS NOT BURNED.
(3) VI CLAIMED THAT, UPON DISCOVERING THE PIECE OF FLESH, HIEM TURNED
IT OVER TO NGUYEN BA (NGUYEENX BA), THE LONG DAI HAMLET MILITIA
COMMANDER AT THE TIME (NOW DECEASED). BA SUPPOSEDLY ORDERED
HIEM TO BURY THE PIECE, BUT VI DID NOT KNOW IF HIEM EVER DID.
4) WHEN QUESTIONED CONCERNING ANY OTHER ITEM FOUND IN THE AREA OF
THE SUSPECTED CRASH SITE, VI REPLIED THAT A LARGE PARACHUTE WAS
FOUND, NEAR THE ROAD ACROSS FROM THE SITE. IT WAS TAKEN BY THE
PASSENGERS OF A VEHICLE (NFI) THAT DROVE PAST THE SITE. A DRAG
CHUTE (ZUF GIAMR TOOCS DOOJ) WAS ALSO FOUND NEAR THE SITE BY
MEMBERS OF THE THREE READINESSES YOUTH GROUP FROM NGHE AN
PROVINCE. THIS WAS A MULTI-COLORED CHUTE (COLORS NOT RECALLED)
AND WAS TAKEN BY THE YOUTHS. VI DID NOT KNOW OF ANY OTHER
ITEMS RECOVERED FROM THE SITE AT THE TIME 0F THE INCIDENT. HE
COMMENTED THAT THE CRATER WHICH HAD DAMAGED THE ROAD WAS
FILLED IN WITHIN ABOUT THREE DAYS BY MEMBERS OF THE MILITIA AND
THE YOUTH GROUP. HE ALSO NEVER HEARD OF ANY AIRCRAFT OR PILOTRELATED ITEMS BEING DISCOVERED DURING THE REPAIR Of THE ROAD.
(5) VI INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE INSTANCE IN WHICH
AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED FROM THE AREA OF THIS SITE
AFTER THE WAR. IN 1990 NGUYEN VA NHAT (NGUYEENX VAWN NHAATS) A
RESIDENT OF LONG DAI, DISCOVERED THE NOSE PORTION OF AN AIRCRAFT
WHILE FISHING IN THE LONG DAI RIVER. VI NEVER SAW THIS WRECKAGE
BUT HEARD FROM NHAT THAT IT WAS SO LARGE THAT IT HAD TO BE
CARRIED ON A POLE BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE. THE WRECKAGE WAS
REPORTEDLY FOUND IN THE SECTION OF THE RIVER BETWEEN THE
ALLEGED CRASH SITE AND THE LONG DAI BRIDGE. VI DID NOT KNOW IF
NHAT STILL KEPT ANY PORTION OF THIS WRECKAGE. NHAT IS PRESENTLY
37 YOA AND A RESIDENT OF TEAM 1, LONG DAI HAMLET.
M. NGUYEN HIEP (NGUYEENX I-IIEEPJ) WAS THE NEXT WITNESS INTERVIEWED.
HIEP IS PRESENTLY 67 YOA AND WAS EMPLOYED AS A FORESTRY WORKER IN
THE CO TRANG (COOR. TRANG) AREA OF TRUONG SON VILLAGE DURING THE
WAR. THIS AREA IS LOCATED ABOUT 15 KM FROM LONG DAI IN THE VICINITY OF
XE5310. ALTHOUGH HIEP SPENT MOST OF THE WAR YEARS IN CO TRANG, HE
WAS PRESENT IN LONGI DAI AT THE TIME AN AIRCRAFT CRASHED THERE.
13
(1) HIEP EXPLAINED THAT, IN EARLY APR 68, HE RECEIVED WORD FROM HIS
RELATIVES THAT HIS WIFE HAD BEEN KILLED IN A U.S. BOMBING RAID. HE
IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO LONG DAI AND MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR
HER FUNERAL AND BURIAL. THE NIGHT BEFORE HE RETURNED TO CO
TRANG, HE WAS IN A BUNKER TAKING SHELTER FROM AN AMERICAN
BOMBING RAID WHEN HE HEARD THE BUZZING SOUND OF A DISABLED
AIRCRAFT FOLLOWED BY A BRIGHT FLASH AND AN EXPLOSION. BASED ON
HIS RECOLLECTION OF THE DATE OF HIS WIFE’S FUNERAL, HE CALCULATED
THE DATE OF THIS INCIDENT AS 9 APR 68.
(2)
(3)
HIEP NEVER WENT TO THE AREA WHERE HE HAD SEEN THE FLASH TO
CONFIRM IT AS AN AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE 0R TO LOOK FOR ANY
WRECKAGE. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, HE SIMPLY RETURNED
TO THE CO TRANG FORESTRY SITE. HE NEVER HEARD ANY
INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CRASH INCIDENT THE
DISCOVERY OF ANY WRECKAGE, THE FATE OF THE PILOT, OR
THE DISPOSITION OF ANY REMAINS.
HIEP WAS ASKED TO CONFIRM THE YEAR DURING WHICH THIS INCIDENT
OCCURRED BY RELATING IT TO THE AGES OF HIS CHILDREN. HE STATED THAT,
ACCORDING TO THE VIETNAMESE ASTROLOGICAL SYSTEM, HIS YOUNGEST
CHILD WAS BORN IN THE YEAR OF “TY” (TYJ) , OR THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE ( 1
9 6 5 ).
AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THIS CHILD WAS ALREADY TWO
YEARS OLD.
N. AS MEMBERS OF THE TEAM WERE SEARCHING MS. PHUONG’S GARDEN FOR
ANY TRACES OF WRECKAGE, THEY WERE APPROACHED BY A LOCAL RESIDENT
WHO CLAIMED TO HAVE RECOVERED A LONG SLEEVE UNDERSHIRT FROM THE
AREA OF THE ALLEGED CRASH SITE. HE WAS LED TO THE U.S. TEAM LEADER
FOR INTERVIEW. THIS WITNESS, THAN NGOC MINH (TRAANE NGOCJ ‘iINH), IS
PRESENTLY 33 YOA.AND RESIDES IN LONG DAI HAMLET. HE EXPLAINED THAT
THE SHIRT HE PROVIDED WAS FOUND BY HIS UNCLE, PHAN DAO (PHAN DAOS) ,
WHO WAS THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE IN WHICH THE TEAM WAS CONDUCTING
ITS INTERVIEWS. MINH CONFIRMED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE DETAILED
KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECOVERY ‘OF THE SHIRT AND MADE A BRIEF SPEECH
EMPHASIZING THE HUMANITARIAN NATURE OF HIS INTEREST IN THE PW/MIA
ISSUE. HE WAS QUERIED CONCERNING ANY OTHER KNOWLEDGE HE MIGHT
POSSESS THAT MIGHT RELATE TO THE SUBJ ECT OF MISSING AMERICANS BUT
CLAIMED NONE. THE TEAM THANKED HIM FOR HIS COOPERATION AND
PROCEEDED TO INTERVIEW MR. DAO.
0. DAO EXPLAINED THAT HE FOUND THE SHIRT ABOUT 20 DAYS PRIOR TO THE
DATE OF THE INTERVIEW WHILE DIGGING DIRT TO USE ELSEWHERE IN HIS
FIELDS. IT WAS FOUND IN AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 50 CM FROM THE EDGE
OF ROUTE 15 AND ABOUT 10 METERS FROM THE AREA WHERE THE CRATER
HAD ALLEGEDLY BEEN. DAO DID NOT RECALL AT WHAT DEPTH HE FOUND THE
14
SHIRT, BUT INSISTED THAT IT WAS NOT BURIED DEEPLY. HE FOUND NO
TRACES OF REMAINS, IDENTIFICATION MEDIA, OR OTHER FERSONAL EFFECTS
WITH THE SHIRT. WHEN ASKED IF HE HAD EVER FOUND ANY SUCH ITEMS IN
THE AREA, DAO MENTIONED A BLUE PLASTIC WALLET WITH UNKNOWN
LETTERINC PRINTED ON IT. HE CLAIMED THAT HE FOUND IT IN THE GARDEN
(THE SAME GARDEN IDENTIFIED BY MS. PHUONG) SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT
BECAUSE IT WAS EMPTY AND THE LETTERING ON IT WAS BADLY FADED, HE
DISCARDED IT. DAO CONFIRMED THAT SEVERAL KILOGRAMS OF SHEET METAL
HAD BEEN FOUND IN THE AREA NEAR HIS HOUSE, BUT INSISTED THAT HE KEPT
ONLY ONE PIECE, A SMALL CCUPLING, WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS MADE OF
GOLD. HE COMMENTED, HOWEVER, THAT MS. (LNU) KICH (KICHJ)V A FORMER
MEMEER OF A FEMALE NILITIA UNIT IN THE AREA THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE SHOOT DOWN OF A U.S. AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE LONG DAI AREA
AFTER THE WAR AND RECOVERED SOME OF THE WRECKAGE OF THAT
AIRCRAFT FROM THE RIVER.
P.
DURING THE SEARCH OF TliE GARDEN AND ADJACENT AREA IDENTIFIED
BY MS. PHUONG, THE TEAM RECOVERED A NUMBER OF PIECES OF AIRCRAFT
WRECKAGE AND CREW-RELATED EQUIPMENT. LTC KY, WHEN APPRISIED OF
THIS, INSISTED THAT THE TEAM TURN.THE ITEMS OVER TO THE VNOSP SO
THEY COULD BE FORMALLY REPATRIATED. MR. M POLITELY REFUSED,
EXPLAINING THAT THERE WAS NO PRECEDENT FOR THIS AND THAT IT WAS THE
TEAM’S DESIRE TO GET THESE ITEMS TO JTF-FA LIFE SUPPORT ANALYSTS AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. LTC KY REPLIED THAT THE DISPOSITION OF SUCH
ARTIFACTS WOULD HAVE TO BE DECIDED BY AN AGREEMENT BETWE.EN THE
VNOSP AND JTFFA LEADERSHIP. COMPLETE DESCRIPTIONS OF ThE ITEMS
RECOVERED AND ALL WRECKAGE EXAMINED BY THE TEAM APPEAR IN
PARAGRAPH 4.
Q. ON 23 JUN 92o IEL RETURNED TO THE HIEN NINH VILLAGE PEOPLE’S
COMMITTEE HOUSE IN CO HIEN HAMLET TO CONTINUE INTERVIEWING ALLEGED
WITNESSES-TO CASE 1816. THE FIRST WITNESS PRESENTED WAS THAN NGOC
THANG (TRAANF NGCCJ THANGJ), A 51 YOA LIFE-LONG RESIDENT OF LONG DAI
HAMLET. THANG NEVER SERVED IN THE PAVN OR THE MILITIA, BUT WAS A
HOST FOR AND WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE THREE READINESSES YOUTH
GROUPS RESPONSIBLE FOR LOGISTICS SUPPORT TO THE PAVN AND FOR
REPAIRING ROUTE 15. THANG STATED THAT ONLY ONE AIRCRAFT CRASH
INCIDENT OCCURRED IN LONG DAI HAMLET DURING THE WAR.
(1) THANG RECALLED THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE SIXTH
LUNAR MONTH OF 1972. HE BASED HIS RECOLLECTION’ON THE SEASON OF
THE YEAR, WHICH HE CONFIDENTLY STATED AS THE LATE DRY SEASON. AT
APPROXIMATELY 2000 HOURS ON AN UN-RECALLED DAY, HE WAS IN HIS
HOME IN LONG DAI HAMLET WHEN HE OBSERVED A SINGLE U.S. JET
AIRCRAFT FLY OVER FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AT A LOW ALTITUDE. WHEN IT
WAS APPROXIMATELY ONE KM SOUTH OF HIS POSITION, IT EXPLODED. IN
15
THE I-IGHT FROM THE BURNING AIRCRAFT THANG SAW A SINGLE, FULLYDEPLOYED RED PARACHUTE DESCEND TOWARDS THE CRASH SITES, WHICH
WAS ABOUT 1.5 KM SOUTH OF HIS HOME. AT THIS POINT THANG JUMPED
AHEAD IN HIS ACCOUNT AND STATED THAT THE MORNING AFTER THE
INCIDENT, HE OBSERVED LE VAN HIEP (SEE PARAGRAPH AND ASSOCIATED
SUBPARAGRAPHS) ON.ROUTE 15 NEAR THE CRASH SITE CARRYING A PIECE
OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE SCALP TISSUE AND A SEVERED ARM.
(2)
AT THIS POINT IN THE INTERVIEW, LTC KY, THE VIETNAMESE TEAM CHIEF,
SUDDENLY INTERJECTED. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE INTERVIEW OF MRTHANG WOULD HAVE TO BE INTERRUPTED BECAUSE ANOTHER WITNESS
WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE THE VILLAGE TO ATTEND AN IMPORTANT MEETING
AND WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW. THE U.S TEAM CHIEF
URGED LTC KY TO HAVE THE WITNESS WAIT OR TO RESCHEDULE HIS
INTERVIEW FOR ANOTHER TIME. LTC KY WAS INSISTENT, HOWEVER, AND
MR. M RELUCTANTLY AGREED. BECAUSE OF THE CURIOUS TIMING OF LTC
KY’S INTERJECTION, MR M. INSISTED ON CONFIRMING THE STATE’MENTS
TWANG HAD MADE UP TO THAT POINT IN THE INTERVIEW, ESPECIALLY HIS
CLAIM OF OBSERVING A PARACHUTE AFTER THE AIRCRAFT EXPLODED.
MR. AG@@ SUMMARIZED THANG’S STATEMENTS AND ASKED HIM TO
CONFIRM THEIR ACCURACY. HE DID SO WITHOUT MAKING ANY
MODIFICATIONS. THANG WAS THEN RELEASED TEMPORARILY TO ALLOW
THE TEAM TO INTERVIEW THE NEW WITNESS. HE WAS LED AWAY BY
PROVINCIAL TASK TEAM PUBLIC SECURITY REPRESENTATIVE NGUYEN
NGUYEN LLIONG TO AN AREA OUTSIDE TH PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE HOUSE.
SEEING THIS, MR.
INSTRUCTED SGT
,TEAM ANALYST AND
NATIVE VIETNAMESE LINGUIST, TO OBSERVE THE TREATMENT OF MR.
THANG. SGT
NOTED THAT, WHILE THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
TEAM WERE INTERVIEWING THE NEW WITNESS, THE MR. LUONG WAS
SP’EAKING VERY STERNLY TO THANG. SGT
WAS ABLE TO
OVERHEAR A PORTION OF THIS CONVERSATION, IN WHICH LUONG
INSTRUCTED THANG TO ONLY CONFIRM THE LOCATION OF THE AIRCRAFT
CRASH IN LONG DAI HAMLET, BUT NOT TO PROVIDE ANY OTHER
INFORMATION OF SUBSTANCE.
(3) AFTER INTERVIEWING THE OTHER WITNESS, NGUYEN VAN BOT (SEE
PARAGRAPH R FOR THE DETAILS OF THIS INTERVIEW), THANG RETURNED
TO CONTINUE HIS INTERVIEW. FROM THE MOMENT OF HIS RETURN, IT WAS
OBVIOUS THAT HIS DEMEANOR HAD CHANGED DRASTICALLY FROM THAT
DISPLAYED DURING THE INITIAL PORTION OF THE INTERVIEW. HE WAS NO
LONGER CONFIDEKT OF ANY OF HIS RESPONSES AND REPEATEDLY
LOOKED AT LTC KY AND THE OTHER VIETNAMESE TEAM MEMBERS AS IF
SEEKING APPROVAL FOR HIS ANSWERS. THE REMAINDER.OF HIS
TESTIMONY WAS FRAUGHT WITH INCONSISTENCIES AND HE SEEMED
UNABLE, OR UNWILLING, TO RECALL ANY DETAILS OF THE TYPE HE
INITIALLY OFFERED. THE INFORMATION HE PROVIDED IS NEVERTHELESS
CONTINUED IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS.
16
(4) THANG WAS ASKED BY LTC KY TO CONFIRM THE YEAR DURING WHICH THE
INCIDENT OCCURRED. CONTRARY TO HIS PREVIOUS TESTIMONY, HE
INDICATED THAT IT OCCURRED IN 1968. HE THEN EXPLAINED THAT THE
YOUTH GROUPS WHOM HE HOSTED INCLUDED THREE DISTINCT GROUPS,
EACH IDENTIFIED BY THE NAME OF THE PROVINCE FROM, WHICH THEY
HAILED. THEY WERE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, FROM THANH HOA, THAI
BINH, AND NNGHE AN PROVINCES. THANG INDICATED THAT THIS INCIDENT
OCCURRED DURING THE TIME IN WHICH THE THANH HOA YOUTH GROUP
WAS STAYING WITH HIM. FURTHER EFFORTS TO CONFIRM THE DATE OF
THE INCIDENT BY RELATING IT TO THE YEARS OF BIRTH OF THANG’S EIGHT
CHILDREN WERE UNSUCCESSFULL, RESULTING IN HALF-HEARTED CLAIMS
THAT HE DID NOT RECALL WHEN HIS CHILDREN WERE BORN.
(5) THANG AVOIDED RECONFIRMING HIS INITIAL STATEMENTS, SO HE WAS
PRESSED FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING THE EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO
THE INCIDENT- HE EXPLAINED THAT APPROXIMATELY 0700-0800 THE
MORNING AFTER THE CRASH, HE WENT TO SEE THE CRASH SITE. HE
CONFIRMED THAT HE SAW LE VAN HIEM ON ROUTE 15 AS HE WAS WALKING
TO THE SITE AND THAT HIEM WAS CARRYING A PIECE OF SCALP TISSUE AND
A SEVERED ARM. IN RESPONSE TO THE REACTIONS OF THE VIETNAMESE
TEAM LEADERS (SPECIFICALLY LTC KY AND DO DUC DUONG) TO THIS
STATEMENT, THANG CLAIMED HE WAS UNABLE TO DESCRIBE THE PIECES
OF REMAINS AND EVENTUALLY CONTRADICTED HIMSELF AND DENIED
HAVING SEEN THEM ALTOGETHER.
(6) AFTER MEETING HIEM ON THE ROAD, THANG SUPPOSEDLY DECIDED NOT TO
VISIT THE CRASH SITE AND RETURNED HOME. ON THE WAY, HE SAW
SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE YOUTH GROUP CARRYING A RED PARACHUTE
HE BELIEVED WAS THE ONE HE HAD SEEN DESCENDING AT THE TIME OF
THE CRASH. THANG EXPLAINED THAT THE PARACHUTE STILL HAD LINES
ATTACHED TO IT, BUT NO HARNESS OR PACK WAS VISIBLE. THE. YOUTHS
CARRYING THE PARACHUTE (NIFI) REPORTEDLY COMMENTED TO THANG
THAT THEY HAD FOUND IT NEAR THE CRASH SITE AND THAT THE PILOT TO
WHOM IT BELONGED HAD BEEN TORN APART IN THE CRASH INCIDENT.
WHEN PRESSED FOR MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS CONCERNING THE
PARACHUTE, ITS DISPOSITION, AND ANY OTHER HEARSAY CONCERNING
THE FATE OF THE PILOT AND THE DISPOSITION OF HIS REMAINS. THANG
WAS VISIBLY ANXIOUS. HE ULTIMATELY CLAIMED THAT HE COULD RECALL
NO FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THE INCIDENT AND AVOIDED
RESPONDING TO ANY FURTHER QUESTIONSR. THE WITNESS WHO INTERRUPTED THE INTERVIEW OF MR. THANG WAS
NGUYEN VAN BOT (NGUYEI-‘:NX VAWN EOWTS), A 38 YOA LONG DAI HAMLET
CADRE. BOT IS LIFE-LONG RESIDENT OF LONG-DAI AND CLAIMED THAT ONLY
ONE AIRCRAFT CRASH INCIDENT OCCURRED THERE DURING THE WAR(1) BOT STATED THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON AN UN-RECALLED DAY IN
JUNE OR JULY 1972. HIS RECOLLECTION OF THIS TIME PERIOD WAS BASED
17
ON THE REFERENCE POINT OF 9 MAR 72, THE DATE ON WHICH BOT BECAME
A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY AND, CONCURRENTLY, A MEMBER
OF THE LONG DAI HAMLET MILITIA. BOT WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE
INCIDENT OCCURRED SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THIS DATE. HE EXPLAINED
THAT AT AB0UT 0000-0100 HOURS, HE WAS IN HIS HOME IN LONG DAI
HAMLET WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS
CAUSED BY THE CRASH OF AN AIRCRAFT. HE DID NOT GO OUT TO CONFIRM
THIS, AND REMAINED IN HIS HOME THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT.
(2) THE FOLLOWING MORNING, BOT AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE LONG DAI
MILITIA WENT OUT TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION. WHILE
SEARCHING IN THE AREA OF ROUTE 15, THEY NOTED 4-5 NEW BOMB
CRATERS ALONG THE ROAD, INCLUDING ONE CRATER APPROXIMATELY 5-7
METERS IN DIAMETER THAT HAD DESTROYED A PORTION OF THE ROAD
BED. THE LOCATION GIVEN BY BOT FOR THIS CRATER WAS CONSISTENT
WITH THAT PROVIDED BY PREVIOUS WITNESSES. IN THE CRATER AND
AROUND ITS CIRCUMFERENCE, HE SAW A NUMBER OF UNEXPLODED BOMBS
AND SMALL PIECES OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE, THE LARGEST OF WHICH
WERE NO BIGGER THAN HIS HAND. BOT
RECALLED THAT PREVIOUSLY, THERE HAD BEEN A WATER-FILLED BOMB
CRATER ADJACENT TO THE ROAD AT THIS POINT AND OPINE THAT THE
AIRCRAFT HAD IMPACTED INTO THIS EXISTING CRATER
(3) BOT SAW NO TRACES OF REMAINS, OR ANY CREW-RELATED ITEMS OR
PERSONAL EFFECTS IN THE AREA OF THE CRATER. HE LATER HEARD,
HOWEVER, THAT LE VAN HIEM HAD DISCOVERED A PIECE OF SCALP TISSUE
FROM THE CRASH AREA AND SURMISED THAT THE PILOT HAD DIED IN THE
INCIDENT. BOT CLAIMED HE NEVER HEARD ANY OTHER INFORMATION
CONCERNING THE DISCOVERY OF REMAINS PERSONAL EFFECTS, OR
IDENTIFICATION MEDIA AROUND THE CRASH SITE. HE ALSO DENIED ANY
KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECOVERY OF WRECKAGE FROM THE AREA AND WAS
UNABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY VILLAGERS WHO MIGHT STILL POSSESS
WRECKAGE.
(4) BOT WAS ALSO QUERIED CONCERNING ANY OTHER INFORMATION HE MIGHT
POSSESS THAT MIGHT RELATE TO INCIDENTS INVOLVING UNACCOUNTEDFOR AMERICANS. HE STATED THAT HE HEARD OF ONE OTHER AIRCRAFT
CRASH INCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED IN 1968 IN THE RAU TRU AREA OF
TRUONC- XUAN VILLAGE. HE INSISTED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW ANY
DETAILS OF THIS INCIDENT, HOWEVER.
S. ON 26 JUN 92, IEL AGAIN VISITED CO HIEN HAMLET TO INTERVIEW TWO
INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED DURING INTERVIEWS OF PREVIOUS WITNESSES. THE
TEAM ALSO REQUESTED TO REINTERVIEW THAN NGOC THANG WITH THE HOPE
THAT AN UNINTERRUPTED INTERVIEW WOULD YIELD BETTER RESULTS. THE
FIRST PRESENTED WAS NGUYEN THI TICH (NGUYEENX THIJ TICHJ)P WHO,
ACCORDING TO VIETNAMESE TEAM MEMBERS, WAS MISTAKENLY IDENTIFIED
BY OTHER WITNESSES AS “KICH” RATHER THAN TICH. MS. TICH IS
PRESENTLY 50 YOA AND A RESIDENT OF LOC LONG (H), XUAN NINH (V), QUANG
18
NINH (D). DURING THE PERIOD 1962-70, SHE WAS THE ASSISTANT MILITIA
COMMANDER OF HIEN NINH VILLAGE IN CHARGE OF THEIR FEMALE UNIT.
FROM 1970-80, SHE WAS THE SECRETARY OF THE VILLAGE’S FEMALE
COMMUNIST PARTY ELEMENT. TICH CLAIMED THAT HER UNIT WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR SHOOTING DOWN TWO AIRCRAFT DURING THE WAR AND
PROVIDED DETAILED ACCOUNTS OF EACH INCIDENT. SHE CLAIMED THAT SHE
WAS ABLE TO RECALL SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE INCIDENTS ACCURATELY
BECAUSE SHE HAD RECORDED THEM IN A DIARY, WHICH SHE STILL KEPT. THE
FIRST INCIDENT SHE DESCRIBED HAS NOT YET BEEN CORRELATED TO ANY
SPECIFIC CASE AND WILL BE REPORTED SEPARATELY. HER ACCOUNT OF
THE SECOND INCIDENT COMPARES FAVORAELY WITH PREVIOUS WITNESS
TESTIMONY CONCERNING THE INCIDENT NEAR THE-LONG DAI FERRY AND IS
REPORTED BELOW.
1) MS. TICH STATED THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 1400
HOURS ON 6 APR 68. WHEN ASKED TO CONFIRM THIS DATE, SHE
PRODUCED A PIECE OF PAPER FROM HER POCKET AND CONSULTED IT
BEFORE ANSWERING. SHE REFUSED TO ALLOW THE MEMBERS OF THE
JOINT TEAM TO SEE THE PAPER, WHICH SHE CLAIMED TO HAVE PREPARED
FROM MEMORY THE DAY BEFORE THE INTERVIEW. WHEN THE U.S. TEAM
CHIEF SUGGESTED THAT THE INFORMATION ON THE PAPER MAY HAVE
BEEN EXTRACTED FROM HER PERSONAL DIARY, SHE INSISTED THAT IT HAD
NOT. SHE THEN CONTRADICTED HER PREVIOUS STATEMENT, INDICATING
THAT HER DIARY NO LONGER EXISTED, HAVING BEEN DESTROYED BY
AMERICAN BOMBING. MS. TICH THEN CONTINUED HER ACCOUNT, STATING
THAT ON THE DATE INDICATED SHE OBSERVED A LONE U.S. JET AIRCRAFT
OF UNKNOWN TYPE APPROACH THE VILLAGE FROM THE DIRECTION OF
DONG HOI (NORTHEAST). HER 12.7 MM HMG UNIT, ALONG WITH OTHER
UNITS IN THE AREA FIRED ON THE AIRCRAFT. IT WAS STRUCK BY FIRE AND
EXPLODED IN THE AIR. FROM HER VANTAGE POINT SHE REPORTEDLY
CLEARLY SAW THE WRECKAGE OF THE BURNING AIRCRAFT IMPACT INTO
THE MIDDLE OF THE LONG DAI RIVER IN THE VICINITY OF THE LONG DAI
FERRY. SHE DID NOT OESERVE ANY PARACHUTES.
(2) MS. TICH DID N0T GO TO THE AREA OF THE CRASH AFTER THE INCIDENT
AND REMAINED WITH HER UNIT TO DEFEND AGAINST FURTHER AIRCRAFT
ATTACKS. FOLLOWING THE CRASH, SHE DID NOT OBSERVE ANY SAR
EFFORTS TO RECOVER OR DETERMINE THE FATE OF THE AIRCRAFT’S
PILOT. SHE ALSO DENIED EVER HAVING HEARD ANY INFORMATION
CONCERNING THE FATE OF THE PILOT, THE DISPOSITION OF ANY
ASSOCIATED REMAINS, OR THE RECOVERY OF ANY WRECKAGE OR
FERSONAL EFFECTS FROM THE CRASH AREA.
(3) THE TEAM ALSO PROBED MS. TICH’S KNOWLEDGE OF ANY OTHER
INCIDENTS POSSIBLY RELATED TO.UNACCOUNTED-FOR AMERICANS. SHE
CLAIMED SHE COULD OFFER NO FURTHE R INFORMATION AND
SPECIFICALLY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF ANY AIRCRAFT CRASH
INCIDENTS IN THE HIEN NINH AREA DURING 1972. . SHE THEN BECAME
19
VERBALLY ABUSIVE, STATING THAT HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN KILLED
DURING AN AMERICAN BOMBING RAID AND CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED THAT
SHE STILL HARBORED ILL WILL TOWARDS AMERICANS. AT THAT POINT THE
INTERVIEW WAS TERMINATED.
T. THE NEXT WITNESS INTERVIEWED WAS PHAN VAN LO (PHAN VAWN LOG), A 60
YOA LIFE-LONG RESIDENT OF LONG DAI HAMLET. LO WAS A MEMBER OF THE
LONG DAI MILITIA FROM THE AGE OF 16 (1948) UNTIL 1975. LO CLAIMED THAT
ONLY ONE AIRCRAFT CRASH INCIDENT OCCURRED IN LONG DAI HAMLET.
(1) LO RECALLED THAT ‘THE INCIDENT OCCURED AT ABOUT 1300-2000 HOURS
ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE LUNAR MONTH OF 1968 (7 APR 68). HE CLAIMED
HE RECALLED THIS DATE ACCURATELY BECAUSE A MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY
WAS KILLED BY AMERICAN BOMBING THE PREVIOUS DAY. HE DID NOT
OBSERVE THE AIRCRAFT CRASH, BUT HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND SAW
FLAMES IN THE VICINITY OF ROUTE 15. SINCE HE WAS A MILITIA MEMBER
AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEFENDING THE VILLAGE, HE RAN TO THE
SITE, WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS THE CRASH SITE OF AN AIRCRAFT. HE
ARRIVED AT THE SITE, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY ONE KM NORTH OF THE
LONG DAI FERRY ON ROUTE 15, ABOUT ONE HOUR AFTER THE CRASH.
(2) IN DESCRIBING THE CRASH SITE, LO CONFIRMED THAT THE CRATER
CAUSED BY THE EXPLOSION HAD DESTROYED PART OF THE ROAD. HE
EXPLAINED THAT HE SAW MANY SMALL PIECES OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE
SCATTERED.AROUND THE CRATER AND ONE LARGE ELECTRICAL
COMPONENT (NFI) WHICH EMITTED A NOISE LIKE THAT OF BOILING WATER
AS IT BURNED. HE ALSO OBSERVED A NUMBER OF UNEXPLODED BOMBS IN
THE AREA.
(3) WHEN QUESTIONED CONCERNING THE PRESENCE 0F ANY REMAINS AT THE
SITE, LO REPLIED THAT HE 0BSERVED NGUYEN VAN KHUONG, A FELLOW
MILITIA MEMBER, PICK UP A SEVERED FOREARM AND HAND AND A PIECE OF
SCALP FLESH INCLUDING AN EAR. LO DID NOT RECALL THE COLOR OF THE
SKIN OF THESE PIECES. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT ACCOMPANY KHUONG,
LO HEARD FROM HIM THAT HE HAS GOING TO TAKE THE BODY PARTS HE
HAD FOUND TO THE LONG DAI COOPERATIVE TO TURN THEM IN TO THE
MILITIA COPMMANDER, NGUYEN BA (NOW DECEASED) AND THE ASSISTANT
COOPERATIVE DIRECTOR, NGUYEN VAN LUAN. LO DID NOT KNOW WHAT
ULTIMATELY BECAME OF THESE REMAINS.
(4) LO CLAIMED THAT THE ONLY PERSONAL EFFECTS HE RECALLED BEING
FOUND IN THE CRASH AREA WERE.TWO PARACHUTES. A GOLD-COLORED
PAPACHUTE WAS SUPPOSEDLY TAKEN BY THE PASSENGERS (NFI) OF A CAR
THAT DROVE BY THE SITE ON ROUTE 15. HE DID NOT SEE THIS BUT
LEARNED IT THROUGH HEARSAY. LO SAW THE SECOND PARACHUTE BEING
CARRIED BY MEMBERS OF THE YOUTH GROUP BACK TO THE HOME 0F TRAN
NGOC THANG. HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT ULTIMATELY BECAME OF THE
PARACHUTE OR IF ANY OF IT STILL REMAINED.
20
(5) ACCORDING TO LO, THE REPAIR OF THE DAMAGE ROAD TOOK
APPROXIMATELY 15 DAYS TO COMPLETE. HE DID NOT KNOW OF ANY
INSTANCES IN WHICH REMAINS WERE RECOVERED DURING THIS PROCESS.
6) LO CONFIRMED THAT HE HAD SALVAGED A NUMBER OF SMALL PIECES OF
METAL FROM THE WRECKAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THAT HE STILL KEPT
SOME OF THEM. HE LATER SHOWED THESE PIECES TO THE TEAM. LO
CLAIMED NO-KNOWLEDGE OF ANY OTHER VILLAGERS POSSESSING
AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE.
U. THE TEAM WAS THEN ALLOWED TO RE-INTERVIEW TRAN NGOC THANG. IT HAS
HOPED THAT AN UNINTERRUPTED INTERVIEW WOULD YIELD BETTER RESULTS
THAN THE INITIAL INTERVIEW OF THIS WITNESS. LTC KY INITIALLY STATED
THAT MR. TWANG WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW BECAUSE HE WAS ILL.
MR. @@@@@ THEN OFFERED THE SERVICES OF THE TEAM MEDIC TO
EXAMINE MR. THANG, BUT LTC KY REFUSED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THANG
ARRIVED.
(1) THANG.WAS PHYSICALLY ESCORTED TO THE INTERVIEW BY PAVN MAJ DO
VAN PHAN OF THE PROVINCIAL TASK TEAM. IT WAS OBVIOUS FROM THE
OUTSET THAT MR. THANG WAS EMOTIONALLY UPSET AT THE PROSPECT OF
BEING REINTERVIEWED. MR. @@@@@ TRIED TO PUT HIM AT EASE BY
EXPLAINING THAT THE TEAM’S OEJECTIVE WAS ONLY TO CONFIRM HIS
EARLIER TESTIMONY, WHICH WAS A BIT CONFUSED BECAUSE THE
INTERVIEW HAD BEEN INTERRUPTED.
(2) THROUGHOUT THE INTERVIEW, THANG AVOIDED OFFERING DIRECT
ANSWERS AND REPEATEDLY EMPHASIZED THAT THE ANSWERS HE HAD
PROVIDED IN HIS FIRST INTERVIEW WERE, TO THE BEST OF HIS
RECOLLECTION, ACCURATE. HE WAS MONITORED VERY CLOSELY
THROUGHOUT THE INTERVIEW BY MAJ PHAN, WHO WAS NOTED
WHISPERING TO THANG ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS DURING THE
INTERVIEW, APPARENTLY INSTRUCTING HIM HOW TO RESPOND. THE
PRESSURE OF MAJ PHAN’S PRESENCE MADE THANG EVEN MORE ANXIOUS
AND THE INTERVIEW COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. ALTHOUGH THANG DID NOT
PROVIDE MANY DIRECT ANSWERS, THOSE HE DID SUPPLY WERE
CONSISTENT WITH HIS INITIAL TESTIMONY.
(3) AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INTERVIEW MR. XXXXXX THANKED THANG
AND PRESENTED HIM WITH AN EMPTY POLARIS WATER BOTTLE AS A
SMALL. TOKEN OF THE TEAM’S APPRECIATION. HE WAS THEN
IMMEDIATELY LED OUT OF THE PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE HOUSE BY MAJ
PHAN, WHO CLUTCHED HIM BY THE ARM. IEL TEAM MEMBERS WHO LEFT
THE TABLE TO TAKE A BREAK IN THE COURTYARD OBSERVED MAJ PHAN
TAKE THE WATER BOTTLE FROM ‘THE WITNESS AND STERNLY ORDER HIM
TO RETURN HOME. THIS ORDER WAS PUNCTUATED BY PUSHING THE
WITNESS. ON 28 JUN 92, IEL INTERVIEWED TWO MORE WITNESSES IN CO
HIEN (H) HIEN NINH (V). THE FIRST WAS NGUYEN VAN KHUONG (NGUYEENX
VAWN KHLOONG), THE MILITIA MEMBER IDENTIFIED BY PHAN VAN LO (SEE
21
PARAGRAPH 3T(3)) AS HAVING RECOVERED AN ARM AND A PIECE OF SCALP
FLESH FROM THE CRASH SITE. KHUONG IS PRESENTLY 57 YOA. HE WAS A
MEMBER OF THE LONG DAI HAMLET MILITIA’S RECONNAISSANCE ELEMENT
FROM 1966-72.
(1) KHUONG STATED THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT AROUND
2000
HOURS ON AN UN-RECALLED DAY DURING APR 68. HE WAS IN HIS HOME
IN LONG DAI HAMLET AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT AND DID NOT
OBSERVE THE AIRCRAFT CRASH. SHORTLY AFTER THE CRASH, HE WENT
OUT TO EXAMINE THE SITE. THE DESCRIPTION HE PROVIDED OF THE
LOCATION OF THE SITE WAS CONSISTENT WITH THAT OF PREVIOUS
WITNESSES. AT THE SITE HE SAW A CRATER APPROXIMATELY 10
METERS WIDE. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SMALL FIRES BURNING IN
THE CRATER AND THE SURROUNDING AREA, BUT HE DID NOT OBSERVE
ANY WRECKAGE, REMAINS, OR PERSONAL EFFECTS. HE REMAINED
THERE FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES BEFORE RETURNING HOME.
(2) AT ABOUT 0700 THE FOLLOWING MORNING, HE RETURNED TO THE AREA.
IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT HE DISCOVERED TWO PIECES OF REMAINS
BELIEVED TO BE THOSE OF THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT. ABOUT 50
METERS FROM THE RIVER BANK HE FOUND AN ARM (SIDE UN-RECALLED)
THAT HAD BEEN SEVERED JUST BELOW THE ARMPIT. ABOUT 300
METERS FROM THE RIVERP HE FOUND A PIECE OF SCALP TISSUE
APPROXIMATELY TWO HAND SPANS IN SIZE. A PORTION OF THE SCALP
WAS COVERED WITH LIGHT COLORED HAIR. THE ARM WAS ALSO
COVERED WITH LONG, LIGHT-COLORED BODY HAIR AND WAS AS LARGE
IN DIAMETER AS KHUONG’S LEG. THE SKIN COVERING BOTH PIECES OF
REMAINS WAS WHITE IN COLOR. HE DID NOT RECOVER EITHER OF THE
PIECES AND SIMPLY LEFT THEM WHERE THEY LAY.
(3) KHUONG CLAIMED THAT HE SAW A FEW SMALL PIECES OF WRECKAGE
NEAR THE RIVER, INCLUDING ONE PIECE THAT WAS RED AND BLUE IN
COLOR. HE SAW NO OTHER WRECKAGE IN THE AREAS. KHUONG COULD
NOT DESCRIBE THE WRECKAGE HE SAW IN DETAIL AND INSISTED THAT
HE DID NOT RECOVER ANY OF IT. HE ALSO CLAMED THAT HE SAW NO
TRACES OF PERSONAL EFFECTS, IDENTIFICATION MEDIA., OR OTHER
CREW-RELATED ITEMS IN THE AREA.
(4) KHUONG MAINTAINED THAT HE NEVER PICKED UP EITHER OF THE
PIECES OF REMAINS HE HAD SEEN AND DID NOT KNOW THEIR ULTIMATE
DISPOSITION. HE SPECIFICALLY DENIED EVER TAKING THESE PIECES TO
THE LONG DAI COOPERATIVE AS LO HAD ALLEGED. WHEN ASKED WHY
PHAN VAN LO HAD CLAIMED TO HAVE SEEN KHUONG CARRYING THE
SAME PIECES HE HAD JUST DESCRIBED, KHUONG OFFERED NO
EXPLANATION. HE ALSO CLAIMED ABSOLUTELY NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY
OTHER INCIDENTS INVOLVING UNACCOUNTED-FOR AMERICANS.
W. THE SECOND WITNESS PRESENTED ON 28 JUN WAS NGUYEN VAN LUAN
(NGUYEENX VAWN I..UAANJ), ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED BY PHAN
VAN LO AS HAVING RECEIVED THE REMAINS RECOVERED BY KHUONG (SEE
PARAGRAPH 3T(3)). LUAN SERVED AS THE ASSISTANT DIFTECTOR OF THE
22
LONG DAI HAMLET COOPERATIVE FROM 1968-75. HE CLAIMED HE DID NOT
OBSERVE THE INCIDENT BUT, LIKE PREVIOUS WITNESSES, ONLY HEARD THE
SOUND OF A LARGE EXPLOSION. HE CONFIRMED THE TIME OF THIS
EXPLOSION AS AROUND 1930-2000 HOURS ON AN UN-RECALLED DAY IN APR 68.
LUAN CLAIMED THAT BECAUSE HE WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH HIS DUTIES AT
THE COOPERATIVE, HE NEVER VISITED THE CRASH SITE. WHEN QUESTAEDIS
LUASTATIMED THAS AT
23
UNIDENTIFIED WRECKAGE THAT MIGHT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE COME FROM AN
AIRCRAFT.
Z. AS THE TEAM WAS RETURNING BY VEHICLE TO DONG-HOI. A LOCAL RESIDENT
FLAGGED THEM DOWN. THAN HUU TRUC, A 39 YOA RESIDENT OF TAEM 1,
LONG DAI HAMLET, SHOWED THE TEAM A PIECE OF WRECKAGE AND A BRASS
BELT BUCKLE STAMPED WITH THE LETTERS “U“S.’ ’ TRUC CLAIMED THAT HE
HAD RECOVERED THESE ITEMS FROM THE AREA THAT IS NOW THE GARDEN OF
MS. PHUONG’S HOUSE. HE COULD NOT RECALL THE EXACT TIME HE
RECOVERED THEM, BUT INDICATED THAT IT WAS BEFORE MS. PHONG’S HOUSE
WAS BUILT (NOTE: ACCORDING TO MS. PHUONG, 1988).
24
TRUC CLAIMED HE DID NOT FIND ANYTHING ELSE IN THAT AREA AND DID NOT KNOW OF
ANY OTHER VILLAGERS KEEPING WRECKAGE. A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE
ITEMS TRUC SHOWED TO THE TEAM APPEARS IN PARAGRAPH 4.
4.
MATERIAL EVIDENCE:
A.
ON 26 JUN, WITNESS PHAN VAN LO ALLOWED THE TEAM TO EXAMINE A
PIECE OF PROBABLE HYDRAULIC TUBING APPROXIMATELY EIGHT INCHES
LONG., THE COUPLINGS ATTACHED TO THE TUBING HAD THE FOLLOWING
MARKINGS: 1-C3028lT8 (THE LAST TWO CHARACTERS WERE UNCLEAR AND
MAY READ I8); 28199
B.
B- ON 23 JUN AND 8 JUL 92, IEL WAS ALLOWED TO EXAMINE AND
PHOTOGRAPH WRECKAGE ALLEGEDLY TAKEN FROM THE CRASH SITE
LOCATED IN LONG DAI HAMLET. THE FOLLOWING IS A DESCRIPTION OF THE
WRECKAGE.
PIECE OF PETAL TUBING APPRONIMATELY EIGHT INCHES LONG WITH ONE THREADED
END. THE FOLLOWING IS ETCHED ON THE TUBE:
? ASSY FACE 7-22904
? (706 714-50)
? SEA NO 154
? TELEFLEX PAT NC
? 2 82 0092
? TWO METAL PORTIONS OF THE POWERPLANT, ONE 22 INCHES
LONG AND ONE 2O INCHES LONG
“H” SHAPED MECHANICAL LINKAGE PART THREE INCHES WIDE BY SEVEN INCHES
LONE. STAPIPED ON ONE ARM IS: 12C(OR G)859-9 (NOTE:. THE LAST DIGIT IS
ENGRAVED). NEXT TO THIS STAMP IS A STAMPED LETTER “L” IN A CIRCLE.
U/I METAL PART 3.75 BY 2.25 INCHES IN SIZE.
STAMPED ON THE FRONT IS: 6 AL-4V FOLLOWED BY A RAISED EMBLEM IN THE SHAPE
OF TEXAS. STAMPED ON THE BACK IS:
1 208.
? COMMON WIRING HARNESS CANNON PLUG WITH
APPROXIMATELY 55 HOLES- THE INSULATION ON ONE ATTACHED
WIRE HAS MARKED: TE7 7C22ELECTRIC WIRING HARNESS WITH CHROME ANTI-.CHAFING SLEEVE, 8.5 INCHES
LONG.
CONNECTOR WITH GREEN INTERIOR AND SEV EN MALE PINS LETTERED R, A, B, C, E,
AND D ON ONE END AND TWO FEMALE RECEPTACLES ON THE REAR. THE MALE AND
FEMALE CONNECTOR ARE B.RASS PLATED.
PIECE OF METAL 30 INCHES LONG BY 2.75 INCHES WIDE WITH CLOTH OR FIBERGLASS
LINING ATTACHED WITH OFFSET PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWS. THE HEADS OF THE
SCREWS WERE MARKED: CALFAX CA2755-4-1510.
BEARING RACE ONE INCH. IN DIAMETER WITH THE LETTERS CPBGH STAMPED ON THE
OUTSIDE EDGE.
UNMARKED COG 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER
UNPARKED COG FIVE INCHES IN DIAMETER
COG WITH RAISED MALE CONNECTOR 1.75 INCHES IN DIAMETER
TWO WASHERS, 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER TWO SPACERS, 2.75 INCHES IN DIAMETER.
\
C. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE RECOVERED FROM THE GARDEN NEAR MS.
PHUONG’S HOUSE:
25
STEEL WIRING SLEEVE WITH ATTACHED WIRINE AND A CLAMP MARKED: DEL
477SSB
CURVED GRAY RUBBER SEAL, 12 LONG INCHES BY 1 INCH WIDE
METAL FRAGMENT, 4 BY 5 INCHES IN SIZE
PROBABLE CLOTH HARNESS MATERIAL, 13.5 BY 3 INCHES IN SIZE
FRAGMENT OF BLACK ACCORDION HOSE, 4-5 INCHES LONG AND 1 INCH IN DIAMETER
PIECE OF GREEN AND RED CLCTH, 6 BY 9 INCHES IN SIZE
D. ON 23 JUN, A LOCAL RESIDENT SHOWED THE TEAM A SHIRT HE REPORTEDLY DUG
UP FROM AN AREA ON THE WEST SIDE OF ROUTE 15 APPROXIMATELY 100
METERS FROM THE AREA WHERE THE TEAM DISCOVERED THE WRECKAGE. THE
SHIRT WAS A SMALL PULL OVER TEE SHIRT WITH LONG SLEEVES. EXAMINATION
OF THE SHIRT REVEALED THAT IT WAS NOT AIR CREW RELATED. THE SHIRT WAS
PHOTOGRAPHED AND RETURNED TO ITS OWNER.
5. SURVEY RESULTS: THE SITE ALLEGED TO BE THE CRASH SITE ASSOCIATED
WITH THIS INCIDENT IS LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF ROUTE 15 BETWEEN
THE ROAD AND THE LONG DAI RIVER. TH GRID COORDINATE FOR THIS
LOCATION AS DETERMINED BY GPS, IS XE7347116358. THE ALLEGED IMPACT
CRATER OF THE AIRCRAFT IS LOCATED UNDER WHAT IS NOW AN ASPHALT
ROAD, APPROXIMATELY SIX METERS WIDE. THE WRECKAGE PROVIDED BY
WITNESSES WAS TAKEN PRIMARILY FROM A GARDEN LOCATED AB0UT 10
METERS DIRECTLY EAST OF THE ROAD AND A LARGE HOLE, MADE BY
CONNECTING TWO BOMB CRATERS, SEVERAL METERS SOUTH OF THE
GARDEN. THE AREA WHERE WITNESSES ALLEGEDLY DISCOVERED A PIECE OF
SCALP IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 30 METERS FROM THE ROAD EDGE AND
SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF THE ALLEGED IMPACT AREA. ALL OF THE AREAS
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SITE, INCLUDING THE ROAD, WERE SURVEYED WITH A
METAL DETECTOR. A NUMBER OF SMALL PIECES OF WRECKAGE AND
PROBABLE CREW-RELATED EQUIPMENT WERE RECOVERED FROM THE
GARDEN AREA (SEE PARAGRAPH 4 FOR DESCRIPTIONS OF WRECKAGE). THE
LARGE HOLE AND THE ROAD AREA BOTH REGISTERED A HIGH
CONCENTRATION OF METAL DEPOSITS, BUT ALL READILY RECOVERABLE
PIECES WERE FOUND TO BE BOMB SHRAPNEL. THERE WAS NO
CONCENTRATION OF METAL EVIDENT IN THE AREA WHERE THE PORTION OF
SCALP HAD ALLEGEDLY BEEN FOUND. NO TRACES OF REMAINS WERE FOUND
IN ANY AREA OF THE SITE.
6. RECOMMENDED FUTURE ACTIONS:
A. RECOMMEND THE CONTINUED INVESTIGATION OF THIS
CASE* TO BEGIN WITH THE INTERVIEW OF NGUYEN TRONG PHU
(NGUYEENX TRONGJ PHUS), THE INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFIED IN THE
QUANG BINH PROVINCIAL MUSEUM RECORDS AS HAVING RECOVERED THE HELMET
BELIEVED TO HAVE BEL.ONGED TO MAJ HENRY E. MACCANN. THERE HAS BEEN A
STANDING REQUEST TO INTERVIEW THIS WITNESS SINCE THE 14TH ITERATION (JUNJUL 91), BUT LTC KY INDICATED THAT NO EFFORTS WERE MADE TO LOCATE HIM
UNTIL THE 18TH JFA WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY. THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS CASE
SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE AN INTERVIEW OF THAN HOAN (TRAANF HOANX), IDENTIFIED
BY NGUYEN CHI HUNG AS THE FORMER QUANG NINH DISTRICT FORCES
COMMANDER, NOW BELIEVED TO BE RESIDING IN XUAN THUY VILLAGE.
B. IF THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROBABLE CLOTH AND HARNESS RATERIAL I FOUND IN
MS. PHUONG’S GARDEN CAN CONCLUSIVELY ESTABLISH THAT THE CREW
26
MEMBERS-WERE IN THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, RECOMMEND AN
EXCAVATION OF THE GARDEN AND THE ENTIRE SURROUNDING AREA.
7. PERTINENT LOCATION OR DATA CHANGES: NONE AT THIS TIME.
8. AREAS OR CASE FILE INFORMATION NOT IXVESTIGATED: NONE
9. ANALYST COMMENTS:
A.
THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE WITNESSES IN HIEN NINH VILLAGE IS
NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS CONCERNING CASE 1816.
ONLY TWO OF THE WITNESSES, THANG AND B0T, CLAIMED THE INCIDENT
OCCURRED IN 1972, THE SAME YEAR AS THE 1816 INCIDENT. HOWEVER, THE
REMAINDER OF THEIR TESTIMONY DOES NOT AGREE WITH THE KNOWN FACTS OF
THIS CASE. BOTH INDIVIDUALS CLAIMED THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT NIGHT,
WHILE IN FACT THE REFNO 1816 OCCURRED DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS.
ALTHOGH THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT WAS SHOT DOWN BY TWO
SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES, NEITHER OF THESE INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED THE
LAUNCHING OF SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES IN THEIR TESTIMONY CONCERNING
THE INCIDENT. INITIAL ANALYSIS OF THE MATERIAL EVIDENCE OBTAINED FROM
THE CRASH SITE IN LONG DAI HAMLET INDICATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT THAT
CRASHED AT THIS LOCATION WAS AN F-111. THERE ARE EIGHT INCIDENTS
INVOLVING F-111 AIRCRAFT WHICH RESULTED IN UNACCOUNTED-FOR
PERSONNEL. FOUR OF THESE OCCURRED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO QUANG BINH
PROVINCE: 1107, 1139, 1945 AND 1948. CASE 1948 WAS A SUBJECT OF A
PREVIOUS JOINT INVESTIGATION AND HAS DETERMINED TO HAVE BEEN SHOT
DOWN IN PHU.TRACH VILLACE, B0 TRACH DISTRICT. IT CAN THEREFORE BE
ELIMINATED FROM CONSIDERATION IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE CRASH SITE IN
LONG DAI. CASE 1945 CAN ALSO BE ELIMINATED, AS IT WAS INVESTIGATED
DURING THIS JFA AND DETERMINED TO HAVE CRASHED IN PHU THUY VILLAGE.
C. THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE MAJORITY OF
THE WITNESSES IS GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE
CI.RCUMSTANCES OF LOSS CONCERNING BOTH CASE 1107 AND CASE
1139. BOTH OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE LOST DURING THE HOURS 0F
DARKNESS IN THE EARLY PART OF 1968., THE TIME FRAME
PROVIDED BY THE WITNESSES CONCERNING THE INCIDENT
SUPPORTS A CORRELATION TC CASE 1139, WHICH OCCURRED AT
ABOUT 2000 HCURS. THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN CASE 1107 WAS LOST DURING THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS SOMETIME BETWEEN 0400 AND 0700, WHICH IS NOT
CONSISTENT WITH THE INFORMATICN OBTAINED FROM WITNESSES. FURTHER
ENHANCING THE CORRELATION TO CASE 1139 IS THE FACT THAT THE TARGET FOR
THIS MISSION WAS THE LONG DAI FERRY. ALTHOUGH BOTH THESE FACTORS
SUPPORT A STRONG CORRELATION TO CASE 1139, THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS
WHICH SUPPORT A CORRELATION TO CASE 1107. ENTRY 1069 OF THE MR4 SHOOT
DOWN DOCUMENT INDICATES THE F-111 INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT WAS SHOT
DOWN IN MR4. ADDITIONALLY, INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE QUANG BINH
MILITARY MUSEUM INDICATES THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE VICINITY OF XUAN
THUY VILLAGE WHICH IS ONLY 10 KILOMETERS FROM THE LONG DAI FERRY..
FURTHERMORE THE FLIGHT TRACK OF THE AIRCRAFT HAS TO PASS IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY TO THE LONG DAI FERRY. WHEREAS MUCH OF THE INFORMATION
OBTAINED FROM THE WITNESSES SUPPORTS A CORRELATION TO CASE 11399,
ARCHIVAL DATA TENDS TO SUPPORT A CORRELATION TO CASE 1107. ALTHOUGH IT
IS PROBABLE THAT THE CRASH SITE AT LONG DAI RELATES TO ONE OF THESE
27
INCIDENTS, IN IS NOT POSSIBLE WITH THE INFORFATION PRESENTLY AVAILABLE TO
DISTINGUISH WHICH OF THE TWO .F-111’S CRASHED IN LONG DAI HAMLET.
10. SEARCH AND RECOVERY SPECIPLIST COMMENTS: BASED ON WITNESS
TESTIMONY AND FIELD ANALYSIS OF THE CREW-RELATED ITEMS RECOVERED, IT HAS
NOT BEEN CONCLUSIVELY ESTABLISHED THAT THE CREW MEMBERS INVOLVED IN
THIS INCIDENT PERISHED IN THE AIRCRAFT. IF FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE CREWRELATE ITEMS SUPPORTS THE BELIEF THAT THE CREW MEMBERS DIED IN THE
INCIDENT, RECOMMEND A RECOVERY OF THIS CRASH SI TE.
11.
LIVE SIGHTING INVESTIGATOR COMMENTS: NONE
12.
TEAM CHIEF COMMENTS:
A.
THROUGHOUT THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS INCIDENT, THE VIETNAMESE
SIDE CONTINUALLY ASSERTED THAT IT WAS RELATED TO CASE 1816. AS THE
NUMBER OF WITNESSES INTERVIEWED BY THE TEAM GREW, IT BECAME
INCREASINGLY EVIDENT THAT THIS INCIDENT HAS NOT RELATED TO CASE l8l6.
THE PROVISION OF WRECKAGE WITH SERIALIZATION CONSISTANT
WITH AN F-111 AIRCRAFT FURTHER SUPPORTED THIS CONCLUSION
AND THE POSSIBLE CORRELATION OF THIS INCIDENT TO CASE 1107 OR CASE 1139.
B. HOANG MINH DUC EXHIBITED A HIGH DEGREE OF SELFMONITORING DURING HIS
INTERVIEW AND WAS CLEARLY UNWILLING TO PROVIDE ALL THE INFORMAIION HE
POSSESSED. EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE DUC TO VOLUNTEER ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
CTHE TESTIMONY OF THE WITNESSES WHO CLAIMED THAT THIS INCIDENT
OCCURRED IN 1968 WAS INCONSISTENT,
ESPECIALLY IN THEIR DESCRIPTIONS OF THE CONDITION OF THE CRASH SITE
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT.
D.
THE LONG-SLEEVE UNDERSHIRT PROVIDED BY’THAN NGO MINH AND PHAN
DAO DID NOT APPEAR TO BE OF U.S. MANUFACTURE AND WAS VERY SMALL IN SIZE.
IT IS THEREFORE UNLIKELY THAT THIS SHIRT HAS WORN BY A CREW MEMBER
INVOLVED IN THIS CRASH INCIDENT. MR. MINH’S ATTITUDE AND DEMEANOR WERE
SUCH THAT HE APPEARED TO BE MAKING OEVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO INGRATIATE HIMSELF
WITH THE U.S. TEAM.
E.
THAN NGOC THANG WAS THE FIRST WITNESS PROVIDED FOR INTERVIEW
THAT APPEARED TO HAVE ANY INFORMATION RELATING TO CASE 1816. HE
WAS ALSO THE ONLY WITNESS TO INDICATE THAT HE HAD SEEN A
PARACHUTE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE SIGHTING OF A
PARACHUTE IS CRITICAL, AS IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DIA REPORTING
THAT ESTABLISHED THIS AS A “LAST KNOWN ALIVE” CASE. THE FACT THAT
THIS INTERVIEW WAS INTERRUPTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THANG MADE
THIS STATEMENT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN A DELIBERATE ATTEMP TO
STIFLE THIS WITNESS. SUSPECTING THIS, MR. *@@ TOLD IEL’S NATIVE
LINGUIST SGT
TO MONITOR THE TREATMENT OF MR. THANG WHILE
THE OTHER WITNESS WAS BEING INTERVIEWED AND TO ATTEMPT TO
EAVESDROP ON ANYTHING SAID
TO THE WITNESS BY VIETNAMESE REPRESENTATIVES. SGT
FOLLOWED THE
WITNESS OUTSIDE AND, WHILE PRETENDING TO PHOTOGRAPH SEVERAL PIECES OF
WRECKAGE, OVERHEARD THE QUANG BINH PROVINCIAL PUBLIC SECURITY
REPRESENTATIVE NGUYEN NGUYEN LONG INSTRUCT THE WITNESS
28
TO CONFIRM THE LOCATION OF THE AIRCRAFT CRASH, BUT TO .PROVIDE NO OTHER
INFORMATION. WHEN THANG RETURNED.TO CONTINUE THE INTERVIEW, HIS
DEMEANOR HAD CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY AND HE APPEARED UNWILLING TO
PROVIDE ANY COHERENT ANSWERS TO THE TEAM’S QUESTIONS. HE SEEMED VERY
INTIMIDATED AND SELECTED HIS ANSWERS VERY CAREFULLY, AS IF MAKING
DELIBERATE EFFORTS TO BE INCONSISTENT.
THIS WAS APPARENTLY DONE TO
CAST DOUBT UPON HIS OWN CREDIBILITY WITH THE HOPE THAT THE TEAM WOULD
DISMISS HIS EARLIER STATEMENTS AS UNTRUE.
NGUYEN THI TICH HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN COACHED PRIOR TO HER INTERVIEW.
SHE HAD APPARENTLY TAKEN NOTE’S ON THE STATEMENT SHE WAS TO HAVE
MADE, AND REFERRED TO THEM WHEN SHE COULD NOT RECALL SPECIFIC
DETAILS. WHEN CONFRONTED WITH DETAILED QUESTIONING, SHE LAUNCHED
INTO AN ANTI-AMERICAN TIRADE, BLAMING THE TEAM MEMEERS FOR HER
HUSBAND’S DEATH. ALTHOUGH AT FIRST THIS SEEMED TO BE A SPONTANEOUS
RELEASE, IT BECAME INCREASINGLY PREDICTABLE AS THE INTERVIEW
PROGRESSED. FINALLY, IT APFEARED THAT THIS HAD ALSO BEEN A COACHED
RESPONSE TO DETER FURTHER QUESTIONING.
G. DURING THE RE-INTERVIEW OF THAN NGOC THANG, HE EXHIBITED AN EVEN
GREATER LEVEL OF ANXIETY THAN HE HAD DURING THE LATTER HALF OF HIS INITIAL
INTERVIEW. MAJ. PHAN, A MEMBER OF THE PROVINCIAL TASK TEAM, SAT BESIDE
THANG THROUGHOUT THE INTERVIEW AND BLATANTLY TRI ED TO INTIMIDATE HIM.
PHAN’S EFFORTS WERE SUCCESSFUL, AND CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THE INTERVIEW
WAS COMPLETED. HE PHYSICALLY ESCORTED THANG OUT OF THE ROOM,
CONFISCATED THE EMPTY WATER B0TTLE THE TEAM HAD GIVEN HIM, AND
ENCOURAGED THE LOCAL VILLAGERS TO RIDICULE HIM. THESE ACTIONS ALL
SEEMED INTENDED TO DISCREDIT THANG IN THE EYES OF THE OTHER VILLAGERS
AND THE U.S. TEAM. IN REALITY, THEY BOLSTERED THE TEAMS BELIEF THAT THANG
HAD BEEN TRUTHFUL IN HIS INITIAL STATEMENTS AND WAS BEING PUNISHED FOR
HIS HONESTY.
H. ONE WITNESS INTERVIEWED CONCERNING THIS INCIDENT CLAIMED THAT THE
AIRCRAFT HAD IMPACTED INTO THE LONG DAI RIVER NEAR THE FERRY. OTHER
WITNESSES CLAIMED THAT NO SIGNIFICANT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND NEAR THE
ALLEGED IMPACT SITE OF THE AIRCRAFT, SUGGESTING THAT SOME OF IT MIGHT
HAVE LANDED IN THE RIVER. WHEN U.S. TEAM MEMBERS NOTICED THE SALVAGE
CREW WORKING IN THE AREA IDENTIFIED BY WITNESSES, MRSUGGESTED
THAT THE CREW BE INTERVIEWED TO DETERMINE IF THEY HAD FOUND ANY
WRECKAGE. LTC KY AND MR. LONG WERE TAKEN ABACK BY THIS SUGGESTION
AND DESPERATELY TRIED TO INVENT REASONS NOT TO INTERVIEW THE CREW.
THEY FIRST STATED THAT THE TEAMS WORK WAS SO WELL KNOWN THAT, HAD ANY
WRECKAGE BEEN FOUND, IT WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR
ATTENTION. WHEN MR.
EXPRESSED HIS SKEPTICISM AT THIS AND REPEATED
THE REQUEST, THEY CLAIMED THAT IT WOULD EE OF NO USE BECAUSE THE
SCAVENGERS WERE NOT QUANG BINH RESIDENTS AND WOULD HAVE NO
INFORMATION CONCERNING ANY CRASH INCIDENTS IN THE AREA. THIS OBJECTION,
OF COURSE, WAS ILLOGICAL, SINCE THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO LEARN IF ANY
WRECKAGE HAD BEEN FOUND IN THE RIVER. LTC KY THEN ASSERTED THAT AN
IMPROMPTU INTERVIEW OF THAT NATURE WOULD CREATE A SCENE AND THAT HE
29
FEARED FOR THE U.S. TEAM MEMBERS’ SAFETY. AT THAT MR.
SUGGESTED
THAT ONLY TWO MEMBERS OF EACH TEAM TALK TO THE SALVAGERS TO MINIMIZE
THE TEAM’S PROFILE. MR. LONG SUDDENLY RESPONDED THAT HE HAD ALREADY
SPOKEN TO THE SALVAGERS AND THAT THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE FOUND NO
AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE. LONG ACTED GREATLY OFFENDED WHEN MR.
EXPRESSED A CONTINUED DESIRE TO SPEAK WITH THE SALVA.GERS AND ACCUSED
MR.
OF NOT TRUSTING HIM. MR.
REPLIED THAT THERE WAS
NO LACK OF TRUST. IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE U.S. TEAM TO MEET WITH THE
SALVAGE CREW TO ENSURE THAT ALL MEANS HAD BEEN EXHAUSTED T0
INVESTIGATE THE CASE. LTC KY REMAINED NON-COMITTAL, BUT FINALLY PROMISED
TO TRY TO ORGANIZE AN INTERVIEW. HE THEN AVOIDED THE ISSUE FOR NEARLY A
WEEK, UNTIL MR.
PROPOSED THAT THE SALVAGE CREW BE
VISITED WHILE THE FRENCH FILM CREW WAS PRESENT. LTC KY THEN
IMMEDIATELY AGREED TO THE PROPOSAL- THIS IS A STERLING EXAMPLE OF THE
VIETNAMESE PRACTICE OF STEADFASTLY REFUSING TO COOPERATE ON AN ISSUE
UNTIL THEY DETERMINE THAT THEY CAN DERIVE SOME BENEFIT FROM IT.
***************************************************************************************
uuu
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U N C L A S S I F I E D
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uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
ROUTINE
R 010333Z JUN 93 PSN 160888P31
FM CJTFFA DET ONE BAN6KOK TH
TO CDR JTF-FA HONOLULU HI
INFO SECDEF WASHDC//OCJCS-PW-IIIA/J5//
SECDEF WASHDC//OASD-ISA/PW-MIA//
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J3//
USCINCPAC LO WASHDC//
DIA WASHDC//PO.W-MIA//
CDRUSACILHI HICKAH AFB HI//
NSC WASHDC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC//CA/OCS/CCS/EAP//.
CIA WASHDC//OEA/SEA/IB/DDO/EA/ICOG//
UNCLAS
BAN6KOK TH 20755
UNCLASSIFIED 0210 JUN 93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
SU BJ: FIELD INVESTIGATION REPORT: CASE 1139
REP: JTF-FA DET ONE DT6271134Z MAY 93
1. REP A IS THE SUMMARY REPORT FOR THE 23RD JOINT FIELD
ACTIVITY CONDUCTED IN VIETNAM FROM 22 APR TO 24 MAY 93.
PARAGRAPH 2R OF REP CONCERNS THE INVESTIGATION OF CASE
1139. THE RESULTS OF THIS INVESTIGATION ARE REPORTED IN
DETAIL HEREIN. THIS REPORT IS BASED ON FIELD ANALYSIS
30
ALONE AND IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE FINAL ANALYTICAL
CONCLUSIONS.
2
SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION: ON 27 APR 93, IEL
INTERVIEWED THREE WITNESSES BELIEVED TO HAVE INFORMATION
6ERMAINE TO CASE 1816. THE WITNESSES PROVIDED
CORROBORATING TESTIMONY WHICH WAS DETERMINED TO BE
ASSOCIATED WITH CASE 1139. THE INFORMATION OBTAINED
CORRELATED TO MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THE U.S. RECORDS FOR
CASE 1139 IN TERMS OF CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS, DATE,
AIRCRAFT TYPE, AND TIME OF DAY. THE CRASH SITE FOR
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS INFORMATION NOW LIES AT LEAST FIVE
METERS BELOW A PAVED HIGHWAY, THEREFORE NO HUMAN REMAINS
OR PERSONAL EFFECTS WERE RECOVERED. RECOMMEND THIS CASE
BE PLACED IN THE PENDING CATEGORY.
3.
DETAILS OF INVESTIGATION:
A. ON 22 APR 93i INVESTIGATION ELEMENT ONE (IEL)
ARRIVED IN DONG HOI TOWN, QUANG BINH PROVINCE TO BEGIN
Page 1
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U N C L A S S I F I E D
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UUUUUUUUULJUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
INVESTIGATIONS OF ONE PRIMARY AND A NUMBER OF SECONDARY
CASES IN FIVE DISTRICTS WITHIN THE PROVINCE. LATER THE
SAME DAY, REPRESENTATIVES OF RECOVERY ELEMENT ONE (REL),
IEL, AND THEIR VIETNAMESE COUNTERPARTSN WERE RECEIVED BY
DINH HULL CUONG (DINH HWUX CWONGF), DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF
THE QUANG BINH PROVINCIAL PEOPLES COMMITTEE
SECRETARIAT, LTCOL MA SON BAO (MAX SOWN BAD), QUANG BINH
PROVINCE MILITARY COMMAND REPRESENTATIVE, AND NGUYEN TRI
PHUONG, MEMBER OF THE PROVINCIAL
PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE. MR. CUONG WELCOMED BOTH TEAMS TO
THE PROVINCE AND PLEDGED TO AFFORD THE TEAMS WITH FULL
C00PERATION AND ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT THE JOINT
ACTIVTITY. HE ADDED THAT THE IMPACT OF RECENT HIGH LEVEL
TALKS BIETWEEN U.S. AND VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES
HAS FILTERED DOWN TO THE VILLAGE LEVEL AND HOPED THAT
THIS WOOULD ADD TO THE SUCCESS OF THE TEAMS MISSION.
THE U.S. CONTINGENT CONSISTED OF:
- MSGT
(TEAM LEADER)
- MSGT
(ASSISTANT TEAM LEADER)
- TSGT
(JTF-FA ANALYST/LIN6UIST)
- CTI2
(JTFFA ANALYST/LIN6UIST)
- SSG
(SEARCH AND RECOVERY SPECIALIST)
- SSG
SNOW (SEARCH AND RECOVERY SPECIALIST)
-SSG
(EOD SPECIALIST)
TSGT
(MEDICAL IDT)
VNOSMP MEMBERS INCLUDED:
PHAM TRUON 6IAN6
(PHAM41 TRWOUN6 6IAN6/TEAM LEADER)
- LUU VAN T-HO (LtiUX VA-bfN
-(MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE)
- TRAN X.UAN PHON6 (TRAAN -XU"W PHON6f/hND)
- NGUYEN VAN ttlEN CN6ttYEM-X -V-AlihN KI-EEt4-&IttI#MrRY OF
INTERIOR)
allACI+ HttY 140ANG tdtt*,CII'Rt:[Y-' Iti@AR"tttol)
THE QUAN6 BIttH--PROVINCIkL--TM TEAM MEMBERS INCLUDED:
LE DUC DUO.N6 ((-EE DDIdCS-'-"OVlt6/TEAM LEADER)
31
VAN PHAN (-DOO VAidN-PKAWDI"PUTY TEAM LEADER)
LE MINH NGHIA (LEE MINH U6HI)I@X)
B-- ON- 27 APR cl3,' IWVES7TI-G,-ATIOlt ELEMENT "E (IEL)
TRAVELED TO LO": DKI- (LONG DWI%Jl@) HAMLET, RIEN KINH
UWr-L-ASSIFIED, Eli!la JUN 93
Dlk PASr@,- TO, DO@V POW-NIA CENTRAL ",CUNENTATION OFFICE
SUBJ:
FIELD INVESTIGATION REPORT:
CASE 1139
(HIEEN NIHN VILLAGE, QUANG NINH (QUANGR NINH) DISTRICT,
QUSNG BINH PROVINCE TO INTERVIEW TEO EYE WITNESSES AND
ONE HEARSAY WITNESS WITH IINFORMATION BELIEVED T0 BE
Page 2
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UNCLASSIFIED
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
RELATED TO CASE 1816-DUE TO THE VILLA6E'S CLOSE
PROXIMITY TO THE AIRCRAFTS LAST KNOWN LOCATION
ACCORDING TO U-S- RECORDS. THE TEAM WAS MET BY LE HULL
PHUOC (LEE HWUJ PHWOWCS), 39 YOA DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE
VILLAGE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE. PHUOC STATED THAT THERE
WERE NO WARTIME RECORDS REMAINING FOR THIS AREA AND THAT
THE TEAM WOULD HAVE TO RELY 0N WORD OF MOUTH TESTIMONY.
HE ALSO STRESSED THAT THESE WITNESSES WERE
UNSOPHISTICATED FORMER MILITIAMEN WHO, AT NO TIME, HAD
ACCESS TO WAR TIME RECORDS OR OFFICIAL REPORTS ON AREA
SHOOT DOWNS, SO MOST OF THEIR TESTIMONY SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED CONJECTURE. PHUOC WENT ON TO RELATE HIS OWN
WARTIME MEMORIES WITH REGARD U.S. AIRCRAFT LOSSES AS
FOLLOWS:
(1)
PHUOC HAS LIVED IN HIEN NINH VILLAGE
SINCE BIRTH AND ALTHOUGH HE WAS JUST AN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL STUDENT AT THAT TIME, HE DID RECALL ONE AIRCRAFT
WHICH CRASHED NEAR THE VILLAGE DURING THE WAR. ALTHOUGH
UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY DETAILS RE6ARDIN6 THE SHOOT DOWN
OF THIS AIRCRAFT, PHUOC DID RECALL SEEING A PARACHUTE
BEING CARRIED ALONG THE ROAD BY THE NGHE AN (NGEEJ AN)
READINESS FORCES FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. HE DID NOT
KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE PARACHUTE HAD BEEN RECOVERED BUT
SURMISED THAT IT WAS TAKEN FROM THE CRASH SITE AS A WAR
SOUVENIR. THE PARACHUTE WAS OPEN WHEN HE SAW IT.
(2) PHUOC COULD NOT RECALL THE NAMES OF OTHER
INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE INCIDENT
OTHER THAN LE MAU XIEM (LEE MAAU XIEEM), THE VILLAGE
MILITIA COMMANDER DURING THE WAR AND NGUYEN DUG THE
(NGUYEEN DWCS THEER). THE WAS PREVIOUSLY INTERVIEWED
DURING THE 18TH JFA.
C. AT THE CONCLUSION OF PHUOC’S LIMITED ACCOUNT OF
HIS SOLE RECOLLECTION INVOLVING U.S. AIRCRAFT LOST NEAR
LONG DAI HAMLET, COL THO OF THE VNOSMP, INTRODUCED THE
NEXT WITNESS. LE VAN HIEM (LEE VAWN HIEEM), A 53 YOA
RESIDENT OF LONG DAI HAMLET, ALSO INTERVIEWED DURING THE
18TH JFA PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
(1) HIEEM SERVED IN THE LOCAL MILITIA UNTIL
1969 WHEN HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO SAVANAKET PROVINCE,
LAOS, RETURNING AT THE END OF THAT YEAR. SHORTLY
THEREAFTER HIEM DEPLOYED TO LE THUY (LEE THUYR)
DISTRICT, QUANG BINH PROVINCE TO ASSIST IN THE
32
CONSTRUCTION OF ROUTE 10. HIEM RETURNED TO LONG DAI IN
1973 AND WAS RELEASED FROM MILITARY SERVICE.
(2) HIEM BEGAN HIS TESTIMONY BY ENDORSING
EARLIER STATEMENTS HE PROVIDED TO THE JOINT
INVESTIGATION TEAM THAT VISITED LONG DAI IN 1992. HE
STATED THAT, ALTHOUGH HE HAD NOTHING TO ADD TO HIS
PREVIOUS DEPOSITION HE WOULD GLADLY PROVIDE THE
Page 3
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U N C L A S S I F I E D
UUUUUUUUULJUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
u
INFORMATION AGAIN FOR VERIFICATION.
(3) HIEM RECALLED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 1900
HOURS DURING THE SUMMER OF 1967 HE HEARD THE SOUND OF A
JET ENGINE PASS 0VERHEAD, AND A MOMENT LATER, AN
EXPLOSION. HE UNABLE TO 0BSERVE THE AIRCRAFT IN THE
NIGHT SKY PRIOR TO THE EXPLOSION.
(4) SINCE HE WAS ON DUTY AT THE TIME, HE WAS
ORDERED TO IMMEDIATELY LOCATE THE CRASH SITE, WHICH WAS
APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF KILOMETERS FROM HIS
POSITION, AND ASCERTAIN WETHER OR NOT THERE WERE ANY
SURVIVORS.
HE WAS DIRECTED TO REPORT HIS FINDINGS TO
THE HAMLET MILITIA COMMANDER LE MAU XIEM
(5). HE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH
ARPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES LATER AND DISCOVERED THAT A
PORTION OF HUMAN SCALP HAD ALREADY BEEN DISCOVERED.
.HIEM BRIEFLY INSPECTED THE SCALP AND WRECKAGE AND,
ALTHOUGH UNABLE TO ASCERTAIN THE AIRCRAFT TYPE,
DETERMINED THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS, AND HAVING
COMPLETED HIS MISSION, RETURNED TO THE VILLAGE TO FILE
HIS REPORT
-UNCLASSIFIED 0219 JUN -93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-ttlk CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
SUBJ: FIELD INVESTIGATION REPORT: CASE 1139
(6) HIEM LATER HEARD THAT MEMBERS OF AN
ASSAULT YOUTH GROUP THAT HAD BEEN ENGAGED IN ROAD
CONSTRUCTION NEAR THE CRASH SITE HAD RECOVERED A RED
PARACHUTE FROM THE WRECKAGE, BUT HE DENIED FIRSTHAND
KNOWLEDGE OF THIS.
(7)
ASIDE FROM THE SCALP AND PARACHUTE, HIEM
HAS UNAWARE Of ANY ADDITIONAL HUMAN REMAINS OR PERSONAL
EQUIPMENT DISCOVERED IN THE WRECKAGE. HE DID RECALL
HOWEVER, UNEXPLODED ORDINANCE WAS STREWN ABOUT THE CRASH
SITE. EXPLOSIVES CHARGES WERE REMOVED FROM ALL ORDNANCE
AND TAKEN AWAY BY THE MILITIA. THESE EXPLOSIVES WERE
SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED OVER TO DISTRICT LEVEL FORCES.
(A) HIEM WAS UNAWARE OF ANY OTHER INCIDENTS
OCCURRING IN THIS AREA DURING THE WAR. WHEN ASKED FOR
OTHER IUDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS
INCIDENT,HIEM WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE TWO NAMES, LE MAU
XIEM AND NGUYEN XU THE (NGUYEENX XWS THEER), THE FORMER
DEPUTY COMMANDER, WHO WAS INTERVIEWED DURING THE LBTH
JFA.
C.
AS THE INTERVIEW CONCLUDED, A MEMBER OF THE
QUANG BINH PROVINCE TASK TEAM WAS ASKED TO ATTEMPT TO
LOCATE XIEM AND BRING HIM BACK TO THE TEAM’S LOCATION
FOR INTERVIEW.
A SHORT TIME LATER, XIEM, A 59 YOA
33
RESIDENT OF LONG DAI HAMLET, WAS ESCORTED INTO THE
COMMITTEE HOUSE AND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS
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UNCLASSIFIED
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
OBTAINED:
(1) XIEM WAS THE HAMLET MILITIA COMMANDER
FROM 19?1 TO 1972 AND HAS RESIDED IN THE LONG DAI AREA
HIS ENTIRE LIFE EXCEPT FOR THE PERIOD BETWEEN 1960 TO
1962 WHEN HE WORKED IN LAOS. HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN
COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE AND ALSO IS
EXPERIENCED IN HANDLING EXPLOSIVES.
(2) AT APPROXIMATELY 1900
HOURS DURING THE
SUMMER OF 1972, XIEM RECEIVED A REPORT THAT AN AMERICAN
AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN SHOT DOWN BY ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY
(AAA) IN HIS AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY - THERE WAS NO
MENTION OF A PARACHUTE IN THE REPORT HE RECEIVED.
(3) XIEM RELAYED THIS INFORMATION, VIA RADIO,
TO THE QUANG NINH DISTRICT MILITARY HEADQUARTERS WHICH
WAS LOCATED IN DUY NINH (ZUY NINH)(XE520765) AT
APPROXIMATELY 1930 HOURS THAT SAME EVENING.
(4) HE STATED THIS WAS THE ONLY AIRCRAFT THAT
CRASHED IN HIS AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY-DURING THE WAR'S
BUT MANY PLANES CRASHED OUT TO SEA. HE HAS UNABLE TO
PROVIDE ANY MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS CONCERNING ANY OF
THESE INCIDENTS.
D. IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST BY THE U.S. TEAM
LEADER, THAN NGOC THANG (TRAANF'NGOCJ THAWNGJ), A 52 YOA
RESIDENT OF LONG DAI HAMLET, WAS THE NEXT WITNESS MADE
AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONING. THANG’S TESTIMONY DURING THE
18TH JFA WAS THE ONLY INFORMATION OBTAINED AT THAT TIME
WHICH EVEN VAGUELY PARALLELED THE EVENTS OF CASE 1816 AS
CHRONICLED IN U.S. FILES. THIANG SUPPLIED THE FOLLOWING
DETAILS:
(1) THANG WAS A MEMBER OF THE VILLAGE MILITIA
AIR DEFENSE FORCES DURING THE WAR, EXCEPT FOR THE PERIOD
FROM 1960 TO 1964 WHEN HE SERVED AS A PAVN SERGEANT IN
LAOS. HE RETURNE@D TO LONG DAI IN JUNE OF 1964.
(2) IN THE SUMMER OF 1972 AT APPROXIMATELY
1900 HRS AN UNIDENTIFIED U.S. AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN IN
LONG DAI HAMLET. THANG WAS DISPATCHED TO DETERMINE IF
THE PILOT HAD SURVIVED, BUT BY THE TIME HE ARRIVED AT
THE CRASH SITE A SMALL PORTION OF THE PILOT'S SCALP HAD
ALREADY BEEN RECOVERED. THANIG WAS, THEREFORE, CERTAIN
NO ONE HAD SURVIVED.
(3) THANG-STATED THAT DURING HIS PREVIOUS
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE 18TH JFA INVESTIGATION TEAM HE WAS
EXTREMELY NERVOUS AND UNCOMFORTABLE AND, THEREFORE, HIS
STATEMENTS HAD PROBABLY SEEMED CONFUSED AND DISJOINTED.
34
THE INFORMATION HE PROVIDED AT THAT TIME WITH REGARD TO
UN-CLASSIFIED 0210 JUN 93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
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SUBJ: FIELD INVESTIGATION REPORT: CASE 1139
A PARACHUTE WAS, IN REALITY, HEARSAY. HE LEARNED FROM
AN INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFIED ONLY AS HOAN, THAT A PARACHUTE
HAD BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE, BUT HE NEVER
ACTUALLY SAW THIS PARACHUTE.
HOAN HAS SINCE MOVED TO
THANH HOA.
C4)
THE PARACHUTE WAS REPORTEDLY RED IN
COLOR AND LAY AMID THE WRECKAGE IN TATTERS. THANG SAID
THAT HE LATER HEARD THIS WAS ACTUALLY A DRAG CHUTE
EMPLOYED TO SLOW FIGHTER AIRCRAFT AFTER LANDING AND NOT
A PERSONNEL PARACHUTE.
HE ADDED IT REQUIRED TWO PERSONS
TO CARRY IT SINCE IT WAS EXTREEMLY LAR6E.
(5) IN CLOSING, THANG STATED THAT THIS WAS
THE ONLY AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN IN THE LONG DAI AREA DURING THE WAR.
4.
MATERIAL EVIDENCE: NONE.
5-.
SURVEY RESULTS:
SINCE THE ONLY CRASH SITE WITNESS
TESTIMONY COULD ATTRIBUTE TO THIS INCIDENT WAS VISITED
AND PHOTOGRAPHED DURING THE 18TH JFA AND NOW LIES FIVE
METERS BENEATH A PAVED HIGHWAY, NO SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED.
6.
RECOMMENDED FUTURE ACTIONS:A- - RECOMMEND NO FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS OR
ANY OTHER CASES BE SCHEDULED FOR LONG DAI HAMLET,
NINH
NIHN VILLAGE. THIS WAS THE FOURTH TIME A JOINT
INVESTIGATION TEAM HAS TRAVELED TO THIS VILLAGE AND THE
RESULTS HAVE REMAINED CONSISTENT.
BRECOMMEND THE THIS CASE BE PLACED IN THE
PENDING CATEG0RY.
7.
PERTINENT LOCATION OR DATA CHANGES:
NONE
8.
AREAS OR CASE FILE INFORMATION NOT INVESTIGATED:
NONE
35
9.
ANALYST COMMENTS:
A.THE CRASH SITE DESCRIBED IN WITNESS TESTIMONY
WAS SURVEYED DURING THE 18TH JF-A.
ANALYSIS OF WRECKA6E
FROM THIS SITE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THAT OF AN F-111.
B. ALL INFORMATION OBTAINED DURING THIS
INVESTIGATION IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT CONTAINED IN U.S.
RECORDS PERTAINING TO CASE 1139 WITH REGARD TO GENERAL
LOCATION, DATE, TIME OF DAY, AIRCRAFT TYPE AND
CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS.
THIS, ALONG WITH THE ANALYTICAL
RESULTS OF THE WRECKAGE MENTIONED IN PARA 9A, INDICATES
AN ASSOCIATION TO CASE 1139.
Page 6
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ACCOUNTING
JOINT TASK FORCE - FULL
BOX 64044
CAMP H. M. SMITH, HAWAII 96861-4044
J24
1771
Ser: I 1 1
9 Mar 01
Mr. Douglas Loeffler
1399 W. Royal Palm Rd.
Boca Raton, FL.33486
Dear Mr. Loeffler,
The enclosed documents are provided in response to your Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) request received 6 March 2001. Enclosures (1)
through (5), responsive to your request, are released to you. A
minimal amount of information has been redacted from enclosures (1),
(3) and (4). Information redacted is exei-npt from disclosure under
Title 5, United States Code 552(b)(6), which applies to information
release of which could reasonably be expected to constitute an
unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of the
families of unaccounted for personnel or U.S. personnel. There are no
review or duplication fees.
Sincerely,
Raymond J. Spock
By direction
Encl:
(1) CJTF-FA DET ONE BANGKOK TH 221206Z JUL 92
(2) 35 PHOTOCOPIES OF WRECKAGE
(3) CJTF-FA DET ONE BANGKOK TH 010333Z JUN 93
(4) CJTF-FA DET ONE BANGKOK TH 281 1 1 OZ SEP 93
(5) CDR JTF-FA HONOLULU F@@ 020022Z DEC 93
Copy to: (w/o encl)
DPMO
CINCPAC J141
36
UUIJUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuu.uuuu
UNCLASSIFIED
tiuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
ROUTINE
R 28111OZ SEP 93 PSN 709903P28
FM CJTFFA DET ONE BANGKOK TH
TO CDR JTF-FA HONOLULU HI
J2
INFO JCS WASHDC//OCJCS-PW-MIA/J5//
SECDEF@AWASHDC//OASD-ISA/PW-MIA//
USCINC C HONOLULU HI//J2/J3/J30M//
USCINCPAC LO WASHDC
SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:RSA//
J20
J20A
J2]
J22&-S7CDRUSACILHI HICKAM AFB HI
NSC WASHDC
RUEHC/SEtSTATE WASHDC//CA/OCS/CCS/EAP//
CI-A WASHDC//OEA/SEA/IB/DDO/EA/ICOG//
DIA WASHDC
J22
J225
m
J24
UNCLAS
BANGKOK TH 35511
UNCLASSIFIED 0623 SEP 93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
SUBJ:
DETAILED SEARCH AND EXCAVATION REPORT OF CASE 1139
REF:
A. JTF/FA, DET 1, BKK TH, PART I: DT6240457Z SEP
93; PART II: DTG240556Z SEP 93
REF A DATE TIME GROUP IS CJTFFA DET ONE 010333Z JUN 93
REF A SUBJECT IS DETAILED INVESTIGATION OF CASE 1139 FROM 23RD JFA
1.
SUMMARY:
A.
DURING THE PERIOD 9 SEP 93 THROUGH 15 SEP 93 A JOINT UNITED STATES/SOCIALIST
REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM (US/SRV) TEAM EXCAVATED A CRASH SITE ASSOCIATED WITH CASE
1139. THE SITE IS LOCATED NEAR THE VILLAGE OF HEIN NINH, QUANG NINH DISTRICT, QUANG
BINH PROVINCE, SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM. THE SITE IS LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF
GRID COORDINATE 48QXE7345716292. THE GRID COORDINATE WAS VERIFIED USING THE
THIMBLE TRIMPACK RECEIVER FOR THE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM. THE CASE INVOLVES
THE 22 APR 68 DOWNING OF AN F-111 AIRCRAFT WHILE ON A STRIKE MISSION OVER NORTH
VIETNAM. THE EXCAVATION RESULTED IN FINDING AIRCREW LIFE-SUPPORT GEAR AND
ASSOCIATED AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE CONSISTENT WITH AN F111 AIRCRAFT AND THAT BOTH
AIRCREWMEN WERE IN THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. THROUGHOUT THE-ENTIRE
MISSION, THE LEVEL OF COOPERATION AND GOOD WILL BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND
VIETNAMESE TEAMS WAS EXCELLENT. NO MAJOR PROBLEMS WERE ENCOUNTERED. THE SITE
WAS CLOSED BY
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THE TEAM LEADER AND ANTHROPOL06IST ON 15 SEP 93.
B.
UNITED STATES TEAM MEMBERS:
CPT.
TEAM LEADER
DR.
ANTHROPOL06IST
SFC
TEAM SERGEANT
SFC
MEDIC
SSG
MORTUARY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
SSG
MORTUARY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
S6T
MORTUARY AFFAIRS-,SPECIALIST
S6T
MORTUARY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
SPC
MORTUARY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
SMS6T
LIFE SUPPORT TECHNICIAN
CTI2
ANALYST/LI'@6UIST
SS6T
EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL
CSOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CENTRAL GOVERNENT TEAM MEMBERS:
NGUYEN HOANH NAM (N6UYEENX HOANHF NAWM) TEAM LEADERI MINISTRY OF
DEFENSE REPRESENTATIVE LE DUC THANH (LEE DWCS THANHF)
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR
-QUACH HUY HOAN6 (Q@UACHS HUY HOANGF)
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR NGUYEN DINH KHIEM (N6UYEENX DINHF KHIEEM)
MINISTRY OF DEFENSE NGUYEN THE SOAN (NGUYEENX THEES SOANJ)
MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
DPROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES:
MAI ANH TUAN (MAI ANH TUAANS)
DOAN THANH TUYEN (DOAAN THANH TUYEEN)
E.
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES:
- LE HUAN (LEE HUAANS)
- NGUYEN MAU DUAN (N6UYEENX MAAUR DUAANS)
- NGUYEN QUAN6 TRUNG (NGUYEENX QUAN6 TRUN6)
-
2.
BACKGROUND:
A. ON 22 APR 68 TWO CREW MEMBERS WERE FLYING AN F111A (#66-0024), ON AN
OPERATIONAL MISSION OVER NORTH VIETNAM. VOICE CONTACT WAS MADE
WITH AN AIRBORNE COMMAND POST AT 1959 HOURS AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS
REPORTED TO BE OVER LAOS IN THE VICINITY OF GRID COORDINATE
XD423246.
UNCLASSIFIED 0623 SEP 93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
SUBJ: DETAILED SEARCH AND EXCAVATION REPORT OF CASE 1139 AN ESTIMATED TEN
MINUTES FROM THE TARGET, LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF GRID COORDINATE XE730158.
WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT CALLED AN ESTIMATED FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER TIME
ON TARGET A COMMUNICATIONS SEARCH HAS INITIATED.
'B - SEARCH EFFORTS BEGAN AT DAYBREAK ON 23 APR 68
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FROM UDORN RTAFB AND CONCLUDED ON 26 APR 68. NO WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED, NO
BEEPER SIGNALS WERE HEARD.
3.
PROJECT LOCATION:
AHEIN NINH VILLAGE
QUANG NINH DISTRICT
QUANG BINH PROVINCE
SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
B.
GRID COORDINATES: 46QXE7345716292 DETERMINED BY
THIMBLE TRIMPACK RECEIVER AND THE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS), TRACKING
SEVEN SATELLITES. C. MAP NAME: DONG HOI, VIETNAM; EDITION 3-TPC; SERIES L7014, SHEET 6343IV; SCALE:
1:50,000; HORIZONTAL
DATUM: INDIAN DATUM 1960.
4.
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT AREA:
A. THIS SITE IS SITUATED ON AN ELEVATED RIVER TERRACE ALONG THE WEST BANK
OF THE DAI GIANG RIVER AT AN ELEVATION OF ROUGHLY 20 METERS ABOVE THE LEVEL OF
THE RIVER. THE SITE OCCUPIES A MANIOC AND BANANA GARDEN SET BETWE'E'N-HIGHWAY 101
ABOUT 20 METERS TO THE EAST AND A NUMBER OF FARM HOUSES IMMEDIATELY TO THE
SOUTH AND EAST. IRRIGATED RICE TERRACES LIE TO THE NORTH. THE DAI GIANG RIVER
WINDS ITS WAY AROUND THE HIGH TERRACE, 100 TO 200 EAST AND BELOW THE SITE AND
EVENTUALLY JOINTS WITH THE KIEN GIANG RIVER 3.5 KILOMETERS TO THE NORTH.
D. THE GARDEN AREA MEASURES ROUGHLY 18 METERS NORTH/SOUTH BY 22 METERS
EAST/WEST. THIS IS SURROUNDED BY AN EXTENSIVE AREA OF CRASH DEBRIS AND BOMB
FRAGMENTS. HOWEVER A THOROUGH EXAMINATION, VISUAL AND ELECTRONIC METAL
DETECTOR, ISOLATED THE GARDEN AS THE PRIMARY AREA OF THE SITE CONTAINING THE
CRITICAL COCKPIT AND, THEREFORE, FLIGHT CREW RELATED DEBRIS.
C. THE SOIL IN THE EXCAVATION AREA IS A SILTY-CLAY LOAM OVERLYING A
PREDOMINANTLY SANDSTONE SUBSTRATE. THIS SUBSTR ATE IS EXPOSED IN MANY AREAS
AROUND THE SITE AND CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE STONINESS OF THE SOIL.
QUARTZ, WHICH CAN OFTEN BE CONFUSED WITH BROKEN TEETH AND VICE-VERSA,
PARTICULARLY WITH THE MUDDY CONDITIONS FROM THE NIGHTLY RAINS, IS ANOTHER
SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF THE SOIL HERE.
5.
FIELD METHODS:
A- THE SITE HAS VISUALLY SCANNED OVER THE SURFACE AND SYSTEMATICALLY
SWEPT WITH AN ELECTRONIC METAL DETECTDR- TO DEETERMIONE WHETHER ANY
POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT MATERIAL MIGHT BE LYING OUTSIDE THE GARDEN AREA.
'B. HAVING DETERMINED THAT THE GARDEN WAS THE CORE
u
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AREA TO BE EXCAVATED, A GRID OF 4 X 4 METER SQUARES HAS ESTABLISHED OVER THE
GARDEN. THIS COVERED AN AREA EXTENDING 20 METERS TO THE WEST AND 16 METERS TO
THE SOUTH FROM THE 0/0 POINT.
39
C. ALL EXCAVATIONS WERE CONDUCTED IN 4 X 4 METER QUADRANTS. EACH 4 X 4
METER GRID WAS EXCAVATED BY SHOVEL TO THE BASE OF THE SURFACE CULTIVATION ZONE
(LAYER 1) AT 0.25 TO 0.40 METERS BELOW THE SURFACE. THE RESULTING FLOOR,
REPRESENTING THE TOP OF THE LOWER, UNDISTURBED PORTION OF THE SOIL COLUMN (LAYER2),- WAS SWEPT WITH A METAL DETECTOR TO DETERMINE THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF ANY
DEEPER METALLIC REMAINS. INFREQUENT METAL DETECTOR SIGNALS WERE IMMEDIATELY
CHECKED.
- D. ALL OF THE EXCAVATED MATRIX HAS SIFTED THROUGH 1/4" MESH, EITHER BY WATERSCREENING OR DRY-;SCREENING
UNCLASSIFIED OL23 SEP 93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
SUBJ: DETAILED SEARCH AND EXCAVATION REPORT OF CASE 1139
DEPENDING UPON THE SOIL CONDITION, AND THOROUGHLY EXAMINED FOR AIRCRAFT
WRECKAGE, PERSONAL EFFECTS, AND HUMAN REMAINS.
E.
GRID UNITS EXCAVATED DURING THE CURRENT PROJECT
INCLUDE:
S4/WO
S8/WD
S12/WO
SO/W4
S4/W4
S8/W4
S12/W4
SO/W8
S4/W8
S8/W8
SO/Wl2
S4/W-12
SO/16
S4/Wl6
F. THE SITE WAS MAPPED BY OPTICAL TRANSIT,
PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN, AND DETAILED DAILY NOTES WERE MADE TO DOCUMENT THE
PR0GRESS OF THE EXCAVATIONS.
6.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS:
A. THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS ARE SUMMARIZED IN
THE FOLLOWING 3 POINTS:
(1) TOTAL AREA EXCAVATED DURING THIS JFA WAS 56 SQUARE METERS IN 14
QUADRANTS (4 X 4 METERS). THIS IS 100 PERCENT OF THE RECOVERABLE PORTION OF THE SITE.
(2) THE STRATIGRAPHY AT THIS SITE CONSISTED OF A SILTY-CLAY LOAM (LAYER
I) FROM 0 TO 0.25/0.40 METERS BELOW SURFACE. THIS WAS THE UPPER CULTIVATION ZONE.
BELOW THIS SURFACE HORIZON WAS AN UNDISTURBED ZONE (LAYER II) OF THE SAME KIND OF
SOIL AS THE SURFACE HORIZON, THE DEPTH OF WHICH IS UNDETERMINED.
(3) ONE RANK INSIGNIA CORRELATING TO A LIEUTENANT COMMANDER OR A
LIEUTENANT COLONEL WAS RECOVERED FROM THE EXCAVATION. OTHER MATERIAL
RECOVERY WAS RESTRICTED TO AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND AIRCREW"LIFE SUPPORT GEAR,
AND WAS PRIMARILY FROM THE SURFACE ZONE. ONLY A FEW ISOLATED PIECES OF AIRCRAFT
METAL WERE FOUND
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TO HAVE PENETRATED TO THE UNDERLYING LEVEL.
B.
SYSTEMATIC SURFACE (VISUAL) AND SUBSURFACE (ELECTRONIC METAL DETECTOR)
SURVEY CONFIRM THAT THE CRITICAL COCKPIT PORTION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ENTIRELY
WITHIN THE GARDEN. THE 56 SQUARE METERS EXCAVATED DURING THIS JFA ACCOUNTS FOR
100 PERCENT OF THE PRODUCTIVE PORTION OF THE SITE.
C.
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE RECOVERED FROM THE EXCAVATION INCLUDE NUMBERED
AIRCRAFT PARTS AND OTHER AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE CORRELATING WITH AN F-111 AIRCRAFT.
COCKPIT AND AIRCREW LIFE-SUPPORT RELATED ITEMS FROM THIS SITE FURTHER INDICATE
THAT BOTH AIRCREW REMAINED IN THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT (SEE PARAGRAPH 7).
40
7.
MATERIAL EVIDENCE
A. LIFE SUPPORT RELATED ITEMS
LIFE PRESERVER CONTAINER
SIX PIECES OF LIFE PRESERVER STRAP
THREE PIECES OF SURVIVAL VEST MATERIAL
FIVE POSSIBLE IMPACT BAG PIECES
PART OF OXYGEN MASK HOSE
ONE PULL THE DOT SNAP
B. RECOVERED AIRCRAFT PARTS
THE TRIM BUTTON OFF THE CONT ROL STICK
SIX SEAT CUSHION PIECES
PART NUMBER APCO WHITTIER CAL, CODE IDENT
96124,
GD/FW CY 00003-2-2
PART NUMBER 12G850-9
PART NUMBER 564718, 1060
PART NUMBER 2577 ASSY 480019Al
PART NUMBER lF492509-1
PART NUMBER 12P8357
PART NUMBER MVC 62323
ICE DETECTOR CODE IDENT NUMBER 04274, GD/FW
PART NO. CP00043-3
PART NUMBER SDA07007-9, 12W8333-9, 6DFW 456
PART NUMBER 8516, CEO.0134-3-23-i 07145
PART NUMBER 12P4[19-7
UNCLASSIFIED 0623 SEP 93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OF-FICE
SUBJ:
DETAILED SEARCH AND EXCAVATION REPORT OF CASE 1139
PART NUMBER 12P4545-?
B.
AIRCRAFT PART TURN OVER BY WITNESS
PART NUMBER 8-23012 ON A POSSIBLE FLIGHT CONTROL PART
PART NUMBER 1-03028-T6 AND 1-01264C6J OFF AN CONNECTOR
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COMMENTS:
THE PRESENCE OF
D. LIFE SUPPORT ANALYST
THE LIEUTENANT COMMANDER (NAVY 04) OR LIEUTENANT COLONEL (AIR FORCE 05) RANK
INSIGNIA, AND OF THE LIFE PRESERVER CONTAINER, LIFE PRESERVER STRAPS, AND SURVIVAL
VEST PIECES MIXED WITH A WIDE RANGE OF AIRCRAFT PIECES, INDICATES BOTH THE AIRCREW
MEMBERS WERE IN THE AIRCRAFT
AT THE TIME OF IMPACT8.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
- A.
THIS IS AN F-111 CRASH SITE.
- B.
THE PRESENCE OF FLIGHT CREW-RELATED ITEMS IN
THE SITE INDICATES BOTH AIRCREW MEMBERS WERE IN THE
AIRCRAFT
AT IMPACT.
- C.
IN LIGHT OF THE RESULTS OF THE EXCAVATIONS AT
41
THIS SITE, AND GIVEN THAT THE.PRIMARY PORTION OF THE SITE HAS BEEN EXCAVATED
COMPLETELYI THE RECOVERY TEAMLEADER AND THE ANTHROPOL06IST CLOSED THE SITE ON 15
SEP 93.
BT
DLVR:CDR JTF-FA HONOLULU HI(O) ... ACTH J2(l) ... INFO FOR USCINCPAC HONOLULU (12)
J3(l ) JS(2) MDT(L) LRN061PCMT(l) J30-M(l) J20(l) J03(l) JOOX(L)
FPA(L) CDO(L)
MDU office codes that have received this message:
MDUOPR
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uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
ADMINISTRATIVE MESSA6E
ROUTINE
R 020022Z DEC 93 ZYB PSN 98637OP33
FM CDR DTF@-FA HONOLULU HI//d2//
TO HQ AFMPC RANDOLPH AFB TX//DPMCB//
INFO WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASH DC SECDEF WASHIN6TON DC//USDP:RSA//
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHIN6TON DC//CA/EAP/VLC/CCS/OCS// JOINT.-STA FF WASHIN6TON DC//J5//
DIA WASH@IN6TON DC
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//d2/d3/d3O-M//
USCINCPAC LO WASHIN6TON DC
CIA WASHIN6TON DC//DEA/SEA/IB/DDO/EA/IC06//
RUEHBT/USDAO BAN6KOK TH//PW-MIA//
CDRUSACILHI HICKAM AFB HI//TAPC-PED-H//
UNCLAS //NO3460//
MS6ID/SYS.RRM/CDR JTF-FA/d222//
AMPN/SUBd: ANALYSIS OF MATERIAL EVIDENCE ASSOCIATED WITH REFNO 1139
REF/A/RM6/CJTFFA DET ONE/281110ZSEP93//
AMPN/DETAILED SEARCH AND EXCAVATION REPORT: CASE 1139//
RMKS/1. DURIN6 THE PERIOD 9 - 15 SEP 93, A JOINT US/SRV TEAM SURVEYED,A SUSPECTED F-111
CRASH SITE AT GRID COORDINATES 48QXE7345716292 IN QUANG BINH-PROVINCE VIETNAM- THE
LOCATION OF THE CRASH SITE CORRESPONDS PRECISELY WITH THE REFNO 1139 LOSS LOCATION.
42
JTF-FA ANALYSIS INDICATES THE ITEMS RTCOVERED ARE SUFFICIENT TO ESTABLISH A
CORRELATION TO THE REFNO 1139 INCIDENT.
2. THE
TEAM RECOVERED THE FOLLOWIN6 ITEMS:
A.
LIFE SUPPORT RELATED AND PERSONAL ITEMS:
- LIFE PRESERVER CONTAINER
- SIX PIECES OF LIFE PRESERVER STRAP
- THREE PIECES OF SURVIVAL VEST MATERIAL
- ONE MAJOR OR LIEUTENANT COLONEL RANK INSI6NIA
986370/338
1 OF 3
020022Z DEC 93
CDR JTF-FA HON
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U N C L A S S I-F I ED uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
B.
FIVE POSSIBLE IMPACT BAG PIECES
PORTION OF OXYGEN MASK HOSE
ONE PULL-THE-DOT SNAP
RECOVERED AIRCRAFT PARTS:
THE TRIM BUTTON OFF THE FLIGHT CONTROL STICK
SIX SEAT CUSHION PIECES
PART NUMBER APCO WHITTIER CAL
CODE IDENT 96124
GD/FW CY 00003-2.2
PART NUMBER 12G850-9
PART NUMBER 564718, 1060
PART NUMBER 2577 ASSY 460019Al
PART NUMBER lF492509-1
PART NUMBER 12P8357
PART NUMBER MVC 62323
ICE DETECTOR CODE IDENT NUMBER 04274
GD/FW PART NO. CP00043-3
PART NUMBER SDA07007-9, 12W8333-9, GDFW 456
PART NUMBER 8516, CE00134-3-23, 07145
PART NUMBER 12P409-7
-
3.
PART NUMBER 12P4545-?
WITNESS PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:
PART NUMBER 4-23012 ON A POSSIBLE FLIGHT CONTROL PART
PART NUMBER 1-03028-T6 AND 1-01264C6J FROM A CONNECTOR,
4.
JTF-FA ANALYSIS INDICATES: THE LIFE PRESERVER CONTAINER IS
THE OUTER COVER USED TO PROTECT THE. LIFE PRESERVER FROM WEAR.
THE SIX PIECES OF LIFE PRESERVER STRAP ARE USED TO FIT THE
PRESERVER TO THE CREWMEMBERIS BODY. THE THREE PIECES OF SURVIVAL VEST MATERI.AL
ARE PART OF THE SRU-21/P SURVIVAL VEST WORN BY UNITED STATES ARMY AND AIR FORCE
AVIATORS TO STORE SURVIVAL. COMPONENTS ON THE UPPER TORSO. THE MAJOR OR
LIEUTENANT COLONEL RANK INSIGNIA IS THE TYPE WORN ON AIRCREW FLIGHT CL6THING. THE
PORTION OF OXYGEN HOSE IS PART OF THE AIRCREW FLYING MASK THAT DELIVERS AIRCRAFT
OXYGEN TO THE CREWMEMBER DURING FLI6HT. THE TRIM BUTTON OFF THE CONTROL STICK IS
USED BY THE CREWHEMBER TO STABILIZE THE AIRCRAFT DURING FLIGHT. THE -SIX SEAT
CUSHION PIECES ARE PART OF THE AIRCRAFT SEAT THE CREWMEMBER SITS ON DURING FLI6HT.
PART NUMBER 12P409-7 IS A TUBE CLAMP FROM THE WING FUEL TRANSFER SYSTEM OF A F-111
AIRCRAFT. PART NUMBER 823012 IS A FORGING END CAP FROM THE COWL ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY
43
OF AN F-111. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE GENERIC AIRCRAFT PARTS COMMON TO ALL F-111S:
PART NUMBER 8516 CE00134-3-23 IS A RADIO FREQUENCY CABLE ASSEMBLY, PART NUMBER SH7-9
IS A TUBING SUPPORTI AND PART
986370/338
2 OF 3
020022Z DEC 93
CDR JTF-FA HON
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu u U N C L A S S I F I E D
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
NUMBER MVC L2323-300 IS A CLAMP COUPLING. THE REMAINING ITEMS COULD NOT BE
IDENTIFIED.
5. JTF-FA COMMENTS: THE RECOVERY OF THE TUBE CLAMP AND OTHER
AIRCRAFT PARTS INDICATES THIS IS AN F-111 CRASH SITE. THE PRESENCE OF AIRCREW SURVIVAL
EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING AT THE CRASH SITE INDICATES THAT THE CREW WERE IN THE
AIRCRAFT AT IMPACT. JTF-FA FILES INDICATE NO OTHER CRASH SITES ARE LOCATED WITHIN 15
KILOMETERS OF GRID COORDINATES 48QXE7345716292.
6.
FOW HQ AFMPC: THIS INFORMATION IS FORWARDED FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION. A COPY OF
REF A WAS PROVIDED ON 6 OCT 93.
7. EVAL/RCL/RLD//
BT
DLVR:CDR JTF-FA HONOLULU HI(l) ... ORI6
J2(0) ... INFO FOR USCINCPAC HONOLULU H(15)
1901,9/17/1978
@J30-M(l) J3(l) 00-01-04(l) WWMCS(O) MDT(O) LRN061PCMT(O) J5(2) J30-R(l) J233(l) J232(l) J23(l)
J20(0) Jl(l) JOL(L) J03(l) JOOX(L) FPA(L) CDO(L)
MDU office codes that have received this message:
MDUOPR
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