BackThis report chronicles the second attempt by a Joint U.S. - VN team to investigate the crash site and recover remains. Reports from the two previous attempts are included as separate documents.
These documents were provided to the patrol leader of Party Line One, Bill McBride, by the father of one of the Marines who was killed on that patrol, John B. Nahan III.
The map included in this gallery shows the specific locations referenced in these three reports.
The report that follows is provided in its original Government Message Format with minor changes to increase the readability. A Glossary of terminology appearing in this report will be added later. For additional information or questions, please contact Bill McBride at: billm@wmcbride.appliedphysics.swri.edu
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***THIS IS A 4 PART NSG COLLATED BY MDUt**
UNCLAS BANGKOK TH 46545
UNCLASSIFIED 0790 DEC 93 -
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
SUBJ: FIELD INVESTIGATION REPORT OF CASE 0784.
REF A: CJTF-FA, DET ONE. BK TH, DTG220354Z DEC 93
B: CJTF-FA, DET ONE. BK TH, DTG240354Z JUL 93
1. REF A IS THE SUMNARY REPORT OF JOINT US/SRV
ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED IN VIETNAM DURING THE TRILATERAL
INVESTIGATION ACTIVITY FROM 03 DEC TO 20 DEC 93. REF B
IS THE REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATION OF CASE 0784
CONDUCTED DURING THE 24TH JFA. PARA 2B OF REF A
PERTAINS TO THE INVESTIGATION OF CASE 0784 WHICH IS
REPORTED IN DETAIL HEREIN. THIS REPORT IS BASED ON
FIELD ANALYSIS ALONE AND IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE
FINAL ANALYTICAL CONCLUSIONS.
2. SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION: ON l3 DEC 53. THE JOINT
TEAM INVESTIGATED CASE 0784 IN AKA VILLAGE. A LUOI
DISTRICT, THUA THIEN-HUE PROVINCE- THIS CASE INVOLVES
THE 3 AUG 67 CRASH OF A CH-46 HELICOPTER WHILE
EXTRACTING FOUR MEMBERS OF A MARINE RECONNAISSANCE TEANn
RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ALL FOUR MARINES. TWO
WITNESSES PREVIOUSLY INTERVIEWED DURING THE 24TH JFAn
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CJTFFA DET ONE
LED THE JOINT TEAM TO A CRASH SITE. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE
AT THE SITE CORRELATES TO THE CH-46 HELICOPTER IN THIS
CASE. IN ADDITION, THE LOCATION OF THE SITE CORRELATES
WELL WITH THE LAST KNOWN LOCATION. THE TEAM CONDUCTED A
SURVEY AND SKIRMISH SEARCH OF THE AREA AND FOUND NO
REMAINS OR PERSONAL EFFECTS. THIS CASE SHOULD BE
EXCAVATED DURING THE DRY SEASON; FROM THE END OF JANUARY
TO JULY.
RECOMMEND THIS CASE FOR EXCAVATION.
3. DETAILS OF INVESTIGATION:
- A. ON 12 DEC 93. THE JOINT U.S./VIETNAM
INVESTIGATION TEAM ARRIVED IN A LUOI (A LWOWIS) .
DISTRICT. TO BEGIN JOINT ACTIVITY IN THUA THIEN-HUE
PROVINCE. MEMBERS OF THE JOINT INVESTIGATION TEAM WERE
AS FOLLOWS:
- (1) U.S. CONTINGENT:
- CW3 xxx - TEAM LEADER.
- SFCxxx - ASSISTANT TEAM LEADER.
- SSGxxx VIETNAMESE LINGUIST/ANALYST.
- SSGTxxx VIETNAMESE LINGUIST/ANALYST.
- SGTxxx LAO LINGUIST/ANALYST.
- MSGTxxx - LIFE SUPPORT TECHNICIAN
- SSGxxx - SEARCH AND RECOVERY SPECIALIST
- SGT xxx - SEARCH AND RECOVERY SPECIALIST.
- MSGxxx - TEAM MEDIC.
- SSGTxxx- EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL TECHNICIAN.
- (2) VIETNAMESE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CONTINGENT:
- MR. VU VIET DUNG (VUX VIEETS ZUNGX): TEAM LEADER
AND MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPRESENTATIVE
- MR. PHAM TRUONG GIANG tPHAMJ TRNONGF GIANG):
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPRESENTATIVE
- MR. PHAM HOANG KIM (PHAMJ HOANGF KIM): MINISTRY OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPRESENTATIVE.
- COL NGUYEN TRI CHU (NGUYEENX TRIS CHWX): MINISTRY
OF NATIONAL DEFENSE REPRESENTATIVE.
-- COL LUU VAN THO (LWU VAWN THOJ): MINISTRY OF
NATIONAL DEFENSE REPRESENTATIVE
- MAJ LE TRAN TUAN (LEE TRAANF TUAANS): MINISTRY OF
NATIONAL DEFENSE REPRESENTATIVE
- MR. NGUYEN HOAN6 TRUNG (NGUYEENX HOANGF TRUNG):
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MINISTRY OF INTERIOR REPRESENTATIVE
- MR. NGUYEN VAN HIEN (NGUYEENX VA ~N HIEENS):
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR REPRESENTATIVE.
- MR. HOANG QUANG HUONG (HOANGF QUANG HWONGS):
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR REPRESENTATIVE.
CLASSIFIED 0790 DEC 93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
SUBJ: FIELD INVESTIGATION REPORT OF CASE 0784.
- (3) THUA THIEN-HUE PROVINCE TASK TEAM:
- MR. NGUYEN VAN HUNG (NGUYEENX VAWN HWNG ): TEAM
LEADER
- MR. NGUYEN THANH BINH (NGUYEENX THANH BINHF)
- MR. LE VAN TRI (LEE YAWN TRIS)
- MR. NGUYEN VAN HIEN (NGUYEENX VAWN HIEENS)
- MR. TRAN DU t TRAANF ZUF)
- MR. NGUYEN XUAN HUNG (NGUYEENX XUAAN HUNGF)
- (4) THE A LUOI DISTRICT TEAM:
- MR. HO VAN VO (HOOF VAWN VO)
- MR. LE VAN HET (LEE VAWN HEETS)
- B. ON 12 DEC 93. THE JOINT TEAM TRAVELED TO A ROANG
(A ROANGF) HAMLET. AKA VILLAGE, A LUOI DISTRICT. TO
INVESTIGATE CASE 0784. THE TWO WITNESSES PRESENTED. MR.
QUYNH HONG (QUYNHF HOONGF) AND MR. VIEN DANG MINH (VIEEN
DDAWNG MINH). PROVIDED INFORMATION DURING THE 24TH JFA
IN JUL 93 (SEE REF B) ABOUT A CRASH SITE OF A TWIN-ROTOR
HELICOPTER IN THE LOCAL AREA.
DUE TO THE HIGH DEGREE
OF ANIMOSITY DISPLAYED TOWARD THE U.S. TEAM MEMBERS BY
THE TWO WITNESSES AND LOCAL RESIDENTS DURING THE 24TH
JFA. ONLY VNOSMP MEMBERS AND ONE VIETNAM-BORN U.S. TEAM
MEMBER WERE PERMITTED TO INTERVIEW THE WITNESSES AND GO
TO THE SITE. AT THAT TIME, THE TEAM OBTAINED A DATA
PLATE FROM THE SITE THAT CORRELATED TO THE SPECIFIC CH-
46 IN THIS CASE. HOWEVER. BECAUSE THE SITE WAS NOT
SURVEYED BY A FULLY QUALIFIED SEARCH AND RECOVERY
SPECI-ALIST, THE CASE WAS RECOMMENDED TO BE
REINVESTIGATED.
- B. PRIOR TO THE INVESTIGATION OF CASE 0784 DURING
THE TRILATERAL FIELD tINVESTIGATIONr THE VNOSMP HAD
UNILATERALLy GONE TO A ROANG HAMLET AND COORDINATED
ACTIONS TO INSURE THE SECURITY OF THE U.S. TEAM MEMBERS.
WHATEVER WAS DONE WAS EFFECTIVE, AS THE TEAM NOTICED NO
ANIMOSITY FROM THE LOCAL RESIDENTS AND THE TWO WITNESSES
HAD NO QUALMS ABOUT LEADING THE JOINT TEAM TO THE SITE.
071353/357 3 OF 7 230 08Z DEC 93
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- C. AFTER GOING TO THE SITE AND CONDUCTING THE
SURVEY ~ THE JOINT TEAN RETURNED TO MR. MINH'S HOUSE TO
EXAMINE AND ATTEMPT TO TAKE CUSTODY OF A BONE THAT HE
HAD SHOWN THE VIETNAM-BORN U.S. TEAM XEMBER DURING THE
24TH JFAs BUT HAD REFUSED TO ALLOW THE OTHER TEAM
MEMBERS TO EXAMINE. DURING THE TRILATERAL INVESTIGATION
OF THIS CASE, THE WITNESS CLAIMED TO HAVE THE BONE AT
HIS HOUSE BUT STILL REFUSED TO PRODUCE IT. EVEN AFTER
THE U.S. TEAM LEADER AND VNOSMP COUNTERPARTS PROMISED
THAT THE BONE WOULD ONLY BE EXAMINED AND PHOTOGRAPHED AT
HIS HOUSE, HE STILL WOULD NOT PRODUCE THE BONE. AFTER
REALIZING THAT CONTINUED COAXING OF THIS WITNESS WOULD
BE BOTH FUTILE AND POTENTIALLY RAISE TENSION IN THE AREA
(LOCALS WERE BEGINNIN6 TO GATHER) THE TEAM LEFT THE
HAMLET. PRIOR TO LEAVING. THE VNOSMP REPRESENTATIVE
AGREED TO PURSUE THIS MATTER UNILATERALLY AND ATTEMPT TO
GAIN CUSTODY OF THE BONE.
- D. THE WITNESSES HAD NO FURTHER INFORMATION
CONCERNING CRASH SITES. RENAINS, BURIAL SITES, CAPTURE
INCIDENTS. OR AMERICANS REMAINING IN VIETNAM AFTER THE
WAR.
4. MATERIAL EVIDENCE: :
- A. THE TEAM RECOVERED THE FOLLOWING ITEM:
- (1) METAL PLATE WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
HOSE ASSEMBLY. AEROQUIP. P/N 730092-10-El62, FM 4720
776-2846-A110
- (2) THE TEAM PHOTOGRAPHED THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:
TWO 3 BLADE ROTOR HEADS ONE WITH THE FOLLOWING
INFORMATION: 81205 A02R2856-1-C VV471
- B. LIFE SUPPORT WRECKAGE ANALYSIS COMMENTS: THE PART
NUMBERS OBSERVED ON THE ROTOR HEAD ARE CONSISTENT WITH
CH-46 SERIES HELICOPTERS. SMALL PIECES OF WRECKAGE WERE
OBSERVED ON THE SIDE OF THE HILL BETWEEN THE TWO ROTOR
UNCLASSIFIED 0790 DEC 93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE
SUBJ: FIELD INVESTIGATION REPORT OF CASE 0784.
HEADS. THE ITEMS RECOVERED REQUIRE FURTHER ANALYSIS.
5- SURVEY RESULTS: ON 13 DEC 93. THE SRV TRILATERAL
INVESTIGATION TEAM DEPARTED A LUOI 6UEST HOUSE TO GRID
COORDINATES 48QYC5427282615- AFTER QUESTIONING
WITNESSES ABOUT THE ALLEGED CRASH SITE LOCATION ALLEGED
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TO BE RELATED TO CASE 07485 MORTUARY AFFAIRS PERSONNEL
MADE THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATIONS:
- A. ALLEGED CRASH SITE:
- 1. PROJECT AREA: SITE IS LOCATED AT GRID
COORDINATES 48AYC5427282615- MAP DATA FOLLOWS: MAP
NAME. A SAP- MAP SHEET NUMBERq 644; IIn EDITION 2 - AMS
SERIES L70141 PRINTED -1960.
- 2. OUTS . ANDING FEATURES:. THE SITE IS LOCATED
ON THE SIDE OF A HILL. ABOUT A THIRTY MINUTE WALK FROM
THE WITNESS' HOnE THROUGH SEVERAL STREAMS. THIS CASE WAS
INVESTIGATED IN JUL 53 ON THE 24TH J A- AT THAT TIMEw
THE WITNESS WOULD NOT ALLOW QUALIFIED PERSONNEL TO
SURVEY THE SITE. THIS TIME. THE VILLAGERS DID ALLOAT
COMPLETE SURVEY OF THE SITE. THERE ARE LARGE HOLES
AROUND THE SITE THAT VILLAGERS CLAIM ARE RAT HOLES.
THERE IS A 60 METER DROP OFF AT THE LOWER END OF THE
SITE THAT NEEDS TO BE EXCAVATED.
- 3. TERRAIN: ITIIDE OF A HILL WITH A SLOPE OF 35
DEGREES.
- 4. SOIL CONDITIONS: SHALLOW TOPSOIL;
CULTIVATED FIELD.
- 6. VEGETATION: THE SITE AREA IS IN THE MIDDLE
OF A CULTIVATED FIELD.
- 7. METHOD OF SEARCH: DETAILED SURFACE SEARCH
OF 125 SQUARE METER AREA.
- A. HAZARDS: A SHADED AREA WILL HAVE TO BE
CONSTRUCTED FOR THE TEAM. ALSO THE STEEP DROP OFF COULD
BE HAZARDOUS.
6. RECOMMENDED FUTURE ACTIONS: RECOMMEND THIS CASE FOR
EXCAVATION.
7. PERTINENT LOCATION OR DATA CHANGES: CHANGE CRASH
SITE LOCATION TO YC5427282615.
8. AREAS OR CASE FILE INFORMATION NOT INVESTIGATED:
NONE.
9. ANALYST COMMENTS:
- A. DATA PLATE OBTAINED DURING 24TH JFA CONFIRMED
THIS SITE. SURVEY CONDUCTED BY JOINT TEAM DURING THIS
TRILATERAL INVESTIGATION VALIDATED THIS CORRELATION.
- B. THE ONLY ESSENTIAL ITEM REMAINING FROM THE 24TH
JFA WAS TO CONDUCT A SURVEY OF THE SITE BY QUALIFIED
071353/357 5 OF 7 230308Z DEC 93
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PERSONNEL. THIS HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
- C- SINCE FOUR U.S. SERVICEMEN WERE INVOLVED IN
THIS INCIDENT. GAINING CUSTODY OF ONE 30-CENTIMETER BONE
(IF IT IS HUMAN AND CAME FROM THE SITE) IS NOT ESSENTIAL
AT THIS TIME.
10. SEARCH AND RECOVERY SPECIALIST COMMENTS: EXTENSIVE
SEARCH OF THE AREA PRODUCED NO PERSONAL EFFECTS OR HUMAN
REMAINS.
-- A. LOGISTICS: THE SITE COULD BE EXCAVATED BY A
STANDARD SIZED RECOVERY ELEMENT CONSISTING OF lO TO 15
PERSONNEL AND 10 TO 20 INDIGENOUS PERSONNEL TO ASSIST IN
THE EXCAVATION. ANTICIPATE 15 TO 25 DAYS TO EXCAVATE .
THE SITE. USING STANDARD RECOVERY EQUIPMENT. THE
ALLEGED CRASH SITE IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES
FROM THE WITNESS' HOME. RECOVERY TEAM COULD WORK OUT OF
(UNCLASSIFIED 0750 DEC 93
DIA PASS TO DOD POW-MIA CENTRAL DOCUMENTATION OFFICE)
SUBJ: FIELD INVESTIGATION REPORT OF CASE 0784.
THE A LUOI GUEST HOUSE WITH A ONE HOUR DRIVE TO THE
SITE, OR THE VNOSMP INFORMED THE TEAM THAT A LANDING
ZONE CAN BE CUT ON THE HILLTOP ABOVE THE SITE LOCATION.
- B. RECOMMENDATIONS: CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE AREA
PRODUCED NO PERSONAL EFFECTS OR HUMAN REMAINS.
RECOMMEND RECOVERY DUE TO FIRST HAND WITNESS TESTIMONY
AND AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE FOUND AT THE SITE. AIRCRAFT PARTS
ARE STILL AT THE SITE WITH THE DEBRIS ALL OVER THE HILL.
THE WITNESS SAID THAT NO ONE HAS DUG AT THE SITE- THIS
SITE SHOULD BE EXCAVATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (BUT DURING
THE DRY SEASON) GIVEN THE PROBABILITY THAT REMAINS ARE
STILL PRESENT AT THE SITE. NOTE: THE LOCALS IN THE
HAMLETS SURROUNDING THE SITE HAVE A HISTORY OF SHOWING
HOSTILITY TOWARD AMERICANS. SUGGEST THAT THE RECOVERY
TEAM FLY TO THE SITE FROM A LUOI IF POSSIBLE TO AVOID
DAILY MOVEMENT TO AND FROM THE SITE ON FOOT THROUGH
THESE HAMLETS. THE DRY SEASON IS THE ONLY TIME THIS
SITE CAN POSSIBLY BE EXCAVATED.
ll. TEAM CHIEF COMMENTS:
- A. DURING THIS TRILATERAL INVESTIGATION ACTIVITY.
THE TEAM RECEIVED EXCELLENT SUPPORT FROM THE VIETNAMESE
GOVERNMENT. THIS INCLUDES BOTH CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND
PROVINCE CONTINGENTS. THE VIETNAMESE HAVE BEGUN A
CAMPAIGN OF BEING AGGRESSIVELY COOPERATIVE- ANY AREA
071353/357 6 OF 7 2303 ~Z DEC 53
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THE U-S- TEAM WANTED TO INVESTIGATE WAS OPENED AND MADE
AVAILABLE-
- B. ALL GRID COORDINATES USED DURING THE
INVESTIGATION OF THIS CASE WERE VERIFIED USING THE
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM TRACKING A MININUM OF THREE
SATELLITES.
- C. THE VNOSNP AND PROVINCE TASK TEAM SHOULD BE
COMMENDED FOR THEIR PREPARATION FOR THIS CASE.
PARTICULARLY IN INSURING THE SECURITY OF THE U.S.
PERSONNEL. NO HOSTILITY HAS SHOWN TO ANY TEAM MEMBERS
EVEN WHILE ATTEMPTS WERE BEING MADE TO OBTAIN THE BONE
FROM THE WITNESS.
- D. THIS SITE WAS CONFIRMED BY WRECKAGE ANALYSIS AND
LOCATION AND A THOROUGH SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED. RECOMMEND
THIS CASE FOR EXCAVATION DURING THE DRY SEASON.
BT
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071353/357 - 7 OF 7 230308Z DEC 53
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