PROPOSED FORMATION OF TWO ADDITIONAL LAO SPECIAL GUERRILLA UNITS FOR INTERDICTION OPERATIONS IN SOUTH LAOS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02353687
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: February 8, 2018
• Case Number: F-2016-01079
• Publication Date: July 23, 1970

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASI-9NGTON, D.C. 20505
MEMORANDUM FOR:
SUBJECT:
2 3 JUL 1970
WISAG' PAPER
The Honorable Henry' A. Kissinger
Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs
The Honorable U. Alexis Johnson
Under Secretary of State for
Political Affairs
The Honorable David Packard
Deputy Secretary of Defense.
Admiral Thomas H. Moorer
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Proposed Formation of Two Additional
Lao Special Guerrilla Units for
Interdiction Operations in South Laos
1. This Memorandum is submitted in response to a request
by Dr. Kissinger on 17 July 1970 that a separate proposal be
si.:_braitted to the Washington Special Action Group for the two Lao
Sp._!cial guerrilla unit (SGU) battalions to be used in an expanded
harassment and interdiction effort against North Vietnamese supply
routes and lines of communication in south-Laos. The proposal for
the recruitment, training and deployment of these fwo additional Lao
SGU battalions was included in the CIA portion of the field. response
to the WSAG request for a coordinated interdiction plan for south
Laos.
2. The CIA Vientiane Station outlined a program using ten
existing and five programmed Lao SGU battalions. In addition, the
proposal included ai. eki)indedinterdiction effort based on the creation
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of 12 additional SGU battalions. This additional irregular force
would be composed of two
additional Lao SGU battalions and six SGU battalions of ethnic
Thai.
3. For years the available manpower of Tnilita,ry age in
south Laos has been the target of three principal sources of
recruiting -- the Royal Lao Army, CIA and the communists.
Active recruitment by these three sources has all but depleted the
manpower reserve. During the past year, the Vientiane CIA
Station has recruited five additional SGU battalions. It is believed,
therefore, that an additional two SGU battalions is the maximum
that can be recruited in south Laos. Due to ethnic differences and
the shortage of manpower reserve in other Lao military regions,
recruitment in other areas of Laos i.s not believed feasible.
4. If harassment and interdiction operations against the
enemy lines of communication are to be 'siip.ificantly increased,
additional SGU battalions will be required to augment the existing
Vientiane Station irregular forces. The addition of these two Lao
SGU battalions, already approved
by WSA.G and the six Thai SGU battalions. being proposed in a
separate memorandum will increase our Vientiane Station's
ca.pabiLity to mount sustained hit-and-run operations against the
enemy's supply routes.
5. The total cost for training, the initial issue of equipment
and the annual supporting requirements for the two Lao SGU battalions
is. estimated to be A detailed budget schedule for a
standard 550-man SGU battalion is attached in support of this total
cost estimate.
6. The proposed formation of :these two Lao SGU battalions
is in support of the WSAG request for an intensified harassment and
interdiction program against the North Vietnamese supply routes
and.lines of communication through south Laos. The funds for these
battalions are not in the FY 1971 budget now before Congress.
Moreover, it is estimated that the Laos paramilitary program for
which CIA is now responsible will cost
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
CRSNSIT1VE ;
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-> mor c than thc request in the FY 1971 budget. The (b)(1)
CIA contingency reserve is, low and cannot begin to finance this (b)(3)
and similar projects currently under consideration by WSAG . '
Irnpkmentation will, therefore, require that funds be provided
1 from some source external to CIA, .
7. If this proposal is approved and the funds made available,
it would be necessary to assign two additional paramilitary
officers on a permanent basis These
personnel will be made available from existing CIA resources.
Attachment
Budget Schedule
.mcms IL Kar2iIESsincs
Thomas H. Karamessines
Deputy Director for Plans
3
SECR 'S1TIVE
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21 July 1970
(b
(b
. SECRE1 SITIVE
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EYES 00
jmw (21 July 70)
Memorandum for the WSAG Principals
SUBJECT: Proposed Formation of Two Additional Lao SOUs for
Interdiction Operations in South Laos
DDP:CFE/TBL
Distribution:
Ea addressee, w/att
w/att
DDCI, w/att
1, - DDP, w/att
1 ADDP, w/att
2. 7 CFE, w/att
2 - CFE/TBL, w/att
SECRE ENSITIVE
EYES 3N&Y
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