TRANSMITTAL OF OER PROJECT S-2538, SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTATION OF COMMUNIST USE OF CAMBODIA FOR INFILTRATION OF PERSONNEL TO SOUTH VIETNAM. - 1967/12/11

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03005906
• Document Creation Date: July 27, 2018

" tith\lnlarPerrr".
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CXA No. 5078
11 December 1967
MOUT= Mt Mrs. Deelyn Colbert
Chief, Southeast Asia Diviciano naVEEA/sit
Department of State
SUBXSCT Transmittal of OLT Project S..2538, Suptlementery
Documentation of Communist Use of Cambodia for
Infiltration of Personnel to South Vietnam,�
' To attached contrrautim La forwarded in response to your request
Of 4 December 196T,
Attaohonnt: a/a
COI
=AAP
Chief, Thailand Laos and cambodia
3.5(c)
Distributiont (S-2358)
Orig & 1 - Addressee
� 2 - D/OER
1 - St/EX
1%- St/CS
1 - St/P/C vf
1 - SAVA
1 - OCI
1 - IRA
1
2 - I/TIC
OER/I/TLO
6110:17=1
Excluded from aulematIr.i
dowczra;n; and
declasMficalloe
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The Infiltration of North Vietnamese
Communist Forces Throll:p:h Cambodia To
South Vietnam
OER Project No. S-2538
11 DeceMber 1967 .
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JtTUtL
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The Infiltration of North Vietnamese Communist Forces
Through Cambodia to South 'Vietnam
1. Reports from more than one hundred PW's and ralliers indicate
that North Vietnamese infiltrators to Communist VC/NVA forces in South
Vietnam during 1966-67 moved on foot through Laos, eastern Cambodia and
South Vietnam.. Within Cambodia, the trail network extends from the
Laotian border southward, at least as far as Kompong Chan Province,
although the majority of the infiltrators entered South Vietnam from
Ratanakiri and Mondolkiri Provinces. The trails traverse sparsely popu-
lated areas of Cambodia, usually within a few kilometers of its border
with South Vietnam. The paths seldom are more than one meter wide, and
for the most part are concealed frQm aerial view by dense foliage. The
two or .three largest rivers were crossed by boat.
2. Troop movements through Cambodia were made in stages, with over-
1401'p ptopg for rggt gnd reploniphinnt gt ptatims located 500 or more
yards off the trail at intervals of approximately 15 kilometers. Guides,
either North Vietnamese or Montagnard, worked in relays oa inter-station
runs, returning north over their sections with mail and despatches. Sta-
tions and food caches were guarded by details of North Vietnamese troops;
in addition ,larger units were encamped at scattered points along the ways
presumably for patrolling and protecting the trail. Small groups of Cam-
bodian soldiers occaSionally appeared but were not Obstructive. Weapons
and ammunition were carried south by the infiltrators and by some local
relay teams, but rice and some other foods were obtained within Cambodia.
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3. The following excerpts from POW interrogations validate and
amplify these conclusions:
a.
/infiltrated throuGh Laos and Cambodia to Station 5, Pleiku
Province, South Vietnam, during the first half of 1966. In Cambodia, he
moved southward along jungle trails and then shifted westward along
National Highway No. 19 to a camp in the vicinity of Bo Kea., over 30
kilometers west of the South Vietnamese border, where he appears to have
served four months as a Medic. The group to which he was attached trans-
ported rice and other foods, and also,
ammunition. He entered South Vietnam
weapons and
moved forward to
Chu Phong Mountain and shortly thereafter rallied to the South Vietnamese
forces.)
b.
departed North Vietnam
to infiltrate South
Vietnam. His movement was stated to have been through Laos into South
Vietnam and then into Cambodia, terminating at Station 4 south of Route
19 near the border of South Vietnam. Toward the end of September, the
unit moved eastward about fifteen miles into Pleiku Province, South
Vietnam, to An Ta (13�41 N, 107�46' B), where the troops constructed
long houses and rice depots. Troops then worked in details carrying
rice and ammo from Station 4, Cambodia to An Ta. The winter was spent
mostly at Station 5, practically on the border, nine miles south of
Station 4. From March to May 1966, the unit moved into Darlac Province,
ST' .
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South Vietnam, and unsuccessfully attacked Bang Don post. It then re-
turned to Station 4 in order to"Protect the rear base." In June, it was
ordered to attack Chu Ba post near Beng Village, Pleiku, .after which it
returned to Station 4. A month later it moved to Ya Breng near An Ta,
where it was attacked and withdmw. to Station 5 "to protect the rear
base." In December 1966, the Battalion moved to Buon Ho in Darlac Pro-
vince, South Vietnam and in February 1967, attacked Do Lung Village
\\infiltrated into South Vietnam via
Laos and Cambodia between July and Septenber 1965. His unit spent about
four days in Cambodia in early September, entering from Attopeu Province,
Laos, and departing into Kontum Province, South Vietnam. In Cambodia
the troops passed four ration supply stations approximately 15 kilometers
apart. At one station they received rice, salt sugar and nuts. The
supply stations were manned by seven NVA soldiers each.
three or four NVA units of approximate company size camped at intervals
along the infiltration trail, apparently to guard the route. He also
passed a checkpoint manned by five Cambodian soldiers who "looked the
other way."
jinfiltrated through Cambodia in late 1964. His group
apparently walked the entire distance.from Laos, through Cambodian
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territory, to Tay Ninh ProVince in South Vietnam on trails located with-
in 10 kilometers of the SVN border. In 1966,
transferred
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from Phuoc
transited Cambodian
have had many
he and his
Phuoc Long
Long Province in SVN to An Giang Province
territory. During the latter
contacts with Cambodian military
companions were members of the VC.
in SVN. Again he
Journey he claimed to
personnel who knew that
During his service in
in 1966, his group often 3.3(h)(2)
picked up supplies
that had been delivered to
the border
by Cambodian
military vehicles.
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e. A North
Vietnamese combat infantryman (identified
only as
infiltrated from NVN to SVN in the period March - September
1965
or September 3.3(h)(2
In August
his unit transited Cambodia, crossing Route 19 and proceeding south to
Station 4. In March 1966, his battalion transferred rice among various
storage areas in Cambodia near the border with Pleiku Province, SVN.
3.3(h)(2)
he was a patient in Front Hospital V2. This hospital was located in Cam-
bodia six kilometers from the Ia Drang River and ten kilometers from the
border of South Vietnam. It treated NVA troops infiltrating into South
Vietnam as well as VC who had been wounded in actions in or near Pleiku
Province, South Vietnam.
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From June 1966 until April 1967 he was assigned to the Rear Ser-
vice Section, which based its operations In Cambodia adjacent to the An
Phu District of South Vietnam. He transported supplies -- predominantly
ammunition and weapons
points in Cambodia
-- from the bank of the Mekong River to nearby
high-security VC storage
had been brought across the Mekong from Kien Phong
areas. The supplies
Province in South Vietnam.
the local Cambodian
authorities placed no restriction on VC movements at night, but the VC
had to be very discreet in daylight hours. VC in the area often farmed,
fought, or otherwise occupied themselves in South Vietnam in the daytime,
buereturned to Cambodia at night for security."
group proceeded into Laos, entering Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam,
in March where it attacked the A. San post. Returning to Laos in early
April, the Group followed the commo-liaison trail into Cambodia as far
as Station L. where it remained for one month to regain strength and
train for combat. The trails through Laos and Cambodia were not over
1.5 meters in width.. The group crossed numerous rivers and streams
some by boat, as well as two lakes, a-few open fields and hills. It
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crossed Route 19 near Station 4.
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one North Vietnamese Army
Engineer Unit working on the trail in Cambodia with picks and shovels.
Early in June) the Group entered Pleiku Province, South
Vietnam, and set up a base camp near Due Co from which to mount attacks
on the A ME airstrip. In September, the unit shifted north to Kontum
late in October,
On 21 November, h
Province,
he was assigned
went to pick up rice for the unit
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Prior to making
their first stop in Cambodia, Company Commanders informed the troops that
if Cambodian troops should fire at them, they should withdraw rather than
return the fire, because to fire back would "violate international law."
The troops moved through Cambodian forest for about four -days on a trail
that was "easy to walk on". They crossed the Sesan (Tonle San) River in
boats that carried four men apiece, and about two hours later passed over
National Route 19. They arrived at the border of Pleiku Province and
subsequently organized for operations.
While moving along the trail in CaMbodian territory, subject
noticed many groups of civilians of ethnic minorities carrying cases of
82 mm mortar,,75 mm and X.56 'shells. .Each group had nine or ten people,
the majority of whom were women.
Re also encountered a supply group
with two elephants transporting rice to a rear base storage point.
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started to infiltrate
to South Vietnam in December 1965. He travelled through Laos and the
northeastern corner of Cambodia, arriving in Kontum province, South
Vietnam, about April 1966, and in May moving down to the Phu Yen
Oarlac border. After an encounter with U.S. Forces in June 1966
remained in Phu /en until October, when it trans-
ferred south to the Ninth Hoa district of Khanh Hoa Province nearer the
coast. There in February 1967, it engaged the ROK White Horse Division
and suffered moderate loses.
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