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

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T02095R000800040029-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 7, 2002
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: December 11, 1967
• Content Type: MF

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CXA No. 5078
ll December 1967
)li.-'O1 =M 7=1 l rs Evelyn Colbert
Chief, Southeast Asia Division, iNa/RFA/SA
Dopartraeut of State
'CT , x Transmittal of 012, Project S-2536, Su Fr?pntarrv
Doc=,Ontation of Comcrnzni Est Use o~ t' C bo a for
Tkic atttaabeci Contribution is fwwarde in reopouse to your requaest
or 4 December 1961w
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 Approved For Release 2002/01/29 CIA-RDP78TO2095R000800040029-7
The Infiltration of North Vietnamese
Communist Forces Through Cambodia To
South Vietnam
OER Project No. S-2538
11 Decemoer 1967
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 UW"U' i { '' j IAL
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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 from aerial view by dense foliage. The
two or three largest rivers were crossed by boat.
2. Troop movements through Cambodia were made in staged, with over-
night. s+,opp '9r r t gp.d p?i @nigh n..t gt ptC6t ons located. 500 or more
yards off the trail at intervals of approximately 15'kilometers. Guides,
either North Vietnamese or Montagnard, worked in relays cn 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 way,
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:
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infiltrated through Laos and Cambodia to Station 5, Pleika
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 Keo, 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-
25X1X ported rice and other foods, and also weapons and
25X1 X ammunition. He entered South Vietnam moved forward to
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Chu Phong Mountain and shortly thereafter rallied to the South Vietnamese
forces.,
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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?++6' E), 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
25X1X.
Station 4. From March to May 1966, the unit moved into Darlac Province,
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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 withdrew. 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 September 1965. His unit spent about
four days in Cambodia in early September, entering from Attopeu Province,
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Laos, and departing into Kontum Province, South Vietnam. In Cambodia
the troops passed four ration supply stations approximately 15 kilometers 2 5X1X'
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."
infiltrated 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
from Phuoc Long Province in SVN to An Giang Province in SVN. Again he
transited Cambodian territory. During the latter journey he claimed to
have had many contacts with Cambodian military personnel who knew that
he and his companions were menfoers of the VC. During his service in
Phuoc Long in 1966, his group often
picked up supplies that had been delivered to the border by Cambodian
military vehicles.
e. A North Vietnamese combat infantryman (identified only as
infiltrated from NVN to SVN in the period March - September
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1965 In August or September
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.
he was a patient in Front Hospital V2. This hospital was located in Cam-
bodia six kilometers from the la 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-
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vice Section, which based its operations 'in Cambodia adjacent to the An
Phu District of South Vietnam. He transported supplies -- predominantly
ammunition and weapons -- from the bank of the Mekong River to nearby
points in Cambodia high-security VC storage
areas. The supplies had been brought across the Mekong from Kien Phong
Province in South Vietnam. ~~~Whe local Cambodian 2 5X1X
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,
but" returned 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 4 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+. ne 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 attack;;
on the A ME airstrip. In September, the unit shifted north to Kontum
Province,
he was assigned
went to pick up rice for the unit
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 K.56'shells. Each group had nine or ten people,
the majority of whom were women. Ile also encountered a supply group
with two elephants transporting rice to a rear base storage point.
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late in October,
On 21 November, h
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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 -
Darlac border. After an encounter with U.S. Forces in June 1966
remained in Phu Yen until October, when it trans-
ferred south to th'e Ninh Hoa district of Khanh Hoa Province nearer the
coast. There in February 1967, it engaged the ROK White Horse Division
and suffered moderate losses.
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