THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001300010006-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 27, 2005
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: September 29, 1966
• Content Type: MEMO

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
: I NdWL---.,
THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM
Information as of 1600
29 September 1966
NSA review completed
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PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
FURTHER DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT AUTHORIZED
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29 September 1966
HIGHLIGHTS
Further evidence has been obtained indicating
Viet Cong plans to attack US air bases in South
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Contact between US Marines and North Vie namese Army
forces continues in the mountainous area south of the
DMZ in Quang Tri Province (Paras. 1-3). Search-and-
destroy Operation MONTEREY began yesterday in Quang
Tin Province in an area where nearly 1,000 Communist
troops are reportedly operating (Para. 4). Viet Cong
sapper units are planning to attack allied air bases
as evidenced by captured maps, documents, and prisoners
(Paras. 5-7). Weekly review of South Vietnam battle
statistics (Para. 8).
II. Political Developments in South Vietnam:
According
to e press, trie special Vatican representative who
arrived in Saigon yesterday has requested a meetin
with Premier Ky (Para. 3).
III. North Vietnamese Military Developments:
There is nothing 6f significance to report.
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Communist Political Developments; There is
nothing of significance to report,
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ANNEX:
South Vietnam Battle Statistics
1963 t ru week of 18-24 Sept 1966:
-Weapons and Personnel Losses
-Viet Cong Attacks and Incidents
29 September 1966
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NORTH ?Dong Hoi
~tSavannakhet
VIETNAM
UIC
OPE 'ATI N'
10 'CEREY
SOUTH VIETNAM
29 SEPTEMBER
64014
US 41C
OPERATION
f tAt1 IE
U 25 50 75 10OM~1e5
n 25 5~) ... 0 K~iameters
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. More than 50 North Vietnamese soldiers were
reported killed yesterday in two sharp clashes with
US Marines of the 4th Marine Regiment participating
in Operation PRAIRIE in an area just south of the
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
2. Early yesterday, nine Marines were wounded
in an encounter with an estimated company-size Com-
munist force. Tough fighting continued for most of
the day in an area known as the "rockpile," a valley
with two sharp pinnacles of rock in the center, strad-
dling vital trails leading to North Vietnam and Laos.
The Marines, with support from US artillery and tac-
tical air strikes, dislodged the Communist troops
from their well dug-in positions.
3. A US Marine command post was shelled on
two separate occasions yesterday with an unknown
number of heavy mortar rounds. These attacks killed
one American and wounded 43 others.
4. One battalion of US Marines began Operation
MONTEREY yesterday in an area about 34 miles west
of Tam Ky. This search-and-destroy operation will
attempt to locate the headquarters of the 3rd North
Vietnamese Army Regiment, one subordinate battalion,
aid one Viet Cong local force battalion--with an
estimated total strength of 990 men--believed to
be operating in the mountainous area of north-central
Quang Tin Province. No contact has been reported
with enemy forces.
Communist Intentions to Attack Air Bases
5. Three detailed maps of the Da Nang Air Base
were discovered recently during a search of a house
in Da Nang. A large weapons and explosive cache were
also found. The most detailed map shows all the
buildings and roads of the base as well as the sur-
rounding area. The map is keyed with 50 numbers
and descriptions of such key areas. as the South Viet-
namese Air Force Headquarters, communications towers,
and alert crews quarters. The flight line is also
outlined in detail. 29 September 1966
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6. This is the second such report concerning
maps of the Da Nang Air Base. Other captured
documents and prisoner reports have indicated that
Da Nang, Chu Lai, and Tan Son Nhut Air Bases are
targets for destruction.
7. Two well-trained and newly reinforced Viet
Cong Sapper Battalions--the 402nd and the 409th--
4re the units that would probably have the mission
of attacking the installations in I Corps. An at-
tack on these bases, if timed to coincide with a
major operation in the field, could seriously re-
duce and disrupt allied reaction capabilities.
Weekly Review of South Vietnam Battle Statistics
8. The week of 18-24 September compared with
the week of 11-17 September:
I. Viet Cong Incidents
Time At- Regimental Battalion
Period tacks size size
11-17 Sep 26 0 2
18-24 Sep 18 0 0
Time Company
Period size Harassment Terrorism
11-17 Sep 3 600 50
18-24 Sep 1 394 18
Time Sabo- Propa- Anti- Total
Period tage ganda Aircraft Incidents
11-17 Sep 40 42 192 950
18-24 Sep 19 16 165 630
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Killed
Wounded
Missing/
Captured
II. Casualties
VC/NVA GVN
11-17 Sep 18-24 Sep 11-17 Sep 18-
7 25 1,165 172 98
=-- ----- 424 280
108 242 53 71
TOTALS 833 1,407 649 449
US FREE WORLD
Sep
11-17 Sep 18-24 Sep 11-17 Sep l8-24
Killed 96 142 3 8
Wounded 583 825 18 28
Missing/
Captured 5 3 0 0
TOTALS 684 970 21
III. Weapons Captured
VC/NVA GVN
11-17 Sep 18-24 Sep 11-17 Sep 18=T4 Sep
Individual 284 Not 184 39
Crew-Served 18 Re 2rrted 7 0
29 September 1966
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II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
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.Vatican Representative Seeks Meeting with Premier Ky
3. Archbishop Pignedoli, Pope Paul VI's special
envoy to South Vietnam, today requested a meeting with
Premier Ky, according to the press. Vietnamese Gov-
ernment sources reportedly indicated that Ky would
probably agree to meet the Vatican representative, but
that no specific date had been set. The archbishop,
who arrived in Saigon yesterday, apparently intends to
sound out government as well as clerical leaders on
the papal encyclical on peace. He is scheduled to
attend a conference of South Vietnamese Catholic leaders
tomorrow.
29 September 1966
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1. There is nothing of significance to report.
29 September 1966
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7. A recently captured North Vietnamese
officer reports that Chinese engineers are cons ruc-
ting coastal defense sites on Cat Ba Island near
Haiphong. His statements have been supported by
analysis of photographs of the northeast coastal
area. Chinese units may also be participating in
road construction and improvement in the North Viet-
nam - South China border area.
8. All the evidence continues to point to a
logistic support role for the Chinese forces in
North Vietnam. As the construction projects are
completed the Chinese engineering-type units may
return to China. There is some evidence that a few
of the smaller units already have gone.
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V. COMMUNIST POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. There is nothing of significance to report.
29 September 1966
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Weapons Losses
30,00
AUGUST
1298
Personnel Losses
(Excluding Wounded)
V
G
iet Cong/PAVN
VN/US/other F
ee World
AUGUST
6781
\/*%%11399
18-24
Sept
19:64
JUL AUG 'SEP
1966
US CasuatIies to Date ; Killed 5.222; W?unded? 20548, Captured 74 Missing
64011
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165 AA Fire
16 Propaganda
19 Sabotage
18 Terrorism
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