ENGINEER/RIVER CROSSING EXERCISE SON DONG ARMY BARRACKS AND SCHOOL, VIETNAM (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91T00712R000100150003-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 16, 2011
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: December 13, 1983
• Content Type: REPORT

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Copy
Attachment to Z-14413/83
NPIC/IEG (12/83)
13 DECEMBER 1983
ENGINEER/RIVER CROSSING EXERCISE
SON DONG ARMY BARRACKS AND SCHOOL VIETNAM (SWN)
1. SIGNIFICANCE: ONE OF THE LARGEST ENGINEER/RIVER CROSSING
EXEIZC SES IDENTIFIED IN VIETNAM WAS UNDERWAY IN A RESERVOIR
NEAR SON DONG APPROXIMATELY 80 NM SOUTH OF THE CHINA-VIETNAM
11ORT)ER (SWN)
2. REMARKS: A 790-1"METER LONG COMBINATION PMP/TPP PONTON BRIDGE
CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 70 PMP SECTIONS AND 57 PROBABLE TPP
FLOATING SUPPORTS SPANNED ONE BRANCH OF THE RESERVOIR AT
21-02-40N 105-28-31E (GRAPHIC 1). IN ADDITION, AN 80-METER
LONG PROBABLE TPP PONTON BRIDGE CONSISTING OF EIGHT FLOATING
SUPPORTS JOINED A SMALLER PENINSULA WITH THE MAIN SHORELINE.
THIRTY SMALL POWERBOATS WERE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE
PONTON BRIDGE, WHICH APPEARED TO BE OPERATIONAL. FIVE PMP
CENTER UNITS (ON CARRIERS), ONE PMP RAMP UNIT (ON CARRIER), AND
AT LEASE 15 PIECES OF PROBABLE ENGINEER-ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
WERE AT AN ENGINEER SUPPORT AREA IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE PONTON
BRIDGE. AN ADDITIONAL PMP CENTER UNIT WAS BEING
LAUNCHED/RETRIEVED AND FIVE PROBABLE TPP PONTON SECTIONS WERE
AGAINST THE SHORELINE NEAR THE SUPPORT AREA. (SWN)
ADDITIONAL RIVER CROSSING EQUIPMENT WAS NEAR SON DONG ARMY
BARRACKS AND SCHOOL, APPROXIMATELY 1.5 NM EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE
PONTON BRIDGE (GRAPHIC 2). FOUR K-71 (PTS) TRACKED AMPHIBIOUS
VEHICLES AND TWO GSP HEAVY FERRIES WERE ON THE MAIN ROAD,
APPROXIMATELY 900 METERS WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE INSTALLATION.
AT LEAST TEN GSP, ONE PROBABLE PTS, AND THREE EMPTY PROBABLE
PMP PONTON CARRIERS WERE DISPERSED IN A NEARBY WOODED AREA.
TEN GSP AND 15 EMPTY PMP CARRIERS RE14AINED IN AN OPEN AREA AT
THE WEST END OF THE INSTALLATION. FOUR ADDITIONAL GSP (NOT ON
GRAPHIC) WERE ON A DIRT ROAD BETWEEN THE PONTON BRIDGE AND THE
INSTALLATION. INITIAL nF.PLOYINIENTS R THE EXERCISE WERE
OBSERVED IN THE AREA (SWN) 25X1
These nctes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work.
Their use should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered
valid only for the reporting period as indicated by the date of issue.
WARNING NOTICE
IN TE.L. LICENCE SOURCES
OR METHODS INVOLVED
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Page 2 of 2
Copy
Attachment to Z-14413/83
NPIC/IEG (12/83)
13 DECEMBER 1983
ANALYST'S COMMENTS -- THIS LARGE EXERCISE CONFIRMS THE
CONTINUING EFFORT BY THE PEOPLE'S ARMY OF VIETNAM (PAVN) TO
ENHANCE THEIR RIVER CROSSING CAPABILITIES AND TECHNIQUES. THE
FACT THAT THE PONTON BRIDGE CONSISTS OF BOTH PPM AND PROBABLE
TPP BRIDGING EQUIPMENT INDICATES THAT THE PAVN ARE CAPABLE OF
INTEGRATING THEIR AVAILABLE EQUIPMENT AND COORDINATING THEIR
ENGINEER UNITS. SOME OF THE ENGINEER/RIVER CROSSING EQUIPMENT
OBSERVED IN THE EXERCISE MAY HAVE DEPLOYED FROM VIET TRI
ENGINEER DEPOT 2 APPROXIMATELY 8 NM TO THE 25X1
NORTHWEST WHERE THE SAME TYPE OF EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY
OBSERVED. (SWN) 25X1
3. I (COORDINATES 21-03-18N 105-31-05E (S)
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work.
Their use should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered
valid only for the reporting period as indicated by the date of issue.
WARNING NOTICE
INTELLIGENCE SOURCES
or, MET HODS IN VOL VED
SECRET
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