LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF "B.3" HEADQUARTERS OF THE NFLSVN'S WESTERN HIGHLANDS TACTICAL AREA (KONTUM, PLEIKU, AND DARLAC PROVINCES)

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00758646
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: April 27, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2019
• Publication Date: March 5, 1968

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Approved for Release: 2019/04/17 C00758646
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CONFIDENTIAL - KIN
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AwP1L 1968
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WAGLIC OFFPICE �
TION REPORT
THIS REPORT IS THE mum OF THE INTERROGATION ACTIVITY CONDUCTED
BY THE NATIONAL INTERROGATION CENTER (NIC) UNDER THE JOINT AUSPICES
OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION (CIO) AND THE U.S. CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (CIA) WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF DETACHMENT 6,
4499TH SPECIAL ACTIVITIES GROUP (USAF).
COUNkr
SUBJECT
4,3
t SOUTH VIETNAM (SVN) NIC REPORT NO
NIC CASE NO
Location and Description of "B,3"
Headquarters of the NFISVN's Western DATE OF REPORT
Highlands Tactical Area (KONTUM,
:
:
:
259/68
027/2/68
5/3/68
� .
DATE OF INFO
TATE AND PLACE
OF ACQUISITION
PLEIKU, and DARLAC Provinces) NO. OF PAGES :
2 - 28 December 1967
27 February 1968 (W)
SAIGON, Vietnam
REF:
5
None
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�SUMMART
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. The *tional Front for the.�Liberation'ofSouth Vietnam's (NFLSVN1s) Central
Headquarters for the "Western Highlands Tactical Areas", designated as "B.3"
was located in the southwestern portion of KONTUM Province, SVN, in an area
bordered on the northwest by cocrdinates YA 830900, on the northeast by YA
850900, on the southeast by YA 850890, and on the southwest by YA 830890.
It was, responsible for the conduct of the NFLSVN's military operations
throughout KONTUM, PLEIKU, and DARLAC Province. It, was under. the command of a
.NVA Lieutenant General. "B.3" was located in a heavily forested and
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CLASSIFICATION
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DECLASSIFICATION
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STATS WITHIN THE MEANING CO JIHE ESPIONAGE
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mountainous area, considered perfectly safe from all aerial and ground
surveillance and detection. It consisted of five separate sections and
&total of 31 buildings. GVN/U.S. aircraft regularly flew overthe area,
but it had never been bombed or strafed. One security battalion of NVA
soldiers guarded the headquarters area. Southeast of the base camp was
a "newly built" road leading to the Cambodian border. It was being used
to transport food and ammunition from CAMBODIA to the Western Highlands
Tactical Area.
MAP.,REFERENCE:
AMS Series L70140 Sheet 6537IV, Scale 1/50,000, Edition 1,
AMS Series L7014, Sheet 6538111, Scale 1/50;000, Edition 1.
. The Central Headquarters of the National Front for the Liberation of
South Vietnam's (NFLSVN1s) "Western Highlands Tactical Area" had been
given the code designation "B.3." It was located in the southwestern
portion of KONTUM Province, SVN, in an area bordered on the northwest
� ,by coordinates YA 830900, on the northeast by YA 850900, on the
southeast by YA 850890, and on the southwest by YA 830890.
As the headquarters for the Western Highlands Tactical Area, "B.3" was
responsible for the conduct of the NFLSVN's military pperations
throughout KONTUM, PLEIKU, and DARLLC Provinces, It was under the
command of a NVA Lieutenant General (name unknown). "B.3" received
'orders directly from the NFLSVN and gave directives such as attack
order s to its subordinate units throughout the Western Highlands
Tactical Area.
�Infiltration Group 314, consisting of approximately 240 men of NVA
-Sapper Battalion 316 (formerly NVA Battalion 1702), reached "B.3."
:on 2 December 1967, after walking for three days (8 hours per day)
from their last commo-liaison station, Station 80. It was Xocated
hear the SVN/LAOS/CAMBODIAN border in the vicinity of coordinates
tit 750260 (exact location unknown). Prior to arriving at "B.3.",
:the group crossed the HODRAI River (coordinates of crossing point
Unknown) by boats, since the river was over 30 meters wide,
'extremely swift, and appeared to be very deep. Infiltration Group
314 remained in "B.3" until 28 December 1967.
"BO" was located in a heavily forested and mountains area. (See
Attachments' 3. and 2.) Branches of the KROI stream ran thoughout the
base camp area. The camp was divided by the mountains and streams
into five separate sections. The northern half of the area
consisted of a large "troop receiving area" and four_ separate
groups of barracks buildings used to house infiltrating troops
(see gigures 1, 5, 6, and 7 of Attachment 1). There were a total
Of 22 barracks buildings in this portion of the base camp area.
The southern half of the area consisted of the 9 buildings which
hbused the personnel and officers of the "B.3" Headquarters (See
Figure 4 of Attachment 1). All buildings throughtout the entire
base camp area were of varying sizes, build of tree trunks with
bamboo roofs, and have been constructed on the mountain slopes
and were hidden by large trees and dense foliage. They were
considered completely secure from all aerial and ground
surveillance and detection. GVN/U.S. aircraft regularly flew
over the area, but it had never been bombed or strafed.
Personnel of B.3" were so sure of their safety during aerial
overflights that they continued their normal activities, not
stopping to seek better cover. Due to the irregular terrain.
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.it was impossible for persons in one section of the base camp area
to see the other sections. In addition, movement between sections
was extremely difficult. For example, it took approximately 45
minutes to walk from the "troop receiving area" (Figure 1 of
Attachment 1) to the "B.3" Headquarters area (Figure 4 of Attachment
1). As a result, the area was copsidered safe and secure.
The entrance to the "B.3" Headquarters area was "kept in secrecy".
To reach this area, it was necessary to follow the trail which led
from the' northwest corner of the entire base camp area south between
mountain ridges on the east and west. The trail crossed a stream
south of the "troop receiving area". It was necessary at that point
to walk upstream (west) in the knee-deep water of the stream for
approximately 15 minutes. Only at that time was it possible to climb
over a ridge and enter the headquarters area. It was protected at all
times by one battalion of NVA soldiers.
According to hearsay information, the base camp area had been in
danger of enemy attack only once (date unknown). At that time, GVN
"commandos" had been secretly "dropped" in an area west of the mountains
which formed the western border of the area. However, they had been
defeated before actually entering the base camp area.
With the exception of the security battalion located directly in the
"B.3" Headquarters area, there were no full-time security units
stationed throughout the remainder of the camp. However, there was
a watch tower (see Figure 2 of Attachment 1) on the top of a mhauntain
on the east side of the camp. It was manned 24 hours per day.
There was a "newly, built" road extending from the border of CAMBODIA
tq a place southeast of the "B.3 Headquarters area about three-days
travel time. The road was 4 meters wide and was being used to
transport food and ammunition by "modified Vicycles" from CAMBODIA
to the Western Highlands Tactical Area. The"-i4oid-crossed many streams
which were forded by small bridges made from the trunks of trees.
One portion of the road had Y:omerly been bombed.
ONFIDENT IAL KIN
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NIC REPbRT NO: 259/68
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ATTACHMENT 2: Legend for Attachment 1 Page
FIGURES USED IN ATTACHMENT II
roop!receiving area and group of 7 barracks buildings.
2. Watch tower on top of a mountain.
3. Stream crossing trail, providing "Secret entrance" to "B.3" Headquarters.
4. "B.3" Headquarters area, consisting of 9 buildings.
Group of 5 barracks buildings.
Group of 5 barracks buildings.
,
Group Of 5 barracks building.
Areawest.of "B.3" base camp where GVN "commandos" reportedly
launched an attack in former times.
K / N
1. tit*
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