ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP OF THE PAVN 4TH DIVISION, 9TH MILITARY REGION; ORGANIZATION, LEADERSHIP, TROOP STRENGTH, AND ACTIVITIES OF THE 30TH REGIMENT, 4TH DIVISION; ASSIGNMENT OF FIVE CHEMICAL DEFENSE PERSONNEL TO THE 30TH REGIMENT

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06157009
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2017
• Case Number: F-2012-01432
• Publication Date: June 7, 1985

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� TOT: 070220Z JUN 85
CO E WNINTEL
070220Z
TO: NPIC, DIRNSA, DEPT OF STATE, DIA, TREASURY DEPT,
WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL STAFF,
ZEN/CIA OFFICE OF CURRENT OPERATIONS,
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI, CINCPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI, CDRWESTCOM FT
SHAFTER HI, COMIPAC HONOLULU HI, CINCPACAF HICKAM AFB HI,
COMSEVENTHFLT, FOSIF/WESTPAC.
SERIAL:
PASS:
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
REPORT CLASSCONFIDENTIAL--WNINTEL--NOFORN
DIST: 06 JUNE 1985
COUNTRY: CAMBODIA/VIETNAM
SUBJ: ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP OF THE PAN 4TH DIVISION, 9TH
MILITARY REGION; ORGANIZATION, LEADERSHIP, TROOP STRENGTH,
AND ACTIVITIES OF THE 30TH REGIMENT, 4TH DIVISION;
ASSIGNMENT OF FIVE CHEMICAL DEFENSE PERSONNEL TO THE 30TH
REGIMENT
DOI:
SOURCE:'
SUMMARY: AS OF 17 FEBRUARY 1985, THE PAVN 4TH DIVISION, 9TH MILITARY
REGION, WAS HEADQUARTERED AT PHUM TRAPEANG RUNG, KOH KONG PROVINCE,
CAMBODIA. IT WAS COMPRISED OF THE 2ND, 20TH, 30TH, 91ST AND 92ND
INFANTRY REGIMENTS, FIVE SUBORDINATE INFANTRY BATTALIONS, AND
SUBORDINATE SUPPORT BATTALIONS. THE 30TH REGIMENT WAS COMPRISED OF
THE 7TH, 8TH, AND 9TH INFANTRY BATTALIONS AND SUBORDINATE SUPPORT
COMPANIES. IT HAD A TOTAL TROOP STRENGTH OF ABOUT 1,150 MEN. FROM
4 DECEMBER 1984 THROUGH 14 FEBRUARY 1985, ELEMENTS OF THE 4TH
DIVISION WERE INVOLVED IN ATTACKS AGAINST DK POSITIONS. FOLLOWING
THE ATTACKS ON THE DK, THE TROOPS OF THE 4TH DIVISION WERE ORDERED ,
TO CONSTRUCT A FENCE AND TO PLANT MINES ALONG THE THAI-CAMBODIAN
BORDER FROM HILL 400 TO KOH KONG PROVINCE. DURING 1985,
RESPONSIBILITY FOR KOH KONG PROVINCE WAS TO BE PASSED TO MILITARY
SPECIALIST GROUP 9907. FIVE CHEMICAL DEFENSE SERGEANTS, TWO CHEMICAL
OFFICERS AND TWO CHEMICAL RECONNAISSANCE SOLDIERS WERE ASSIGNED TO
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THE 30TH REGIMENT.
TEXT: 1. AS OF 17 FEBRUARY 1985, THE PEOPLE'S ARMY OF VIETNAM (PAVN)
4TH DIVISION, 9TH MILITARY REGION, WAS HEADQUARTERED AT PHUM TRAPEANG
RUNG (UT 1057), KOH KONG PROVINCE, CAMBODIA. IT WAS COMMANDED BY
COLONEL LE XA ((HOI)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1930 IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM.
THE DEPUTY COMMANDER FOR MILITARY AFFAIRS WAS LIEUTENANT COLONEL
NGUYEN VAN ((TIEN)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1940 IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM.
THE DEPUTY COMMANDER FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS WAS LIEUTENANT COLONEL
TIEN ((PHONG)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1943, ALSO IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM.
THE 4TH DIVISION WAS COMPRISED OF FIVE INFANTRY REGIMENTS: THE 2ND
REGIMENT BASED ALONG THE STOENG METOEK IN THE VICINITY OF TU 6808;
THE 20TH REGIMENT BASED NEAR THE FERRY (UT 336370) ON THE PREK PIPHOT
RIVER; THE 91ST AND 92ND REGIMENTS BASED AT THMA PEANG (UNLOCATED);
AND THE 4TH ARTILLERY REGIMENT BASED AT KEP FERRY (TT 9679). IT
ALSO INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING SUBORDINATE INFANTRY BATTALIONS: THE
1ST BATTALION, BASED AT THE FERRY NEAR PHUM SRE AMBEL (UT 6569);
THE 2ND BATTALION, BASED IN THE SAMIT ISLANDS ((TT 9000); THE 3RD
BATTALION, BASE UNLOCATED; THE 4TH BATTALION, BASED NEAR THE 30TH
REGIMENT'S HEADQUARTERS AT UT 3337; THE 5TH BATTALION, BASE
UNLOCATED; AND A SQUAD TRAINING BATTALION, AN ENGINEERING BATTALION,
A SIGNAL BATTALION, A RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION, A TRANSPORTATION
BATTALION, A MEDICAL BATTALION AND A PRODUCTION COMPANY, THE
LOCATIONS OF WHICH WERE NOT KNOWN.
2. THE 30TH REGIMENT, 4TH DIVISION, WAS COMMANDED BY MAJOR
NGUYEN MINH ((THANH)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1948 IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM.
THE DEPUTY COMMANDER AND CHIEF OF STAFF WAS SENIOR CAPTAIN BUI NGOC
((KHA)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1946 IN NORTHERN VIETNAM. THE DEPUTY
COMMANDER FOR MILITARY AFFAIRS WAS SENIOR CAPTAIN (FNU) ((SON)), WHO
WAS BORN ABOUT 1942 IN NORTHERN VIETNAM. THE DEPUTY COMMANDER FOR
POLITICAL AFFAIRS WAS SENIOR CAPTAIN BUI XUNS (SIC) ((MY)), WHO WAS BORN
ABOUT 1940 IN NORTHERN VIETNAM. THE DEPUTY COMMANDER FOR REAR
SERVICES WAS SENIOR CAPTAIN NGUYEN QUANG ((TRUNG)), WHO WAS BORN
ABOUT 1940 IN NORTHERN VIETNAM. THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF WAS
SENIOR CAPTAIN PHAN CHAU ((TUAN)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1949 IN
NORTHERN VIETNAM. THE 30TH REGIMENT HAD A TOTAL TROOP STRENGTH OF
ABOUT 1,150 MEN.
3. THE 30TH REGIMENT WAS COMPRISED OF THE 7TH, 8TH, AND 9TH
INFANTRY BATTALIONS AND THE FOLLOWING SUBORDINATE COMPANIES:
A. THE 16TH MORTAR COMPANY. THIS COMPANY WAS COMMANDED
BY 1ST LIEUTENANT (FNU) ((CHIEN)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1947 IN
NORTHERN VIETNAM. IT HAD A TOTAL TROOP STRENGTH OF ABOUT 55 MEN.
ITS EQUIPMENT HOLDINGS INCLUDED ONE 82-MILLIMETER (MM) MORTAR, ONE
60MM MORTAR, ONE 120MM MORTAR WHICH WAS SUPPLIED IN JANUARY, AND
ONE 100MM MORTAR.
B. THE 17TH RECOILLESS RIFLE COMPANY. .
C. THE .18TH MACHINEGUN COMPANY. THIS 'COMPANY WAS COMMANDED
BY SECOND LIEUTENANT (FNU) ((VAN)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1960 IN
NORTHERN VIETNAM. THIS COMPANY HAD A TOTAL TROOP: STRENGTH OF ABOUT
50 MEN. IT WAS ARMED WITH TWO 12.7MM MACHINEGUNS..
D. THE 19TH ENGINEERING COMPANY. THIS COMPANY WAS
COMMANDED BY FIRST LIEUTENANT (FNU) ((THUAN)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT
1957 IN NORTHERN VIETNAM. IT HAD A TOTAL TROOP STRENGTH OF ABOUT
60 MEN.
E. THE 20TH SIGNAL COMPANY. THIS COMPANY WAS COMMANDED
BY CAPTAIN TRUONG VAN ((CHIEN)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1955 IN
NORTHERN VIETNAM. IT HAD A TOTAL TROOP STRENGTH OF ABOUT 60 MEN.
THE COMPANY WAS COMPRISED OF THREE PLATOONS, A TELEPHONE PLATOON,
A RADIO PLATOON, AND A MESSENGER PLATOON.
F. THE 21ST RECONNAISSANCE COMPANY. THIS COMPANY WAS
COMMANDED BY FIRST LIEUTENANT DANG VAN ((KY)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT
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1958 IN NORTHERN VIETNAM. IT HAD A TOTAL TROOP STRENGTH OF ABOUT
70 MEN. IT WAS COMPRISED OF THREE PLATOONS.
G. ,THE 22ND TRANSPORTATION COMPANY.
H. THE 23RD DISPENSARY COMPANY.
4. THE 30TH REGIMENT'S HEADQUARTERS WAS COMPRISED OF THREE
SECTIONS: STAFF, POLITICAL, AND REAR SERVICES. THE STAFE SECTION
CONSISTED OF EIGHT SUBSECTIONS: MILITARY OPERATIONS, ORGANIZATION
AND MOBILIZATION, SIGNAL, RECONNAISSANCE, ENGINEERING, ARTILLERY,
CRYPTO AND ADMINISTRATION. THE POLITICAL SECTION CONSISTED OF SIX
SUBSECTIONS: ORGANIZATION, CADRE, PROPAGANDA, MILITARY CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION, PARTY INSPECTION, AND CIVILIAN AND ENEMY
PROSELYTIZING. THE REAR SERVICES SECTION CONSISTED OF SEVEN
SUBSECTIONS: QUARTERMASTER, ARMAMENT, QUARTERS, TECHNICAL, VEHICLE,
FUEL, AND FINANCIAL. THERE WAS ALSO A WAREHOUSE PLATOON.
5. THE 7TH BATTALION, 30TH REGIMENT, WAS BASED IN THE VICINITY
OF UT 3135. IT WAS COMMANDED BY CAPTAIN NGUYEN Dyc ((THINH)), WHO
WAS BORN ABOUT 1955 IN NORTHERN VIETNAM. THE BATTALION WAS COMPRISED
OF THE 1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD COMPANIES AND SUBORDINATE MORTAR,
RECOILLESS RIFLE, 12.7MM MACHINEGUN, RECONNAISSANCE, SIGNAL AND
TRANSPORTATION PLATOONS. THE BATTALION HAD A TOTAL TROOP STRENGTH
OF ABOUT 200 MEN. ITS EQUIPMENT HOLDINGS INCLUDED TWO 82MM MORTARS,
TWO 82MM RECOILLESS RIFLES, AND TWO 12.7MM MACHINEGUNS. THE 8TH
BATTALION WAS BASED IN THE VICINITY OF UT 2636, AND THE 9TH BATTALION
WAS BASED IN THE VICINITY OF UT 1846.
6. ON 4 DECEMBER 1984, THE 30TH REGIMENT MOVED FROM ITS BASE
AT UT 336370 TO THE 4TH DIVISION'S HEADQUARTERS AT PHUM TRAPEANG
RUNG TO PREPARE FOR THE 1984-85 DRY SEASON CAMPAIGN. ON 14 DECEMBER,
THE 5TH DIVISION'S FORCES ATTACKED DEMOCRATIC KAMPUCHEA (DK) FORCES
AT TU 6326, A DK WAREHOUSE AT TU 5422, AND HIGH POINT 199 (TU 6520).
THE 30TH REGIMENT PARTICIPATED IN THE ATTACKS AGAINST THE POSITION
AT TU 6326. ON 17 DECEMBER, PAVN FORCES OVERRAN ALL THREE OF THE
DK POSITIONS. ON 21 DECEMBER, THE 30TH REGIMENT MOVED TO HIGH POINT
199. ON 28 JANUARY 1985, THE 30TH REGIMENT MOVED TO HILL 322
(TU 6028), BUT ON 4 FEBRUARY MOVED AGAIN TO HILL 796 (TU 6334). ON
8 FEBRUARY, THE 30TH REGIMENT'S FORCES PARTICIPATED IN AN ATTACK
AGAINST A DK POSITION AT HILL 336 (TU 5932). PAVN FORCES CAPTURED
HILL 336 ON THE SAME DAY. ON 14 FEBRUARY, THE 7TH BATTALION, 30TH
REGIMENT AND THE 1ST BATTALION, 2ND REGIMENT, ATTACKED A DK POSITION
AT HILL 400 (TU 5834), AND THAT EVENING JOINED TROOPS OF THE 339TH
DIVISION, WHO WERE ATTACKING THE DK FORCES FROM THE NORTH. AS OF 17
FEBRUARY, THE 30TH REGIMENT REMAINED IN THE AREA OF HILL 336 AND HILL
400. DURING THE ATTACKS AGAINST THE DK FORCES, THE 30TH REGIMENT'S
TROOPS SUFFERED CASUALTIES OF 25 SOLDIERS KILLED AND FROM 85 TO 90
TROOPS WOUNDED.
7. ON ABOUT 14 FEBRUARY, DURING A DISCUSSION WITH SEVERAL
REGIMENTAL OFFICERS, THE 30TH REGIMENT COMMANDER MAJOR THANG SAID
THAT THE 4TH DIVISION WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONSTRUCTING A FENCE
AND FOR LAYING MINES ALONG THE THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER FROM HILL 400
TO KOH KONG PROVINCE. ON 14 FEBRUARY, AN UNSPECIFIED NUMBER OF
MINES WERE TRANSPORTED TO HILL 336. ADMINISTRATIVE SUBSECTION CHIEF
CAPTAIN TRUONG VAN ((QUE)), WHO WAS BORN ABOUT 1943 IN NORTHERN
VIETNAM, SAID THAT IN 1985 THE 4TH DIVISION WOULD TURN OVER THE
91ST AND 92ND REGIMENTS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR KOH KONG PROVINCE
TO MILITARY SPECIALIST GROUP 9907. THE 4TH DIVISION WOULD THEN BE
REDEPLOYED AT UNSPECIFIED LOCATIONS ALONG NATIONAL HIGHWAY FOUR.
8. ON 24 JANUARY 1985, FIVE CHEMICAL DEFENSE SERGEANTS WERE
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ASSIGNED TO THE 30TH REGIMENT. THE SERGEANTS HAD ATTENDED A CHEMICAL
DEFENSE SERGEANTS SCHOOL IN NORTHERN VIETNAM. DURING THE ATTACKS
ON THE DK POSITIONS, THE 30TH REGIMENT WAS REINFORCED WITH TWO
ADDITIONAL CHEMICAL OFFICERS AND TWO CHEMICAL RECONNAISSANCE
SOLDIERS FROM THE 9TH MILITARY REGION'S CHEMICAL COMPANY, WHICH WAS
BASED IN PURSAT. IT WAS RUMORED AMONG THE TROOPS OF THE 30TH
REGIMENT, THAT THE MISSION OF THE CHEMICAL OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS WAS
TO ASSIST THE TROOPS OF THE REGIMENT IN THE EVENT THE DK FORCES USED
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST THEM.
WARNING: REPORT CLASSCONFIDENTIAL--WARNING NOTICE-
INTELLIGENCE SOURCES OR METHODS INVOLVED--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN
NATIONALS.
ALL PORTIONS CARRY
CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOCUMENT.
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