BALLOON ACTIVITY X. THUONG, NORTH VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-00849A000600020003-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 8, 2006
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: November 29, 1966
• Content Type: REPORT

ECRET
Approved For Release 2006/03/16 :CIA-R 03-3
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPR TATION CENTER
0
BALLOON ACTIVITY
X. THUONG, NORTH VIETNAM
2036N 10552E
ATTACHI~4ENT TO L-2351
29 NOVEMBER 1966
PAGE 1
1. SIGNIFICANCE:
THIS BRIEFING BOARD DEPICTS BALLOON ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY OF X,
THUONG VILLAGE.
2. LOCATION:
X. THUONG LIES AT UTM WH914785, 4.5 NM NORTH-NORTHWEST OF PHU LY AND
APPROXIMATELY FIFTY MILES SOUTHWEST OF HAI PRONG.
3. COLLATERAL:
COLLATERAL HAS REPORTED SEVERAL BALLOON SIGHTINGS DURING THE PAST
SEVERAL MONTHS. THE FIRST SUCH REPORT CONCERNED TWENTY-FIVE TETHERED
BALLOONS APPROXIMATELY EIGHTEEN MILES NORTHEAST OF HAI PRONG ON 5 AUGUST,
THEY APPEARED TO BE ABOUT TWELVE FEET IN DIAMETER AND TETHERED 3,000 FEET
ABOVE SEA LEVEL. SUBSEQUENT SIGHTINGS HAVE REPORTED FROM FOUR TO FIFTY
BALLOONS OF VARIOUS COLORS TETHERED AT NUMEROUS ALTITUDES RANGING FROM
1,500 TO 3,800 FEET, AND RANGING IN SIZE FROM FOUR TO TWELVE FEET, MOST
SIGHTINGS HAVE INVOLVED THE GENERAL AREA APPROXIMATELY EIGHTEEN MILES
NORTHEAST OF HAI PRONG. ESTIMATES OF THE PURPOSE OF SUCH DEPLOYMENTS
INCLUDE:
A. DENIAL OF LOW LEVEL ACCESS TO SPECIFIC AREAS
B. FORCING FLIGHTS OF ENEMY AIRCRAFT TO USE HIGHER FLIGHT LEVELS
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 Darbcular bneting board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only far the re~
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chiet, Collateral Support
~iwsion, NPIC.
Approved ~e~-use-2Q06/03/16 : CIA-RDP79-00?~eg600020003-3
 Rpproved For Release 2006/03/16 :CIA-RD 0003-3
0
ATTACHMENT TO L-2351
29 NOVEMBER 1966
PAGE 2
(WITHIN THE SAM ENVELOPE) OVER A GENERAL AREA,
C. CHANNELING ATTACKING AIRCRAFT INTO HEAVILY DEFENDED AREAS
D, USE AS A TARGET ACQUISITION AID FOR NON-RADAR CONTROLLED AAA GUNS,
E, USE AS RADAR ANTENNAE TO MINIMIZE TERRAIN MASKING PROBLEMS FOR
SAM RADAR OPERATORS,
THERE ARE NO KNOWN TARGETS IN THE INIMEDIATE VICINITY OF X, THUONG;
HOWEVER, SEVERAL SAM SITES ARE WITHIN A TWENTY MILE RADIUS,
4, MISSION READOUT:
IN THE VICINITY OF X, THUONG, ONE IS LOCATED AT UTM WH912784 IN AN AREA
CONTAINING ONE LARGE BUILDING AND FIVE SMALL BUILDINGS, THE SECOND IS
LOCATED IN A CIRCULAR AREA AT UTM WH916785, THIS AREA CONTAINS ONE LARGE
BUILDING AND FIFTEEN SMALLER STRUCTURES, AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT IS LOCATED
IN THE CENTER OF THIS AREA AND A MINOR PAGODA IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE
AREA, THE THIRD BALLOON IS IN THE AIR AND APPEARS TO BE UNTETHERED,
THERE IS NO VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF TIE-DOWNS OR CABLES,
These notes have keen prepared far briefing purposes only and should not be used far 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 re~
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral SupDOrt
Division, NPIC.
Approved For Release 2006/03/16 :CIA-RDP -
 CONFIDENTIAL
RNATpIONAL P/HR~TR/R~RAP~N~IC INT/E~RPRrETTATp`N,C~E1T1iE~R/
roved For Release 2006/03/16 : Ch4~R~~F9~9'08a9PN096d0020e03-3
X. THUONG, NORTH VIETNAM
20-36N 105-52E
14X ENLA0.GEmENT
NPIC L-2351 pl/66~ ',
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