THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A001500010071-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 29, 2005
• Sequence Number: 71
• Publication Date: January 9, 1967
• Content Type: MEMO

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
MEMORANDUM
The Situation in Vietnam
NSA review completed
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Top Secret
9 January 1967
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Information as of 1600
9 January 1967
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
Viet Cong guerrillas attacke three ships in the
Saigon River and sank a large dredge in the Mekong
River near My Tho on 9 January (Paras. 1-2). Camp
Holloway in Pleiku Province was attacked by mortars
and small arms for the third consecutive day (Para.
3). Operation CEDAR FALLS has been expanded to 23
battalions and has resulted in 57 enemy soldiers
killed and more than 20 tons of rice and 1,000 black
uniforms seized (Para. 4), A US Air Force AC-47
aircraft was shot down by ground fire near Quang
Ngai (Para. 5). A battalion-size Communist force
attacked South Vietnamese positions five miles
northeast- of Quang Ngai on 8 January (Para. 6). A
company-size force of Viet Cong, using civilians as
a shield, attacked South Vietnamese positions in
Kien Hoa Province (Para. 7).
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III. North Vietnamese Military Developments:
There is nothing of significance to report.
IV. Other Communist Military Developments: There
is nothing of significance to report.
V. Communist Political Developments: There is
nothing of significance to report.
Appr4
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C A M B O D I A
USA/ARVN
OPERATION
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SOUTH VIETNAM
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. Viet Cong guerrillas--in a classic river ambush--
shelled two South Vietnamese minesweepers and a British oil
tanker on the Saigon River on 9 January. The tanker was
moving up the channel when the two minesweepers preceding
it discovered four mines at a bend in the river. At that
point, all three ships were fired upon by automatic weap-
ons, small arms, and recoilless rifles. Heavy damage and
casualties were reported by one of the minesweepers. A
river patrol boat and armed helicopters repelled the at-
tackers.
2. The Jamaica Bay, a large dredge operated by a
civilian construction company, was sunk in the Mekong River
near My Tho about 35 miles southwest of Saigon on 9 Janu-
ary. The $3-million dredge was believed to have been sabo-
taged by personnel on board. Two civilian employees of
the contracting firm were killed, one was wounded, and one
was reported missing. Efforts will be made to salvage the
barge.
Camp Holloway Attacked for Third Straight Day
3. Camp Holloway, located near Pleiku city,was at-
tacked for the third straight day on 9 January by a group
of Viet Cong raiders. The enemy force struck before dawn
with mortars and small arms and it was over two hours be-
fore. armed helicopters drove them off. One American was
reported wounded; no enemy casualties were reported.
Binh Duong Province Operation Enlarged
4. Twenty-three battalions are now involved in Op-
eration CEDAR FALLS, the large US/ARVN search-and-destroy
operation. being conducted in Binh Duong Province. Six
Americans have been killed and 33 wounded in small unit
contacts since this operation began on 7 January. Commu-
nist casualties to date are 57 killed, 16 captured, and
157 suspects detained. More than 20 tons of rice and two
sampans containing 1,000 black uniforms have been seized.
Eleven B-52 strikes have struck target areas within the
area of operations in the past four days.
9 January 1967
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Air Force Gunship Downed
5. A US Air Force AC-47, a heavily armed
tactical support aircraft, was downed by Com-
munist ground fire about 26 miles southwest of
Quang Ngai city in coastal Quang Ngai Province.
The aircraft was one of several on a quick-
reaction mission to give close air support to
allied ground units in contact with enemy forces.
All seven crew members were killed. Another
AC-47 in the area reported receiving 50 caliber
machine&gun fire from enemy positions near the
crash site. This is the second such aircraft
lost in the ware
6, Two Popular Force platoons and one
Regular Force squad in night defensive positions
five miles northeast of Quang Ngai city were
attacked on 8 January by an estimated battalion-
size Communist force, Fighting lasted for more
than two hours when the enemy force retreated
upon arrival of an ARVN reaction force, Friendly
losses included 14 killed, 14 wounded, and 41
weapons lost. Enemy losses are unknown,
7. In the northern part of the Mekong Delta
province of Kien Hoa, an estimated company-size
Viet Cong force attacked a South Vietnamese Ranger
battalion's position on 8 January with mortars and
small arms, The Viet Cong force used civilians as
a shield while advancing on the Ranger positions.
When warned to stop or be shot, the Viet Cong re-
sumed firing, The Rangers returned the fire until
the Communist force withdrew, Ten civilian chil-
dren were killed and another 25 civilians were
wounded, At the same time, a nearby Popular Force
outpost was overrun by an unknown-size Viet Cong
force. Friendly losses in this latter action were
five :killed, and 17 missing, Enemy losses are un-
known for both of these incidents,
9 January 1967
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