THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00826A002400210001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 25, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 21, 1967
• Content Type: MEMO

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fop Secret
MEMORANDUM
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
The Situation in Vietnam
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Top Secret
115
21 July 1967
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Information as of 1600
21 July 1967
HIGHLIGHTS
Aggressive North Vietnamese MIG activity in
recent days, which culminated in the loss of three
MIGs on 21 July, suggests that Hanoi is still will-
ing to use its fighter defense force despite severe
losses incurred earlier this year
I. The Military Situation in South Vietnam:
South Vietnamese paratroopers and South Korean in-
fantrymen reported killing nearly 400 Communists in
two battles on-2l July (Paras. 1-4).
III. Military Developments in North Vietnam:
Recent aggressive.Nort Vietnamese MIG activity in-
dicates that Hanoi is still willing to use its fighter
force despite past losses and evacuations.(Paras. 1-4).
VI'. Other Major Aspects: The Communists have re-
cently move-d-72-677 trucks south toward the Mu Gia Pass
despite heavy rain and flooding in the Laos Panhandle
(Paras. 1-3).
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I. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
1. South Vietnamese paratroopers and South
Korean infantrymen reported killing nearly 400
Communist soldiers in two battles on 21 July.
2. The South Vietnamese forces in blocking
positions in the coastal plain some 18 miles north-
west of Hue apparently caught Communist troops who
were fleeing before a US Marine battalion which
had made an amphibious assault into this area on
19 July. The South Vietnamese report killing 240
and capturing 32. One US adviser was killed in the
action. Nine South Vietnamese paratroopers were
killed and 32 wounded. The Marine operation--BEAR
CHAIN--has been seeking Communist Northern Front
forces which reportedly were preparing attacks
north of Hue.
3. In Phu Yen Province, troops from South
Korea's White Horse Division reportedly overran
the headquarters of the North Vietnamese Army
95th Regiment and killed 140 enemy. Preliminary
reports indicated that the Koreans were in pursuit
and had suffered only light casualties. The NVA
95th Regiment has shown signs of increased aggres-
siveness this summer following several months of
relative inactivity.
21 July 1967
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III. MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTH VIETNAM
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1. The loss of three, probably four,
North Vietnamese MIGs in an air battle on
21 July, and several less spectacular en-
counters on the three preceeding days, sug-
gests that North Vietnam is still willing to
employ its fighter defense force, despite the
severe losses this spring
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2. On the 21st, eight MIG-17s challenged
six US Navy aircraft attacking the Ta Xa POL
facility 20 miles northeast of Hanoi.
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Operational
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reports statfh iff e MlGs were armed with
air-to-air rockets and guns and were aggres-
sively flown.
3. Less aggressive actions were attempted
by North Vietnamese MIGs in encounters with
US planes during 18-20 July and no aircraft
were lost by either side. On the 18th, two
MIG-21s from Phuc Yen attempted to attack US
jets assisting in the rescue of a downed pilot
about 45 miles south-southwest of Hanoi. On
19 July eight MIG-17s
were unsuccessful in a acting USAT, - s
which were bombing a POL dump near the Phuc
Yen Air Base.
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4. The air actions of the past four days are
a distinct break in the pattern of North Vietnam-
ese fighter activity since 5 June when the last
Communist MIG was shot down. In the intervening
seven weeks, the North Vietnamese Air Force ap-
peared to concentrate on retraining and demon-
strated little or no interest in engaging US air-
craft.
It is posse e that the recent
air action indicates that North Vietnam is again
prepared to put up determined MIG opposition to
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21 July 1967
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LAOS PANHANDLE
Th nh Hoa
\~o. 1 Lak Sao 1"~ 1151 ~A
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Road
- -- Track or trail
GULF OF TONKIN
Quang Khe
nh Linh
Demilitarized Zone
muon-
Phine J Hue
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VI. OTHER MAJOR ASPECTS
1. The Communists have recently moved 207
trucks south toward the Mu Gia Pass despite heavy
rain and flooding in the Laos Panhandle.
I I
north o the Mu Gia Pass reported that between 12
and 17 July 207 trucks or an average of some 35
per day moved toward Laos.
the past several weeks have shown only
a ew trucks per day moving toward Laos compared
with about 19 trucks per day during the recent dry
season. It is probable that the 207 trucks will
not move much beyond the Mu Gia Pass area in Laos.
Reports through mid-July indi-
cate that roads south of the Route 23/911 junction
were flooded and bomb cratered. Truck traffic was
reported as possible only to the Bang Fai River
about 15 miles south of the Mu Gia Pass.
3. Supplies reaching the Bang Fai River are
apparently being unloaded at this point and stock-
piled. Thus it appears that these supplies are not
intended for immediate movement to South Vietnam.
Some of these supplies may be intended for Commu-
nist forces in the Laotian panhandle. Reports
indicate
that during the past two weeks an average of 12
boats a day, one third of which are usually carry-
ing rice, moved west on the river toward Mahaxay.
Previously, only a few trucks a week had moved west
on Route 128/12 which parallels the river. The
road was recently reported to be in poor condition.
21 July 1967
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