KEY FACILITIES IN THE HANOI AREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01720R000400090059-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 13, 2004
• Sequence Number: 59
• Publication Date: October 2, 1972
• Content Type: MF

SCTA
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.G. 20505
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
MEMORANDUM FOR: Dr. Henry A. Kissinger
Special Assistant to the President
for National Security Affairs
SUBJECT Key Facilities in the Hanoi Area
1. In connection with General Haig's recent request, I asked our
Imagery Analysis Service (IAS) -- on a very close hold basis -- to
survey sixteen selected key installations in the Hanoi area with the
object of determining what "major civilian facilities" (e.g. , hospitals
and schools) were located in immediate proximity (defined arbitrarily
as 200 yards for installations in the heart of metropolitan Hanoi and 500
yards for installations located in outlying areas).
2. Attached hereto is a table/spread-sheet (Attachment 1) and a
set of photographs (Attachment 2) which present the findings of this
survey. In forwarding this material to me, my IAS colleagues made the
following comments.
"The selected installations and major facilities
within the specified distances were analyzed on recent
aerial photography. The aerial photography was used
to identify the general function of the installations and
nearby civilian facilities and government offices. In
some cases we could identify the specific function of an
installation or facility solely from aerial photography,
i.e., radio communications stations, waterworks and
electric power plant. We used collateral material
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including maps, ground photography and information
reports to indicate a more specific function of some of
the other installations and nearby facilities. It should
be emphasized that it is impossible to determine or
confirm the specific function or use of many of the
installations and facilities from aerial photography.
"The attached table contains the information derived
from collateral material and our analysis of the selected
installations and nearby major facilities which is annotated
on the attached photo enlargements (Figures 1 through 16).
3. We did not even request a survey on one potentially lucrative
target -- the Hanoi Television Antenna and Probable Transmitter Site at
WJ883250 on Pho Quan Su Street -- because it is directly across the street
from the Ha Lo Prison, where the bulk of U.S. POWs are believed to be
held. We also did not call for a survey on National Police Headquarters
(WJ88912490) because it is known to be located in a very heavily built
up area.
4. Because of the need to mask the real purpose of this exercise,
we did not request surveys on facilities such as the following,
(a) Ministry of Foreign Trade (WJ89692465)
(b) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (WJ87402595)
(c) Ministry of Communications and Transport
(WJ89692465)
(d) Prime Minister's Residence (WJ87122652)
(e) Residence Office of the President (WJ87122634)
The first three ((a) through (c)) are also in heavily built up areas. The
last two (d) and (e) may merit some consideration. They obviously have
symbolic value and, more to the point, both are sited in relative isolation
in the middle of the botanical gardens.
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5. Our sixteen site survey is submitted for your information and
consideration, not as a package of target recommendations. Some of the
information in this study, in fact, would argue against picking some of
the surveyed installations. Lao Dong Party Headquarters, (WJ88252460),
for example, is not only in a built up area but is within 100 yards of a
hospital. The Government Communications Office is surrounded by the
staff living quarters and embassies of Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia,
with the embassy compound of the USSR nearby. .
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George A. Carver, Jr.
Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs
Attachments
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
Imagery Analysis Service
IAS/RSD 549/72
2 October 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR: Special Assistant for Vietnamese Affairs, DCI
25X1 ATTENTION
THROUGH . Chief, Exploitation Branch, Reconnaissance Group, IRS
SUBJECT Annotated Photo Enlargements of Selected Installations in
the Hanoi Area
REFERENCES (a) Requirement No. C-DC2-87,522 (27 September 1972)
(b) CIA/IAS Project No. 052409
1. This memorandum is in response to your request that we provide
annotated photo enlargements of 17 selected installations in the Hanoi
area. We were also requested to identify and annotate on the prints all
major civilian facilities within 200 yards of the selected installations
located in the metropolitan Hanoi area. The study ai,~a was to be expanded
out to 500 yards from the installations located in outlying areas of Hanoi.
2. The selected installations and major facilities within the specified
distances were analyzed on recent aerial photography. The aerial photography
was used to identify the general function of the installations and nearby
civilian facilities and government offices. In some cases we could identify
the specific function of an installation or facility solely from aerial
photography, i.e. radio communications stations, waterworks and electric
power plant. We used collateral material including maps, ground photography
and information reports to indicate a more specific function of some of the
other installations and nearby facilities. It should be emphasized that
it is impossible to determine or confirm the specific function or use of
many of the installations and facilities from aerial photography.
3. The attached table contains the information derived from collateral
material and our analysis of the selected installations and nearby major
facilities which is annotated on the attached photo enlargements (Figures
1 through 17).
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 SECRET
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SUBJECT: Annotated Photo Enlargements of Selected Installations in the
Hanoi Area
4. The following maps were used in this study:
Series, DIA TACCTA, Sheet, Hanoi Area (CONFIDENTIAL)
Series, AMS L909, Edition 3, Sheet, Hanoi (UNCLASSIFIED)
Series, AMS L903, Edition 2, Sheet, Hanoi (UNCLASSIFIED)
Series, CIA 58977 6-68, Sheet, Hanoi (UNCLASSIFIED)
Series, SIRA Map No. 537, June 1964, Sheet, Hanoi (SECRET)
Series, AMS L7014, Edition 2, Sheet 6150-1, Sheets 6151-1, 2, 3
(UNCLASSIFIED)
5. If you have any questions, please call
This project is complete.
Chie , Ikegional Studies Division
Imagery Analysis Service
Attachments:
1 Table
17 Annotated photo enlargements (3 copies of each)
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee
1 - IRS/Recce/E
1 - DIR/IAS
1 - IAS/RSD
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Although potentially one of the most lucrative targets
in Hanoi, the Hanoi Television Antenna and Probable Trans-
mitter Site at WJ883250 on Phb Quan. Su was rejected because
it is across the street from the Ha Lo Prison, where the
bulk of the American POW's are believed to be held.
The Lao Dong Communist Party Headquarters at WJ88252460
was also rejected due to being in a built-up area and within
100 yards of a hospital. The Government Communications Office
is surrounded by the embassies and quarters of Poland, Hungary
and Czechoslovakia, with the embassy compound of the U.S.S.R.
nearby.
The following potential targets were rejected because
their destruction would not cause confusion or affect tF^e
outcome of the war:
(a)
Ministry of Foreign Trade (WJ89692465)
(b)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(WJ87402595)
(c)
Ministry of Communications and Transport
.
(WJ89692465)
(d)
Prime Minister's Residence
(WJ87122652)
(e)
Residence Office of the President (WJ87122634)
The. National Police Headquarters at WJ88912490 was re-
jected due to its being in a built-up area, while the location
of the Secret Police Headquarters for Hanoi according to one
report is'located at WJ88352445, but the area has previously
been identified as the Ministry of Water Conservation.
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