AIRFIELD NA KOUANG LAOS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T01471R001500090001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 13, 2007
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 1, 1966
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/11/13: CIA-RDP80T01471 R001500090001-7
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K-7+21 NPIC/CSD-119/66
1 March 1966 25X1
PAGE j OF 3
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AIRFIELD
NA KOUANG, LAOS
1958N 10328E
1. SIGNIFICANCE:
THIS BRIEFING BOARD REVEALS NA KOUANG AIRFIELD WHILE IT IS UNDER
ATTACK BY COMMUNIST FORCES.
2. LOCATION:
NA KOUANG AIRFIELD IS LOCATED 4.5 NM NORTH OF NA KOUANG, 0.5 NM
SOUTHWEST OF NA KHANG, AND APPROXIMATELY 35 NM NORTH-NORTHEAST OF THE
PLAINS DES JARRES.
3. COLLATERAL:
COLLATERAL OF 16-18 FEBRUARY 1966 REPORTS THAT THE NA KOUANG AIRFIELD
AND THE SMALL VILLAGE OF NA KHANG WERE LOST TO PATHET LAO AND/OR NORTH
VIETNAMESE (PAVN) TROOPS ON 18 FEBRUARY 1966.
THE BATTLE FOR THE AIRFIELD STARTED DURING THE NIGHT OF 16-17
FEBRUARY, WHEN ENEMY FORCES ATTACKED AND CAPTURED A FRIENDLY LAO POSITION
SIX KM SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRFIELD AND THEN CONTINUED TO PRESS FORWARD
TO WITHIN ONE KM OF NA KHANG. DURING THE MORNING HOURS OF THE 17TH, THE
ENEMY FORCES FIRED MORTARS INTO THE VICINITY OF THE AIRFIELD.
AUTO DEFENSE DE CHOC (ADC) AND LAO ARMED FORCES (FAR) TROOPS
REACTED WITH 105 MM AND 75 MM HOWITZERS, BUT THE ATTACKING FORCES RETAINED
THE HIGH GROUND SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRFIELD. AIR STRIKES WERE THEN CONDUCTED
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 particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid
only for the reporting period as indicated by the date of issue.
GROUP i
Excluded from automatic
downgrading and
declassification
Pt GIhrIffIAI
Approved For Release 2007/11/13: CIA-RDP80TO1471 R001500090001-7
 Approved For Release 2007/11/13: CIA-RDP80TO1471 R001500090001-7
K-7421
NPIC/CSD-11966
1 March 1966
PAGE 2 OF 3
COPY
AGAINST THEIR POSITIONS ON THE HIGH GROUND AND THEY WERE SUCCESSFULLY
DRIVEN BACK. AFTER THE INITIAL ATTACK ON NA KHANG, THE VILLAGERS LEFT
THE AREA AND STARTED WALKING IN THE DIRECTION OF MUONG HIEM (2007N 10321E).
ON AT O OO HOURS, COMMUNIST FORCES LAUNCHED ANOTHE25X1
ATTACK AGAINST LAO POSITIONS NEAR THE AIRFIELD. THE ENEMY TROOPS CAME
IN FROM THE SOUTH, SOUTHEAST, AND THROUGH THE VILLAGE OF NA KHANG. BY
NOON, THE ATTACKERS HAD BEEN DRIVEN BACK TO THE HILLS SOUTHEAST OF THE
AIRSTRIP. AIR STRIKES WERE CALLED IN TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND TO COVER
THE LAO TROOPS AS THEY WITHDREW FROM THE AIRFIELD. THE DEFENDERS MOVED
BACK TO THE HILLS NORTHWEST OF THE AIRFIELD, AND FROM THAT POSITION
FIRED 3.5 INCH PHOSPHORUS ROCKETS INTO THE GRASS COVERED AREAS AROUND
THE AIRFIELD WHERE SOME ENEMY FORCES WERE THOUGHT TO BE HIDING. THE
WIND CHANGED DIRECTION, HOWEVER, AND THE SMOKE AND FLAMES FORCED SOME
LAO POSITIONS TO WITHDRAW FURTHER BACK FROM THE AIRFIELD. ON THE NIGHT
OF THE 18TH THE LAO FORCES REPORTEDLY HELD A POSITION TWO KMS NORTHWEST
OF NA KHANG.
DURING THE BATTLE FOR THE NA KOUANG AIRFIELD, THE ENEMY FORCES
WERE TENTATIVELY IDENTIFIED AS NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY TROOPS (PAVN).
ONE REPORTED PAVN SOLDIER WAS CAPTURED.
4. MISSION READOUT:
PHOTOGRAPHY OF
REVEALS THE 25X1
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 particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid
only for the reporting period as indicated by the date of issue.
MNAUNTIA1
Approved For Release 2007/11/13: CIA-RDP80TO1471 R001500090001-7
 Approved For Release 2007/11/13: CIA-RDP80T01471 R001500090001-7
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K-7421
NPIC/CSD-11966
1 March 1966 25X1
PAGE 3 OF 3
COPY
DAMAGED AND DESTROYED BUILDINGS (NOT ALL ANNOTATED ON GRAPHIC). THREE
DESTROYED LIAISON AIRCRAFT ARE OBSERVED, AND TWO LIAISON AIRCRAFT
(ONE NOT DEPICTED ON GRAPHIC) ARE FLYING NEAR THE AIRFIELD. LARGE
QUANTITIES OF OPEN STORED MATERIALS AND POL DRUMS ARE NOTED. NUMEROUS
PERSONNEL ARE LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST END OF THE RUNWAY.
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 particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid
only for the reporting period as indicated by the date of issue.
C1 FUWNT1A!
Approved For Release 2007/11/13: CIA-RDP80TO1471 R001500090001-7
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Approved For Release 2007/11/13: CIA-RDP80TO1471 R001500090001-7
NPIC/CSD-119/66
1 March 1966
PREPARED BY: NPIC/CSD
DISTRIBUTION:
COPY 1 - DIRECTOR, NPIC
2 - CHIEF, REF/CSD/BB UNIT
3 - CHIEF, RAS/CSD
4,5 - DIA (COL.
6 - TCO/ARMY
7 - TCO/NAVY
8 - IAD
10 - NSB/RB/CSD
9 - PAG ( ATT
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 particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid
only for the reporting period as indicated by the dote of issue.
25X1
Approved For Release 2007/11/13: CIA-RDP80T01471 R001500090001-7
 19-58N 103-28E;
Approved For Release 2007/11/13: CIA-RDP80TO1471 R001500090001-7
Approved For Release 2007/11/13: CIA-RDP80TO1471 R001500090001-7
;AIRFIELD,
NA KOUANG,. LAOS