REPAIR ACTIVITY VINH AIRFIELD, NORTH VIETNAM

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
5
Document Creation Date: 
December 28, 2016
Document Release Date: 
February 18, 2009
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
December 3, 1968
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2.pdf1.09 MB
Body: 
Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2 NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER REPAIR ACTIVITY VINH AIRFIELD, NORTH VIETNAM 18-44N 105-40E VHF F COMMUNICATIONS Illil- -',E^l 1112&ArKITY Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2 SECRET (c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER REPAIR ACTIVITY VINH AIRFIELD, NORTH VIETNAM 1844N 10540E ATTACHMENT TO M-5119 3 DECEMBER 1;63 PAGE 1 1. SIGNIFICANCE: THIS BRIEFING BOARD DEPICTS NEW RAPAIR ACTIVITY AT VINH AIRFIELD, SUBSEQUENT TO THE BOMBING CESSATION OF 1 NOVEMBER 1968. 2. LOCATION: 3. BACKGROUND: VINH AIRFIELD WAS FIRST STRUCK IN MAY 1965. NO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE AIRFIELD WAS MADE UNTIL JANUARY 1968. WITH THE REPAIR OF THE NATURAL SURFACE STRIP PARALLELING THE RUNWAY, THE NORTH VIETNAMESE FOR A LIMITED TIME, HAD A FIGHTER RECOVERY BASE IN THE VICINITY OF THE DMZ. DURING THIS TIME SEVERAL MIG FIGHTERS WERE DEPLOYED TO VINH AIRFIELD. AIRSTRIKES IN EARLY APRIL 1968 HOWEVER, RESULTED IN HEAVY DAMAGE AND WERE FOLLOWED BY A LACK OF SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY UNTIL JULY 1968. IN JULY THE NORTH VIETNAMESE BEGAN TO REPAIR SOME OF THE CRATERS ON THE PARALLEL STRIP BUT NO ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO MAKE THE ENTIRE STRIP SERVICEABLE. 4. MISSION READOUT: ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE APPROXIMATE 6700 x 120 FT. NATURAL SURFACE STRIP 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 re- porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral Support Division, NPIC. GROUP 1 f.c l?d.d.4 SECRET Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2 SECRET REFERENCE: A'T' AOdi.TEJIT TO ^.?-5119 25X1 3 DECEMBER 1.968 PAGE 2 ACTIVITY ON THE NATURAL SURFACE STRIP PARALLELING THE RUNWAY, FOLLOWING THE BOMBING HALT OF 1 NOVEMBER 1968. AT LEAST EIGHTEEN CRATERS HAVE BEEN FILLED AND APPARENTLY ROLLED OR SCRAPED (NOT ALL REPAIRED CRATERS ARE SHOWN ON GRAPdIC). FOUR CRATERS ARE APPARENTLY BEING FILLED. (NOT `SHOWN ON GRAPHIC) EIGHT CRATERS AT THE NORTH END OF THE NATURAL SURFACE STRIP ARE PARTIALLY FILLED, BUT THEIR STATUS IS THE SAME AS REPORTED IN JULY 1968. TWO TRT:CKS AND THREE TENTS ARE OBSERVED ON AND NEAR THE STRIP. EARTH :'ROM THE OLD AIRCRAFT REVETMENTS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY IS APPARENTLY BEING USED TO FILL THE CRATERS ON THE PARALLEL STRIF. (NOT SHOWN ON GRAPHIC) THE MAIN RUNWAY REMAINS UNSERVICEA3LE. APPROXIMATELY 3,500 FT AT THE SOUTH END OF THE PARALLEL STRIP IS SERVICEABLE. NEWLY IDENTIFIED MOBILE VID COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT IS OBSERVED IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF VINH AIRFIELD AT UTM WF700730. THE EQUIPMENT CONSISTS O',' A VAN TRUCK WITH A DISCONE ANTENNA, NORMALLY USED .N AIR-TO-GROUND COMMUNICA- TIONS AND A SINGLE AXLE CENERAIOR. 5. REMARKS: APPARENTLY THE NORTH VIETNAMESE HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE 1 NOVEMBER BOMBING HALT TO RENEW THEIR EFFORTS TO REPAIR VINH AIRFIELD. THE NEWLY IDENTIFIED MOBILE VHF COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT WHICH HAS BEEN MOVED INTO THE IMMEDIATE AREA WOULD PROVIDE AIR-TO-GROUND COMMUNICATIONS FOR VINH AIRFIELD 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 re- porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral Support Division, NPIC. SECRET Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2 SECRET ATTACHMENT TO M-5119 25X1 3 DECEMBER 1968 PAGE 3 AND POSSIBLY INDICATES THE EARLY DEPLOYMENT OF AIRCRAFT TO THIS AIRFIELD. MAP REFERENCE: AMS SERIES L7014 SHEET 6146 III 1:50,000 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 re- porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral Support Division, NPIC. SECRET Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2 5119 /63 NPIC CONTROL NUMBER REPRODUCTION OF THIS DOC- UMENT IN WHOLE OR IN PART IS PROHIBITED EXCEPT WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE OFFICE OF ORIGIN. NATIONAL SUBSTANTIVE BRIEFING AIDS COLLECTION 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2009/02/18: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100020001-2