ENEMY TAKE-OVER AT MUONG SOUI (LIMA SITE 108) PLAINE DES JARRES, NORTHERN LAOS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-01074R000300580001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 16, 1969
• Content Type: PHOTO

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19-31N 102-53E
NATIONAL PNOT091APNIC OITERPRETATRIN CENT~I
ENEMY TAKE-OVER AT MUONG SOUK [LIMA SITE 108)
PLAINE DES JARRES; NORTHERN LAOS
.25X1
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25X1
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ATTACHMENT TO M-7044
16 JULY lg6g
PAGE 1 OF 3
ENEMY TAKE-OVER AT MUONG SOUI (LIMA SITE 108)
PLAINS DES JARRES, NORTHERN LAOS
l9_~lN 102-5~E
MOUNG SOUI WAS THE MAIN NEUTRALIST (PRO GOVERNMENT) BASE IN NORTHERN
DURING THE LAST WEEK OF JUNE 1969.
2. LOCATION:
ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE PLAINS DES JARRES ON ROUTE 7~4 IN NORTHERN
LAOS. MOUNG SOUI IS APPROX. 55 NM SOUTHEAST OF LUANG PRABANG.
3. BACKGROUND:
THE COMMUNISTS HAD MADE CLAIMS EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT THEY WOULD ATTACK
MOUNG SOUI IN MARCH OR APRIL, BUT GEN. YANG PAD'S PLAINS DES JARRES OFFENSIVE
WHICH BEGAN IlV LATE MARCH DISRUPTED THEIR PLANS AND FORCED A POSTPONEMENT OF THE
ATTACK.
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 boards (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, Imagery Exploitation
Group NPIC.
GROUP I:EXCLUDEDFROM
AUTOMATIC DOWNGRADING
AND OEC LASSI FICATION
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16 July 1969
PAGE 2 OF 3
4. MISSION READOUT:
REVEALS A 5600' x 110' AIRSTRIP, ADJACENT
STRONGPOINTS AND VILLAGE AREAS. NO AIRCRAFT ARE OBSERVED.
LAYED VIA COMPASS LINK SHOWS TWO RUSSIAN-
BUILT PT-76 TANKS LOCATED WITHIN THE PERIMETER OF THE MAIlV STRONGPOINT. FOUR
TANKS REPORTEDLY WERE DESTROYED. TWO PROBABLE U.S. M-34 TRUCKS ARE NEARBY. (INSET 1)
RELAYED VIA COMPASS LIlVK SHOWS THE 25X1
MAIN PORTION OF THE SUPPORT BUILDIlVGS AND CONSIDERABLE MATERIEL IlV FLAMES. (IlVSET 2)
5. REMARKS:
ON 24 JUNE AN ESTIMATED TWO TO THREE COMMUNIST BATTALIONS SUPPORTED BY
TANKS AND MORTARS ATTACKED MUONG SOUI (LIMA SITE 108). THE ENEMY ADVANCED AS FAR AS
THE AIRFIELD, AND AT ONE POINT IN THE FIGHTING APPROXIMATELY 200 OF THE ENEMY
OCCUPIED THE AIRSTRIP. BY MID. AFTERNOON PRO-OVERNMENT TROOPS, AIDED BY TACTICAL
AIR STRIKES, HAD RETAKEN THE FIELD AND HAD FORCED THE ENEMY TO PULL BACK TO THE
SOUTHEAST. BY EARLY EVENIlVG THE FIGHT IlVG HAD DECREASED TO SNIPER HARASSMENT BY THE.
ENEMY AND SCATTERED SMALL ARMS CLASHES. DURIlVG THE NIGHT OF THE 24TH OF JUNE FOUR
AC-47 GUNSHIPS ASSISTED IlV THE DEFENSE OF MUONG SOUI AS PRO GOVERNMENT FORCES
REPULSED TWO MINOR ENEMY PROBES. THE FIGHTING REMAINED LIGHT ON THE 25TH AND 26TH
WITH INTERMITTENT SHELLING AND SMALL ARMS CLASHES THROUGHOUT THE AREA. THE
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 boards (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, Imagery Exploitation
Group NPIC.
SECRET
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP83-010748000300580001-4
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP83-010748000300580001-4
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(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
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16 JULY lg6g
PAGE 3 OF 3
COMMUNISTS LAUNCHED ANOTHER TANK-SUPPORTED INFANTRY ATTACK IN THE EARLY MORNIlVG OF
THE 27TH. AGAIN THE FRIENDLY FORCES, SUPPORTED BY AIRSTRIKES, REPELLED THE ENEMY'S
ADVANCE . W1'I'H THE COMMUNISTS VIRTUALLY SURROUTVDING MUONG SOUI AND ONLY ABOUT 500
PRO-GOVERNMENT DEFENDERS LEFT, A MEETING OF HIGH RANKING MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS WAS HELD AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO EVACUATE ALL PRO-GOVERNMENT FORCES.
THE EVACUATION REPORTEDLY BEGAN AT 1430 HOURS ON THE 27TH.
ON 1 JULY 1,500-2,000 PRO-GOVERNMENT TROOPS UNDER THE COMMAND OF GEN.
VANG PAO BEGAN A COUNTEROFFENSIVE TO RETAKE MUONG SOUI. THE GOVERNMENT TROOPS
ENCOUNTERED ONLY LIGHT RESISTANCE IN THEIR INITIAL CLEARING ACTION NEAR THE ROUTE
713 ROAD JUNCTION SOME 40 MILES WEST OF MUONG SOUI. THE COMMUNISTS APPEAR TO BE
REGROUPIlVG IlV ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THEIR DEFETdSE AT MUONG SOUI WHERE LARGE NUMBERS
OF NORTH VIETNAMESE AND PATHET LAO TROOPS ARE REPORTEDLY DUG IlV. THE GOVERNMENT'S
EFFORT TO RETAKE MUONG SOUI HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY AIRSTRIKES AS WEATHER PERMITS.
MAP REFERENCE: AMS SERIES L7012, SHEET 5568 I
AMS SERIES JOG 1501, SHEET NE 48-1
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work. Their use
should be rest-icted to the particular briefirrd boards (s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only for the re?
porting period as indicated M the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Imagery Exploitation
Group NPIC.
SECRET
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP83-010748000300580001-4