SITUATION IN VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: September 29, 2011
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: December 8, 1972
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29
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T t s ~r ~ THAT- EL E.NTS of 1 LTA D IVIS Y
LIVE UEPL 1 O~ ^.OF T=HEIR IDUI T AIN BASE S S Q 'ANG NAtI
PRO INCE INT_O- THE QUE SON 'tF 1 X. THE GVN,HAS AN INFANTRY-
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REG3 E ,;, A RANGER BATTALIONAlm 1EARITORIAL FORCES It THE
AREA T 0?BE T PUNY. ?
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29 LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
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 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
IN THE CENL U w n4UM-1twuO
0 -7
EEING SUPPLEMENTED AND REHOSIT IONED AS THE CORPS :COMMANDER CON-
TINUES HIS EFFORT TO -EXPAND GVN CONTROL IN THAT AREA. SOUTHWEST
(F DUC CO,. THE 22ND RECON COMPANY WAS. FORCED TO EVACUATE ITS
POSITION FOLLOWING AN ENEMY ATTACK. THE UNIT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY
EXTRACTED FROM THE AREA.
ENEMY-INITIATED ACTIVITY IN MILITARY REGION 3 CONTINUED? AT A
SLIGHTLY INCREASED : LEVEL. IN B INH TUY PROVINCE, AN ENEMY COt -.
PANY ENTERED A -HAMLET AND ENGAGED TERRITORIAL .FORCES. AFTER ,A
FIVE- HOUR BATTLE, . THE HAMLET WAS CLEARED OF ENEMY TROOPS.
THE OVERALL LEVEL OF ACTIVITY IN MILITARY REGION 4 REMAINED
ABOUT THE SAME WITH CONCENTRATIONS, OF ENEMY ACTIVITY SHIFTING
.TO . THE SEVEN MOSNT AIMS `AREA OF CHAU DOC PROVINCE.
TODAY, .333 U. S. TACTICAL AIR SORTIES..WERE FLOWN, 51 OF WHICH
HIT.. TARGETU IN NORTH VIETNAM. IN` ADDITION? 30 B-52 STRIKES
WERE FLOWN OVER NORTH VIETNAM.
MILITARY REGION I
IN NORTHERN MILITARY REGION 10. ENEMY FORCES ARE USING~NDIRECT
WP-"5#454 -8,, $3.13, I8;3 5-:58s. .
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YESTERDAY ~ SOUTH VIETNAMESE MARINE POSIT IONS. NO TH I
*Omar" 4W OFQUANG TRI CITY EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN NVA IN-
DIRECT FIRE. MARINE ELEMENTS WEST OF THE VINH DINH
CANAL REPULSED, AN ENEMY ATTACK, BUT GROUND FIGHTING
GENERALLY REMAINED AT A LOW LEVEL IN THE MARINE AREA.
ELEMENTS OF THE I Sr AIRBORNE BRIGADE NEAR THET.HACH HAN
RIVER MADE GOAD PROGRESS YESTERDAY DESPITE AN INCREASE
IN ENEMY INDIRECT FIRE.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8 -
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
THE 2ND AIRBORN RIUADE Ax N1tt. burrulu om Hmrm- 1it9D
THE 7TH RANBER..GROUP AT FIRE SUPPORT BASE BARBARA CON-
TINUED TO EXPAND THEIR AREA OF OPERATION-
MILITARY . REGION 2
SOUTHWEST OF VO DINH, A BATTALION OF THE ARVN 53RD REGIMENT CON-.
TINUED. TO, OPERATE WITH NO CONTACT REPORTED. 'THERE IS ,NO ADDI-
TIONAL INFORMAT-ION ON THE. STATUS OF THE TWO BATTALIONS OF THE
ARVN 44TH: REGIMENT WHICH WITHDREW IN SOME DISORDER FROM PO.SIT.IONS
NEAR VO DINH. AN ESTIMATED 200 MEN ARE STILL UNACCOUNTED. FOR.
FOLLOWING A VISIT BY THE II CORPS COMMANDER TO THE
TACTICAL COMMAND POST AT T HANH AN YESTERDAY, FOUR
175-MM,GUNS WERE MOVED TO THE AREA. AND FOUR. 153-M(
HOWITZERS WERE MOVED TO THE FIRE,SUPPORT BASE WEST
OF THANH G1AO. ADD-ITIONALLY, A RANGER. BATTALION WAS.
MOVED TO A LOCATION2 KILOMETERS WEST OF THANK SIAO
AAA. A CAVALRY SQUADRON. WAS MOVED TO THANH `CIAO . AS
REINFORCEMENTS.
TERRITORIAL FORCES REPORTED FAVORABLE. RESULTS FROM
CONTACTS IN BINH:DINH AND BINH.TKUAN PROVINCES. THERE
HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN ENEMY., ACTIVITY RECENTLY IN
BINH THUAN PROVINCE.
MILITARY REG ON 3
SCATTERED INDIRECT FIRE AND ISOLATED GROUND ATTACKS ACCOUNTED
FOR MOST OF THE SLIGHTLY INCREASED LEVEL OF ENEMY ACTIVITY
YESTERDAY.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
-- 3 Vw urC sill j utw 4YWd.t9UL 1N 111L ANLA Ur.. NUUKM L AULCii
S TES-NORTH OF SAIGON. A SECOND ARVN BATTALION WAS
DEPLOYED TO THAT AREA LATE YESTERDAY,. AND A .T-WO"
BATTALION OPERATION IS BEING CONDUCTED SOUTHEAST OF
LAITHIEU TODAY..
MILITARY- REGION 4
GOVERNMENT FORCES IN THE SEVEN MOUNTAINS AREA OF CHAU. DOC PROV-
INCE RECEIVED NINE INDIRECT FIRE. ATTACKS YESTERDAY WH CH CAUSED
MODERATE CASUALTIES.
IN PHONE DINH PROVINCE, TWO
RURAL FORCE COMPANIES HAVE
BEEN-IN SPORADIC CONTACT FOR TWO DAYS WITH AN ESTIMATED
100 :ENEMY TROOPS. .. A BATTALION OF THE ARVN 21ST DIVISION
WAS AIRLIFTED INTO AN,AREA .NEAR THE CONTACT LATE YESTER-
DAY AFTERNOON. CASUALTIES IN THE FIGHTING THUS FAR HIWE
BEEN MODERATE.
THE:OPERATION.TO CLEAR THE MARKET PLACE-'.IN KIEN GI.ANG
PR._OVI NCE, WHICH WAS * OCCUPIED BY AN ENEMY FORCE YESTERDAY,
1$. PROGRESSING SLOWLY AS A RURAL FORCE BATTALION IS MEET-
ISG ENEMY RESISTANCE.
? No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
018144U. DEC 12
T _HE V HTt E HOUSE 97
ZEM
T ti`: P .E C,:R E SEMSIT IV'E CONTAINS CODEWOR
W14844 -FINAL SECT ION OF TWO
w S . A-IR AND: NAVAL ACT IV IT
T HE FOLLOW IN3; AIR SORTIES WERE FLOWN:- TODAY
~IR-1. N MR- S MR 4 _ M N TOTAL -
T ACA IR ` Ch S, i29 5;g 72. 51, ; 33
TACAIR VNAF- 41, .53 55 37. 149
R-52 5 6 2' 104
IAV AND 3 IN LAO%
HERE WERE 3. SORTIES OVER CAMBOD
YESTERDAY THE FOLLOWING-16 S, TACTICAL AIR STRIKES WERE FLOWN.
OVER .NORTH V IET.NAM:
RPr I ` .. RP-2 RP-3. R!-4. RP-5-` RP-6A RP66II OFFSHORE TOTAL
0 0' 0 51
4 i 5 2 ? 0
THERE WERE NO SORTIES FLOWN. NORTH OF. THE 20TH PARALLEL..
MW
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
 AOL
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
TACT ICAL AIR: OPERATIONS
USAF, USMC, AND USN TACT ICAL. AIRCRAFT - FLEW.51- SORTIES. USAF
`F;111 AIRCRAFT FLYING NIGHT: MISSIONS STRUCK TARGETS IN THE LOWER
PANHANDLE THAT. INCLUDED INTERDICTION POINTS TRUCK PARKS, AND A
POL STORAGE AREA. STRIKE RESULTS WERE NOT OBSERVED. NAVY AIR-
CRAFT STRUCK POL STORAGE AREASN SUPPLY STORAGE AREAS,. AND TRANS-
SHIPMENT PO INT S IN THE CENTRAL PANHANDLES -WEATHER PRECLUDED THE
OBSERVATION OF RESULTS. USAF, USPIC, AND USN AIRCRAFT STRUCK
INTERDICTION POINTS AND TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY AND. DESTROYED
OR DAMAGED THREE TRUCKS. AIRCREWS ALSO REPORTED THREE SUSTAINS
.FIRES. USAF TACT ICAL RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT FLEW TWO .SORTIES
OVER NORTH V IET NAMM
THE NORTH VIETNAMESE TANKER TRAM GIANG MAY HAVE DEPARTED HAIPHONC
HARBOR.. SHE IS A CONVERTED LST WITH A LIGHT- LOAD -DRAFT OF ABOUT
10 FEET AND CO ULD HAVE I. EF'T DURING HIGH TIDE, THUS AVOIDING THE
MINEFIELDS. IN ADD IT IO1,, THERE. ARE.: INDICATIONS THE NORTH. VIET-
NAMESE MERCHANTMAN V IET BAO IS PREPARING TO DEPART. VIET BAO
HAS A LIGHT-LOAD DRAFT OF ABOUT 15 FEET AND MAKICGLALSO EXIT
DURING HIGH TIDE WITHOUT USING THE SHIP CHANNEL. TRAM':GTANG" S
DEPARTUR E WOULD BRING- TO. THREE THE NUMBER OF SMALL NORTH VIET-
NAMESE SHIPS KNOWN TO HAVE LEFT- HAIPHONG HARBOR RECENTLY.
RAIL RE:PAIR.? AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY OF DECEMBER 2 SHOWS THAT THE
NORTH. VIETNAMESE HAVE NOW COMPLETED WORK ON THE RAIL BYPASS
BR IDGE OVER THE RED RIVER AT HANOI. CONSTRUCTION OF THIS
BR IDGE, . A COMBINAT ION OF FIXED SPANS AND PONTOON SECTIONS,
BEGAN IN EARLY NOVEMBER, SHORTLY AFTER: THE PARTIAL U. S. BOMB-
ING. HALT, THE NEWLY COMPLETED STRUCTURE REPLACES A SMALL*
CAPACITY RAIL FERRY, AND IT TOO IS A TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT
FOR THE HEAVILY DAMAGED :PAUL DOUMER BRIDG-E.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
 THE SAME No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8
VEHICLES IN RECENT MONTHS UST NORTHEAST OF HANOI. MORE THAN
450 VEHICLES WERE BACKED UP ON ROADS LEADING TO VARIOUS BRIDGES.
AND BYPASSES. THIS TRAFFIC CORROBORATES OTHER INDICATIONS. OF
HEAVY SHIPMENTS THROUGH THIS AREA.
CAMBODIA
ROME 4 BETWEEN PHNOM. PENH AND THE PORT OF -:KOMPONG SON IS CLOSED
AGAIN, AFTER KMER COMMUNISTS OCCUPIED A SHORT SEGMENT OF THE
HIGHWAY ABOUT TEN MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE-TOWN OF KOMPONG. SPEU
ON DECEMBER 6. ALL TRAFFIC HAS BEEN SUSPENDED-.PENDING 'GOVERN-
MENT EFFORTS TO CLEAR THE HIGH=GROUND POSITIONS OVERLOOKING THE,
ROAD. IN PHNOM PENH! COMMUNIST FROGMEN USING AN EXPLOSIVE DE-
V ICE HEAV ILY DAMAGED A CARGO SHIP: ON .DECEMBER 7.. AND CAUSED
SEVERAL CASUALTIES. THE SHIP SANK,BUT IT IS NOT EXPECTED TO
HAMPER OTHER. SHIPPING.
LAOS
IRREGULAR- [7 NITS MOVED INTO PAKSONG ON THE.BO.LOVENS PLATEAU ON
DECEMBER 5. AND QUICKLY SECURED IT AGAINST LIGHT ENEMY RESISTANCE.
THESE FORCES PRESUMABLY WILL SOON ATTEMPT TO LINK UP WITH OTHER
GOVERNMENT BATTAL IONS THAT HAVE :.BEG.UN TO ADVANCE ALONG ROUTE 23.
was ro coMn-,0*4 d4L a,frvrAA,
PAK SONG, AN `IMPOR. TANT . ROAD. JUNCTION, /2- 5#3 :9..34:S") :3,534
FOR THE BOLOVENS AREA UNTIL IT WAS- FIRST CAPTURED. BY THE COM-
MUNISTS IN MAY 1971. THE GOVERNMENT CAN BE EXPECTED TO MAKE A
STRONG EFFORT TD HOLD IT IS EXPECTATION OF A CEASE- FIRE.
IN THE CENTRAL PANHANDLE, GOVERNMENT TROOPS ARE STILL TRYING
TO OUST SMALL. ENEMY UNITS FROM BUNKERS IN MUONG PHALANE. OTHER
IRREGULAR TROOPS ATTEMPTING TO. CLEAR HAMLETS IN THE SURROUNDING
AREA CLASHED SHARPLY WITH ELEMENTS OF THE NORTH VIETNAMESE.29TH
INDEPENDENT REGIMENT.
#4449
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/09/29: LOC-HAK-546-21-13-8