Intelligence Summary
(Operation TRIDENT, OpOrder 227-65 dtd 270600-271800)
- Summary of Enemy Activity
- Ground Activity
(1) Company A – Estimated one to two snipers fired several rounds. Freshly dug trenches found and destroyed on Hill 11 (BT 436161). No man traps, booby traps or mines encountered. Four new fighting positions vic (BT 432159). All were well hidden.
(2) Company B
(a) Size – One VC and seven VCS (6 males and 1 female).
(b) Activity – VC was sniping, and VCS were acting as civilians, except for one male who was hiding in brush.
(c) Location – VC picked up vic (BT 437153), VCS scattered throughout patrol area.
(d) Unit unknown
(e) Time – VC 271345H, VCS between 270820H and 271400H.
(3) Company C
(a) Anticipated enemy strength at the objective was one squad of a local platoon employing sniper fire and harassing activities.
(b) Actual enemy strength is unknown. The only contact was occasional harassing fire. The following evidence of enemy activity was observed:
(1). BT 418138 – A VC Flag and propaganda were discovered buried behind a house. Flag was of paper (deteriorated).
(2) BT 419135 – Four old fighting holes on a path.
(3) BT 421135 – Found what is believed to be a VC supply point. Items found: 500 pounds of rice, 300 pounds of corn, 50 pounds of sweet potatoes, 46 eating bowls, a carefully wrapped blank notebook, uniform of plain Khaki, and a pair of black pajamas. House belonged to DANG THUONG and NGUYEN XANG.
(4) BT 421135 – Discovered three VCS hiding in locked temple. Two of them were DANG THUONG and NGUYEN XANG.
(5) BT 419137 – Old, one-man fighting holes along path. About one meter square, 1½ meters deep.
(6) BT 417155 – A trench line running along a ridgeline. About 100 meters long, ½ meter wide and 1 meter deep. Had positions for machine guns with punji pits in front of them.
(7) BT 432135 – A long row of nine old, uncovered punji traps were located on a trail.
(8) BT 426138 – Signs denouncing Americans were found.
(9) BT 430139 – A line of fighting holes and bomb shelters.
(10) BT 432122 – Two camouflaged fighting holes, which appeared to be old, adjacent to rice paddies and mud flats.
(11) BT 433145 – Nail traps and spider holes were located on and along a trail leading north to a schoolhouse.
(12) BT 433145 – Schoolhouse had a good deal of writing on the south wall. A PF indicated it was written by VC. A trench had been constructed along two sides of the school. One was 15 meters long, the other 10 meters. About 1 meter deep.
(13) BT 426 – A trench running east and west, 65 meters long, one meter deep.
- Counterintelligence.
(1) Political meetings are held on Koa Xuan Island at unannounced times during hours of darkness. The VC gathers the people in groups of 40 or 50 and conducts the meetings. Last meeting was one month to 10 days ago.
(a) Elders Group – age 55 yrs and older.
(b) Farmer Group – age 35 – 55 yrs.
(c) Youth Group – age 18 – 35 yrs.
(d) Children’s Group – age 11 – 17 (male and female)
(e) Mother’s Group – age 35 – 55 yrs.
(f) Sister’s Group – age 18 – 35 yrs.
(2) VC Taxes range from 20 Ps to 1200 P’s. VO TOT is reported as tax collector and VC Hamlet Chief of Hoa Xuan (BT 425159), Age: about 45.
(3) Harvest on the Island for the last two years has been bad. The people have a short food supply. The VC have taxed the people by taking rice.
(4) Bui Van Khuong, age 16 reports the VC help the people to rebuild the Hamlet after an ARVN or Marine attack.
(5) There is one schoolteacher operating on the Island. His name is HUYNH ANH.
(6) About 100 VC were reported in Hoa Xuan 15 days ago (F/6).
- Personnel and equipment losses.
- Personnel: 1-VC KIA
- 35 VCS were interrogated in the field. 10 of these were sent to the Chu Lai Collection Point and it was determined that 6 of the 10 were VCC.
- Equipment captured: 1 – ChiCom 7.65 Mossin Nagant Carbon Model 53, Ser. No. D 7667
1 – Grenade M-26
7 – rounds of 7.62 ammunition
- New Identifications.
- VC Captured
(1) HUYNH VOI; age 60, Hoa Xuan, Ky Chanh, Ly Tin, Quang Tin*
(2) VO LUOC; age 35, same as above
(3) DANG VAN NHI; age 36, same as above
(4) NGUYEN TE: age 51, Phu Vinh, Ky Chanh, Ly Tin, Quang Tin
(5) VO NGUYEN: age 33, same as above
(6) VO TINH; age 61, Dong Thanh, Ky Chanh, Ly Tin Quang Tin
* On blacklist
- New VC Political Personalities
(1) VO TOT: VC Cadre: tax collector, VC Hamlet Chief, Hoa Xuan, Ky Chanh, Ly Tin, Quang Tin
(2) VO LO-N: VC Cadre: collects taxes. Same as above
(3) HUYNH LONG: VC Cadre; farmers group leader. Same as above
(4) HUYNH NGOC ANH; elder sisters’ group and Woman’s group leader. Same as above.
(5) GUT THI GIOI; elder sisters’ group and woman’s group leader. Same as above.
(6) TRAN PHO; Farmers Association Leader, Dong Thanh, Ky Chanh, Ly Tin, Quang Tin
(7) HUYNH DOAN; female, collects rice. Same as above
(8) BUI PHUC; autonomous cell member, finance, Phu Vinh, Ky Chanh, Ly Tin, Quang Tin
(9) NGUYEN CUONG THANH; autonomous cell member, security, same as above
(10) .——; VC guard leader of 30 year to 40-year-old age group
S-2 Comment: All names submitted by captured VC.
- Conclusion. The Hoa Xuan (BT 4315) area of Ky Chanh Village is primarily under VC domination. The VC rule by force and exist because no effective GVN agencies exist in the area. There has been a gradual trend to offer more information during interrogation on the part of the people of Hoa Xuan Island. Indications of VC unpopularity were found during interrogation, but the terrorist capability of the VC holds the people in check.
Until positive measures on, ————
If occupation and rehabilitation are undertaken by GVN and/or USMC, this area has no alternative but to follow the power of the VC.
This page last corrected 18 September 2011