6 November to 6 December 1996....

FM CDR JTF-FA HONOLULU HI//J3//

SUBJ/DETAILED REPORT OF INVESTIGATION OF CASE 0489//
REF: CDR JTF-FA, HONOLULU, HI, 161700Z JAN 97

1. THIS IS THE SUMMARY REPORT OF THE 43RD JOINT FIELD ACTIVITY (JFA) CONDUCTED IN VIETNAM FROM 6 NOVEMBER TO 6 DECEMBER 1996.

2. SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION.

A. ON 27 NOVEMBER 1996, INVESTIGATION ELEMENT ONE (IE1) INVESTIGATED CASE 0489 IN NGHE AN PROVINCE.

B. THIS CASE INVOLVES THE 8 OCTOBER 1966 LOSS OF AN A-1H AIRCRAFT DURING AN ARMED RECONNAISSANCE MISSION OVER NORTHERN VIETNAM, RESULTING IN ONE UNACCOUNTED-FOR INDIVIDUAL.

C. ON 27 NOVEMBER 1996, IEJ. TRAVELED TO NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN,PROVINCE AND INTERVIEWED TWO WITNESSES WITH POSSIBLE INFORMATION CONCERNING CASE 0489. WITNESS ONE LED IE1 TO A CRASH SITE; lE1 SURVEYED THE SITE AND RECEIVED NUMEROUS PIECES OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE.

D. IE1 DID NOT RECOVER OR RECEIVE ANY REMAINS WHILE INVESTIGATING CASE 0489.

E. RECOMMENDATION: EXCAVATE.

3. DETAILS OF INVESTIGATION.

A. PURPOSE:

(1) LOCATE FOR INTERVIEW FQPMER MEMBERS OF BATTALION 15, 280TH PEGIMENT (ACCOMPLISHED; SEE PARA 3H, BELOW).

(2) CANVASS.BU LAN (BU LAANX) HAMLET, NGHIA.PHU (NGI{IAX PHUS) VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT FOR VILLAGERS WITH INFORMATION PERTAINING TO CASE 0489 (ACCOMPLISHED; SEE PARA 3D, BELOW).

B. ON 25 NOVEMBER 1996, THE JOINT U.S./SRV INVESTIGATION TEAM ARRIVED IN VINH (VINI{J) CITY, NGHE AN PROVINCE, TO INVESTIGATE TWO CASES.

C. TEAM COMPOSITION.

(1) U.S. CONTINGENT.

MAJ Blacked out TEAM LEADER
MSGT Blacked out ASSISTANT TEAM LEADER
TSGT Blacked out TEAM MEMBER
SSG Blacked out TEAM MEMBER
SSGT Blacked out TEAM MEMBER
CTI Blacked out TEAM MEMBER 4.,
SFC Blacked out TEAM MEDIC

(2) VIETNAMESE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CONTINGENT.

LE THANH TUNG (LEE THANH TUNGF) TEAM LEADER
LE XUAN TINH (LEE XUAAN TINHJ) TEAM MEMBER
NGUYEN BA DU (NGUYEENX BAS DU) TEAM MEMBER
TRAN DANG THAO (TRAANF DDAWNG THAOR) TEAM MEMBER
DAO DUC TIEN (DDAOF DDWCS TIEENS) TEAM MEMBER

(3) NGHE AN PROVINCE TASK TEAM.

LUONG ANH LAP (LWOWNG ANH LAAPJ) TEAM LEADER
HOANG DUC CUONG (HOANG DDWCS CWOWNG) TEAM MEMBER
NGUYEN MI~H LAM (NGUYEENX MINH LAAM) TEAM MEMBER
NGO SI HAU .(NGOO SIX HAAUJ) TEAM MEMBER

(4) NGHIA DAN DISTRICT TASK TEAM.

TRAM LOI (TRAANF LOWIJ) TEAM LEADER
VI KIM BUNG (VIX KIM BWNGS) TEAM MEMBER

(5) NGHIA PHU VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVE. -

PHAM QUANG TOA2N (PHAMJ QUANG TOANR) VILLAGE CHAIRMAN
TRUONG NIIEI TRI (TRWOWNG NHW TRIJ) VILLAGE VICE CHAIRMAN
LE VAN TUY (LEE VAWN TUY) VILLAGE SECURITY

D. ON 26 NOVEMBER 1996, THE JOINT TEAM MET WITH THE PROVINCE TASK TEAM IN THE HUU NGHI (HWUX NGHIJ) HOTEL IN VINH CITY, NGHE AN PROVINCE TO DISCUSS THE TEAMS INVESTIGATION PLANNING AND STRATEGY. THE PROVINCE TASK TEAM AND THE JOINT TEAM REVIEWED. THE INVESTIGATION REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH CASE AND ESTABLISHED AN INVESTIGATION SCHEDULE. THE PROVINCE TEAM MEMBERS TOLD IE1 THEY HAD COMPLETED ADVANCE REPARATIONS FOR CASE 0489.

E. ON 27 NOVEMBER 1996, THE JOINT TEAM TRAVELED TO NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE, AND MET WITH VILLAGE AND DISTRICT OFFICIALS AT THE NGHIA PHU VILLAGE. PEOPLES COMMITTEE OFFICE TO DISCUSS THE TEAMS INVESTIGATION OF CASE 0489 IN THE DISTRICT. IE1 INTERVIEWED TWO WITNESSES AND OBTAINED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

(1) WITNESS ONE:

(A) NAME: PHA1~T PHU (PHAAN PHUJ).

(B) AGE: 70 YOA.

(C) CURRENT RESIDENCE AND LENGTH OF TIME THERE:
NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE; LIFELONG RESIDENT.

(D) CURRENT OCCUPATION: RETIRED.

(E) RESIDENCE AT TIME OF INCIDENT: TEAM 7, 1ST OF MAY TREE FARM, NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE.

(F) OCCUPATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT: FARM WORKER.

(G) BACKGROUND INFORMATION: A JOINT TEAM HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY INTERVIEWED MR. PHU.

(H) STATEMENT:

((1)) AT 1430, ON AN UNRECALLED DATE IN 1966, MR. PHU WAS COLLECTING VINES FOR ROPE WHEN HE HEARD TWO SHOTS FIRED. HE LOOKED UP AND SAW AN AIRCRAFT ON FIRE FLYING FROM EAST TO WEST. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED 500 METERS SOUTHEAST OF WHERE HE WAS STANDING. MR. PHU STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS AN AD-6, BUT HE COULD NOT RECALL WHETHER THE AIRCRAFT WAS A JET OR A PROPELLER TYPE AIRCRAFT, WHAT KIND OF WINGS THE PLANE HAD, NOR IF IT HAD ONE OR TWO SEATS. MR. PHU THEN CLARIFIED THAT HE HEARD FROM LOCAL VILLAGERS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AN AD-6.

((2)) MR. PHU WENT TO THE SITE WITH TWO OTHER VILLAGERS. UPON ARRIVAL, HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT HAD PLUNGED INTO THE GROUND TO A DEPTH OF APPROXIMATELY FOUR TO FIVE METERS. THE COCKPIT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT VISIBLE. MR. PHU SAW A BURNING LEG FIVE METERS WEST OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE LATER CLARIFIED THAT IT WAS A PIECE OF BURNING FLESH AND NOT A LEG. HE STATED THE PILOT PROBABLY DIED DURING IMPACT AND WAS PROBABLY STILL IN THE AIRCRAFT. MR. PHU SAID THE VILLAGERS WHO WENT WITH HIM TO THE SITE WERE NOW DECEASED.

((3)) HE DID NOT KNOW WHICH UNIT SHOT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT, BUT STATED AN ARTILLERY UNIT HAD MOVED INTO THE AREA THE NIGHT PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. HE DID NOT KNOW THE LOCATION OF THE UNIT IN THE AREA NOR WHAT. KIND OF WEAPON SHOT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT.

((4)) MR. PHU HAD RETURNED TO THE SITE TWICE SINCE THE INCIDENT; THE LAST TIME WAS THE DAY PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW. HE WENT TO THE SITE IN ORDER TO FIND PIECES OF THE AIRCRAFT TO GIVE TO IE1. HE SAID ALL OF THE LARGE PIECES OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN SCAVENGED AND THE VILLAGERS HAD MADE THE PIECES INTO OTHER THINGS. HE THEN GAVE IE1 A SMALL PLASTIC BAG CONTAINING PIECES OF WRECKAGE HE HAD COLLECTED THE PREVIOUS DAY. MR. PHU KNEW OF NO ONE WITH REMAINS FROM THE INCIDENT LOCATION.

((5)) MR. PHU KNEW OF NO OTHER CRASH SITES, AMERICAN
REMAINS, OR BURIAL SITES. HE KNEW OF NO POW CAMPS OR POW TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE AREA. HE ALSO KNEW OF NO AMERICANS REMAINING IN VIETNAM AFTER 1975.

(2) WITNESS TWO:

(A) NAME: NGUYEN THANH .(NGUYEENX THANH)..

(B) AGE: 74 YOA.

(C) CURRENT RESIDENCE AND LENGTH OF TIME THERE: KHU LAI (KHU LAIS) HAMLET, NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE; LIFELONG RESIDENT.

(D) CURRENT OCCUPATION: RETIRED.

(E) RESIDENCE AT TIMEOF INCIDENT: SAME AS ABOVE.

(F) OCCUPATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT: RURAL ECONOMIC CADRE.

(G) BACKGROUND INFORMATION: A JOINT TEAM HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY INTERVIEWED MR.. THANH.

(H) STATEMENT:

((1)) ON A UNRECALLED DATE, MR. THANH SAW A BURNING
AIRCRAFT CRASH IN THE VICINITY OF NGHIA PHU VILLAGE. HE COULD NOT DESCRIBE THE AIRCRAFT OR THE INCIDENT LOCATION. MR. THANH COULD NOT RECALL ANY DETAILS ABOUT THE INCIDENT. LATER IN THE INTERVIEW, HE STATED HE HAD ONLY HEARD OF THE CRASH FROM LOCAL VILLAGERS.

((2)) MR. THANH STATED HE KNEW OF TWO ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN AROUND NGHIA PHU VILLAGE. HE SAID ONE WAS A DRONE, BUT HE DID NOT KNOW THE OTHER TYPE OF AIRCRAFT. DURING THE DRY SEASON ON AN UNRECALLED DATE, HE WAS FARMING AND SAW THE SECOND AIRCRAFT, ON FIRE, FLYING FROM THE DIRECTION OF ThE OCEAN INLAND. HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY TEN KILOMETERS AWAY, IN THE VICINITY OF PHU VINH (PHUS VINH) HAMLET, THANH KY (THANH KYS) VILLAGE, NHU XUAN DISTRICT, THANII HOA PROVINCE. MR. THANH SAW A PARACHUTE DEPLOY FROM THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO IMPACT. HE NEVER WENT TO THE SITE AND HAD NO OTHER DETAILS OF THE AIRCRAFT OR INCIDENT LOCATION.

((3)) MR. THANH KNEW OF NO OTHER CRASH SITES, AMERICAN REMAINS, OR BURIAL SITES. HE KNEW OF NO POW CAMPS OR POW TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE AREA. HE ALSO KNEW OF NO AMERICANS REMAINING IN VIETNAM AFTER 1975.

F. WITNESS ONE THEN LED IE1 TO THE ALLEGED CRASH SITE. THE TEAM DROVE APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES TO A NEARBY STREAM AND THEN PRQCEEDED ON FOOT. THE SITE WAS A 20 MINUTE WALK FROM THE STREAM (48Q WG 58301 43461) OVER ROLLING HILLS AND CULTIVATED FIELDS.

G. THE WITNESS POINTED TO THE AREA HE BELIEVED TO BE THE CRASH SITE (48Q WG 59210 43864). DURING IE1S INITIAL SITE SURVEY, A LOCAL VILLAGER INFORMED IE1 THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT CRASHED IN THAT EXACT LOCATION, BUT TEN METERS WEST. IE1 INTERVIEWED THE INDIVIDUAL AND OBTAINED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

(1) WITNESS THREE NAME: DO TAN HOA (DDOOX TAAN HOAS).

(2) AGE:. 39 YOA.

(3) CURRENT RESIDENCE AND LENGTH OF TIME THERE: HUU LOI (HWU LOI) HAMLET, NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE; LIFELONG RESIDENT.

(4) CURRENT OCCUPATION: FARM WORKER.

(5) RESIDENCE AT. TIME OF INCIDENT: SAME AS ABOVE.

(6) OCCUPATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT: STUDENT.

(7) BACKGROUND INFORMATION: A JOINT TEAM HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY INTERVIEWED MR.HOA.

(A) MR. HOA STATED THE ACTUAL CRASH SITE WAS TEN METERS
WEST OF WHERE MR. PHU INDICATED. HE POINTED TO A SMALL GROVE OF TREES AND SAID THE CRASH CRATER WAS IN THE GROVE; HOWEVER, THE GROVE HAD NOT BEEN THERE PRIOR TO THE CRASH AND THE AREA AROUND THE CRATER HAD NOT BEEN CULTIVATED SINCE THE INCIDENT DUE TO THE SIZE AND DEPTH OF THE HOLE. MR. HOA DID NOT WITNESS THE CRASH, BUT HAD DUG UP NUMEROUS SMALL PIECES OF WRECKAGE FROM THE CRATER.

(B) MR. HOA KNEW OF NO OTHER CRASH SITES, AMERICAN
REMAINS, OR BURIAL SITES. HE KNEW OF NO POW CAMPS OR POW TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE AREA. HE ALSO KNEW OF NO AMERICANS REMAINING IN THE AREA AFTER 1975.

H. ON 27 NOVEMBER 1996, THE VIETNAMESE OFFICE SEEKING MISSING PERSONS (VNOSMP) PROVIDED IE1 WITH A STATEMENT CONCERNING FORMER MEMBERS -OF THE 15TH BATTALION, 280TH REGIMENT. THE TRANSLATION IN ITS ENTIRETY FOLLOWS:

(BEGIN TRANSLATION)

INVESTIGATION TEAM 1
VIETNAMESE OFFICE SEEKING MISSING PERSONS
43RD ITERATION
CASE 0489
DATE: 22-111996

THE ADVANCE INVESTIGATION ELEMENT OF INVESTIGATION TEAM 1 OF THE 43RD ITERATION HAS WORKED AT NGHIA LAM (NGHIAX LAAM) VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE.

I. MEMBERS CONSISTED OF:

LE XUAN TINH: CENTRAL MIA TEAM
NGO SY HAU: NGHE AN PROVINCE TEAM
VI KIM BUNG: NGHIA DAN DISTRICT CADRE
PHAN THANH NGHI (PHAN THANH NGHIJ): NGHIA LAM VILLAGE CHAIRMAN.

II. THE TEAM MET WITH MR. LOC XUAN THANH (LOOCJ XUAAN THA.NHF), 56 YEARS OLD, DA HAMLET. HE WAS THE VILLAGE CHAIRMAN FROM 1965 TO 1973. CURRENTLY HE IS COMMITTEES PARTY SECRETARY. HE CONFIRMED THAT BU LAN (BU LAANX) WAS A TERRITORY OF NGHIA LAM VILLAGE DURING ,THE TIME OF THE WAR. HE DID NOT HAVE AIRCRAFT CRASHES, CAPTURED PILOTS, OR DEAD PILOTS BURIED AT THE VILLAGE. ALL THE MEMBERS CONFIRMED THE ABOVE CONTENTS TO BE TRUE.

4. MATERIAL EVIDENCE:

A. MATERIAL EVIDENCE RETAINED BY JTF-FA:

(1) TWO 20 MM ROUNDS WITH THE FOLLOWING MARKINGS: 20MM M97. 1 53 PDM75 KOP 48953.

(2) ONE .38 MM CASING WITH THE FOLLOWING MARKINGS: .38 SPL REM UMC.

(3) ONE FUSE CAP WITH THE FOLLOWING MARKINGS: 3/2 3AG 1A 25 OV.

(4) ONE METAL CAP WITH THE FOLLOWING MARKINGS: C22780802 CTS 221.

(5) ONE PIECE OF POSSIBLE INSTRUMENT PANEL WITH THE FOLLOWING MARKINGS: BRT, NON-FL*, INST.

(6) ONE POSSIBLE. FUSE WITH THE FOLLOWING MARKINGS: *E IN U.S.*.

(7) ONE POSSIBLE FLIGHT SUIT SNAP WITH THE FOLLOWING
MARKINGS: DOT DOT.

(8) ONE POSSIBLE METAL FASTENER WITH THE FOLLOWING MARKINGS:
RAV* CO. PROV. R.I.

(9) ONE UNKNOWN PIECE OF SCRAP METAL WITH THE FOLLOWING
MAI?XINGS: CLOSED.

(10) ONE UNKNOWN COMPOSITE MATERIAL WITH THE FOLLOWING
MARKINGS: MICAM BROOKLYN * Y PAT. NO. 1973**.

(11) ONE POSSIBLE SWITCH WITH THE FOLLOWING MARKINGS:
AN32203.

(12) TEN PIECES OF POSSIBLE COCKPIT GLASS.

(13) FIVE PIECES OF CLOTH MATERIAL.

(14) ONE POSSIBLE FASTENER FOR PERSONAL EQUIPMENT.

(15) VARIOUS PIECES OF WIRE WITH THE FOLLOWING MARKINGS:
A39X2**, A2**RN43**20, **53V2**.

B. MATERIAL EVIDENCE PHOTOGRAPHED AND LEFT IN PLACE: NONE.

C. REMAINS: NONE.

5. SITE SURVEY RESULTS: ON 27 NOVEMBER 1996, IE1 SURVEYED ONE POSSIBLE CRASH SITE ASSOCIATED WITH CASE 0489.

A. PROJECT LOCATION.

(1) VICINITY OF GRID COORDINATE 48Q WG 59157 43808.

(2) MAP DATA: MAP NAME - NGHIA HUNG, MAP NO. - 6047 I, MAP SERIES L7014, PRINTED 1967.

B. OUTSTANDING FEATURES: INCIDENT SITE IS ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF A 300 BY 200 METER, FLAT, DRY.RICE FIELD.. A STREAM RUNS NORTH TO SOUTH 20 METERS WEST OF THE SITE. A LARGE HILL IS 100 METERS EAST OF THE SITE AND A SMALL RIDGE IS SOUTHWEST OF THE SITE.

C. TERRAIN: ROLLING HILLS.

D. SOIL CONDITIONS: HARD PACKED SOIL.

E. VEGETATION: CULTIVATED DRY RICE FIELDS.

F. METHOD OF.SEARCH: IE1 CONDUCTED A SURFACE SEARCH OF A 50 BY 50 METER AREA OF THE SITE. IE1 ALSO RAN A METAL DETECTOR OVER THE CRASH CRATER AND 20 METERS AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE CRATER. THE TEAM THEN DUG TWO TEST PITS IN THE CRATER AND TWO ADDITIONAL TEST PITS AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE CRATER. THE METAL DETECTOR SCAN YIELDED SEVERAL CONTACT POINTS, BUT THE TEST PITS DUG IN THESE AREAS
YIELDED NOTHING TO A DEPTH OF ONE FOOT.

G. HAZARDS: THERE ARE TWO LARGE HORNET COLONIES LOcATED IN TREES SURROUNDING THE CRATER.

H. RESULTS:

(1) REMAINS SEEN: NONE.

(2) IDENTIFICATION MEDIA SEEN: NONE.

(3) PERSONAL EFFECTS SEEN: NONE.

(4) AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE SEEN: SEE PARA 4.

I. LOGISTICS: A STANDARD SIZE RECOVERY ELEMENT WITH STANDARD EQUIPMENT CAN EXCAVATE THIS SITE IN 20 TO 25 DAYS. THE RECOVERY ELEMENT. SHOULD BRING EXTRA TARPS DUE TO THE LACK OF SHADE IN THE AREA. WET SCREENING MAY BE AVAILABLE AT THE SITE WITH THE SMALL STREAM 20 METERS SOUTHWEST OF THE SITE AND A LARGER STREAM APPROXIMATELY 200 METERS WEST OF THE SITE. A TEAM MAY NEED TO TAKE EXTRA LONG HOSES AND SANDBAGS TO DAM STREAMS IF WET SCREENING IS REQUIRED. THE SITE IS A TWO HOUR DRIVE FROM VINH CITY, A 20 MINUTE DRIVE FROM NGHIA PHU VILLAGE AND A 20 MINUTE WALK FROM THE LARGE STREAM. THE SITE WAS IN A LARGE OPEN FIELD WITH VARIOUS PLACES FOR A LANDING ZONE. THE LOCAL OFFICIALS NFORMED IE1 THAT THERE IS A DISTRICT GUEST HOUSE, NHA DAN (NHAF DDAN), 20 KILOMETERS EAST OF THE SITE. NUMEROUS BASE CAMP SITES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE SITE, BUT COORDINATION WITH THE DISTRICT WILL BE REQUIRED.

6. PERTINENT LOCATION OR DATA CHANGES: NONE.

7. AREAS OR CASE FILE INFORMATION NOT INVESTIGATED: NONE.

8. ANALYST COMMENTS:

A. WITNESS STATEMENTS:

(1) WITNESS ONE: THE WITNESS PROVIDED HIS INFORMATION IN A STRAIGHTFORWARD MANNER.

(2) WITNESS TWO: THE WITNESS WAS VERY OLD AND APPEARED TO PROVIDE HEARSAY INFORMATION. HE WAS UNSURE ABOUT ALL DATES AND DETAILS. WITNESS TWO WAS NOT CREDIBLE.

(3) WITNESS THREE: THE WITNESS PROVIDED HIS INFORMATION IN A STRAIGHTFORWARD MANNER.

B. CANVASSING RESULTS: NONE.

C. INCIDENT LOCATION SURVEY: NONE.

D. ANALYTICAL CONCLUSION:

(1) WITNESS ONE PROVIDED INFORMATION THAT POSSIBLY
CORRELATES TO CASE 0489 BASED ON APPROXIMATE DATE, GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AIRCRAFT (AD6), AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS. THE MATERIAL EVIDENCE IE1 RECEIVED, SITE SURVEY RESULTS, AND WITNESS ONES AND WITNESS THREES STATEMENTS INDICATE THAT .AN AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT THE SURVEYED CRASH CRATER. SINCE WITNESS ONE OBSERVED FLESH AT THE SITE, THE PILOTS REMAINS ARE PROBABLY STILL AT THE CRASH SITE. NO ONE BURIED ANY REMAINS NOR SAW ANY OTHER REMAINS.

(2) WITNESS TWO PROVIDED INFORMATION CONCERNING A SECOND AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE IN THE AREA THAT POSSIBLY CORRELATES TO A VNAF A-1 OPERATIONAL LOSS AT GRID COORDINATE 48Q WG 524 563 ON 12 FEBRUARY 1967. A COMPUTER DATA BASE SEARCH OF A 15 KILOMETER AREA AROUND THANH KY VILLAGE, NHU XUAN DISTRICT, THANH HOA PROVINCE INDICATES THAT THE VNAF A-i AND THE CASE 0489 AIRCRAFT WERE THE ONLY AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN IN THAT AREA.

9. SEARCH AND RECOVERY SPECIALIST COMMENTS,: NONE.

10. TEAM LEADER COMMENTS:

A. WITNESS RELIABILITY:

(1) WITNESS ONE APPEARED CREDIBLE AND RELIABLE.

(2) WITNESS TWO PRESENTED HIS INFORMATION IN A VERY
DISJOINTED MANNER. HE APPEARED TO PROVIDE HEARSAY INFORMATION. ONLY. HE WAS NOT RELIABLE. HE HAD TOLD THE VNOSMP DURING ADVANCE WORK THAT HE HAD WITNESSED THE 0489 AIRCRAFT CRASH. DURING IE1S INTERVIEW HE COMMENTED THAT HE FIRST VISITED THE SITE WITH WITNESS ONE A FEW DAYS BEFORE OUR INVESTIGATION.

(3) WITNESS THREE APPEARED CREDIBLE. HE COMMENTED THAT MANY LOCAL OFFICIALS AND VILLAGERS HAD COME TO SCAVENGE THE CRASH CRATER FOR AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE.

B. ANALYTICAL CONCLUSIONS:

(1) THE IE1 SITE SURVEY YIELDED SMALL PIECES OF METAL AND POSSIBLE AIRCRAFT COCKPIT COMPONENTS. WITNESS ONE AND THREE PROVIDED ACCOUNTS THAT SUPPORT AN AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT THE IE1 SURVEY SITE.

WITNESS ONE PROVIDED INFORMATION THAT CORRELATES TO CASE 0489 BASED ON APPROXIMATE DATE, TIME, LOCATION, GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AIRCRAFT AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS.

(2) CONCUR WITH ANALYST.

C. HOST GOVERNMENT COOPERATION/SUPPORT: HOST GOVERNMENT COOPERATION WAS EXCELLENT WHILE INVESTIGATING THIS CASE. THE HOST GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS COMPLETED ALL OF THE ADVANCE WORK WHICH GREATLY ASSISTED IN THE SUCCESSFUL INVESTIGATION OF THIS CASE.

D. DETACHMENT COMMANDERS COMMENTS: NONE.

11. RECOMMENDATION: EXCAVATE.