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08/25/
SUBJ/DETAILED REPORT OF EXCAVATION OF CASE 0489
1. SUMMARY REPORT OF 51ST JOINT FIELD ACTIVITY
(JFA) CONDUCTED IN SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM (SRV) FROM 23 JUNE THROUGH 24 JULY 1998.
2. SUMMARY OF EXCAVATION.
A. CASE 0489: FROM 26 JUNE THROUGH 4 JULY 1998, DURING THE 51ST JFA, RECOVERY ELEMENT ONE (RE1) BEGAN THE EXCAVATION
OF AN AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE BELIEVED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH CASE 0489 IN NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE, SOCIALIST REPUBLIC
OF VIETNAM (SRV). RE1
OPENED THREE OUT OF 12 5 X 5-METER GRID UNITS. THE TEAM CLOSED NONE OF THE GRID UNITS. RE1 RECOVERED
NUMEROUS PIECES OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND TWO PIECES OF LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT. THE TEAM ANTHROPOLOGIST, IN CONSULTATION WITH
THE TEAM LEADER, SUSPENDED THE EXCAVATION ON 4 JULY 1998 DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER AND THE BEGINNING OF THE RAINY SEASON IN
NGHE AN PROVINCE. THE SITE IS NOT CLOSED AND REMAINS OPEN. RE1 DID NOT RECOVER OR RECEIVE ANY REMAINS, OR PERSONAL EFFECTS.
THIS PROJECT AREA IS RECOMMENDED FOR FURTHER EXCAVATION DURING THE DRY SEASON, ON EITHER THE 53RD OR 54TH JFAS.
B.
TEAM COMPOSITION:
(1) U.S. CONTINGENT:
CPT NAME BLACKED OUT TEAM LEADER
SFC NAME BLACKED OUT
TEAM SERGEANT
DR. NAME BLACKED OUT TEAM ANTHROPOLOGIST
SSG NAME BLACKED OUT ANALYST! LINGUIST
SSG NAME
BLACKED OUT MORTUARY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
SSG NAME BLACKED OUT MORTUARY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
SPC NAME BLACKED OUT
MORTUARY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
TSGT NAME BLACKED OUT TEAM MEDIC
GYSGT NAME BLACKED OUT EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL
TECHNICIAN
PRC NAME BLACKED OUT LIFE SUPPORT TECHNICIAN
RMCS NAME BLACKED OUT COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
MSG
NAME BLACKED OUT TEAM PHOTOGRAPHER
(2) VIETNAMESE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CONTINGENT:
COL LE KY (LEE
KYR)TEAM LEADER/MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
MR. DAO TAM CHAU (DAOF TAAM CHAAU) TEAM MEMBER
MR. NGUYEN DUC THANG
(DWCS THAWNGS) TEAM MEMBER
MR. NGUYEN TAM SON (TAM SOWN) TEAM MEMBER
MR. TRAN THANH MINH (TRAANF THANH
MINH) TEAM MEMBER
(3) NGI-IE AN PROVINCE TASK TEAM:
MR. NGO SI HAU (NGOC SIX HAAUJ) TEAM LEADER
MR. HCANG DUC CUCNG (HOANGF DWCS CWCNGF) TEAM MEMBER
MR. TRAN CONG (TRAANF CCONG) TEAM MEMBER
MR.
TRAN VAN PHUC (TRAANF VAWN PHUCS) TEAM MEMBER
MR. VO VAN THAO (VOX VAWN THAO) TEAM MEMBER
(4) NGHIA
DAN DISTRICT TASK TEAM:
MR. HO CONG SON (HOOF COONG SOWN) TEAM MEMBER
MR. LE NGOC SANG (LEE NGOCJ SANG)
TEAM MEMBER
MR. VI VAN DINH (VI VAWN DINHJ) TEAM MEMBER
(5) NGHIA PHU VILLAGE TASK TEAM:
MR.
LE VAN TRUNG (LEE VAWN TRUNG) TEAM MEMBER
MR. PHAM QUANG TOAN (PHAMJ QUANG TOANR) TEAM MEMBER
3. BACKGROUND.
A. THIS CASE INVOLVES THE 8 OCTOBER 1966 LOSS OF A-1H AIRCRAFT ON AN ARMED RECONNAISSANCE MISSION RESULTING IN ONE
UNACCOUNTED-FOR AMERICAN.
B. ON 26 OCTOBER 1993, 1E2 INVESTIGATED CASE 0489 IN XUAN BINH VILLAGE, NHU XUAN DISTRICT,
THANH HOA PROVINCE. 1E2 SURVEYED THE INCIDENT LOCATION FOR CASE 0489. THE TEAM RECOVERED NO REMAINS, PERSONAL EFFECTS, AND
DID NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF A CRASH SITE IN THE AREA (REF B).
C. ON 1 NOVEMBER 1995, THE PROVINCE TASK TEAM INFORMED
INVESTIGATION ELEMENT ONE (IE1) THAT THEY HAD CANVASSED BO LAN (BOO LAAN) HAMLET, XUAN THAI (XUAANS THAIR) VILLAGE AND THANH
KY (THANH KYS) VILLAGE WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. THE PROVINCE TASK TEAM AND THE VNOSMP TEAM MEMBERS GAVE IE1 A REPORT OF THEIR
CANVASSING EFFORTS. IE1 DID NOT RECOVER OR RECEIVE ANY REMAINS OR MATERIAL EVIDENCE WHILE NVESTIGATING THIS CASE (REF C).
D. ON 27 NOVEMBER 1996; IE1 TRAVELED TO NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE, AND INTERVIEWED
THREE WITNESSES WITH POSSIBLE INFORMATION CONCERNING CASE 0489. TWO OF THE WITNESSES LED TEl TO AN ALLEGED CRASH SITE. TEl
SURVEYED THE SITE AND RECEIVED NUMEROUS PIECES OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE. TEl DID NOT RECOVER OR RECEIVE ANY REMAINS WHILE INVESTIGATING
CASE 0489 (REF D).
4. PROJECT LOCATION.
A. VICINITY OF NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN
PROVINCE, SRV.
B. GRID COORDINATE: THE PROJECT AREA IS AT 48Q WG 59492 44009, AS DETERMINED BY A GLOBAL POSITIONING
SYSTEM (GPS) RECEIVER TRACKING FIVE SATELLITES ON THE INDIAN SPECIAL DATUM.
RMKS/
C. MAP: NAME: PHONG
BAT; SHEET: 6147 IV ; EDITION: 2AMS; SERIES: L7014; SCALE: 1:50,000; HORIZONTAL DATUM: INDIAN DATUM 1960.
5. DESCRIPTION
OF PROJECT AREA.
A. THE PROJECT AREA ASSOCIATED WITH CASE 0489 IS LOCATED IN A CULTIVATED PEANUT FIELD. TO ACCESS
THE SITE, THE TEAM TRAVELED BY VEHICLE FOR TWO HOURS AND THIRTY MINUTES NORTH AND WEST OF VINH. THE SITE IS BORDERED ON THE
NORTH, SOUTH, AND EAST BY RECENTLY PLANTED CORNFIELDS AND ON THE WEST BY THREE BOMB CRATERS. SURROUNDING THE SITE ON ALL FOUR
SIDES ARE CULTIVATED HILLS OF RICE, CORN, AND PEANUTS.
B. THE SOIL OF THE PROJECT AREA CONSISTS OF A RICH BROWN
HUMUS LAYER OF APPROXIMATELY 20 CENTIMETERS FOLLOWED BY A 25 CENTIMETER LAYER OF REDDISH/BROWN SOIL MIXED WITH SMALL GRAVEL.
BENEATH THIS LAYER IS A REDDISH BROWN SHALE BASE OF VARIOUS DEPTHS.
6. FIELD METHODS.
A. UPON ARRIVAL
AT THE SITE, THE TEAM RE-INTERVIEWED TWO PRIMARY WITNESSES THAT AN IE INTERVIEWED DURING THE 43RD JFA. BOTH WITNESSES HEARD
FIRING FROM A LOCAL ANTI-AIRCRAFT UNIT AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT STRAIGHT DOWN (90 DEGREES) INTO THE GROUND, EXPLODE AND
CATCH FIRE, CREATING AN IMPACT CRATER RANGING IN DEPTH FROM THREE TO FIVE METERS AND APPROXIMATELY 20 METERS IN CIRCUMFERENCE.
BOTH WITNESSES ALSO RECOUNT THAT A LEFT HUMAN FOREARM WITH A WATCH WAS RECOVERED BY A MEMBER OF THE ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY
UNIT. THEY DO NOT KNOW THE DISPOSITION OF THESE REMAINS. BOTH HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY OTHER HUMAN REMAINS OR PERSONAL EFFECTS
BEING RECOVERED DURING LOCAL SCAVENGING OPERATIONS OF THE SITE. EACH WITNESS WAS ASKED TO PLACE A WOODEN STAKE WHERE THEY
BELIEVE THE CENTER OF THE IMPACT CRATER WAS
LOCATED.
B. RE1 EXCAVATED THE SITE USING STANDARD ARCHAEOLOGICAL
PROCEDURES. SINCE THE LOCAL INDIGENOUS POPULATION EXTENSIVELY SCAVENGED THE IMPACT CRATERAND BACK FILLED IT WITH THE DIRT
FROM THE SURROUNDING AREA, THE TEAM OBSERVED NO APPARENT SURFACE DISTRIBUTION OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE OR A NOTICEABLE IMPACT
CRATER. THE TEAM EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL (EOD) TECHNICIAN CONDUCTED METAL DETECTOR SWEEPS FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 METERS
AROUND THE IMPACT CRATER. THE TEAM PINFLAGGED ALL METAL DETECTOR SIGNALS.
C. BASED ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF METAL
DETECTOR SIGNALS, THE APPROXIMATE SIZE DXMENSIONS OF AN A-i SERIES AIRCRAFT, AND WITNESS INFORMATION, THE TEAM PLACED A 20
X 15-METER ARCHAEOLOGICAL GRID AROUND THE IDENTIFIED IMPACT CRATER AND GRIDDED IT INTO 12 5 X 5 METER GRID UNITS. THE TEAM
ANTHROPOLOGIST DESIGNATED THE PROJECT DATUM TO BE N500/E500, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF
THE GRID WITH
A GC OF 48Q WG 59492 44009.
D. RE1 EXCAVATED ALL GRID UNITS WITH PICKS, SHOVELS, AND TROWELS. VIETNAMESE WORKERS
TRANSPORTED THE FILL TO A DRY SCREENING AREA WHERE VIETNAMESE WORKERS SCREENED ALL FILL THROUGH A ONE-QUARTER INCH WIRE MESH
UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF AMERICAN TEAM MEMBERS, WHO EXAMINED THE SCREENS FOR PHYSICAL AND MATERIAL EVIDENCE. RE1 COLOR-
CODED
ALL GRID UNITS AND SCREENS TO MAINTAIN PROVENIENCE.
E. RE1 RETAINED ALL MATERIAL EVIDENCE AND POSSIBLE AIRCREW
AND COCKPIT RELATED EQUIPMENT IN ZIP-LOCK BAGS LABELED BY CASE NUMBER, GRID UNIT, AND DATE RECOVERED FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS
BY THE JTF-FA LIFE-SUPPORT SECTION AT CAMP SMITH, HAWAII.
F. THE TEAM PHOTOGRAPHED THE SITE BEFORE, DURING AND
AFTER THE EXCAVATION.
7. ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS.
A. RE1 DID NOT RECOVER OR RECEIVE ANY HUMAN REMAINS
OR PERSONAL EFFECTS.
B. RE1 RECOVERED NUMEROUS PIECES OF SMALL UNIDENTIFIABLE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND FRAGMENTS OF
LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT AT A DEPTH OF APPROXIMATELY 40 ENTIMETERS BELOW THE GROUND SURFACE.
C. PRELIMINARY FIELD
ASSESSMENT BY THE TEAM LIFE-SUPPORT TECHNICIAN OF THE MATERIAL EVIDENCE RECOVERED BY THE TEAM DOES NOT PROVIDE CORRELATION
TO AN A-i SERIES AIRCRAFT OR IF THERE WAS ANYONE IN THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.
8. MATERIAL EVIDENCE:
A. THE TEAM RECOVERED THE FOLLOWING PIECES OF LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT ITEMS:
(1) ZIPPER CHAIN APPROXIMATELY
3 INCHES LONG (POSSIBLY FROM SV1 VEST).
(2) TWO SNAPS
(3) NUMEROUS PIECES OF CANOPY PLASTIC.
(4) BLACK NYLON MATERIAL POSSIBLY FROM COCKPIT.
(5) SMALL PIECE OF YELLOW LIFERAFT OR PRESERVER MATERIAL.
(6) 1-INCH BLACK BLOCK WITH FOLLOWING MARKINGS (MADE IN USA).
B. THE TEAM RECEIVED TWO UNIDENTIFIABLE
PIECES OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE FROM WITNESS TWO, WHICH THE TEAM PHOTOGRAPHED AND LEFT IN-PLACE AT THE SITE. THE SMALLER AIRCRAFT
PIECE HAD THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION STAMPED ON IT: 20 FRANCE.
9. LIFE SUPPORT ANALYST COMMENTS. PRELIMINARY FIELD
ANALYSIS OF THE RECOVERED LIFE SUPPORT ITEMS IS INCONCLUSIVE TO ESTABLISH WHETHER ANYONE WAS ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME
OF IMPACT. PRELIMINARY FIELD ANALYSIS OF THE RECOVERED AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE IS INCONCLUSIVE TO
ESTABLISH THE SERIES OF AIRCRAFT.
10. ANALYST/LINGUIST COMMENTS.
A. ON 25 JUNE 1998, RE1 INTERVIEWED TWO WITNESSES CONCERNiNG THE ALLEGED
CRASH SITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CASE. THE WITNESSES PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
(1) WITNESS ONE:
(A) NAME: MR. PHAN PHU (PHAN PHUJ).
(B) AGE: 72 YOA.
(C) CURRENT RESIDENCE AND LENGTH OF TIME THERE:
TEAM 7 (000IJ 7), 1ST OF MAY TREE FARM, NGHIA PHU VILLAGE (XAX NGHIAX PHUJ), NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE; LIFELONG
RESIDENT.
(D) CURRENT OCCUPATION: RETIRED.
(E) RESIDENCE AT TIME OF INCIDENT: SAME AS ABOVE.
(F) OCCUPATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT: FARMER.
(G) BACKGROUND INFORMATION: A JOINT TEAM INTERVIEWED MR. PHU DURING
THE 43RD JFA (REF D).
(H) STATEMENT:
((1)) ON AN UNRECALLED DATE DURING THE WAR, MR. PHU
WAS GATHERING
VINES FOR ROPE ON A NEARBY HILL TO THE NORTH OF THE VILLAGE AREA WHEN HE WITNESSED AN AIRCRAFT CRASH. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN
FLYING IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION WHEN HE HEARD TWO SHOTS FROM THE WEST AND WITNESSED THE AIRCRAFT CRASH SOUTH OF HIM. AT
THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, HE WAS NOT CERTAIN OF THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT, BUT LATER HEARD THE LOCALS IDENTIFY IT AS AN AD-6, WHICH
HE RECALLED WAS
A PROPELLER-TYPE AIRCRAFT THAT DID NOT CARRY BOMBS, BUT HIT TARGETS WITH ITS GUNS. MR. PHU COULD NOT
REMEMBER THE COLOR OF THE AIRCRAFT.
((2)) THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED STRAIGHT INTO THE GROUND (90 DEGREES) BETWEEN 1000
AND 1100 HOURS ON THAT UNRECALLED DATE. MR. PHU ARRIVED ON THE SITE APPROXIMATELy 15 MINUTES AFTER THE INCIDENT AND NOTICED
THE COCKPIT WAS BURIED IN THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY FOUR TO FIVE METERS AND THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS STICKING IN THE AIR.
THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT HAD FOLDED THE WINGS OF THE AIRCRAFT ALONG ITS SIDE. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT SEE ANY BOMBS AT THE SITE,
HE DID SEE TWO BOMB CRATERS WEST OF THE SITE AND MANY AMMUNITION ROUNDS SURROUNDING THE WRECKAGE. FIRE ALSO SURROUNDED THE
SITE AND A TRAIL OF FIRE APPROACHED THE IMPACT CRATER FROM SEVERAL METERS AWAY IN THE DIRECTION FLIGHT. MR. PHU DID NOT SEE
ANY PARACHUTE MATERIAL OR A PILOT HELMET AT THE SITE.
((3)) MEMBERS OF THE NGUYEN VIET XUAN (NGUYEENX VIEETS XUAAN)
AIR DEFENSE BATTALION WERE AT THE SITE WHEN HE ARRIVED. HE WITNESSED ONE MEMBER (NFl) LEAVE THE SITE WITH A SEVERED LEFT FOREARM
AND HAND. HE NOTICED A WATCH WAS STILL ON THE WRIST AND THE ARM HAIR WAS BLOND. MR. PHU DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
HAND, BUT PRESUMED THE REMAINDER OF THE PILOTS REMAINS WERE STILL IN THE COCKPIT, WHICH WAS BURIED IN THE GROUND. HE DID NOT
SEE ANY ADDITIONAL REMAINS AT THE SITE.
((4)) SEVERAL YEARS AFTER THE INCIDENT, MR. PHU SAID
LOCAL RESIDENTS
SCAVENGED THE SITE MANY TIMES, EVENTUALLY USING DIRT FROM THE IMMEDIATE AREA SURROUNDING THE IMPACT CRATER TO RESTORE THE
SITE. HE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE RECOVERING REMAINS OR PERSONAL EFFECTS FROM THE SITE. HE ALSO DOES NOT KNOW OF ANYONE CURRENTLY
HOLDING WRECKAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SITE NOR DOES HE REMEMBER ANYONE SPECIFICALLY WHO SCAVENGED THE SITE.
((5))
MR. PHU KNEW OF NO OTHER CRASH SITES, AMERICAN
REMAINS, OR BURIAL SITES. HE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE CAPTURING ANY AMERICANS
OR TRANSPORTING AMERICAN PRISONERS IN THE AREA.
(2) WITNESS TWO:
(A) NAME: MR. DO VAN HOA (000X VAWN
HOAF).
(B) AGE: 41 YOA.
(C) CURRENT RESIDENCE AND LENGTH OF TIME THERE: PHU LOI HAMLET (XOMS PHUS LOWIJ),
NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, AN PROVINCE; LIFELONG RESIDENT.
(D) CURRENT OCCUPATION: FARMER.
(E)
RESIDENCE AT TIME OF INCIDENT: SAME AS ABOVE.
(F) OCCUPATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT: STUDENT.
(G) BACKGROUND
INFORMATION: A JOINT TEAM INTERVIEWED MR. PHU DURING THE 43RD JFA (REF D).
(H) STATEMENT:
((1)) ON AN
UNRECALLED DATE WHEN MR. HOA WAS APPROXIMATELY NINE OR TEN YEARS OLD, AN AMERICAN AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN
THE AREA OF HIS
VILLAGE. HE WENT TO THE CRASH SITE ABOUT ONE HOUR AFTER INCIDENT AND WAS HALTED TO WITHIN 20 METERS OF THE SITE BY MEMBERS
OF THE NGUYEN VIET XUAN AIR DEFENSE BATTALION BECAUSE OF THE FIRE SURROUNDING THE SITE. THEY ALSO EXPRESSED A CONCERN FOR
PROBABLE MUNITIONS IN THE AREA. MR. HOA WAS NOT CERTAIN OF THE AIRCRAFT TYPE, BUT LOCAL RESIDENTS CALLED IT A FLAT-WING AIRCRAFT
(MAYS BAY CANHS BAWNGF), WITH A NOSE PROPELLER AND WINGS COMING OUT OF ITS SIDES. VEGETATION AT THE SITE AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT
CONSISTED OF WILD BANANA TREES. MR. HOA ALSO RECALLED TWO BOMB CRATERS NEAR THE CRASH SITE.
((2)) THE AIRCRAFT
HAD APPARENTLY CRASHED STRAIGHT INTO THE GROUND BECAUSE THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS BURIED ABOUT THREE METERS IN THE GROUND.
ALTHOUGH HE COULD NOT SEE MANY DETAILS OF THE CRASH SITE, HE NOTED THE AIRCRAFT WAS DARK GREEN. MR. HOA ALSO SAW A MEMBER
OF THE AIR DEFENSE UNIT CARRY A SEVERED HAND AWAY FROM THE SITE. THE HAND STILL HAD A WATCH ON ITS WRIST. HE DID NOT KNOW
THE DISPOSITION OF THE SEVERED HAND AND DID NOT SEE ANY ADDITIONAL REMAINS AT THE SITE.
((3)) ALTHOUGH MR. HOA
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE
SCAVENGING OF THE CRASH SITE UNTIL 1991, AND LOCAL RESIDENTS HAD SCAVENGED IT HEAVILY BEFORE
THEN, HE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE REdOVERING REMAINS OR PERSONAL EFFECTS FROM THE SITE. LOCAL FARMERS RESTORED THE SITE TO ITS
PRESENT DAY CULTIVATED STATE IN 1994, USING DIRT IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING THE IMPACT CRATER TO LEVEL IT. HE ESTIMATED THE SIZE
CF THE CRATER WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 METERS IN DIAMETER.
((4)) MR. PHU DID NOT KNOW CF ANY OTHER CRASH SITES,
AMERICAN
REMAINS, OR BURIAL SITES. HE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE CAPTURING ANY AMERICANS OR TRANSPORTING AMERICAN PRISONERS IN THE AREA.
B. FOLLOWING EACH INTERVIEW, EACH WITNESS INDICATED THE APPROXIMATE CENTER OF THE IMPACT CRATER, DIFFERING FROM
EACH OTHER BY ONLY A COUPLE OF CENTIMETERS.
C. DURING THEIR PREVIOUS INTERVIEW ON THE 43RD JFA, NEITHER WITNESS
PROVIDED ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THE SEVERED HAND RECOVERED FROM THE CRASH SITE. IT IS POSSIBLE THEY GATHERED THIS INFORMATION
FROM ADDITIONAL LOCAL SOURCES AFTER THEIR INITIAL INTERVIEW, THEREFORE RENDERING IT HEARSAY. NEITHER WITNESS COULD PROVIDE
ANY ADDITIONAL DETAIL CONCERNING THE SEVERED HAND PURPORTEDLY REMOVED FROM THE SITE BY THE NGUYEN VIET XUAN AIR DEFENSE BATTALION
NOR THE DISPOSITION OF IT.
11. EOD TECHNICIAN COMMENTS. THE TEAM RECOVERED THE FOLLOWING ORDNANCE ITEMS ON SITE:
A. FIVE 20MM HE (LOT#~ KJA-1952-HE2OMM-M97 ON ROTATING BAND AND LOT# PD-M-75 K0P48882-11 ON PROJECTILE FUZE)
B. TWO 20MM AP, AND TEN 20MM CARTRIDGE LINKS. THE 20MM PROJECTILES WERE IN POOR SHAPE WITHOUT CARTRIDGE CASINGS. ALL HAZARDOUS
COMPONENTS WERE MOVED BY EOD TECHNICIAN TO A SAFE HOLDING AREA.
12. ANTHROPOLOGIST CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
A. THIS CASE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED FOR EXCAVATION DURING THE RAINY SEASON, WHICH IS ONGOING AT THE PRESENT
TIME IN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN PROVINCES OF THE SRV. HENCE, RE1 SUSPENDED THE EXCAVATION OF CASE 0489 DUE TO INCLEMENT
AND RAINY WEATHER, POOR ROAD CONDITIONS, WHICH LIMITED ACCESSIBILITY TO THE SITE, AND THE FACT THAT THE SOIL OF THE PROJECT
AREA COULD NOT BE SCREENED.
B. THERE WAS NO WATER SOURCE PRESENT FOR WETSCREENING OPERATIONS DESPITE THE FACT THAT
THE IE REPORTED A CREEK PRESENT APPROXIMATELY 20 METERS FROM THE PROJECT AREA DURING THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS CASE DURING
THE 43RD JFA (REF D). EXAMINATION OF THE CREEK BY THE TEAM FOUND THE CREEK TO BE A DRY RUN OR WASH. THE LOCAL FARMERS INFORMED
THE TEAM THAT THE ONLY TIME THERE IS WATER IN THE CREEK IS AT THE END OF THE RAINY SEASON DURING LATE AUGUST AND EARLY SEPTEMBER.
THE WATER AVAILABLE FROM THE CREEK DURING THIS TIME IS A VERY SMALL QUANTITY THAT IS USED FOR CROP IRRIGATION AND THE CREEK
WILL SOON GO DRY VERY QUICKLY AS A RESULT. IF EXCAVATION IS SCHEDULED DURING THE DRY SEASON, WET-SCREENING WILL NOT BE REQUIRED.
C. RECOMMEND THE EXCAVATION BE CONTINUED DURING THE DRY SEASON, AT THE EARLIEST, THE 53RD OR THE 54TH JFA.
D. RECOMMEND THE NEXT RECOVERY TEAM AND ANTHROPOLOGIST CONTINUE WITH THE EXCAVATION OF A TWO METER WIDE TRENCH THROUGH
THE WITNESS IDENTIFIED AREA OF THE IMPACT CRATER, TO DETERMINE THE DEPTH AND EXTENT OF THE CRATER AND IDENTIFY SIGNIFICANT
SOIL STRATA. AT THE TIME THE TEAM SUSPENDED WORK, THE SOIL STRATA IN THE CENTRAL GRID UNITS INDICATED THE BEGINNING CF THE
IMPACT CRATER. ONCE THIS HAS BEEN DETERMINED, THEN THE EXCAVATION CAN PROCEED FROM THE IMPACT CRATER OUTWARD.
E.
RECOMMEND THAT DURING FUTURE INVESTIGATIONS BY IES, ALL WATER SOURCES BE PHOTOGRAPHED WHICH WILL AID IN CONTINGENCY PLANNING
AND EXECUTION OF A SEARCH AND RECOVERY OPERATION. WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND SCHEDULING OF SEARCH AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS IN LINE
WITH FAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
13. TEAM LEADER COMMENTS.
A. CONCLUSIONS: CONCUR WITH ANTHROPOLOGISTS
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
B. HOST GOVERNMENT COOPERATION/SUPPORT: THROUGHOUT THE JOINT EXCAVATION, THE TEAM
RECEIVED EXCELLENT COOPERATION FROM VIETNAMESE COUNTERPARTS (CENTRAL, PROVINCIAL, DISTRICT, AND VILLAGE). COL LE KY SHOULD
BE OFFICIALLY COMMENDED.
C. ALTHOUGH GUEST HOUSE ACCOMMODATIONS WERE REPORTED BY THE IE DURING INVESTIGATION OF
THIS CASE, THE GUEST HOUSE WAS FULL REQUIRING THE TEAM TO TRAVEL OVER 2 HOURS FROM VINH INSTEAD OF 20 MINUTES FROM THE GUEST
HOUSE. RECOMMEND VNOSMP SECURE BILLETING DURING ADVANCE PROVINCE COORDINATION.
14. DETACHMENT COMMANDERS COMMENTS.
NONE.
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