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FM CDR JTF-FA HOMOLULU
SUBJ/DETAILED REPORT OF EXCAVATION OF CASE 0489.
1. SUMMARY REPORT OF 59TH JOINT
FIELD ACTIVITY (JFA) CONDUCTED IN SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAME (SRV) FROM 22 FEBRUARY THROUGH 23 MARCH 2000.
2.
SUMMARY OF EXCAVATION.
A. CASE 0489: FROM 28 FEBRUARY THROUGH 18 MARCH 2000, DURING THE 59TH JFA, RECOVERY ELEMENT
FOUR (RE4) CONTINUED EXCAVATION OF AN AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE ASSOCIATED WITH CASE 0489NEAR NGHIA PHI) VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT,
NGHE AN PROVINCE, SRV. RE4 OPENED 14 OUT OF 29 4-X-4-METER GRID UNITS. RE4 CLOSED ONE UNIT. RE4 RECOVERED POSSIBLE HUMAN REMAINS,
TWO PERSONAL EFFECTS, NUMEROUS PIECES OF LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND MULTIPLE FRAGMENTS OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE. THE TEAM ANTHROPOLOGIST,
IN CONSULTATION WITH THE TEAM LEADER, SUSPENDED THE EXCAVATION ON 18 MARCH DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS AT THE CLOSE OF THE 59TH
JFA. THE SITE IS STILL OPEN. IN ADDITION, RE4 PLACED ONE UNIT OUTSIDE THE SITE BOUNDARY ON 12 MARCH, DUE TO WITHESS INFORMATION
RELATING TO POSSIBLE REMAINS. RE4 EXCAVATED THE UNIT TO STERILE SOIL. RECOMMEND THE PROJECT AREA FOR FUTURE EXCAVATION IN
THE DRY SEASON.
B. TEAM COMPOSITION:
(1) U.S. CONTINGENT:
CPT NAME BLACKED OUT TEAM LEADER
SFC
NAME BLACKED OUT TEAM NCOIC
MS. NAME BLACKED OUT TEAM ANTHROPOLOGIST
SSGT NAME BLACKED OUT ANALYST/LINGUIST
SSG
NAME BLACKED OUT MORTUARY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
SGT NAME BLACKED OUT MORTUARY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
SSG NAME BLACKED
OUT MORTUARY AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
HM1 NAME BLACKED OUT TEAM MEDIC
SSG NAME BLACKED OUT EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL
PR2 NAME BLACKED OUT LIFE SUPPORT TECHNICIAN
ET2 NAME BLACKED OUT COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
sPc NAME BLACKED
OUT TEAM PHOTOGRAPHER
(2) VIETNAMESE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
MR. TItAN MANH NGOC (TRA.ANF MANHJ NGOCJ) TEAM
LEADER/MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
TRUONG CONG HOACH (TRWONG COONG HOACHJ) TEAM MEMBER
NGUYEN THE HUNG (NGUYEENX
THEES HtJNGF) TEAM MEMBER
LE CONG TAM (LEE COONG TAAM) TEAM MEMBER
NGUYEN KHANH HOA (NGUYEENX KHANHS HOAR) TEAM MEMBER
(3) NGHE AN PROVINCE TASK TEAM:
MR. NGO SI HAU (NGOO SIX HAAUJ) TEAM LEADER
MR. DO CUONG (DOOx CWONGF)
TEAM MEMBER
MR. TRAN CONG (TRAANF COONG) TEAM MEMBER
MR. TItAN 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 000NG SOWN)
TEAM MEMBER
MR. TRAN NGOC DUNG (TPAANF NGOCJ ZUNG) TEAM MEMBER
MR. NGUYEN SI THUG (NGUYEENX SIX THUYR) TEAM MEMBER
(5) NGHIA PHU VILLAGE TASK TEAM:
MR. PHAU QUANG TOAU (PHAUJ QUANG TOANR) TEAM MEMBER
MR. LE VAN TUY
(LEE VAWN TUY) TEAM MEMBER
3. BACKGROUND.
A. THIS CASE INVOLVES THE LOSS OF AN A-1H AIRCRAFT SHOT
DOWN
DURING AN ARMED RECONNAISSANCE MISSION OVER NORTHERN VIETNAM ON 08 OCTOBER 1966, RESULTING IN ONE UNACCOUNTED-FOR
INDIVIDUAL.
B. ON 26 OCTOBER 1993, INVESTIGATION ELEMENT TWO (IE2)
INVESTIGATED CASE 0489 IN XUAN BINH VILLAGE, NHU XUAN
DISTRICT, THANH HOA PROVINCE. IE2 SURVEYED THE LOCATION FOR CASE 0489. THE TEAM DID NOT RECOVER ANY REMAINS OR PERSONAL EFFECTS,
NOR ANY EVIDENCE OF A PLANE CRASH IN THE AREA (REF B).
C. ON 1 NOVEMBER 1995, THE PROVINCE TASK TEAM INFORMED INVESTIGATION
ELEMENT ONE (IE1) ThAT THEY 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 VIETNAMESE OFFICE FOR SEEKING MISSING PERSONS (VNOSMP) TEAM
MEMBERS GAVE IE1 A REPORT OF THEIR CANVASSING EFFORTS. IE1 DID NOT RECOVER OR RECEIVE ANY REMAINS OR MATERIAL EVIDENCE WHILE
INVESTIGATING THIS CASE (REF C).
D. ON 27 NOVEMBER 1996, IE1 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. IE1 SURVEYED THE SITE AND RECEIVED NUMEROUS PIECES OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE. (REF D).
E.FROM 26 JUNE TO 4 JULY
1998, RE1 BEGAN EXCAVATION OF AN AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE BELIEVED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH CASE 0489 IN NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE
AN PROVINCE, SRV. RE1 OPENED THREE OUT OF 12 5-X-5-METER GRID UNITS. THE TEAM CLOSED NONE OF THE 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 04 JULY DUE TO CONTINUED INCLEMENT WEATHER THAT OCCURRED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RAINY
SEASON. RE1 RECOMMENDED FURTHER EXCAVATION DURING THE DRY SEASON (REF E).
4. PROJECT LOCATION.
A. VICINITY
OF NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE, SRV.
B.GRID COORDINATES: THE PROJECT AREA IS AT 48Q WG
58842 44122, ELEVATION 154 METERS, AS DETERMINED BY A GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) RECEIVER TRACKING SEVEN SATELLITES ON
THE INDIAN SPECIAL DATUM.
CC. MAP: NAME: PHONG BAI; SHEET: 6147 IV; EDITION:
2-AMS; SERIES: L7014; SCALE: 1:50,000;
HORIZONTAL DATUM: INDIAN DATUM 1960.
5. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT AREA.
A.TO ACCESS THE CASE 0489 PROJECT
AREA, THE TEAM TRAVELED BY VEHICLE FOR TWO HOURS AND THIRTY MINUTES NORTH AND WEST OF VINH CITY. THE SITE IS IN A CULTIVATED
SUGARCANE FIELD, AND IS BORDERED ON THE NORTH, SOUTH, AND EAST BY RECENTLY PLANTED SUGARCANE FIELDS. DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO
THE SITE ON THE WEST SIDE ARE THREE BOMB CRATERS. SURROUNDING THE SITE ON ALL FOUR SIDES ARE CULTIVATED HILLS OF RICE, CORN,
AND PEANUTS.
B. SOIL STRATIGRAPHY OF THE PROJECT AREA CONSISTS OF
A RICH ORANGE-BROWN TOPSOIL OF APPROXIMATELY
20 CENTIMETERS ABOVE A LAYER OF A DARKER ORANGE-BROWN SILTY CLAY OF VARIABLE DEPTH AND THICKNESS. WITHIN THIS STRATUM IS A
DISTINCT GRAVEL LAYER, PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE SITE IN UNDISTURBED AREAS, WHICH MAY REPRESENT AN OLD FLOOD. BENEATH THIS LAYER
IS DECOMPOSING REDDISH BROWN SHALE BEDROCK OF VARIOUS DEPTHS.
6. FIELD METHODS.
A. INITIAL INVESTIGATION
AT THE SITE INCLUDED RE- INTERVIEWING TWO PRIMARY WITNESSES WHO PROVIDED INFORMATION TO THE IE TEAM DURING THE 43RD JFA AND
RE1 TEAM DURING THE 51ST JFA. BOTH WITNESSES CONFIRMED EARLIER STATEMENTS, INCLUDING THE ALMOST 90 DEGREE ANGLE OF AIRCRAFT
IMPACT, APPROXIMATE DEPTH OF IMPACT OF THREE TO FIVE METERS, AND APPROXIMATE WIDTH OF 10 METERS. BOTH INDICATED THE AREA THEY
BELIEVED TO BE THE LOCATION OF IMPACT. BOTH WITNESSES CONFIRMED THE EXISTENCE OF BOMB CRATERS TO THE WEST OF THE SITE PRIOR
TO THE CRASH. BOTH WITNESSES ALSO RECALLED HEARING THAT THE ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY UNIT REMOVED A LEFT FOREARM WITH BLONDE
HAIR AND A WATCH FROM THE SITE. NEITHER KNEW OF THE DISPOSITION OF THE REMAINS. RE4 LATER
RE-INTERVIEWED ONE OF THE ORIGINAL
WITNESSES, AS WELL AS A NEW WITNESS, TO CONFIRM NEW INFORMATION ABOUT SCAVENGING OF HE SITE BY THE PEOPLE FROM HUE IN 1981/1982.
IN ADDITION, DURING EXCAVATION RE4 RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM AN ADDITIONAL WITNESS WHO CLAIMED HE RECOVERED AND RE- INTERRED
REMAINS TO THE WEST OF THE SITE.
B.PRIOR TO EXCAVATION, RE4 CONDUCTED A PEDESTRIAN SURFACE SURVEY AND METAL DETECTOR
SWEEP. VERY LITTLE WAS VISIBLE ON THE SURFACE DUE TO EXTENSIVE AGRICULTURAL USE OF THE PROJECT AREA. THE TEAM EOD TECHNICIAN
CONDUCTED METAL DETECTOR SWEEPS FOR EACH GRID UNIT AND PINFLAGGED ALL METAL DETECTOR SIGNALS. THE EOD TECHNICIAN MARKED WITH
FLAGGING TAPE AND PHOTOGRAPHED SEVERAL AREAS OF METAL CONCENTRATION.
C.BASED ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF METAL DETECTOR
SIGNALS, THE FINDINGS FROM THE 51ST JFA, AND WITNESS INFORMATION, THE TEAM PLACED A 20X-12-METER ARCHAEOLOGICAL GRID AROUND
THE IDENTIFIED IMPACT CRATER AND SEPARATED IT INTO 15 4-X-4- METER GRID UNITS. DUE TO THE RECOVERY OF POSSIBLE HUMAN REMAINS
DURING EXCAVATION, THE TEAM ANTHROPOLOGIST EXPANDED THE GRID TO INCLUDE 14 MORE 4-X-4-METER UNITS TO TOTAL 29 UNITS. THE TEAM
ANTHROPOLOGIST DESIGNATED THE PROJECT DATUM TO BE NSOO/E500, WHICH IS IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE GRID AT 48Q WG 59250
43872. IN ADDITION TO THE 29 GRID UNITS, ONE 2-X-2-METER UNIT WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 METERS WEST OF THE SITE TO INVESTIGATE
WITNESS FOURS CLAIM THAT HE BURIED POSSIBLE HUMAN REMAINS IN THAT AREA. THE TEAM EXCAVATED THE GRID, LOCATED ON THE NORTHWEST
RIM OF A BOMB CRATER, DOWN TO ONE METER BELOW GROUND SURFACE.
D.RE4 EXCAVATED THE SITE ACCORDING TO STANDARD ARCHAEOLOGICAL
PROCEDURES. THE TEAM EXCAVATED GRID UNITS WITH PICKS, SHOVELS, AND TROWELS, WITH SOIL TRANSPORTED TO TWO DRY SCREENING AREAS
BY VIETNAMESE WORKERS. THE 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. EACH SCREENING STATION WORKED ON SEPARATE
UNITS TO MAINTAIN PROVENIENCE.
E.RE4 RETAINED ALL MATERIAL EVIDENCE AND POSSIBLE AIRCREW AND COCKPIT RELATED EQUIPMENT
IN ZIP-LOCK BAGS LABELED BY CASE, GRID UNIT, AND DATE RECOVERED FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS BY THE JOINT TASK FORCE-FULL ACCOUNTING
(JTF-FA) LIFE-SUPPORT SECTION AT CAMP SMITH, HONOLULU, HAWAII.
F. THE TEAM PHOTOGRAPHED THE SITE BEFORE, DURING AND
AFTER THE EXCAVATION.
7. ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS.
A.RE4 RECOVERED POSSIBLE HUMAN REMAINS FROM APPROXIMATELY
10-20 CENTIMETERS (CM) BELOW SURFACE, AND TWO PERSONAL EFFECTS FROM 80 TO 100 CM BELOW SURFACE. THE TEAM RECOVERED THE PERSONAL
EFFECTS FROM WITHIN THE IMPACT CRATER. RE4 RECOVERED ALL FRAGMENTS OF POSSIBLE HUMAN REMAINS FROM WITHIN THE TOPSOIL STRATUM,
APPROXIMATELY ONE TO EIGHT METERS SOUTH OF THE CRATER.
B.RE4 RECOVERED MULTIPLE FRAGMENTS OF LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT
FROM SURFACE TO 120 CM BELOW THE GROUND SURFACE, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS PIECES OF SMALL UNIDENTIFIABLE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE.
C.PRELIMINARY FIELD ASSESSMENT BY THE TEAM LST OF THE RECOVERED MATERIAL EVIDENCE DOES NOT PROVIDE CORRELATION TO AN A-i
SERIES AIRCRAFT; SPECIFIC LIFE SUPPORT PIECES INDICATE AT LEAST ONE PERSON WAS IN THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.
D.SIGNIFICANT DISTURBANCE OF THE IMPACT CRATER WAS VISIBLE IN THE STRATIGRAPHIC SEQUENCE OF THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CRATER,
PROBABLY DUE TO MULTIPLE EPISODES OF SCAVENGING BY LOCAL VILLAGERS AND THE PEOPLE FROM HUE. THE SOUTHERN HALF APPEARS INTACT
WITH CLEAR, UNDISTURBED STRATIGRAPHY.
E. RE4 DID NOT RECOVER ANY REMAINS OR MATERIAL EVIDENCE IN THE ISOLATED 2-X-2-METER
UNIT LOCATED TO THE WEST OF THE SITE NEAR THE BOMB CRATER. THE TEAM CLOSED THIS UNIT.
8. MATERIAL EVIDENCE.
A. THE TEAM RECOVERED THE FOLLOWING PIECES OF LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT ITEMS:
(1) TWO LOCKING CONES WITH A RIPCORD
PIN.
(2) THREE .38 CALIBER ROUNDS.
(3) NUMEROUS PIECES OF LIFE PRESERVER OR RAFT MATERIAL.
(4)
SEVERAL ZIPPERS AND ZIPPER TEETH.
(5) ONE PIECE OF FLIGHT HELMET WITH NUMBERS AND LETTERING.
(6) SEVERAL
SNAPS AND GROMMETS.
(7) ONE DATA PLATE WITH: AD -6 (DWG ON PART NO 5254070-3R,CONT #AS)51630,SER# A45-212, FA228
?US)
(8) ONE UNIDENTIFIED D-RING WITH WEBBING ATTACHED.
(9) ONE RESTRANT BUCKLE.
(10) PIECES OF
UNIDENTIFIED METAL.
(11) PIECE OF UNIDENTIFIED WEBBING.
(12) UNIDENTIFIED MATERIAL.
(13) TWO SPRING
OPENING BAND EYELETS AND ONE HOOK.
B. THE U.S. ARMY CENTRAL IDENTIFICATION LABORATORY, HAWAII (CILHI) RETAINED THE
FOLLOWING PERSONAl EFFECTS:
(1) 1964 US DIME.
(2) AN AIR FORCE UNIT CREST; ATTACK SQUADRON 15?. IN
THE
CENTER OF THE CREST INSIGNIA THERE IS A BLACK
ACE OF SPADES ON A WHITE PLAYING CARD. A PAIR OF
AVIATOR WINGS FLANKS
THE PLAYING CARD. THERE IS
AN ARROW COMING INTO THE CARD ON THE RIGHT SIDE
POINTING TO THE ACE OF SPADES.
C.
THE TEAM PHOTOGRAPHED AND LEFT IN PLACE SEVEN BUCKETS OF GENERIC AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE.
9. LIFE SUPPORT ANALYST COMMENTS.
FIELD ANALYSIS OF THE ITEMS RECOVERED FROM THE CRASH SITE INDICATE THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE INDIVIDUAL IN THE AIRCRAFT UPON
IMPACT. THE DATA PLATE WITH AD-6 IDENTIFIES THE CRASH SITE AS AN A-1H AIRCRAFT. JTF-FA FILES INDICATE THERE ARE NO OThER A-i
CRASH SITES WITHIN FIFTEEN KILOMETERS OF GRID COORDINATES 48Q WG 58842 44122. THE UNIDENTIFIED PIECES OF METAL, WEBBING AND
MATERIAL REQUIRE FURTHER RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS BY JTF-FA. THE PRESENCE OF PARACHUTE LOCKING CONES WITH THE PINS STILL IN PLACE
SUGGESTS THAT THE PILOT DID NOT DEPLOY THE PARACHUTE PRIOR TO IMPACT.
10. ANALYST/LINGUIST COMMENTS.
A.
ON 26 FEBRUARY 2000, RE4 RE-INTERVIEWED TWO WITNESSES CONCERNING AN ALLEGED AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE IN NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA
DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE. IN ADDITION, ON 12 MARCH 2000, RE4 RE-INTERVIEWED THE SECOND WITNESS CONCERNING AN UNIDENTIFIED
GROUP FROM HUE THAT ALLEGEDLY REMOVED REMAINS FROM THE SITE. THE WITNESSES PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
(1)
WITNESS ONE:
(A) NAME: MR. PHAN PHU (PHAAN PHUJ).
(B) AGE: 75 YOA.
(C) CURRENT RESIDENCE AND
LENGTH OF TIME THERE:
LIFELONG RESIDENT OF TEAM 7 (DOOIJ 7), 1ST OF MAY TREE FARM, NGHIA PHU VILLAGE (XkX NGHIAN PHUJ),
NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE.
(D) CURRENT OCCUPATION: RETIRED.
(E) OCCUPATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT:
FARMER.
(F) BACKGROUND INFORMATION: A JOINT TEAM INTERVIEWED MR. PHU DURING THE 43RD AND 51ST JFAS (REFS D AND E).
(G) STATEMENT: MR. PHIlS STATEMENT AGREED WITH
HIS PREVIOUS STATEMENTS WITH ONE EXCEPTION. MR. PHI) STATED HE
DID NOT WITNESS ANYONE FROM THE NGUYEN VIET XUAN AIR DEFENSE BATTALION (TIEEUR DOANF PHAOS PHONGF KHOONG NGUYEENX VIEETS XUAAN)
REMOVE A SEVERED FOREARM FROM THE SITE BUT HAD ONLY HEARD THIS INFORMATION FROM OTHER VILLAGERS.
(2) WITNESS TWO:
(A) NAME: MR. DO VAN HOA (DOOX VAWN HOAF).
(B) AGE: 43 YOA.
(C) CURRENT RESIDENCE AND LENGTH
OF TIME THERE:
LIFELONG RESIDENT OF PHI) LOI HAMLET (THOON PHUS LOWIJ), NGHIA PHI) VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN
PROVINCE.
(D) CURRENT OCCUPATION: FARMER.
(E) OCCUPATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT: STUDENT.
(F) BACKGROUND
INFORMATION: A JOINT TEAM INTERVIEWED MR. PHU DURING THE 43RD AND 51ST JFAS (REFS D AND E).
(G) STATEMENT: MR.
HOA REITERATED HIS PREVIOUS STATEMENTS AND ADDED THAT THE CRATER WAS SIX METERS DEEP. MR. HOA STATED DURING THE 51ST JFA THAT
ON AN UNRECALLED DATE IN 1981 OR 1982, TWO SEPARATE, UNIDENTIFIED GROUPS FROM HANOI AND HUE CAME TO THE SITE AND USED PICKS
AND SHOVELS TO ATTEMPT RECOVERY OF REMAINS. ThE DIAMETER OF THE HOLE THE GROUP FROM HUE DUG WAS APPROXIMATELY TEN METERS.
HE NEITHER SAW NOR HEARD OF ANYONE RECOVERING REMAINS FROM THE SITE. THREE MONTHS LATER, LOCAL RESIDENTS PUSHED THE SURROUNDING
DIRT BACK INTO THE CRATER. LOCAL RESIDENTS DID NOT BEGIN CULTIVATING THE AREA UNTIL 1995.
B. FOLLOWING THEIR INTERVIEW,
EACH WITNESS INDICATED
THE APPROXIMATE CENTER OF ThE IMPACT CRATER, DIFFERING FROM
EACH OTHER BY ONLY A COUPLE OF
CENTIMETERS. BOTH WITNESSES CONFIRMED THEY DID NOT SEE ANY REMAINS BUT HAD ONLY HEARD THERE WERE REMAINS REMOVED FROM THE
SITE. NEITHER WITNESS COULD PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THE SEVERED HAND PURPORTEDLY REMOVED FROM THE SITE BY THE NGUYEN
VIET XUAN AIR DEFENSE BATTALION NOR THE DISPOSITION OF IT.
C. ON 6 MARCH AND 12 MARCH 2000, RE4 INTERVIEWED TWO ADDITIONAL
WITNESSES CONCERNING THE DISPOSITION OF REMAINS ALLEGEDLY FOUND AT THE SITE. THE WITNESSES PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
(1) WITNESS THREE:
(A) NAME: MR. TRUONG MINH CHI (TRWONGF MINH CHIS).
(B) AGE: 43 YOA.
(C)
CURRENT RESIDENCE AND LENGTH OF TIME THERE:
LIFELONG RESIDENT OF TEAM 7, NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN
PROVINCE.
(D) CURRENT OCCUPATION: FARMER.
CE) OCCUPATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT: MILITARY RECRUITEE.
(F)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: NONE.
(G) STATEMENT: ON AN UNRECALLED DATE IN 1981, WHILE ON LEAVE FROM THE MILITARY, MR.
CHI HEARD FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS (NFl) THAT AN UNIDENTIFIED GROUP FROM HUE CAME TO THE VILLAGE THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO HIS ARRIVAL
AND HAD SCAVENGED AN AIRCRAFT CRASH SITE IN THE AREA. HE BELIEVED THEY HAD DUG APPROXIMATELY FIVE METERS BELOW SURFACE, AND
COULD NOT RECALL IF ANYONE FOUND OR REMOVED ANY REMAINS FROM THE SITE.
(2) WITNESS FOUR:
(A) NAME: CHU
VAN CUONG (CHUS VAWN CWONGF).
(B) AGE: 36 YOA.
(C) CURRENT RESIDENCE AND LENGTH OF TIME THERE:
LIFELONG
RESIDENT OF TEAM 7 , P1113 LOI HAMLET, NGHIA PHU VILLAGE, NGHIA DAN DISTRICT, NGHE AN PROVINCE.
CD) CURRENT OCCUPATION:
FARMER.
CE) OCCUPATION AT TIME OF INCIDENT: STUDENT.
(F) BACKGROUND INFORMATION: NONE.
(G) STATEMENT:
((1)) ON AN UNRECALLED DATE, APPROXIMATELY FIVE TO SIX YEARS AGO, WHILE REMOVING TREES TO CULTIVATE THE LAND FOR
FARMING, MR. CUONG FOUND, AMONG THE ROOTS OF A TREE, A LARGE BONE HE BELIEVED TO BE A SECTION OF THE THIGH BONE. HE THREW
THE BONE IN AN 80-CENTIMETER LONG BY 60-CENTIMETER WIDE BY ONE-METER DEEP HOLE ADJACENT TO A LARGE BOMB CRATER. HE THEN FILLED
IN THE HOLE WITH DIRT AND PLACED SEVERAL MEDIUM SIZED ROCKS ON TOP OF THE GRAVE AND CONTINUED WORKING.
((2)) MR.
CUONG DID NOT KNOW OF ANY OTHER CRASH SITES, AMERICAN REMAINS OR OTHER BURIAL SITES. ((3)) MR. CUONG POINTED OUT A TWO METER
BY TWO METER AREA HE BELIEVED TO BE THE GENERAL LOCATION HE BURIED THE BONE FRAGMENT. THE AREA IS ADJACENT TO A BOMB CRATER
ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE.
11. EOD TECHNICIAN COMMENTS. THE TEAM RECOVERED FIVE 20MM AP PROJECTILES, FIVE 20MM HE PROJECTILES
WITHOUT FUZING OR READABLE MARKINGS, ONE 20MM HE PROJECTILE WITH M75 PD FUZE (LOT * KOP 48-888-11-52), AND TEN CARTRIDGE LINKS.
THE PROJECTILES WERE BADLY RUSTED AND WITHOUT CASINGS. TWO GENERAL PURPOSE LOW DRAG BOMBS (MK 81 OR 82) WERE PARTIALLY EXCAVATED.
THE EOD TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THE
BOMBS NOSE DOWN, APPROXIMATELY 18 INCHES APART WITH SNAKE EYE FIN ASSEMBLIES STILL IN
THE FOLDED POSITION. THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE TWO BOMBS IS CONSISTENT WITH BOMBS WHICH WERE STILL ATTACHED TO THE AIRCRAFT
AT THE MOMENT OF IMPACT. ALTHOUGH BOMB POSITIONS AND FIN CONFIGURATIONS INDICATE AN UNARMED CONDITION, TIME CONSTRAINTS PREVENTED
A COMPLETE ORDNANCE RECONNAISSANCE TO VERIFY FUZING TYPE AND CONDITION. VIETNAMESE EOD OFFICIALS PROVIDED A SIMILAR ASSESSMENT
AND ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ORDNANCE AT THE SITE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DESTROYING THE BOMBS IN THEIR CURRENT
LOCATION WOULD CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE, SUCH AS A LARGE, DEEP CRATER AND BURNT, BLACKENED SOIL, OVER A LARGE PORTION OF THE SITE.
IF FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALS THAT THE ORDNANCE CAN BE SAFELY MOVED THEN AN ALTERNATE DEMOLITION SITE WOULD BE PREFERABLE.
THE FACT THAT BOMBS ARE OFTEN LOADED BILATERALLY TO AVOID INSTABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT SUGGESTS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD
THAT ADDITIONAL BOMBS ARE PRESENT NEAR THE LOCATION OF THE OTHER WING OF THE AIRCRAFT.
12. ANTHROPOLOGIST CONCLUSIONS
AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
A.DUE TO THE HIGH CLAY CONTENT AND MOISTURE OF THE DENSE, COMPACT SOIL WITHIN THE IMPACT CRATER,
RECOMMEND WET-SCREENING FOR A FUTURE EXCAVATION. AS NOTED BY PREVIOUS JFA TEAMS, THERE IS NO WATER SOURCE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY;
HOWEVER, THE BOMB CRATERS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE SITE WOULD PROVIDE A RESERVOIR IN WHICH TO STORE AND RECYCLE WATER FOR
WET-SCREENING. IF WET-SCREENING IS NOT AVAILABLE, RECOMMEND THE EXCAVATED CRATER SOIL BE PUT UNDER TARPS TO DRY FOR 24 TO
48 HOURS TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME TO DRY BEFORE DRY-SCREENING.
B. AT THE TIME OF THE 59TH JFA THERE WERE REPORTS
OF A GUESTHOUSE IN THE VICINITY OF THE SITE THAT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING BUILT WHICH COULD HOUSE A FUTURE TEAM.
RECOMMEND
CONFIRMING THE STATUS OF THIS GUESTHOUSE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRAVELLING FROM VINE, AS THE DRIVE TIME OF FIVE HOURS REDUCED
THE TIME FOR EXCAVATION TO ONLY FOUR AND
A HALF HOURS EACH DAY.
C. ALL POSSIBLE HUMAN REMAINS RECOVERED FROM
THE SITE WERE WITHIN 20 CM OF THE GROUND SURFACE, AND MOST OFTEN IN THE TOP 10 CM. ALL THE RECOVERED REMAINS CAME FROM OUTS
IDE OF THE IMPACT CRATER BY AS MUCH AS EIGHT METERS TO THE SOUTH
D. RECOMMEND THAT THE NEXT RECOVERY TEAM AND
ANTHROPOLOGIST RELOCATE THE CRATER BOUNDARIES AND CONTINUE EXCAVATION. HOWEVER, EQUAL PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO COMPLETION
OF THE FOUR-METER REQUIREMENT AROUND AREAS WHERE POSSIBLE HUMAN REMAINS WAS RECOVERED, DUE TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF POSSIBLE
HUMAN REMAINS RECOVERED SOLELY FROM
OUTSIDE THE IMPACT CRATER BOUNDARIES.
E. THE BOMBS EXPOSED DURING EXCAVATION
ARE UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF PROVINCE OFFICIALS, WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL. AT ONE TIME THE
PROCEDURE OF DETONATING THE BOMBS IN PLACE WAS PRESENTED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO REMOVAL WITH DISPOSAL AT AN ALTERNATE LOCATION.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THIS OCCUR ONLY AS A LAST
RESORT AS THE ADVERSE IMPACT TO ThE SITE WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT, IF NOT
RESULTING IN TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF SITE INTEGRITY. IF REMOVAL OF THE BOMBS IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEN EXCAVATION AROUND THE BOMBS
SHOULD BE AS MINIMAL AS POSSIBLE, AS ThE CENTER OF THE IMPACT CRATER IS APPROXIMATELY TWO METERS EAST. IN ADDITION, THERE
IS A POSSIBILITY THAT ADDITIONAL BOMBS MAY BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE OTHER WING (TO THE EAST). FUTURE EXCAVATION TEAMS
SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION IN THIS AREA.
F. RECOMMEND TO CONTINUE ThE EXCAVATION DURING THE DRY SEASON.
13.
TEAM LEADER COMMENTS.
A. CONCLUSIONS: CONCUR WITh THE ANTHROPOLOGIST. THE TEAM SUSPENDED EXCAVATION ON THE SITE DUE
TO THE END OF THE JFA. THE SITE REQUIRES FURTHER EXCAVATION IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE SITE.
B. HOST GOVERNMENT COOPERATION/SUPPORT:
RE4 RECEIVED EXCELLENT COOPERATION FROM CENTRAL, PROVINCIAL, DISTRICT, AND VILLAGE OFFICIALS. RECOMMEND OFFICIALLY COMMENDING
MR. TRAN NGOC.
14. DETACHMENT COMMANDER'S COMMENTS. NONE.
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