BY: SOURN SEREY RATHA & BP
Cambodian Action Committee for Justice & Equity (CACJE)
Contact: sournsereyratha@gmail.com
5. The Cambodian Genesis of Son Tay Rescue Operation, a Cambodian Concept.
The Cambodian Special Forces Son Tay raider’s leadership did not know the origin of the American plan of Rescue of Son Tay Prison American POWs, the Operation Kingpin.
But, from the Cambodian point of view, there was a Cambodian concept to rescue Cambodian POWs in Son Tay Prison.
Capt Thach Kay had the information that 42 Kanseign Sar POWs were prisoners at Son Tay Prison. They were very badly and very often tortured. Capt Thach Kay discussed with Capt Thach Hén, Capt Chhin Saray and Capt Nao Eng about the feasibility of rescue of those brother Kanseign Sar POWs in Son Tay Prison.
To prove that our brother combatants will never be abandoned and to elevate the moral of the troops, Capt Thach Hén submitted to his supervisor CIA Maj. ED NEAL his ardent intention to rescue the 42 Khmer Krom Kanseign Sar POWs locked in Son Tay Prison who were captured by North Vietnam Army for accomplishing their missions in the North Vietnam.
Capt Chhin Saray had four cousins, Kanseign Sar officers and Capt Nao Eng had two cousins Kanseign Sar officers who were prisoners in Son Tay. For this reason, was born the concept to rescue their cousins locked in Son Tay Prison.
It was Capt Thach Kay and Capt Chhin Sary and Capt Nao Eng who were the first to suggest the operation to rescue their cousin prisoners. They talked to Capt Thach Hén who in return talked to the CIA supervisor Capt ED NEAL.
To do it successfully we need the leadership of Capt Chau Dara, said Capt Chhin Saray because Capt Chau Dara is the only one who knew very well the geography of the area. The surprise would be the best weapon for the success.
Then Capt Thach Hén discussed with Capt Chau Dara about the rescue operation of Son Tay prisoners and simply added that the CIA agreed to pay a lot of money, $5 million dollars for the Rescue of Son Tay POWs.
Capt Chau Dara knew so well Son Tay camp and the nearby surrounding area on Laos-Vietnam border zone because he lived for several years in that region among North Vietnamese soldiers. He knew the minority ethnics in that region; he had friends over there. He had a support team.
From there, maybe, was born the Son Tay Rescue Operation Kingpin.
Afterward the rescue operation project was taken over by the US Army to rescue its pilot prisoners. Then the project took another direction, then, became the Operation Kingpin.
6. Intelligence about Son Tay Prison
Three months before the Operation Kingpin’s D-Day, Capt Thach Hén, according to the CIA Maj. Ed Neal order, sent Kanseign Sar spies to Son Tay to gather the information relative to the two following crucial points:
(1)Are there American POWs at Son Tay Prison? How Many?
(2) How many North Vietnamese security guards are there in Son Tay Prison?
Three months before the D-Day, in September 1970, according the CIA assignment, Capt Thach Hén ordered Capt Chau Dara, Capt Nao Eng and Capt Chhin Saray to spy the Son Tay Prison.
For this purpose, according to the American concept of Son Tay Rescue Operation Kingpin, a small secret CIA camp base was set near Nong Hêt/Lang Hei, a small Laotian village on Lao-North Vietnam border, Southern of Dien Bien Phu and about 100 miles from Son Tay camp. From Lang Hei, Kanseign Sar spies were sent to spy Son Tay Prison.
First Spy Mission over Son Tay Prison, in September 1970:
Capt Chau Dara remembered very well because it was just before the Buddhist feast Pchum Ben, commemorating the pass away of the loved ones. First Capt Nao Eng and Capt Chhin Saray walked in for five days to reach Son Tay Prison and reported back in September 1970 to Capt Thach Hén:
(1) They did not see American POW in Son Tay Prison;
(2) There was one battalion of about 500 North Vietnamese security guards at Son Tay Prison.
Second Spy Mission on Son Tay Prison, in September 1970:
Capt Nao Eng and Capt Chhin Saray were resent to spy Son Tay Prison one more time. They got the same result: They did not see American POWs in Son Tay Prison and there was one battalion of about 500 North Vietnamese security guards at Son Tay Prison.
Third Spy Mission over Son Tay Prison, in October 1970:
Capt Thach Hén told Capt Chau Dara that the information concerning the American POWs at Son Tay Prison provided by Capt Nao Eng and Capt Chhin Saray was not conformed to the American expectation. The American commanders had doubt about the accuracy of Capt Nao Eng and Chhin Saray’s information relative to American POWs at Son Tay Prison.
This time, Capt Chau Dara and Capt Chhin Saray were sent to spy Son Tay Prison. The result was: They did see one American POW with a broom and a dozen Cambodian POWs working as team to clean Son Tay Prison recreation court. They saw about 500 North Vietnamese security guards in Son Tay Prison.
But 500 North Vietnamese guards is a big number, said Capt Chau Dara. That means Son Tay Prison is important. Therefore, Son Tay Prison could be served as an incarceration facility to imprison the American POWs.
Fourth Spy Mission over Son Tay Prison, in October 1970:
This time Capt Chau Dara went alone to spy Son Tay Prison.
Capt Chau Dara walked for five days from Lang Hei into Son Tay camp.
As usual, he walked around Son Tay prison to gather information about Son Tay prisoners. He walked about 20 meters outside from Son Tay Prison walls several times in order to scrutinize US POWs inside the prison.
In front of Son Tay Prison narrow and crosswire door (about 70 centimeters width, approximately 35 inches width) toward the middle of the Prison wall, and about seventy meters (78 yards) from that Son Tay Prison door, on Song Con River bank, he dug a trench camouflaged behind shrubs and surrounded by reeds which fostered very well on Song Con River bank. The ground was red volcanic and easy to dig a hole.
From there, through binocular, he observed, the in and out activities of Son Tay Prison, noted the soldier uniforms and counted their numbers and measured the strike distance and marked the evasion route. He slept during the night in this hole/trench in front of that narrow oblique Son Tay Prison door. He discovered around his hole several North Vietnamese booby traps. Then he rendered inoperative all those booby traps he has seen.
Then he reported to Capt Thach Hén: (1) He did see four American POWs at Son Tay prison. Their feet were iron chained. They were very thin and weak and locked in an iron bars cage. The first one was brought in the interrogation center and tortured by the Vietnamese guards because Capt Chau Dara heard their cries and the sound kicks; he was tortured. Nine North Vietnamese girl soldiers led the American POW away and he didn’t see the American POWs return to Son Tay Prison.
Then the three other American POWs followed from behind the first one. The three American POWs were also badly tortured. Then they all disappeared behind the walls.
He did see also dozens Cambodian POWs sweeping the prison recreation court.
Capt Chau Dara assessment: The mix battalion including two dozens female is a sign indicating that the Son Tay Prison security is relaxed. The Vietnamese did not feel imminent dangers. The Vietnamese guards organized joyful activities. It tended to confirm that the American prisoners were not there.
Maybe at that precise moment the North Vietnamese Army are moving all the American POWs out the Son Tay Prison because he saw dozens Vietnamese girl soldiers armed with the AK 47s herded the four iron chained feet American POWs out of Son Tay Prison.
According to Capt Chau Dara, it is noteworthy to point out:
(1) There are 38 trenches recognizable by the two-feet ground elevation hidden by shrubs and grass. Each trench is a reinforced defense position which can lodge easily about a dozen troops and
(2) The Son Tay Prison narrow crosswire door and the prison walls could bee easily destroyed by the Claymore mines, and
(3) The Song Con River is a good evasion route by nylon rope to escape to the opposite Song Con River bank to reach the helicopter extraction zone toward Cambodia.
7. DEPLOYMENT
The perilous Cambodian Special Forces Insertion in Son Tay Prison camp from their base in Cambodia
November 1970, according to the order of the CIA Maj. Ed Neal through Capt Thach Hén, Capt Chau Dara started to deploy his Kanseign Sar Battalion 149 for the assault of Son Tay Prison accordingly to the Rescue Operation Kingpin. As always he led his column.
Nine Chinook Helicopters lifted the Cambodian Special Force Raiders. The Kanseign Sar Battalion 149 led by Capt Chau Dara from Strung Treng Camp base in northern Cambodia toward Lang Hei on Laos/Vietnam border.
Twelve Cambodian elite force led by Capt Chau Dara were the first to be lifted by the first Chinook helicopter. Then those soldiers were dropped by rope from the Chinook. Then one or two Chinook helicopters came at a time to lift the remaining battalion 149 and were dropping the Cambodian troops at different places, but the nine Chinook helicopter dropping zones were within one mile radius.
Then, the Cambodian raiders walked for fifteen days to reach Son Tay camp. By jumping from the Chinook helicopters, five meters above the ground, dozens soldiers were injured by booby traps.
At this point Capt Chau Dara still believed he is the only one in charge of the execution of the whole Rescue Son Tay Operation Kingpin. He still did not know about the participation of the Khmer Krom Capt Thach Hén Battalion 137. He did absolutely know nothing about the American component of Operation Kingpin. (Be Continue @ 3/5)
Contact: sournsereyratha@gmail.com
5. The Cambodian Genesis of Son Tay Rescue Operation, a Cambodian Concept.
The Cambodian Special Forces Son Tay raider’s leadership did not know the origin of the American plan of Rescue of Son Tay Prison American POWs, the Operation Kingpin.
But, from the Cambodian point of view, there was a Cambodian concept to rescue Cambodian POWs in Son Tay Prison.
Capt Thach Kay had the information that 42 Kanseign Sar POWs were prisoners at Son Tay Prison. They were very badly and very often tortured. Capt Thach Kay discussed with Capt Thach Hén, Capt Chhin Saray and Capt Nao Eng about the feasibility of rescue of those brother Kanseign Sar POWs in Son Tay Prison.
To prove that our brother combatants will never be abandoned and to elevate the moral of the troops, Capt Thach Hén submitted to his supervisor CIA Maj. ED NEAL his ardent intention to rescue the 42 Khmer Krom Kanseign Sar POWs locked in Son Tay Prison who were captured by North Vietnam Army for accomplishing their missions in the North Vietnam.
Capt Chhin Saray had four cousins, Kanseign Sar officers and Capt Nao Eng had two cousins Kanseign Sar officers who were prisoners in Son Tay. For this reason, was born the concept to rescue their cousins locked in Son Tay Prison.
It was Capt Thach Kay and Capt Chhin Sary and Capt Nao Eng who were the first to suggest the operation to rescue their cousin prisoners. They talked to Capt Thach Hén who in return talked to the CIA supervisor Capt ED NEAL.
To do it successfully we need the leadership of Capt Chau Dara, said Capt Chhin Saray because Capt Chau Dara is the only one who knew very well the geography of the area. The surprise would be the best weapon for the success.
Then Capt Thach Hén discussed with Capt Chau Dara about the rescue operation of Son Tay prisoners and simply added that the CIA agreed to pay a lot of money, $5 million dollars for the Rescue of Son Tay POWs.
Capt Chau Dara knew so well Son Tay camp and the nearby surrounding area on Laos-Vietnam border zone because he lived for several years in that region among North Vietnamese soldiers. He knew the minority ethnics in that region; he had friends over there. He had a support team.
From there, maybe, was born the Son Tay Rescue Operation Kingpin.
Afterward the rescue operation project was taken over by the US Army to rescue its pilot prisoners. Then the project took another direction, then, became the Operation Kingpin.
6. Intelligence about Son Tay Prison
Three months before the Operation Kingpin’s D-Day, Capt Thach Hén, according to the CIA Maj. Ed Neal order, sent Kanseign Sar spies to Son Tay to gather the information relative to the two following crucial points:
(1)Are there American POWs at Son Tay Prison? How Many?
(2) How many North Vietnamese security guards are there in Son Tay Prison?
Three months before the D-Day, in September 1970, according the CIA assignment, Capt Thach Hén ordered Capt Chau Dara, Capt Nao Eng and Capt Chhin Saray to spy the Son Tay Prison.
For this purpose, according to the American concept of Son Tay Rescue Operation Kingpin, a small secret CIA camp base was set near Nong Hêt/Lang Hei, a small Laotian village on Lao-North Vietnam border, Southern of Dien Bien Phu and about 100 miles from Son Tay camp. From Lang Hei, Kanseign Sar spies were sent to spy Son Tay Prison.
First Spy Mission over Son Tay Prison, in September 1970:
Capt Chau Dara remembered very well because it was just before the Buddhist feast Pchum Ben, commemorating the pass away of the loved ones. First Capt Nao Eng and Capt Chhin Saray walked in for five days to reach Son Tay Prison and reported back in September 1970 to Capt Thach Hén:
(1) They did not see American POW in Son Tay Prison;
(2) There was one battalion of about 500 North Vietnamese security guards at Son Tay Prison.
Second Spy Mission on Son Tay Prison, in September 1970:
Capt Nao Eng and Capt Chhin Saray were resent to spy Son Tay Prison one more time. They got the same result: They did not see American POWs in Son Tay Prison and there was one battalion of about 500 North Vietnamese security guards at Son Tay Prison.
Third Spy Mission over Son Tay Prison, in October 1970:
Capt Thach Hén told Capt Chau Dara that the information concerning the American POWs at Son Tay Prison provided by Capt Nao Eng and Capt Chhin Saray was not conformed to the American expectation. The American commanders had doubt about the accuracy of Capt Nao Eng and Chhin Saray’s information relative to American POWs at Son Tay Prison.
This time, Capt Chau Dara and Capt Chhin Saray were sent to spy Son Tay Prison. The result was: They did see one American POW with a broom and a dozen Cambodian POWs working as team to clean Son Tay Prison recreation court. They saw about 500 North Vietnamese security guards in Son Tay Prison.
But 500 North Vietnamese guards is a big number, said Capt Chau Dara. That means Son Tay Prison is important. Therefore, Son Tay Prison could be served as an incarceration facility to imprison the American POWs.
Fourth Spy Mission over Son Tay Prison, in October 1970:
This time Capt Chau Dara went alone to spy Son Tay Prison.
Capt Chau Dara walked for five days from Lang Hei into Son Tay camp.
As usual, he walked around Son Tay prison to gather information about Son Tay prisoners. He walked about 20 meters outside from Son Tay Prison walls several times in order to scrutinize US POWs inside the prison.
In front of Son Tay Prison narrow and crosswire door (about 70 centimeters width, approximately 35 inches width) toward the middle of the Prison wall, and about seventy meters (78 yards) from that Son Tay Prison door, on Song Con River bank, he dug a trench camouflaged behind shrubs and surrounded by reeds which fostered very well on Song Con River bank. The ground was red volcanic and easy to dig a hole.
From there, through binocular, he observed, the in and out activities of Son Tay Prison, noted the soldier uniforms and counted their numbers and measured the strike distance and marked the evasion route. He slept during the night in this hole/trench in front of that narrow oblique Son Tay Prison door. He discovered around his hole several North Vietnamese booby traps. Then he rendered inoperative all those booby traps he has seen.
Then he reported to Capt Thach Hén: (1) He did see four American POWs at Son Tay prison. Their feet were iron chained. They were very thin and weak and locked in an iron bars cage. The first one was brought in the interrogation center and tortured by the Vietnamese guards because Capt Chau Dara heard their cries and the sound kicks; he was tortured. Nine North Vietnamese girl soldiers led the American POW away and he didn’t see the American POWs return to Son Tay Prison.
Then the three other American POWs followed from behind the first one. The three American POWs were also badly tortured. Then they all disappeared behind the walls.
He did see also dozens Cambodian POWs sweeping the prison recreation court.
Capt Chau Dara assessment: The mix battalion including two dozens female is a sign indicating that the Son Tay Prison security is relaxed. The Vietnamese did not feel imminent dangers. The Vietnamese guards organized joyful activities. It tended to confirm that the American prisoners were not there.
Maybe at that precise moment the North Vietnamese Army are moving all the American POWs out the Son Tay Prison because he saw dozens Vietnamese girl soldiers armed with the AK 47s herded the four iron chained feet American POWs out of Son Tay Prison.
According to Capt Chau Dara, it is noteworthy to point out:
(1) There are 38 trenches recognizable by the two-feet ground elevation hidden by shrubs and grass. Each trench is a reinforced defense position which can lodge easily about a dozen troops and
(2) The Son Tay Prison narrow crosswire door and the prison walls could bee easily destroyed by the Claymore mines, and
(3) The Song Con River is a good evasion route by nylon rope to escape to the opposite Song Con River bank to reach the helicopter extraction zone toward Cambodia.
7. DEPLOYMENT
The perilous Cambodian Special Forces Insertion in Son Tay Prison camp from their base in Cambodia
November 1970, according to the order of the CIA Maj. Ed Neal through Capt Thach Hén, Capt Chau Dara started to deploy his Kanseign Sar Battalion 149 for the assault of Son Tay Prison accordingly to the Rescue Operation Kingpin. As always he led his column.
Nine Chinook Helicopters lifted the Cambodian Special Force Raiders. The Kanseign Sar Battalion 149 led by Capt Chau Dara from Strung Treng Camp base in northern Cambodia toward Lang Hei on Laos/Vietnam border.
Twelve Cambodian elite force led by Capt Chau Dara were the first to be lifted by the first Chinook helicopter. Then those soldiers were dropped by rope from the Chinook. Then one or two Chinook helicopters came at a time to lift the remaining battalion 149 and were dropping the Cambodian troops at different places, but the nine Chinook helicopter dropping zones were within one mile radius.
Then, the Cambodian raiders walked for fifteen days to reach Son Tay camp. By jumping from the Chinook helicopters, five meters above the ground, dozens soldiers were injured by booby traps.
At this point Capt Chau Dara still believed he is the only one in charge of the execution of the whole Rescue Son Tay Operation Kingpin. He still did not know about the participation of the Khmer Krom Capt Thach Hén Battalion 137. He did absolutely know nothing about the American component of Operation Kingpin. (Be Continue @ 3/5)
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