LIAISON SERVICE ADVISORY DETACHMENT

CHAPTER 8

LIAISON SERVICE ADVISORY DETACHMENT

GENERAL

(TS) Liaison Service Advisory Detachment (LSAD) and its subordinate Task Force Advisory Elements (TFAEs) assumed the mission of advising and supporting the Strategic Technical - Directorate Liaison Service (LS) and its subordinate task forces on 1 May 1972. On the deactivation of Ground Studies Group, MACSOG-35, LSAD was tasked with supporting LS operations in the THOT NOT area of operations. Close coordination with LS continued with the object of total Vietnamization of the various intelligence collection programs as rapidly as possible. On 1 August 1972, LSAD strength was reduced from fifteen to thirteen personnel, and the TFAEs were reduced from seven to four men each. During the week of 16-20 October, the TFAEs were deactivated. LSAD was deactivated on 3 November 1972.

ORGANIZATION

(TS) LSAD was collocated with LS at Camp Nguyen Cao Vi, Saigon. LSAD exercised command

over the three TFAEs; and during the period 1 May - 1 August 1972, LSAD exercised operational control over Group 68 Advisory Element, Group 11 Advisory Element, and the Golf 5 Security Company. Command relationships and headquarters organization are indicated in Figure 8.1 and 8.2 for the period May - 1 July 1972, and 1 August – 3 November 1972, respectively. (S) The three subordinate TFAEs were located at Camp Long Thanh (Camp Yen The), Kontum, and Ban Me Thuot, respectively. They were organized as indicated in Figure 8.3 and 8.4; Group 63 AE was located at Camp Nguyen Cao Vi, Saigon; Group 11 AE was located at Camp Blackrock, Da Nang; and Golf 5 Security Company was initially located at Kontum. (S) On 1 July 1972, Group 11 AE was detached from the operational control of LSAD and assigned to SMSAD in order to improve command and control and to parallel LS and SMS organization. (S) In mid-May, when enemy pressure forced the evacuation of Kontum, the Golf 5 Security

Company moved to Ban Me Thuot and collocated with TF 3. On 11 July, the Company was relieved of its Golf 5 Radio Relay Site security mission, and moved to the Team 36 compound in Pleiku on 16 July whereupon it was redesignated the Special Mission Force (SMF). Under appropriate JCS/CINCPAC authorities, SMF was tasked with in-country Crash Site Inspections/ Personnel Recovery/Bright Light missions. SMF immediately began intensive mission training on its arrival at Pleiku. On 1 August 1972, SMF was removed from the operational control of LSAD and designated a separate command within STDAT.

OPERATIONS

(TS) General. With the deactivation of the Ground Studies Group on 30 April 1972, and its subsequent conversion to LSAD, the mission of LSAD and its TFAEs changed from an active operational rote to an advisory role. LS took complete control of operations, and continued to develop and improve its logistical and administrative capabilities. It continued, however, to rely on US support for special items of equipment. The main advisory effort was directed at the task force level with great emphasis on maintaining communications, medical, operations, intelligence, and supply functions. A concerted effort was made to improve the task forces’ capabilities in these fields in order to enhance their self-sufficiency as an edge against the possible complete disbandment of LSAD and the TFAEs. Liaison Service operations during this period were severely restricted by the withdrawal of dedicated air assets, the continuing enemy offensive, and reductions in task force strengths. The majority of the missions assigned were in support of the Capital Military District (TF1), and Military Region II (TF2 and TF3). Only two cross-border operations were executed by LS elements during the period 1 May - 3 November 1972. Plans to intensify operations in Cambodia were studied in anticipation that these operations could begin late in 1972. (TS) Air. The loss of the VNAF 219th Helicopter Squadron, which supported TF2 and TF3 in the THOT NOT AO, greatly restricted operations of both these elements. Air assets in support

of missions had to be obtained on a day-to-day basis from MR II. This situation proved to be quite unsatisfactory, since the allocated air assets were subject to withdrawal by MR II at any time. Even when air assets were available, command relationships were ill-defined and resulted in numerous misunderstandings. Air support for TF1 operations in support of the Capital Military District was more consistent. An air package of VNAF assets supporting TF missions usually consisted of two gunships and one troop lift HELO, and the package was normally dedicated for the entire mission. VNAF C-47’s were also used to support several parachute insertions. (TS) THOT NOT AREA OF OPERATIONS (TNAO). In mid-August, TF 2 was tasked by MR II to insert RTs into the 701 and 702 base areas to locate the 320th NVA Division. LS directed TF3 to attach two RTs and a light OP to TF2 for the operation. Poor weather in the AO and lack of dedicated air assets delayed the operation until late August 1972. One team, launched from Plei Djereng Border Ranger Camp, was inserted into BA 702 on 25 August 1972. No enemy activity was reported by the team. The series of operations was cancelled when the Plei Djereng Forward Launch Site was overrun by elements of the 320th NVA Division on 4 September 1972. Subsequently, the attached RTs from TF3 returned to Ban Me Thuot. (TS) On 2 September 1972, TF1 conducted an airborne insertion of one RT into the 354 Base Area (Parrot’s Beak area of Cambodia). The team reported heavy enemy combat service support activity throughout the area of operations.

(S) EM-2 Crash. The 5 June air crash of EM-2 (C-46 Contract flight) near Pleiku took the lives of the LSAD Senior Advisor, Assistant Operations Advisor, Intelligence NCO, and communications NCO. Other casualties induced the Senior Advisor of Group 11, the Intelligence/ Operations Officer of the Golf-5 Security Company, and two communications personnel from Advisory Element Two. A special task force was created from LSAD assets to coordinate and conduct the crash site investigation (CSI). This task force, consisting of sixteen US personnel from LSAD Headquarters and subordinate elements and 55 Special Commando Unit (SCU) personnel from the Golf-5 Security Company, was organized into a ground team and a mobile CP. During the conduct of the CSI from 9-16 June, extremely poor weather hampered the operation. All bodes were recovered however. While the EM crash site investigation was still in progress, LSAD was requested to provide assistance in the recovery operations in the crash of a Cathay Pacific Airlines jetliner in MR 1. A recovery team composed of 6 US and 25 SCU personnel was inserted at the crash site on 16 June. The team recovered 65 bodies from the wreckage. On 18 June, the team was extracted because of increasing enemy activity in the area.

(S) Task Force One (TF1) Operations. After the siege of Quan Loi on 5 April 1972, TF1 moved to Camp Yen The and collocated with the Training Center at Long Thanh. During the period May to mid-August 1972, TF1 ran local training operations in the vicinity of Long Thanh and several missions in support of Capital Military District (CMD). With the increased enemy threat to Saigon, the number of missions supporting CMD increased. On 25 August 1972, TF1 moved to Camp Nguyen Cao Vi, Saigon, to facilitate the CMD Operations. TF1 Advisory Team (AE) remained at Camp Yen The at the request of the TF1 Commander. TF1 executed one cross border

mission during the period. A five man RT was parachuted into the 354 Base Area on 2 September 1972, but was unable to link up after the insertion. Two team members exfiltrated and returned to friendly control on 7-8 September. They reported intensive enemy combat service support activities and heavy enemy troop movements in their AO. In late September, the three other team members were officially declared missing in action. Subsequent to the operation, TF1 conducted numerous reconnaissance operations in support of CMD throughout the period 1 October 1972 to 28 January 1973. Additionally, in response to JGS, STD tasked TFl to provide a platoon sized element for a security mission inside the JGS compound. This requirement had a heavy impact on the TF’s already reduced operational capabilities.

(S) To facilitate operations in the Southern portions of the TNAO (Thot Not Area of Operations),*

plans were formulated to relocate TF1 to Tay Ninh as soon as the enemy situation would permit.

(S) TF1AE was deactivated on 16 October 1972.

(S) Task Force Two (TF2) Operations. TF2 conducted numerous local and security operations in support of Kontum Sector, and continued to support Klondike Radio Relay Site with two

RTs. The task force, consisting of approximately 163 men, jointly occupied the Kontum camp with Group 75, SMS. Because of the camp’s large size, most of TF2’s efforts were absorbed in

securing the perimeter.

*

(S) Cross-border operations in the 701 and 702 Base Areas were temporarily halted after the Plei Djereng Forward Launch Site was overrun by NVA elements on 4 September 1972. Crossborder

operations in support of MR II were reinitiated in December 1972, and continued until the cease-fire on 28 January 1973. (S) TF2AE was deactivated on 18 October 1972.

(S) Task Force Three (TF3) Operations. Of the three task forces, TF3 was the most severely restricted by base security requirements. As a result, TF3 conducted no significant operations following

1 May 1972 to 3 January 1973. The two teams and the light CP sent to support TF2 operations in BA 701 and 702 were not committed during the operation and returned to Ban Me Thuot on 1 September 1972. On 30 August 1972, fourteen men began an intensive three month communications course at the Training Center (TC) and on 4 October 1972, two teams began airborne refresher training. After much planning, TF3 relocated to Camp Coreyell in Ban Me Thuot City on 15 November 1972. Camp Coreyell, a former MACV compound, was in a state of extreme disrepair and, at the time of the move, unfit for habitation. The TF spent the next two months rehabilitating the compound in a concentrated effort to improve conditions there. During this period, two RT’s went through RT refresher training at TC, and by way of a graduation exercise, participated in a FTX at the end of January 1972.

(TS) TF3 was deactivated on 20 October 1972.