# Black Entry Operations into North Vietnam



## Gunz (Aug 20, 2016)

Some very good stuff here if you care to delve into it. Names of CIA operatives, and the numbers of those inserted have been redacted but otherwise very readable text and good maps.


http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB284/5-THE_WAY_WE_DO_THINGS.pdf


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## AWP (Aug 20, 2016)

Ocoka One said:


> Some very good stuff here if you care to delve into it. Names of CIA operatives have been redacted but otherwise clean text and good maps.
> 
> 
> http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB284/5-THE_WAY_WE_DO_THINGS.pdf



One you may enjoy and a forerunner to the 160th SOAR's capabilities.

Air America's Black Helicopter      |     Military Aviation | Air & Space Magazine


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## SpitfireV (Aug 20, 2016)

Hey that's interesting. I'll have a read of this later. Does anyone know what the MR caveat is? I assume it's nothing sensitive else it would have been censored.


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## AWP (Aug 20, 2016)

SpitfireV said:


> Hey that's interesting. I'll have a read of this later. Does anyone know what the MR caveat is? I assume it's nothing sensitive else it would have been censored.



The OP's original link is heavily redacted even after all these years. I think "MR" means Manual Review.


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## SpitfireV (Aug 20, 2016)

Ah that would make sense. I couldn't find it on any lists.


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## Gunz (Aug 21, 2016)

Freefalling said:


> The OP's original link is heavily redacted even after all these years....



That surprised me. These events, '60-'64, more than a half century ago.  I'm assuming to protect family members of agents still living in VN?

Some locations are also redacted.


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## Centermass (Aug 21, 2016)

Ocoka One said:


> That surprised me. These events, '60-'64, more than a half century ago.  I'm assuming to protect family members of agents still living in VN?



More than likely - Yes.


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## Gunz (Aug 21, 2016)

There were two significant events that preceded the black entry of the CIAs "stealth Loach" in North Vietnam in December 1972. The first was the secret incursion by ARVN into Laos in March 1971, (_Lam Son 719_), some of which I witnessed and that cost us some 400 helicopters over a 6-week period; and the NVA Easter Offensive in early 1972, the DRVs first attempt to conquer the South...foiled by the bravery of ARVN and by American artillery and air power skillfully called in by US Advisors and Covans. One of those Covans was Marine Capt. John Ripley, who won the Navy Cross by blowing up the bridge at Dong Ha, effectively stopping NVA armor. The only Marine, incidentally, in the Ranger Hall of Fame.

Here are some maps of the first action, _Lam Son 719. _Bad intel sent multiple ARVN units and US helos into a hornet's nest of NVA and triple-A emplacements.







And the aerial map of LZs inside Laos. The American public knew nothing of this major offensive.







And finally, an amazing interview with Col. Ripley before his untimely death at age 69.


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## Gunz (Aug 21, 2016)




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