FOIA: FOIA: Significant increase on North Vietnamese Naval Communications - Gulf of Tonkin - 8 June

relea00136.pdf
Significant increase on North Vietnamese Naval Communications
This is a report on the increase in DRV Naval communications between 28 May and 5 June 1964.
Document date: 1964-06-08
Department: NSA Headquarters, Ft. Meade, MD (DIRNSDA)
Author: SIGINT
Document type: Report
pages: 1


Archivist's Notes: This report give details about message numbers of the comms for DRV Naval Entities It also gives the numbers of messages transmitted for March (91), April (122) and May (55). Part of the report describes a DRV message< which included an order to patrol vessel T167 to, among other orders, "ambush enemy". Place names in the message indicate that patrols are active along the entire coast line of the DRV.




[edit on 3/19/2008 by JacKatMtn]

Significant increase on North Vietnamese Naval Communications
Gulf of Tonkin - June 8, 1964

This report is a one page report that shows a dramatic increase in North Vietnamese Naval Communications messages in the first six days of June, 1964.

During the first six days of June, 1964, 74 messages were sent, which is unusually high compared to monthly totals of 91, 122, and 55 for March, April and May, respectively. The report states that the reason for the increased activity is undetermined.

The report does speculate that the reason could be due to a June 5th order which was passed to the T167, a DRV (North Vietnam) patrol vessel, which, among it's duties, was to "ambush enemy."

The messages indicated that the patrol boats were active all along the coast of the DRV.


Additional Information:

The increase in messages seemed to be followed by an increase in activity.

In July, 1964, a couple major events occurred, including:

• On July 19th, a rally in Saigon was held, lead by South Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Khanh, who called for expanding the war in to North Vietnam

• On July 20th, Viet Cong forces attacked a provincial capital which killed 11 South Vietnamese troops and 40 civilians, including 30 children

This was followed up by more events in August, 1964, including:

• The Gulf of Tonkin Incident

• Operation Pierce Arrow

• The passing of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution by Congress, which rapidly increased US Military involvement in the Vietnam War

[edit on 3/19/08 by NovusOrdoMundi]

The most significant part of this document, besides the increase in communications traffic from the DRV (North Vietnam), is the mention of the order to "ambush enemy". The time frame of June 8, 1964, puts this even two months prior to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, so I believe the DRV was referring to the South Vietnamese as the enemy and not the US. The US involvement at that time was the US Navy had been patrolling and escorting shipping due to attacks, but they remained in International waters.

Related FOIA Document:
FOIA: DRV attack on US Ships in Gulf of Tonkin; 2 - 4 August 1964
FOIA: Gulf of Tonkin Situation Report No. 2