PSYOP ORDER OF BATTLE
FOR VIETNAM

SGM Herbert A. Friedman (Ret.)

Continued

Anh Khe, September 1965

The 19th PSYOP Company was activated at Ft. Bragg as part of the 3rd Special Forces Group on 10 August 1962. The first Commander was Captain Blaine Revis. In July 1965, Revis was asked to form the 24th PSYOP Detachment and deploy to Vietnam assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Division at Anh Khe. The 24th PSYOP Detachment was formed from personnel of the 1st and 13th PSYOP Battalion assigned to the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, NC. The unit, consisting of six officers and 24 enlisted, was formed, trained and deployed to Vietnam in just two weeks. The detachment arrived in Vietnam in September 1965 and assigned to support the 1st Cavalry Division G5 Section at Anh Khe. The Section was understaffed for communicating with the Vietnamese populace and the laborers who would prepare the base for the arrival of aircraft. It soon became apparent that the Cavalry Division had no interest in PSYOP support, so Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) ordered the detachment moved in November 1965 to Nha Trang as part of the II Corps Operations section (G3). The detachment participated directly in attack planning which included control of civilians caught in the battlefield field of fire. On one major campaign called "Operation Eagle Claw" in the Bong Son Valley, the 24th POD helped to relocate 5,000 refugees onto a temporary site and supply them with tents and food for over a month. They supported operations in the Bong Son Valley on at least three separate occasions and dropped millions of leaflets each time. The detachment had loudspeaker teams in the field with Vietnamese linguists to call upon the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong units to surrender. They had one truck with a printing press and produced a limited number of propaganda leaflets, but the majority of leaflets were printed and flown in from Japan. Some members were assigned to Korean military units, other to the 101st Airborne Division. The USAF 5th Air Commando Squadron was formed to support the unit. In February 1966, the 24th was re-designated the 245th PSYOP Company and became responsible for PSYOP in II Corps. 

The 25th PSYOP Detachment was Commanded by CPT William R. Perry and made up of seven officers and 15 enlisted men. In 1965 it was deployed to Southeast Asia from San Francisco on the USNS Hugh J. Gaffney along with elements of the United States Army 1st Cavalry Division. I had sailed on the same ship 10 years earlier on my way to the Far East. Anti-war protestors pelted the troop ship as it sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge. The Detachment ran the ship’s radio station on the 17-day voyage. The Gaffney docked at Qui Nhon in September of 1965. The unit was immediately trucked to an air strip where they were flown to Pleiku by C-123 and headquartered in an old French compound at the II Corps MACV headquarters north of Pleiku while a permanent barracks was built for them.

 

Leaflet 25-19-68

Leaflets from the 25th PSYOP Detachment are very rare. This is one of the few I have ever seen. The detachment would soon be changed to the 245th PSYOP Company. Notice the leaflet above bears the number 2592 on the front. That is a number and image normally used by the Joint United States Public Affairs Office. I have seen it used on a postcard and on another leaflet with a different text. The front depicts a charging ARVN soldier and the text: We are determined to defend the nation. The 25th PSYOP Detachment “borrowed” the image, and placed their message and code number on the back of the leaflet. Why it is dated 1968 is a mystery. The owner was a member of the 25th Infantry Division in Cu Chi and Tay Ninh in 1969. He found the leaflet during a visit to the Military Intelligence Detachment.

The introduction of the 25th PSYOP Detachment into the Central Highlands of Vietnam at Pleiku in September 1965 coincided with the buildup of 1st Cavalry (Airmobile) at An Khe just to the East. The mission of the detachment was to collect intelligence regarding enemy weaknesses and vulnerabilities, develop themes and materials to exploit these vulnerabilities, and disseminate appeals and messages via leaflet, loudspeaker and other means. The detachment had highly trained PSYOP officers and enlisted men who had specific expertise in psychological operations, counter insurgency, media development, graphic design, leaflet production, audio production, photography, and other selected skills.

The unit’s primary mission was to support the American and South Vietnamese troops in the II corps geographical area with PSYOP capabilities to include leaflet production, Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) field trips, movies and operations in friendly Montagnard villages. Members of the unit were with the 1st Cavalry in November 1965 at the battle of Ia Drang.

 

Montagnard Leaflet 7-320-69

The Montagnards mentioned above were a native people looked down upon by the Vietnamese. Both the Republic of Viet Nam and the Viet Cong persecuted them. Many of the natives were forced into the Viet Cong to carry supplies and do other laborer-type work. The above leaflet is one of a series that was prepared without text since many of the Montagnards were illiterate. The front of this airdropped 3x6-inch leaflet depicts a native with the Viet Cong who finds a Chieu Hoi leaflet and then surrenders to a government soldier. On the back of the leaflet the soldier has his arm around the Montagnard in a friendly manner, and in the final drawing the native is home with his wife and children.

Airman Third Class Larry Murley spent some time with the Montagnards early in the Vietnam War. He talks about them: 

I spent 5 months of my life in Viet Nam in the spring of 1962.  I spent it in a village that was about 6 miles from where you see on the maps that they show the border of Laos and Cambodia intersect with the Viet Nam border. I was one of the early Americans that got to serve with the Montagnards, most of the Green Berets were a few years later than me, we basically trained our 25 men to handle modern weapons, they knew the rest. I was an airman who was assigned as a personal assistant to what I came to believe was a CIA Field agent.

I never wore uniforms or carried dog tags or ID except the 1st and last day I was in Viet Nam. I arrived in Vietnam in early February of 1962. Twenty-five of us were sent over to teach the ARVN how to set up, operate, and tear down and move ground mobile Radar. When we arrived, they had scrapped that plan. I never knew where they sent the other guys but I was interviewed and made a personal assistant to a guy I later came to understand was a field agent for the CIA. He had been in Vietnam since the mid 1950's. I was taken to the highlands a few weeks later. I kept my mouth totally shut, I was way over my pay grade, but I did much better after we got up with the Dega [Author: another name for Montagnards] people. I was “country” and they were easy to like and relate to, and I grew up in the woods and swamps of Northeast Arkansas, I was in a place I liked. I never spent a lot of time in the south. I visited Saigon and Ben Hoa, then we went up to the village near the border of Laos and Cambodia, and started surveillance on the Ho Chi Minh trail and that was the basis of our time. Soon afterwards my father had a serious injury and the Red Cross sent me home.

I will echo what they say about the intelligence and capabilities and the loyalty and bravery of the Montagnards. They were the best. I still love them. I go there frequently in my dreams. I love the Montagnard people, I hate what is happening there now, with the present government.

Retired Major Ed Rouse sent me this little ditty:

THE MONTAGNARDS

They call themselves Dega.
The French called them Montagnards (Mountaineers).
The American's affectionately called them Little People or Yards.
The Vietnamese call them Moi, or savages.
They were the Indigenous People of Viet Nam's Central Highlands.

I was rewatching the old 1968 John Wayne Movie the Green Berets recently and there was a scene where Wayne talked to a local Montagnard village chief and was told why they came to the American camp for medical aid. He said:

Papers fall from the sky. Papers say white men, long nose, round eyes, called Americans, help Montagnard’s, but VC say our papers lie.

The military booklet: BUILDING BRIDGES: Commander’s Guide to Face to Face Communication mentions illiterates. It says in part:

Do not exclude the use of printed materials. Photo-novels, comic books, and wall posters using graphics and very few words can convey a message. Posters for non-literate and partially literate audience should have as little written text as possible and should consider the visual literacy of the target audience. Before large quantities of any printed visual communication materials are produced, graphics and artwork should be pretested-on a sample audience and changes incorporated into the final products. It is not unusual to find that an audience’s perception of the ideas being presented is entirely different, even opposite, from what was intended. Visual communication materials for rural audiences should incorporate images that reflect the local culture and landscape.

The same topic is discussed in the U.S. Army Special Warfare School Report Propaganda Media.

The first thing that comes to mind of most people when the subject of communication with non-literate audience is mentioned, it that printed media cannot be used. The problem is then identified as that of developing communication using audio-visual media which do not involve the written word…Non-literate people think differently than literates…They have grown to view the environment in a different manner. About 60 to 80 percent of the countries where technical assistance programs are functioning are illiterate. Non-literate people are for the most part extremely conservative. They are characterized by a high resistance to change of the status quo. Generally speaking, the vocabulary of these people is limited. Ideas presented to non-literates must be clear and specific.

The lesson goes on the recommend the following means of communication: face-to-face, radio, films, and television.

A Leaflet in the Tribal Roglai Language

Speaking of Montagnards, here is a leaflet with Vietnamese on one side and Roglai on the other. The Roglai are found in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong provinces, in the mountains west and south of Nha Trang; some near Dalat. Their autonym is Radlai, which means “forest people.” They are an ethnic community, part of the Montagnard, traditionally Christian. This leaflet depicts two tribesmen talking:

INVITE ONE ANOTHER TO RETURN TO THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM

I have heard that about 200,000 highlanders have rallied to the Government of the Republic of Vietnam. My family is going to side with the government. Do you want to go with us?

Yes. The Viet Cong are very cruel. Many Roglai people have gone to the Government of the Republic of Vietnam side. Let’s report to a South Vietnam Army unit!

There was a great deal of effort put into gaining the trust of the Montagnards. Montagnard is an umbrella term for the various indigenous peoples of the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The French term Montagnard signifies a mountain dweller and is a carryover from the French colonial period in Vietnam. The Montagnard tribes in the Central Highlands comprise more than six different ethnic groups who speak languages such as Bahnar, Mnong, and Sedang and speakers of Austronesian languages such as the Jarai, Roglai, and Rhade. They were natural fighters and loyal and trustworthy. I have seen dozens of comments of recruiting the Montagnards. Two that come to mind were written in March 1971.

A combined 23rd Infantry Division and PSYOP campaign successfully brought in 58 Montagnard Hoi Chanh in a two-week period. The Hre were being pressed by the Viet Cong to move to the coastal areas to bolster local VC forces. Safe conduct passes were dropped, and aerial broadcast conducted in this area brought in additional ralliers.

Over 30,000 leaflets were printed in both Rhade and Vietnamese and distributed throughout Darlac Province.

Thomas L. Ahearn says in the formerly classified, CIA and the House of Ngo:

In mid-1961, the CIA proposed that Rhade tribesmen in the highland’s province of Darlac be armed for local self-defense. In 1962 the CIA arranged for US Special Forces personnel to be detached to CIA to begin training the first of a series of self-defense units that a year later comprised some 35,000 men. In early August 1962 the CIA described the active commitment of 30,000 Rhade tribesmen to the government and against the VC.

SP-925
A Leaflet for Montagnards that do not read

This very early JUSPAO is coded  SP-925. The front of the leaflet shows the mountain people being held captive by Viet Cong troops as can be seen by the flag at the left. The people are sick and suffering but the Viet Cong show no interest in helping them. The back depicts the flag of the Republic of Vietnam, and we see three panels of doctors treating, medicating, and healing Montagnard women, men, and children. The meaning is clear. Come over to our side and receive good medical care and be warmly welcomed.

The lowland ethnic Vietnamese used the insulting term Moi, meaning “savage” and treated the mountain people with contempt. U.S. Special Forces simply called them Yards, a term of respect. After 1962, Special Forces in the Republic of Vietnam were increasingly deployed in the highlands to work with the Montagnards. Vietnam contained between 600,000 to 1,000,000 Montagnards comprising twenty-nine tribal groups, most of whom hated the lowland Vietnamese and the Republic of Vietnam in the south almost as much as they despised the Communist-led North Vietnam. I have read that the Montagnards might have lost as many as 250,000 members fighting for the United States. The two largest tribes were the Rhade and Jarai.

We probably should point out that there were many leaflets aimed at the Montagnards. They were a large population within Vietnam and friendly to the Americans and willing to fight for them if properly trained and armed. Most of the leaflets had no text since the natives suffered from illiteracy. Rather than add more leaflets that all look about the same, I will mention some here that target the Montagnard. All were from the 6th PSYOP Battalion about the same time, in late 1970. Note that the Americans are already pulling back from Vietnam so instead of American soldiers we see only Vietnamese soldiers.

6-2088-70 – Chieu Hoi Rally instructions. (4 panels)
Montagnards have their food taken by the Viet Cong.
Viet Cong force the Montagnards to work for them.
Montagnards seek help from Vietnamese government officials.
Vietnamese soldiers take the Viet Cong prisoners.

6-2196-70 – Chieu Hoi Rally instructions. (4 panels)
Montagnard family walking through jungle.
Montagnards find a road and walk down it.
Montagnards come upon a Vietnamese army checkpoint, they rally.
Montagnards get food and medical attention from a Vietnamese soldier.

6-2197-70 – Chieu Hoi rally instructions. (3 panels)
Montagnard standing in clearing, waving at helicopter.
Montagnards boarding helicopter.
Montagnards eating food and getting medical attention from the Vietnamese soldier.

6-2198-70 – Rally instructions. (4 panels)
Montagnards moving through jungle.
Montagnards coming to government post and being greeted by smiling Vietnamese soldier.
Montagnards receiving food.
Montagnards getting medical attention from the Vietnamese soldier.

Leaflet 956

Another no-text leaflet for the non-readers among the Vietnamese. This one is easy to understand. Vietnamese peasants line up at a government station where supplies are freely handed to the people. There is food, canned goods, medical supplies, radios, and tools such as shovels. In case the people forget, there is the flag of the Republic of Vietnam in the background. The back depicts life under the Viet Cong. Instead of the people receiving food, they are now depicted as being robbed of their food by the Viet Cong. Once again, just so the people remember, there is a Guerrilla flag in the background. The sign on the desk and some of the supplies are named as follows:

On the table: Rural/Countryside Construction

Under the flag: Fertilizer

On the bags: Rice

Leaflet SP-957

The leaflets without text were not only for the natives. Many of the ethnic Vietnamese could not read and many early leaflets were prepared for them too. As the war went on and these leaflets without text lost their appeal, less were printed. This leaflet is easily understood. On the front the Viet Cong celebrate the destruction of a bridge. On the back, the people of Vietnam rebuild the bridge. Notice that this leaflet and the one below both feature the flags of the Viet Cong and the Government of Vietnam. Other documents indicate that the natives and even many of the Viet Cong and Vietnamese farmers did not know their own flags. Posters would be given to many of the farmers to be hung on their walls so they could recognize their flag. The flags are meant to show who is doing what, but since so many peasants did not recognize their own flag, it is doubtful that the image of the flag explained to all what was going on.

Leaflet SP-961

In this leaflet we can see that it targets the native people once again. Notice the loin cloth on the victim being robbed of his rice. On the back of the leaflet the government arrives, and the poor man is handed a blanket and a bowl of rice.

Leaflet SP-981

The leaflet depicts a South Vietnamese woman decorating a soldier with a lei. The text on the front is:

WHY DID THE AMERICANS TRAVEL 1,600 KILOMETERS TO COME TO VIETNAM?

The back is all text:

The Americans came here to help the Vietnamese people protect their country from being invaded by imperialist Communists. They not only helped protect the Vietnamese people but also the people of the world, which includes the American people.

Underdeveloped countries never want war. They want the world to be peaceful and stable so they can develop their country's economy and improve the living standards of their people. The United States also shares that desire. However, Red China's aggressive policy has threatened world peace.

Many people do not believe that American soldiers have traveled 16,000 kilometers to fight here without hoping for any benefits in return. They are suspicious. The United States hopes to find the most precious thing to compensate for their hard work: PEACE. PEACE for all the peoples of the world - including the American people.

Leaflet 8(1)2-246-68

One side of this 5 August 1968, 8th PSYOP Battalion leaflet to the native Montagnard tribes of Vietnam depicts the Viet Cong forcing them to work, then an ARVN helicopter coming to their village and giving them food and medical aid. In the last panel the natives return to friendly territory and a big welcome as shown by the Republic of Vietnam flag and the waving soldiers. There is no text so it was not necessary for the natives to be literate.

The other side of the leaflet depicts a Vietnamese Field Combat Policeman (we identify him by the camouflage pattern of his uniform) giving rice to a native woman while others, including children await their turn.

The Original Photograph

This leaflet was sent to me by Richard  N. Levine who was a Specialist 4th Grade (SP4) photographer (MOS 84B20), assigned to Company A, in Nha Trang, from March 1968 to December 1969. He shot the picture in the field by a primary school and later placed it on the leaflet. Curiously, the photograph shows the women fully dressed, but the leaflet cartoon has them bare breasted and the men in loincloths.

There were numerous indigenous tribes in Vietnam and for the most part they considered themselves victims of the Vietnamese and united in 1962 to form a United Front of Struggle for the Oppressed Race. Under French rule, the Vietnamese and the Montagnards were kept separated and had little interaction. U.S. propaganda always tried to bring them back to the government and also asked their people to volunteer as soldiers in some areas. Some of the Montagnard tribes in the “Front” are: Cham, Rhade, Jarai, Jru, Raglai, Chauma, Bishrue, Bahnar, Sedang, Hre, Kebuan, Hadrung, Mnong, Stieng, and Khymer-Krom.

Leaflet SP-669

This is an early Special Project leaflet from JUSPAO. These were not dated and not filed well, but it is probably about 1966. Soon the “SP" will be removed because it told the Vietnamese that this was an American product. It depicts Viet Cong being strafed and bombed by American and/or South Vietnamese fighter aircraft. The text on the back is:

HELLO, VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST SOLDIERS!

The Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces will continuously bombard the Viet Cong bases day and night until your ranks are destroyed. Your lives will be extremely dangerous because death will always be close to your backs.

We believe that your fighting power is limited, while the Army of the Republic of Vietnam has enough means, and many favorable conditions to win. Therefore, on every battlefield, the Viet Cong will suffer miserable defeats with corpses lying everywhere on the ground.

You should quickly leave the Viet Cong ranks. The mountains and forests are unsafe and dangerous. Return to the National Cause to soon bring peace to our country.

Leaflet 245N-49-67

One of the more attractive leaflets produced by the 245th PSYOP Company depicts a soldier of the Republic of Vietnam riding on horseback carrying the flag of his nation and trampling the communist flag. The picture is very heroic in a traditional military manner. The text on the back of the leaflet is:

Citizens Living in this Area Please Take Notice.

Don't Run, Don't Hide

Don't run and don't hide from the Allied military forces patrolling on the ground or above you in helicopters. Stay where you are until you receive further instructions. You will be told what to do. If you follow instructions you will not be harmed.

Notice the “N” in the code. Since the 245th PSYOP Company was in two locations, they added the letter to show that it was produced in Nha Trang.

We should point out that this image was so strong that it was used about a half dozen times on leaflets. 200,000 copies of this image were placed on a December 1966 leaflet by JUSPAO entitled “Message from the Province Chief.” The message on the back is long so I will just quote a small portion.

TO OUR COMPATRIOTS, SOLDIERS AND CADRE IN THE VIET CONG RANKS

Once again our Tet is coming and arousing our love for our ancestors. Together with all our compatriots in the National Zones I welcome the New Year in a comfortable family atmosphere, but I am anxious about the fate of our compatriots in the areas temporarily held by the Viet Cong. I think especially of all our brothers and sisters who have been forced by the Viet Cong, who use the name South Vietnam National Liberation Front, into a meaningless war.

During many long years you have never enjoyed the wonder of our traditional Tet! The Viet Cong squeeze the countryside in resentment, hatred, and murder. They have brought to you countless hardships in this internecine strife. Gun-fire surrounds you; you live in mud and filth; and you are always hungry and cold. What a pity that you can never be properly treated when you are ill. You live in darkness and pain day after day.

The military and civil authorities on every level, including the Allied Armed Forces, have been instructed to warmly welcome you back to your Fatherland and to give you all the aid and assistance necessary.

Notice the text of the above leaflet telling the people not to run. In the report on the My Lai massacre there is mention of the many leaflets dropped by the U.S. PSYOP troops telling the Vietnamese not to run or call attention to themselves when the U.S. forces approached, because they might be fired upon as a result.

At brigade level our body count input was coming in from the battalions and from Task Force Barker. They came in on an as-happen basis. You might say throughout the day or night and whenever enemy were killed it was reported through these channels to us. Of course we had other units as well. When our brigade aviation killed any people, they reported it to us. Cavalry troops also reported. Long range patrols, or base security, or any of these other various elements which encountered the enemy from time to time made such reports, and we credited them with enemy killed. An individual was classified as an enemy if he ran. There were many, many proclamations made throughout the countryside, I guess hundreds of thousands of leaflets telling the people if we were to come to the area for heaven's sakes don't run because we would not harm the civilians. We were looking for the Viet Cong only. If they ran, they immediately made themselves suspect, and possibly subject to being fired upon. Even if they did run, our troops were ordered to try to fire in such a way that the people would stop, not to hit them but to cause them to indicate that they were under conditions where they could be hit if we so desired. This was effective in many, many instances by firing near someone and telling them to stop and subject themselves to being talked to. However, once a person was shot and he was gotten to by our forces and he had no weapon, then we had to go into other means to determine whether he was Viet Cong or not. Sometimes we used Vietnamese to make the determination for us. Then again, we must go back to district headquarters to see if the individual could be identified. If he could be identified they would look at their rolls and sometimes we would be able to look at our rolls and determine whether he had a position in the Viet Cong structure, and quite often this was the case. If we determined he had a weapon, of course, this was no problem.

Leaflet 76-2-245(P)

The front depicts U.S. aircraft which appear to be Navy FJ-4F Fury fighter-bombers attacking the Viet Cong both day and night. The Fury was an extensively modified ground attack version of the F-86 that the Navy put into service after the Korean War as a light attack aircraft operating from aircraft carriers. It was flown by Marine pilots and saw limited service in Vietnam and parts of Laos. It was replaced in Navy service by the A-4 Skyhawk attack bomber, which saw extensive service throughout the Vietnam War. The leaflet text is:

During the day you are not safe

At night you are even more terrified

The back is all text:

Save Yourselves!

-The Army of the Republic of Vietnam will severely punish anyone who disrupts the security and safety of the people.

-Your only chance of survival is to rally and be reunited with your families.

SOG: PRARIE FIRE

In February 2023 was contacted by a popular war game called SOG: PRARIE FIRE that wants to add some PSYOP to its play. They have asked permission to use my leaflets and posters in their game. Of course, I approved. They have sent me some photos of what the game play will look like. Here is a leaflet that will appear in the game if approved.

First Lieutenant Bob Harvey of the 25th PSYOP Detachment (later Detachment B of the 245th PSYOP Company) reminisces about his Vietnam duty from September 1965 to September 1966:

Captain Perry was a good Commanding Officer of the Pleiku Detachment for the period he was with us, about September 1965 to June 1966. We all had a lot of respect and admiration for him.   He was part Apache Indian and part German. He was a real Regular Army trooper, an infantry officer with a Combat Infantry Badge. The PSYOP command was not for him. He petitioned to get out in the bush and engage the enemy. He finally got transferred down south to a combat unit and was replaced by Captain Henry (Lee) Dunn, a nice guy from Wyoming who was the Commander from about July 1966.

The introduction of the 25th PSYOP Detachment into the Central Highlands of Vietnam at Pleiku in September 1965 coincided with the buildup of 1st Cavalry (Airmobile) at An Khe just to the East.  The mission of the detachment was to collect intelligence regarding enemy weaknesses and vulnerabilities, develop themes and materials to exploit these vulnerabilities, and disseminate appeals and messages via leaflet, loudspeaker and other means.  The detachment had highly trained PSYOP officers and enlisted men who had specific expertise in psychological operations, counter insurgency, media development, graphic design, leaflet production, audio production, photography, and other selected skills.

The specific missions planned and executed by the unit included imbedded field teams to collect information relative to enemy vulnerabilities and develop and disseminate propaganda to their soldiers.  Aerial loudspeaker and leaflet missions flown in U-10, C-47 and UH-1 aircraft were conducted throughout the major campaigns, and leaflet missions over the tri-country border area (infiltration trails) were commonplace.

The first major ground operation was a field team comprised of one PSYOP Officer and two support  specialists from the 25th Detachment, and one Vietnamese interpreter.   This team was attached to the 1st Cavalry during the Ia Drang campaign (November 1965) and was able to ascertain NVA vulnerabilities as the basis for PSYOP efforts in the II Corps border area throughout the remainder of 1965.

With the introduction of elements of the 25th and 4th Infantry Divisions into the Central Highlands in 1966, the Detachment (now redesignated 245th PSYOP Company “Detachment B”) participated in numerous campaigns and sweeps of known enemy locations for the purpose of exploiting troop weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Many of these brigade size campaigns were staged out of the large open fields in and around Pleiku, with New Pleiku Airbase (USAF), Camp Hollaway (US ARMY AIR), and the MACV II Corps Headquarters providing support.  The Detachment’s production facility, located at the MACV compound, was able to react quickly to the latest intelligence, and develop/produce PSYOP media and material in support of field operations.

Generally, the detachment developed and produced much of its own material, however, major leaflet drops (most along the Cambodian border) of thousands of pounds of leaflets by C-47 required leaflets to be produced at Battalion in Saigon or in Manila.  These were shipped to New Pleiku Airbase by transport for loading into the C-47 following its arrival from its base in Nha Trang.

Lieutenant Winston Groom

Second Lieutenant Winston Groom talks about his activities during the early days of the Vietnam War with the 245th PSYOP Company:

I brought over a detachment of about 30 men out of the Psywar Company at Ft. Bragg in mid-June, 1966. We boarded the U.S.S. Gaffney for the long trip over. Upon arrival, I went several weeks without a specific assignment while I studied the local operations, but nobody in command seemed to know exactly what we were supposed to do.

One morning I was suddenly told to get my stuff together because they had a job for me. When I got to headquarters Major Piragowski told me I was to be the PSYOP team leader attached to the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. While I awaited the arrival of my assigned unit, I worked with the PSYOP team leader of the 101st Airborne Division brigade, which was still operational in the area. I went on missions a few times with the 101st. At this stage of the war we were hampered by bad equipment, including loudspeakers, which were WWII vintage and rarely worked. It took a one man to carry the speaker that weighed about 40+ pounds, and another to carry the batteries, which weighed about as much.

Once the 4th Infantry Division went operational, their 1st Brigade, the one I was attached to, was assigned to Tuy Hoa. The Brigade Commander Colonel Austin told me, “Well, son, whatever you do, get on with it, and we'll give you all the help you need, but just don't get in the way of our operations.” The Division let us use their chopper and U-10 light aircraft. I took part in some U-10 operations and threw out thousands of leaflets that were ordered from Saigon or Nha Trang. I had no idea what they said, because they were in Vietnamese, but was told that they were as good as anything to throw out of the plane, and that the natives in the villages liked them because they could use them for toilet paper.

During the day all the native villages and hamlets ran up a Republic of Vietnam flag and soon as night fell they took them down and ran up the Viet Cong flag. This so incensed Major Jack Lugee, a Forward Artillery Controller one early morning as he flew over a village that he swooped down and not only buzzed the village but came away with the Viet Cong flag wrapped around his landing gear.

The 245th PSYOP Company in Nha Trang continued to ship me tons of leaflets and Chieu Hoi safe conduct passes that I dropped out of the U-10 at selected coordinates based on where intelligence said there was Viet Cong activity, which for all practical purposes included the entire province. We probably could have done some good with the bullhorn if any of the battalions had been able to hold contact with the enemy long enough for us to get there. The PSYOP Team was simply too small to go out with the rifle battalions on a regular basis, and besides we had only one bullhorn that worked sporadically, no matter how many times a day I had it tested and worked on.

We did manage to get some airborne missions using loudspeaker broadcasts of tapes we had made, either with the U-10 or by requesting a C-47 out of Nha Trang. Another problem was that it was nearly impossible to interrogate prisoners to find out if any of our propaganda was working. I asked on a number of occasions if I could at least submit questions for them to ask the prisoners, but I never got a straight answer. We were working in the dark.

I next was attached to Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) on the southern edge of Tuy Hoa. I was provided with a PSYOP truck that had loudspeakers, photo equipment, and a big PSYOP logo painted on the side. I did some election work, my interpreter asking the local people to get out and vote over the loudspeaker.

Photo of the 60 killed Viet Cong taken by Lieutenant Groom

Toward the end of my tour the Viet Cong attacked a Government of Vietnam Army post about six kilometers from Tuy Hoa. I rode out to the site of the battle and photographed about 60 bodies. Shortly after that I flew back to San Francisco and resumed my civilian life.

It is my considered opinion that the U.S. Army did not care at all about PSYOP at that time. If it had, it would have emphasized comprehensive training and positioned competent intelligence officers in the slots, and they would have kept at least some kind of tabs on what was going on; provided advice, help, and decent equipment.

Election Propaganda Verboten!

Notice that Bloom mentioned doing some election work with a loudspeaker above. In recent wars the United States has been very active in advertising elections and nation building. In Iraq and Afghanistan, they watched the elections as people dipped a finger in ink to make sure they only voted once, and then produced leaflets showing the inked fingers. It was different in Vietnam. The U.S. was apparently so afraid of being seen taking part in politics and favoring one side over the other that no election leaflets were allowed to be printed. My files show a leaflet coded 4442 was prepared to be disseminated. I cannot show the leaflet because all copies were destroyed. The text on the front was:

ALL THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH VIETNAM PARTICIPATING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

The presidential election of 3 August has met with brilliant success in all the Republic of Vietnam. 94.3% of the electors have voted confidence in the Democratic side of Nguyen Van Thieu and Tran Van Huong. This result shows the united spirit of the people and army of the Republic of Vietnam, determining to fight against the Communist aggressors to protect the freedom and democracy of the people.

The success of the vote is a truth to unmask the deceitful face and duplicity of the Communists claiming that they have already won over four-fifths of the territory and three-quarters of the people.

The text on the back was:

The recent vote once again demonstrates the determination of the people of the Republic to fight against the Communists and to protect the true democratic government of South Vietnam. Don’t foster the illusion that you dominate the territory of South Vietnam, you’ll be dead deep in the jungle far from your family, your wife, and your children. They won’t know where you died.

Peace will come to the people of South Vietnam when the North abandons their illusion of conquest of the South. Quickly leave the dense jungle. Report to the Government of Vietnam. You will be safe and protected until the day you can return to your family when the war ends.

The leaflet was sent up to be vetted and approved for dissemination and apparently it was turned down. A note attached to the returned page says:

Embassy says we can NOT make leaflets about the election. I’m Sorry!

Leaflet SP-1542

Years after I made the comments about no election leaflets, I came across leaflet 1542 that used the elections as a theme. I was surprised and thought my original statements must be wrong. Then I realized that this leaflet was not telling people to vote, it was mentioning a previous election where the people did vote. It is more in the form of a Chieu Hoi leaflet asking the Viet Cong to come back to the Republic of Vietnam. The front shows a woman and child voting, the voting box in the form of the flag of the Republic of Vietnam. I have also seen this exact image on poster 3088 with the text: VOTE TO BUILD DEMOCRACY - All go to cast the Ballots, Follow the right procedure, Elect the right person. The text on leaflet SP-1542’s back is:

During the recent elections for the Constitutional Assembly this past September, more than four million people (more than 89% of the people) cast votes, thereby demonstrating that the people support the leadership and the policies of the Government of the Republic of Vietnam and that they will not accept a Communist regime in South Vietnam.

This is the moment to definitively abandon the ranks of the Viet Cong. The people no longer have faith in them. Why do you continue to follow them? You should follow the aspirations of the entire population by returning to our national cause during the upcoming Tet Lunar New year to be able to build a build a new life. The Government of the Republic of Vietnam will receive you warmly.

      

Booklet 2613

This is a pro-voting booklet developed in August 1968. The cover has the flag of the Republic of Vietnam at top and a Vietnamese woman voting on the back. 500,000 copies were printed in the Regional Service Center in Manila. The 10-page booklet is designed for children to teach them their civic duties. The book is meant to instill patriotism and pride in their nation and national heritage. It explains their Constitution and lists 29 rights and duties the children will have as adults. The text on the front and back is:

RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE CITIZENS

THE SENATE ELECTION

Detachment B (Pleiku) of the 245th PSYOP Company in spring 1967
The Detachment poses in front of the Propaganda Support Center in the ARVN Compound

Front row - left to right: SGT Mattingly (Supply), PFC Karas (Analyst), SP4 Nickerson (Broadcast Specialist/Offset pressman), SP4 Luke (Field operations), SP4 Niver (Offset pressman) and SP5 Jones (Field operations). 
Back row- left to right: SFC Davis (First Sergeant), SP4 Boothby (Press operator), CPT Dunn (Commander), SP4 Wands (Artist), CPT Brereton (Executive Officer), SP4 Keen (Artist), SP4 Johnson (Motor pool), SP5 Tiffany (Company clerk), SP4 Plemmons (Field Operations).
Missing: SP4 Bell (Overnight offset press operator)

Private Leighton M. "Nick" Nickerson arrived in Vietnam assigned to the 245th PSYOP Company on 22 July 1966. He left a year later as a Specialist 5th Class. He was first sent to Nha Trang then detached to Pleiku. He had been trained as a 71R20 Broadcast Specialist, but Pleiku had no need for that MOS and after discovering that his hobby was photography he was assigned to the photo lab. He was also trained as a printing press operator during his tour and awarded a second military occupational specialty of 71W40. He described his activities in Vietnam:

We supported the 1st Cavalry and the 4th Infantry Division with our leaflets. I never kept track of where we went and what we did but I know we did a lot of missions that had us flying over Laos and Cambodia. I know we went as far south Ban Me Thout, North to Kontum, even once to Dalat to support III Corp, and once north to Da Nang. We didn't do many loudspeaker missions from the air while I was there, and most of those were done with just Air Force personnel. We went up if there were leaflets to drop. I remember unloading an entire deuce-and-a-half of leaflets into C47's.

I flew with one Air Force Major and logged more flight time than anyone else in the unit. One day I asked why I was the only one getting requested to crew the U10's and later O2B's. He said it was because I could carry on an intelligent conversation and didn't throw up, and that second one was the most important attribute a PSYOP soldier could have.

We had a great outfit. During my tour I never heard a shot fired in anger. Of course, Charlie mortared our perimeter twice, but it was good duty until about mid-1967 when things got more "stract" and we were no longer allowed to be a bunch of "misfits" that did things our own way most of the time. I think we missed that freedom. It seems we never had the same morale or espirit de Corps after we got "militarized".

Nick Nickerson plays Dr. Strangelove?

This was at the Bomb Dump in Pleiku; we'd get called out to pack the leaflet bombs frequently during the first few months I was there. Shades of Dr. Strangelove. We would get called out at night and go to work regardless of how we were dressed and get the job done. By the end of my tour, there is no way we would have gone on the base out-of-uniform. Early in my tour it was the mission that was important. Like I said, the misfits went to Pleiku.

Charles Kean Jr.

Specialist Fourth Class Charles Kean Jr. Was a member of the 245th PSYOP Company in Vietnam during the years 1966-1967. He was trained as a U.S. Army Illustrator (Military Occupational Specialty 81E2W). During his tour he supported the 1st Cavalry and the 4th Infantry Division. He flew many C47 leaflet missions and received an Air Crew badge for the time he spent aloft. In this photograph he is in the process of drawing a propaganda leaflet for the Vietnamese. He told me:

We mostly did specialized leaflets for tactical situations. Since we covered an area that extended from the central highlands with the Montagnards and other tribes to the sea coast, we produced leaflets covering a lot of different dialects and situations. Also we had a very quick response time. Often we were awakened in the middle of the night and hustled to our work area to produce a brand new leaflet for an ongoing battle. Sometimes it was just nuts because we would be under attack ourselves, but we drew, printed, packed the leaflets and survived.

Painting by Charles Kean

The Painting was done from a photo while SP4 Kean was in Vietnam. He was deeply touched by the photo that depicted a Vietnamese mother killed during a firefight.

By early 1966, Army psychological operations were being carried out by the 6th PSYOP Battalion stationed in Saigon. Demand overwhelmed capability, and in December 1967 the 4th PSYOP Group was formed from the existing PSYOP battalion and its companies. Available data on military psyop unit composition and periods and places of duty are incomplete and sometimes contradictory. The following is our understanding of the order of battle of U.S. PSYOP units in Vietnam.

6th PSYOP Battalion

The 6th PSYOP Battalion in Vietnam stands formation

 

Kihn Do Theater in Saigon after the theater was blown up on 1 December 1966
(Photo courtesy of Rick Hofmann)

The small early PSYOP detachment was followed by the 6th PSYOP Battalion, a command-and-control unit under USARV Special Troops, which arrived in Vietnam from Fort Bragg on 7 February 1966. During its independent existence (until 1 December 1967) the 6th PSYOP Battalion was the US Army's primary support unit for PSYOP in Vietnam. Headquarters was initially in the Kinh Do Theater in Saigon except for the radio and TV advisors, and the printing facilities, although a lot of paper and printing supplies were stored on the first floor where the seats had been. After the theater was blown up by an estimated 50 kilograms of “plastique,” (Staff Sergeant Ron Baker told me that he believed it was a satchel charge that blew the roof off the building he called the Capitol Theater), it moved some distance away to a small, modern, three-story building near Cholon that had been an auto shop. Our next location was down by the bridge, a small Japanese warehouse compound. That remained the HQ location until they moved downtown to the railway area. In the fall of 1967, the battalion headquarters moved to the Saigon Railyards, now referred to as the Cruz Compound. The 6th PSYOP Bn operated independent of the Saigon-based Vietnam Detachment of the 7th PSYOP Group.   The 7th Group was represented at the Japanese warehouse; they had a small liaison party there, two enlisted men and one officer. At this time the printing plant was located on the Binh Loi Canal, about a block away from the last bridge before the long ride to Bien Hoa. The unit was located in the compound of the ARVN 50th POLWAR Battalion, which turned out to be built on top of an old French ammunition dump. The dump was discovered about June 1967, when excavating for the concrete pad and building to house the new 3G press. The site was moved once the dump was discovered.

The crest of the 6th Battalion depicted above is very interesting because the sword in the center has flames coming from the hilt that are grey, white and black. These colors stand for the three types of information that can be transmitted; white propaganda that had the origin clearly labeled; gray propaganda is information that bears no identification and could be from friendly or enemy sources; and black propaganda is information put out by an opposing government or institution and made to look as though it came from a friendly source. It is sometimes called “dirty tricks.”

The 6th PSYOP Battalion received the following awards and campaign participation credit:

Meritorious Unit Commendations for Vietnam 1966-1967 and Vietnam 1967-1968.

The Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class for VIETNAM 1967-1970