Intelligence and Security Operations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Ministry of National Defense

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Presidential Office; the RVN Central Intelligence Organization (CIO); the
RVN National Police Command Headquarters; the ARVN Joint General Staff;
the ARVN Military Security Service (MSS); the Saigon Capital Military
District; the ARVN III Corps Headquarters in Bien Hoa; the ARVNEngineering Department; the ARVN Air Force (VNAF) Headquarters; the
VNAF Bien Hoa, Phan Rang and Tan Son Nhut Air Bases; the ARVN 468th
Marine Brigade; the ARVN lst and 2nd Airborne Brigades; the ARVN 3rd
Armored Cavalry Brigade; the ARVN Quang Trung Training Center; the
ARVN 5th, 7th, 18th, 28rd, and 25th Infantry Divisions; other RVN/ARVN
agencies; and" US advisory and intelligence facilities. Between May and August
1974, the ARVN MSS neutralized four COSVN MPS networks, arresting four
agent handlers and 57 ARVN penetrations.‘Of those ARVN personnel
arrested, 20 were penetrations of VNAF; 14, penetrations of the ARVN 5th
Infantry Division; 12, penetrations of the ARVN Airborne and Armored
Cavalry Brigades and the ARVN Engineering Department?‘ and .11,
penetrations of the ARVN Naval Headquarters. These arrests hardlyaffected
the operations of the COSVN MPS, which still had over 55 agent handlers
under its direct control.
The Region 2 MPS, which was responsible for penetration operations in
An Giang, Ben Tre, Go Cong, Kien Phong, Kien Tuong and My Tho Provinces
in the Mekong Delta area, targeted: the ARVN 7th Division; the ARVN 12th
Artillery and Armored Regiment; the Hung Vuong Training Center; ARVN
marine, naval riverine, military security service, and national police units; and
US advisory and intelligence facilities in Region 2. In October 1972, one MPS
agent handler revealed the identities of -40 penetrations in the'ARVN 7th
Division and the ARVN 12th Artillery and Armored Regiment. By early 1974,
the Region 2 MPS had over I5 penetrations in the ARVN 7th Division alone.
The Region 3 MPS, which was responsible for penetration operations in
Ca Mau, Can Tho, Kien Giang (Rach Gia), Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, and Vinh
Long Provinces in the Mekong Delta area, targeted the: RVN National Police
Command Regional Headquarters in Can Tho; the Lo Te Prison; US advisory
and intelligence facilities; the ARVN IV Corps Headquarters; the ARVN 9th
and 21st Infantry Divisions; the VNAF Binh Thuy Air Base; the Can Tho
Radio Station; the RF Provincial Control Group; the ARVN S-2 Headquarters;
provincial national police and special branch headquarters; and armored car,
naval riverine patrol, ordnance, artillery, and ranger units. As of 1974, one
penetration cum (unit) succeeded in inserting IO cadres with false
identification papers into the ARVN 9th and 21st Infantry Divisions, where
they succeeded in recruiting 60 agent assets.
The Region 4 MPS, which was responsible for operations in Saigon and its
environs, was targeted against the: RVN, National Police Command Special
Branch; the RVN Central Intelligence Organization; the ARVN MSS; the
ARVN Capital Military District; the ARVN Joint General Staff; the RVN
Presidential Independence Palace; the Saigon City National Police Command
Headquarters; the Saigon Radio Station; other intelligence, security agencies;
other RVN civilian offices and ARVN installations in the Saigon area; and US
advisory and intelligence facilities. In early 1974, the COSVN MPS established
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