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

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Nghia Binh Province; the An Khe, Mo Duc, Qui Nhon, and Tam Quan Cam.ps
each at one time held over 5,000 ARVN. Three camps were located in Phu
Khanh Province; the Lam Son and Cung Son Camps had over 4,000 internees
while the Khanh Duong Camp held about a 1,000. In summer 1976, about 650
officers from the rank of captain upward were sent from the Lam Son Camp
to camps in North Vietnam; the remaining 3,500 internees at the Lam Son
Camp were transferred in January 1977 to the Cung Son Camp, which then
had over 5,000 officer internees. Three camps were located in Thuan Hai
Province; the Ham Tan Camp held 5,000; the Phan Rang Camp about 2,000;
and the Song Pha Camp about 1,000. Two camps were located in Dac Lac
Province; the Ban Me Thuot and Do Ri (Duc Lap) Camps each held over
1,000 internees. Two camps were located in Lam Dong Province; the Kinh Da
(Di Linh) and Don Duong Camps each held over 1,500 internees. Three
camps were located in Cia Lai—Cong Tum Province; the Cia Rai, Kontum and
Pleiku Camps each held over 1,000 internees. O_f the 80,000 ARV N personnel
who were initially interned in the Military Region 5 CDV camp system, over
25,000 remained in the camp system as of December 1978. Another 10,000
had been transferred to camps in North Vietnam in 1976.
The example ofthe Lam Son Camp in Phu Khanh Province is a typical
illustration of the CDV camp system in Military Region 5. In Nha Trang City
of former Khanh Hoa Province, loudspeaker broadcasts on 21 May 1975 called
for the registration of ARVN officers from the rank of aspirant, who were
instructed to report with a three-day food supply on 25 May. On 25 May, they
were trucked to the ABVN Lam Son Training Center, which was located
about 25 kilometers from Nha Trang in Duc My, Ninh Hoa District, Khanh
Hoa Province. Converted into a reeducation camp, the Lam Son Center held
about 4,500 officers from the rank of aspirant to colonel. The camp was
divided into five sections, where officers were segregated from each other by
rank. Section 1 contained about 650 officers from the rank of captain to
colonel; Sections 2 and 3 each had about 1,000 first lieutenants; and Sections 4
and 5 each had about 900 aspirants and second lieutenants. Each section was
further divided into 50-man groups per barracks building. Internees were
initially told that they were “students” (hoc vien); on 15 August 1975, they
were told for the first time that they were classified as “prisoners of war" (tu
binh). The camp had a 350-man staff, which included 20 political
indoctrinators/interrogators and four 70-man security guard companies.
Indoctrination / interrogation specialists were changed every three months for
unknown reasons. In spring 1976, over 600 officers from the rank of captain
upward were transferred to camps in North Vietnam. In January 1977, the
Lam Son Camp was closed down with about 3,500 internees being transferred
to the Cung Son Camp in Tuy Hoa District of former Phu Yen Province.
Within Military Region 4 of PAVN II Corps, only two camps have been
identified, although others are believed to exist in the-area covering Nghe Tinh
and Binh Tri Thien Provinces. The Quang Tri Camp reportedly held about
2,000 ARVN internees, while the Hue Camp held about 1,000.
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