KIPINA, MARSHALL FREDERICK
Name: Marshall Frederick Kipina
Rank/Branch: E4/US Army
Unit: 131st Aviation Company (see note in text)
Battalion (see note in text)
Date of Birth: 18 December 1944 (Augusta ME)
Home City of Record: Calumet MI
Loss Date: 14 July 1966
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 144000N 1063700E (XB740219)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 4
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: OV1C
Refno: 0393
Source: Compiled from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S.
Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families,
published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 1998.
Other Personnel In Incident: Robert G. Nopp (missing)
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: On July 14, 1966, PFC Marshall Kipina, observer/airborne sensor
operator; and Capt. Robert G. Nopp, pilot flew out of hu Bai Airbase at Hue
in an OV1C aircraft (serial #612675) on a classified surveillance mission
over Laos. The company flew under code names "Steel Tiger" and "Tiger
Hound". Their call sign was "Iron Spud" that night.
The Grumman OV1C maintained surveillance using infrared detection equipment
and a forward-aimed camera, making it a valuable night surveillance plane
able to detect enemy movement and designate and confirm targets. It was on
such a mission that Kipina's plane vanished with no trace.
Although the official data listing loss coordinates is located in Laos,
about 25 miles southwest of the city of Attopeu, there is considerable doubt
as to the exact location of the crash. The target area was in a region of
Laos code named "Golf", east of Attopue, Laos. Source data seems to indicate
that the crash may have occurred east of that point, in the mountains.
During the searches for the missing aircraft, a parachute was sighted,
hanging from a tree, containing a decapitated body. No attempts were made to
recover the body, because of the fear of booby traps, and the hostile
environment. JCRC later determined the body to be, in fact, a dummy, and not
one of the missing crew members.
In April 1969, CIA compiled a very detailed description of the Viet Cong
Huong Thuy District committee headquarters together with details of a prison
camp about 20 miles away. The document included maps of the facility as well
as information on many of the communist staff, including names, backgrounds
and jobs performed. Also in the document were lists of 22 American POWs who
were positively identified from pre-capture photographs and a list of 32
Americans tentatively identified. The source stated that following the Tet
offensive, prisoners were transferred either to North Vietnam or to an
agricultural camp at an unknown location near the border of Laos. On the
list of positive identification was the name of Marshall Kipina.
This report is among many received by the U.S. concerning American POWs.
Since the end of the war, the U.S. has received nearly 6000 of them. Defense
Intelligence Agency debunked this information, saying the source couldn't
know the information. The families of those listed were never told of the
report until it surfaced in the private sector, having been declassified, in
1985.
It is not known whether Nopp and Kipina may be among the hundreds who are
still alive as prisoners in Southeast Asia, or if they are dead. Their
families deserve to know every detail of their loss, and every detail that
surfaces that relates to them, however remote. And, as long as even one man
is alive, we must do everything possible to secure his freedom and bring him
home.
NOTE: The 20th Aviation Detachment existed until December 1966, at which
time it was reassigned as the 131st Aviation Company, 223rd Aviation
Battalion (Combat Support). The 131st Aviation Company had been assigned to
I Corps Aviation Battalion since June 1966, when it arrived in Vietnam. In
August 1967, the 131st Aviation Company was reassigned to the 212th Aviation
Battalion where it remained until July 1971, whereupon it transferred out of
Vietnam.
There were a large number of pilots lost from this unit, including Thaddeus
E. Williams and James P. Schimberg (January 9, 1966); John M. Nash and Glenn
D. McElroy (March 15, 1966); James W. Gates and John W. Lafayette (April 6,
1966); Robert G. Nopp and Marshall Kipina (July 14, 1966); Jimmy M. Brasher
and Robert E. Pittman (September 28, 1966); James M. Johnstone and James L.
Whited (November 19, 1966); Larry F. Lucas (December 20, 1966); and Jack W.
Brunson and Clinton A. Musil (May 31, 1971). Missing OV1 aircraft crew from
the 20th/131st represent well over half of those lost on OV1 aircraft during
the war.
U.S. Army records list both Nopp and Kipina as part of the "131st Aviation
Company, 14th Aviation Battalion", yet according to "Order of Battle" by
Shelby Stanton, a widely recognized military source, this company was never
assigned to the 14th Aviation Battalion. The 131st was known as
"Nighthawks", and was a surveillance aircraft company.
[id.txt 07/04/92]
THE FOLLOWING IS A DOCUMENT WIDELY CIRCULATED WITHIN THE POW/MIA
COMMUNITY. WITH THE RELEASE OF THE "CURRENT FOCUS VESSEY CASES" LIST IT
TAKES ON ADDED IMPORTANCE.
THIS WILL BE TYPED AS IT APPEARS. BLACKED OUT PROTIONS WILL BE
INDICATED WITH ******.
**********************************
*************
REGIONAL OFFICE - Danang *********************
REPORTING OFFICER - **************** DATE - 23 APRIL 1969
REPORTS OFFICER - ***************** **************************
RELEASING OFFICER - *********************
DISTRIBUTION - CONSULATE, CORDS, XXIV CORPS, III MAF, 525TH MI,
I CORPS (G-2 ADVISOR)
1. *********** interrogation of *****************************
2. **********************************************************
3. Informatin passed to 525th Phu Bai, for BRIGHT LIGHT
project.
4. Attached are list of U. S. prisoners positively and tenta-
tively identified by **** from photographs, **************
**********************************************************
********************************
5. *********************************
6. No index.
*********
Approved for Release
Date 4 Aug 1986
****************** *************
****************** *************
ATTACHMENT NO.1 REF. **************
DATE: 11 April 69
LIST OF US PERSONNEL IDENTIFIED BY *************************
AT THUA THIEN PIC (FROM PHOTOS), ON 11 APRIL 1969/
Photo List: AVGJ - HCIS (10 Nov. 1968), 525 MI Group
Positive Identification
Name BR. SVC
STORZ, Ronald E. USAF
DEVERS, David R. USA
MCDONALD, Kurt C. USAF
ADAMS, Samuel G. USAF
SCHELL, Richard J. USA
KIPINA, Marshall F. USA
EBBY, Robert G. USA
NIEHOUSE, DANIEL US CIV
PITT, Albert USMC
PFEIFER, Ronald USMC
SCHRECKENGOST, Fred T. USMC
DAVES, Gary L. US CIV
UTECHT, Richard US CIV
MANHARD, Philip W. US CIV
LEWIS, Robert USA
WEAVER, Eugene US CIV
BROWN, Harry W. USA
BRANDE, Harvey G. USA
STULIER, John C. USA
MAC KEDANZ, Lyle E. USA
SHARK, Earl E. USA
HASTINGS, Steven M. USA
----------------------------------------
[1071-71.CM 02/28/96]
[NETWORK NOTE: This document was scanned and retyped to make it an ASCII
file. The Block format of a USG document was altered to just "text")
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE REPORT
Note: This Document contains information affecting the national defense of
the United States within the meaning of the espionage laws. Title 18,
U.S.C., Sec 793 and 794. The transmission or revelatin of its contents in
any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
CONFIDENTIAL
This report contains unprocessed information. Plans and/or policies should
not be evolved or modified solely on the basis of this report.
1. COUNTRY: LA 8. REPORT NUMBER: 6 029 1071 71
2. SUBJECT: (U) US PW Sighting in LAOS 9. DATE OF REPORT: 19 Nov 71
10.NO. OF PAGES: 3
3. ISC NUMBER: 723.600 11. REFERENCES: DIRM: 6G1, 6G3
SICR: D-7CX-49018, D-6C2-26423
BRIGHT LIGHT
BENT AXLE ICP
4. DATE OF INFORMATION: Jun 70 12. ORIGINATOR: US Element, CMIC, USMACV
5. PLACE AND DATE OF ACQ: FANK, PHNOM PENH, CB
9 Nov 71
13. PREPARED BY: CLAUDE R BROUDEUR
SP6, USA
6. EVALUATION: SOURCE F INFORMATION 6
7. SOURCE: Returnee Interrogation 14. APPROVING AUTHORITY: (SIGNED
LaVern A. Gustafson MAJ for)
PAUL G. SPERO
LTC, USA
Dir, US Elm, CMIC
15. SUMMARY
(C) This report is the result of an interrogation arranged by DAO, PHNOM
PENH, and conducted at FANK Hqs by a MACV Go Team composed of CMIC and
Det 6, 1021st Field Acty Sq personnel. This report is based on raw and
unevaluated information. On 9 Nov 71, HC IENG LIM, CMIC C-3759-71, was
interrogated by SP6 Claude R Brodeur with the assitance of FANK
interpreter W01 Aly-Sa. This report contains information concerning the
sighting of 10 US PW observed by Source as the PW were being prepared
for transportation across the TCHEPONE River, LAOS. Of significance in
this report is information concerning the possible identification of two
of the US PW. THIS REPORT PARTIALLY SATISFIES THE REQUIREMENTS OF BENT
AXLE ICP (BTA UNK). THIS IS A BRIGHT LIGHT REPORT. MACV FOR JPRC.
1. (C) Background Information:
a. Name: IENG LIM, aka IENG LON, CMIC C-3759-71
b. Rank: CPT
c. Position and Unit of Assignment: Member, Militaru Staff, SR-590,
MR-304
d. DPOB: Feb 38; DANG TONG Village, KOMPONG TRACH District, KAMPOT
Province, CAMBODIA
16. DISTRIBUTION BY ORIGINATOR:
DIA 1 cy
DIRNSA 1 cy
SAC 1 cy
CINPAC 1 cy
CINPAC AF 2 cys
CINCUSARPAC 2 cys
COMUSMACTHAI 1 cy
MACJ212-2 2 cys
MACJ213-1 1 cy
MACJ23 1 cy
MACJ231 10 cys
17. DOWNGRADING DATA: GROUP 3
DOWNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED
THIS DOCUMENT IS RELEASEABLE TO REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM AND FREE WORLD
MILITARY ASSISTANCE FORCES
18: ATTACHMENT DATA: None
DECLASSIFIED
DAAG-AMR-D# 850844
DATE: 11 Sep 85
Page 2 of 3
e. Parents' Names: Father, OEUNG IENG, deceased; Mother, MONH PREUM,
deceased
f. Circumstances of Return. On 7 Sep 71, Source rallied to an
unidentified FANK force at KHDEY KHNONG Village, KOMPONG SVAAY District,
KOMPONG THOM Province, CAMBODIA, because he noticed increasing NVA Communist
influence in KHMER ROUGE organizations, and he could not tolerate the
occupation of CAMBODIA by any foreign country. At the time he rallied,
Source had in his possession one automatic pistol, one submachinegun, one
antipersonnel mine, and various political documents (NFI).
g. Significant Activities:
(1) DOB to 1954. Source lived at his POB where he attended
school until 1949. From 1950 to 1952, Source worked as a buffalo tender at
RON RINH Village, KOMPONG TRACH District, KAMPOT Province, CAMBODIA. In
1953, Source joined the VIET MINH at KCHEAY Village, KOMPONG TRACH District,
KAMPOT Province, CAMBODIA, and remained with them until the 1954 Geneva
Accords.
(2) 1954 to DOR. During late 1955, Source departed CAMBODIA
with the VIET MINH and arrived in NVN on an undetermined date. In 1956, he
was discharged from the NVA, and attended a course in the Vietnamese
language at the MHAN KY THUAT Technical School, HAIPHONG Province, NVN. In
1960, Source was recalled into the NVA, and sent to attend a course at an
officer academy in SON TAY District, HA BAC Province, NVN. After completing
this course, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and reassigned to
QUANG BINH Province, NVN, to train aspirants at an undetermined basic
training camp. From Mar 67 t Mar 70, Source was a student at the VINH PHU
Province Military Academy, VINH PHU Province, NVN. After completing this
course, he was promoted to the rank of captain, and given a leave of absence
in VINH PHY Province, NVN. During Apr 70, Source was ordered to resign his
commission and to be repatriated to CAMBODIA. He traveled through LAOS with
a group of 40 personnel, arriving in CAMBODIA on 29 Sep 70. The purpose of
his repatriation was so that he could fight with the KHMER ROUGE. Upon his
arrival in CAMBODIA, Source was assigned to MR-304. He remained with this
KHMER ROUGE infrastructure until he rallied on 7 Sep 71.
f. Additional References: CMIC PW/Rallier Exploitation Guide;
MACV/JPRC Photographs of Missing and Captured Personnel in SEA, dated 12 Sep
71; Det 6, 1021st USAF Fld Acty Sqdr IR 1 516 0543 71
2. US PW Sighting in LAOS. The following report is based on SICR
D-7CX-49018 (Prisoner of War Intelligence), and SICR D-6C2-26423 (POW
Information, VN):
a. Circumstances of Sighting. In Jun 70, Source saw approximately 10
US PW embarking on motorized canoes he had just disembarked as part of a
river crossing he made in conjunction with his infiltration to CAMBODIA from
NVN. One of the PW asked Source for a cigarette in sign language.
Page 3 of 3
b. Location of Sighting. Source saw the 10 US PW at an unknown river
crossing point along the TCHEPONE River, LAOS.
c. Capture Data. Source could provide no information concerning the
capture data of any of the US PW he saw.
d. Identification of US PW. Source was unable to provide a physical
description of any of the US PW. He observed the US PW for approximately 10
minutes while the PW were resting in a jungle area along the west bank of
the TCHEPONE River. Source was able to provide a photo identification of
two US PW that he saw.
e. Clothing Worn by the PW at the Time of Sighting. Source did not
know how all the PW were dressed, but he stated that at least four of them
were wearing black VC pajamas, and that the two US PW he saw the most
clearly were wearing jungle fatigues. The two men dressed in jungle
fatigues were also wearing full-leather boots with eyelets. The soles of
these boots were badly worn (NFI).
f. Physical Condition of the US PW at the Time of Sighting. Although
Source observed no wounds on the two US PW which he saw clearly, he added
that they appeared to be very sunburned and suffering from malnutrition.
Source was not medically qualified, and based his assumption that they were
suffering form malnutrition on the fact that the UW PW he saw in NVN was in
a much healthier condition. (see IR 6 029 1070 71).
g. Disposition of the US PW. Source believed that the US PW were
being sent to NVN to provide the NVN Government with more US personnel to
use as a bargaining lever in the event of a cease-fire agreement between the
US and NVN. At the time of sighting, the PW were being loaded into a
motorized canoe that was making a return trip to the east bank of the
TCHEPONE River, LAOS.
h. Photo Identification of US PW. Source was unable to identify two
photos in the MACV/JPRC US PW Photo Identification catalogue. Source stated
that the man who asked him for a cigarette appeared very much like PFC E3
MARSHALL F KIPINA, US Army. The US PW standing close to (exact distance
undetermined) PFC KIPINA was identified as 1ST E8 EDWARD J GUILLORY, US
Army.
COMMENTS: Source is of above average intelligence. He was cooperative and
appeared sincere throughout the interrogation. Source's responses to
control questions revealed no attempt at deception. Source has presently
been assigned to the Public Information Office, FANK, and is working as an
assistant to COL AM RONG, the Cambodian High Command Public Information
Officer. This report partially satisfies the requirements of SICR
D-7CX-49018 and D-6C2-26423.
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