CIA-Led Laotians Move Into Combat

From Wire Dispatches

Military sources reported yesterday that 3000 American-trained Laotian hill tribesmen, led by agents of the Central Intelligence Agency, have moved into the Ho Chi Minh trail complex in Laos.

Kao and Lao Thung tribesmen were moved into a region west of the town of Sepone, a key transshipments point on the Ho Chi Minh trail. South Vietnamese engineers are reportedly attempting to rebuild an airstrip in Sepone for use as a base of operations for deeper penetrations along the Ho Chi Minh trail.

The disclosure coincided with reports that bad weather and increased North Vietnamese attacks have slowed the U.S. supported South Vietnamese advance into southern Laos. The Saigon command reported that the ground troops have advanced only one mile in the past three days.

Although North Vietnamese resistance has been reported on a small scale, company size or less, it has been steady since the invasion began. Most of the attacks have been aimed at the 9000 U.S. troops acting as a blocking force on the South Vietnamese side of the border.

Two ambushes and two ground attacks Monday and Tuesday killed nine Americans and wounded 12.

There have been increased rocket and mortar attacks on allied bases in the northwestern part of South Vietnam and across the border in Laos.

Rain and overcast skies Tuesday grounded most of the hundreds of American helicopters supporting the South Vietnamese troops in Laos.

The U.S. command reported that American helicopters have flown 5600 support missions in Laos in the past eight days. The South Vietnamese air force has approximately ten of its own helicopters flying resupply missions.

One F-4 fighter and 15 helicopters have been lost in the Laotian operation, according to the U.S. command. Other gources have reported that about 15 other helicopters have been shot down but recovered. These losses were not included by the command in the total of U.S. helicopters lost.

South Vietnamese troops have reportedly penetrated 14 miles into Laos. South Vietnamese military headquarters said the advance is slow because the 11,000 troops inside Laos are finding so many munitions and food stockpiles. Inventories of caches given out by headquarters in Saigon seem higher than what field observers have noted.