Project GAMMA
Encyclopedia
Project GAMMA was the name given to Detachment B-57, Company E (Special Operations), 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
, 1st Special Forces, U. S. Army in Vietnam
from 1966 to 1970. It was responsible for covert intelligence collection operations in Cambodia
.
in June, 1967. On 26 February 1968 it was moved from Saigon to Nha Trang
and it received the designation Project GAMMA on 1 April 1968, in conjunction with other special forces units such as Project DELTA
(Detachment B-52) and Project SIGMA (Detachment B-56), both responsible for Special Recon. Members of the detachment operated from nine sites under the cover of civil affairs and psychological operations offices.
Project Gamma was responsible for obtaining intelligence on Cambodian support for the activities of both regular and irregular units of the Vietnam People's Army
, as well as irregular camps in Cambodia. The top intelligence officer on General Abrams'
staff stated in October 1968 that Project GAMMA was providing 65 percent of the known data on NVA base camps and strengths in Cambodia, as well as 75 percent of the same data on South Vietnam
. According to historian Shelby Stanton, by early 1969 Detachment B-57 "had developed into the finest and most productive intelligence-collection operation the United States had in Southeast Asia". Stanton attributes this success to the South Vietnamese authorities not being aware of operations conducted by the detachment's indigenous agents.
According to some sources, GAMMA was also responsible for intelligence operation against Prince Norodom Sihanouk
.
tests indicating that he had compromised security arrangements and was working with the Viet Cong. Various ways of dealing with Chuyen were discussed within Detachment B-57, including possibly killing him. While the 5th Special Forces Group's executive officer strongly opposed killing Chuyen, the detachment's commander and operations officer met with the CIA headquarters in Saigon who suggested that "elimination ... might be the best course of action".
On 20 June 1969, three officers assigned to Project GAMMA drugged Chuyen, took him out on a boat into Nha Trang Bay, shot him twice in the head and dumped his body into the South China Sea. A cover story claiming that Chuyen had been sent on a one-way mission as a test of his loyalty was later approved by the 5th Special Forces Group's commander, Colonel Robert B. Rheault
.
Later, Sergeant Alvin Smith, Chuyen's former handler, became concerned for his safety and sought sanctuary with the CIA in Nha Trang where he revealed that Chuyen had been killed. General Abrams heard of the matter and ordered the arrest of Smith and seven involved officers, including Colonel Rheault. The case went to trial and was covered extensively by the media. The Army defense lawyers for the 8 soldiers called General Abrams and CIA officials to the witness stand. Both declined to get involved in the proceedings and testify. Finally in September 1969 Secretary of the Army, Stanley Resor announced to all that all charges would be dropped against the 8 soldiers since the CIA, in the interests of national security, had refused to make its personnel available as witnesses, therefore making any manner of a fair trial impossible.
Project GAMMA was deactivated on 31 March 1970.
An official Army history of the Green Berets, published after the Vietnam War, does not mention Project GAMMA or Detachment B57. Although the Pentagon has declassified much material about Green Beret crossborder operations inside Laos and Cambodia, nothing on Project Gamma has been made available.
and the Khmer Kampuchean Krom in its activities inside Cambodia.
It consisted of five collection teams supervising 13 nets with 98 indigenous agents.
A listing of the personnel assigned to Detachment B57 "GAMMA" is available from Radix Press Houston, Texas.
5th Special Forces Group (United States)
The 5th Special Forces Group is a United States Army Special Forces unit that was activated on 21 September 1961 during the Cold War.-Unit history:...
, 1st Special Forces, U. S. Army in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
from 1966 to 1970. It was responsible for covert intelligence collection operations in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
.
History
Detachment B-57 arrived in VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
in June, 1967. On 26 February 1968 it was moved from Saigon to Nha Trang
Nha Trang
Nha Trang is a coastal city and capital of Khanh Hoa province, on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is bounded on the North by Ninh Hoà district, on the East by the South China Sea, on the South by Cam Ranh town and on the West by Diên Khánh district...
and it received the designation Project GAMMA on 1 April 1968, in conjunction with other special forces units such as Project DELTA
Project DELTA
Project DELTA was one of three Greek letter special forces reconnaissance projects formed by the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, MACV during the Vietnam War to collect operational intelligence in remote areas of South Vietnam....
(Detachment B-52) and Project SIGMA (Detachment B-56), both responsible for Special Recon. Members of the detachment operated from nine sites under the cover of civil affairs and psychological operations offices.
Project Gamma was responsible for obtaining intelligence on Cambodian support for the activities of both regular and irregular units of the Vietnam People's Army
Vietnam People's Army
The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...
, as well as irregular camps in Cambodia. The top intelligence officer on General Abrams'
Creighton Abrams
Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. was a general in the United States Army who commanded military operations in the Vietnam War from 1968–72 which saw U.S. troop strength in Vietnam fall from a peak of 543,000 to 49,000. He served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1972 until shortly...
staff stated in October 1968 that Project GAMMA was providing 65 percent of the known data on NVA base camps and strengths in Cambodia, as well as 75 percent of the same data on South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. According to historian Shelby Stanton, by early 1969 Detachment B-57 "had developed into the finest and most productive intelligence-collection operation the United States had in Southeast Asia". Stanton attributes this success to the South Vietnamese authorities not being aware of operations conducted by the detachment's indigenous agents.
According to some sources, GAMMA was also responsible for intelligence operation against Prince Norodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk regular script was the King of Cambodia from 1941 to 1955 and again from 1993 until his semi-retirement and voluntary abdication on 7 October 2004 in favor of his son, the current King Norodom Sihamoni...
.
Green Beret Affair
In early 1969 some of Detachment B-57's sources of information started to disappear. This led the detachment's leadership to conclude that its intelligence agents had been compromised. In the spring of 1969 a reconnaissance detachment operating in Cambodia captured photos showing Thai Khac Chuyen, a South Vietnamese GAMMA agent, meeting with North Vietnamese intelligence officers. Chuyen was subsequently arrested and interrogated for ten days, with polygraphPolygraph
A polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
tests indicating that he had compromised security arrangements and was working with the Viet Cong. Various ways of dealing with Chuyen were discussed within Detachment B-57, including possibly killing him. While the 5th Special Forces Group's executive officer strongly opposed killing Chuyen, the detachment's commander and operations officer met with the CIA headquarters in Saigon who suggested that "elimination ... might be the best course of action".
On 20 June 1969, three officers assigned to Project GAMMA drugged Chuyen, took him out on a boat into Nha Trang Bay, shot him twice in the head and dumped his body into the South China Sea. A cover story claiming that Chuyen had been sent on a one-way mission as a test of his loyalty was later approved by the 5th Special Forces Group's commander, Colonel Robert B. Rheault
Robert B. Rheault
Robert B. Rheault is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces who served as commander of the First Special Forces Group in Okinawa, and the Fifth Special Forces Group in Vietnam from May to July 1969...
.
Later, Sergeant Alvin Smith, Chuyen's former handler, became concerned for his safety and sought sanctuary with the CIA in Nha Trang where he revealed that Chuyen had been killed. General Abrams heard of the matter and ordered the arrest of Smith and seven involved officers, including Colonel Rheault. The case went to trial and was covered extensively by the media. The Army defense lawyers for the 8 soldiers called General Abrams and CIA officials to the witness stand. Both declined to get involved in the proceedings and testify. Finally in September 1969 Secretary of the Army, Stanley Resor announced to all that all charges would be dropped against the 8 soldiers since the CIA, in the interests of national security, had refused to make its personnel available as witnesses, therefore making any manner of a fair trial impossible.
Project GAMMA was deactivated on 31 March 1970.
An official Army history of the Green Berets, published after the Vietnam War, does not mention Project GAMMA or Detachment B57. Although the Pentagon has declassified much material about Green Beret crossborder operations inside Laos and Cambodia, nothing on Project Gamma has been made available.
Organization
Project Gamma used members of the Khmer SereiKhmer Serei
The Khmer Serei, or "Free Khmer", were an anti-communist and anti-monarchist guerrilla force founded by Cambodian nationalist Son Ngoc Thanh.-Origin:...
and the Khmer Kampuchean Krom in its activities inside Cambodia.
It consisted of five collection teams supervising 13 nets with 98 indigenous agents.
A listing of the personnel assigned to Detachment B57 "GAMMA" is available from Radix Press Houston, Texas.
See also
- Project DELTAProject DELTAProject DELTA was one of three Greek letter special forces reconnaissance projects formed by the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, MACV during the Vietnam War to collect operational intelligence in remote areas of South Vietnam....
- Project SIGMA
- Project OMEGA
- Project CHERRY
- 5th Special Forces Group (United States)5th Special Forces Group (United States)The 5th Special Forces Group is a United States Army Special Forces unit that was activated on 21 September 1961 during the Cold War.-Unit history:...