Operation CRANBERRY BOG information
for JPRC
CIA
From date 680828 to 680831
Operation CRANBERRY BOG
Chuong Thien Province, IV Corps, South Vietnam
Description: This was one of the first JPRC operations as part of BLACK KNIGHT, the effort to rescue the famous POW, 1LT Nich Rowe. The 135th MI at Can Tho reported that two Vietnamese had escaped from a POW camp in Chuong Thien province that they said contained 8 Americans and 35 Vietnamese. When the 21st ARVN Div declined to launch a raid, the JPRC got the escapees transfered to a local CIA-sponsored PRU. After a short planning period, they launched CRANBERRY BOG with the American PRU advisor (a Navy SEAL), the two escapees, and nine PRUs. They left from the ARVN outpost where the escapees are returned to the ARVNs. At midnight they crossed the river and at dawn, they attacked. They killed two VC and the other guards ran. A reaction force of 60 PRU supported by four gunships landed near the campsite and cordoned off the area. A total of 49 Vietnamese POWs, mostly ARVNs, were found shackled and standing in trenches filled with chest-deep water. USAF CPT David McNabb was the JPRC staff officer that coordinated this very successful raid.
Comments: 1LT Rowe, James N.; POW; ;
CPT McNabb, David; JPRC staff officer; ;
The source for this information was Code-Name Bright Light P:211
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
Return to panel index
Return to Helicopter Pilot KIA index
Return to VHPA Home Page
Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023