DEPT. OF DEFENSE
REVIEW OF ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING OPERATION TAILWIND
JULY 21, 1998
Tab "C"
  • Memorandum for Record:
  • Suggested Citation Accompanying Statement of Lt. Robert Van Buskirk
  • True Facts Concerning Operation Tailwind
  • SOG Headquarters
  • Operational Relationships
  •  MACV-SOG The Studies and Observations Group
  • CNN/TIME Specific Allegations
  • Van Buskirk's Claim he Killed American "Defectors"
  • CNN/TIME's Story of the Surveillance Mission Does Not Stand Up
  • CNN Falsely Claimed an Advance Recon Mission Had Surveilled the "Village" in Laos
  • Command and Control Central 5th Special Forces Group
  • CNN's Claim That the Target Was a "Village"
  • OP/ED Piece by a USMC Cobra Pilot
  • Confirmation by a USMC HH-53 Pilot
  • Confirmation by USAF A-1 Skyraider Pilot Tom Stump
  • Confirmation by USAF A-1 Skyraider Pilot Art Bishop
  • Van Buskirk Alleged SOG Encouraged the Killing of American Defectors
  • Although TIME and CNN alleged the objective was a village harboring U.S. defectors, . . .
  • Lt. Van Buskirk's Changing Story
  • CNN "Verification" of Nerve Gas by SP5 Craig Schmidt
  • More of Lt. Van Buskirk's Changing Story
  • In Sept. 1970, Lt. Van Buskirk Signed a Statement That CS Gas Was Employed
  • Lt. Van Buskirk Says "Nerve Gas" Allegations Came Not From Him But From CNN
  • CNN Knew Tailwind Medic Denied Any Use of Nerve Gas
  • SOG Veteran Warned CNN the Allegations Were Wrong
  • The Only Tailwind Participant On-camera to Verify Van Buskirk's Claims of Nerve Gas
  • CNN Attempted to Convince a SOG Veteran Nerve Gas Had Been Used, But Did Not Mention His Denial
  • CNN Attempted to Convince Major Plaster That Potentially Lethal Gas Had Been Used, But Did Not Mention His Denial
  • Eyewitness Evidence That No Lethal Nerve Agent Was Used
  • Source: Major Plaster's Book
  • Why Was There Minimal Enemy resistance in the Camp?
  • Base Areas (declassified) - Figure 6
  • JUWTF - Area of Responsibility (declassified)
  • Others Recommended for an Award for the Same Action (reference item 16, USARV Form 157-R
  • Overview Map
  • South Vietnam - Prairie Fire Area of Operations (declassified)
  • 1970 SOG History - Declassified
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