Vietnam War: Junk Bluebook (1962) - Paperless Archives

Title: JUNK BLUE BOOK. A HANDBOOK OF
JUNKS OF SOUTH VIETNAM (HAI THUYEN
THANH THU. QUYEN SACH VE HAI-THUYEN XU-
DUNG TRONG MIEN NAM VIETNAM)
Author: COMBAT DEVELOPMENT AND TEST
CENTER (VIETNAM)
Report Date : 06 AUG 1962
Abstract From Report's Introduction: The Junk Blue
Book is a compilation of processed field data recently
collected on South Vietnamese junks. It is believed to be
the first document of its type prepared since 1949 when
Voiliers d'Indochine was published in Saigon. That
book has become largely obsolete because of the
sweeping changes that have occurred in the Vietnamese
maritime scene since the end of World War II. A large
part of the 800 miles of coastline has wide smooth
beaches and most Vietnamese junks are easily beached.
A junk can sail from the 17th parallel to any place on
the coast of South Vietnam in a few days, and can easily
travel from some remote point on the coast of the
Mekong Delta to the coastal plains, farther north
carrying food or troops. The military significance of
these facts is obvious, and a number of enemy junks
have been captured. One of these had made a total of 17
round trips across the 17th parallel in a period of 24
months, carrying enemy agents and documents.
However, the number of captures is still far less than
the enemy's capability. Therefore, it can be said with