U.S. DEPLOYMENTS IN THAILAND

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Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0
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RIPPUB
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S
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24
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December 12, 2016
Document Release Date: 
September 28, 2001
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2
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Publication Date: 
March 9, 1974
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MF
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Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78=05399A000201 W OOO2 NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL 266 WASHINGTON. D.C. 20506 *NSC & OSD Reviews Completed* m and intelligence i p is in and the turnover of U. S. l a May we please nave your g lications of the Defense Department proposals encies' comments on the political t from Secretary Schlesinger and oy-1e11 concerning U. S. dep equipment to Thailand, as contained in the January 22 memorandum h ?,xnrch 1 memorandum from Deputy Secretary. Clements {attached). from Deputy oecrGLa- y "_"---- memorandum from Secretary Kissinger to Secretary Schlesinger Attached also for your background information are 7a memorandum d a We would like to receive your comments by close of business Wednesday, March 13. Jine'W. Davis Staff Secretary Attachments SEC Gt or Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 March 9, 1974 The Deputy Secretary of State The Director of Central Intelligence OL 4 1418 of November 21, 1973, on this subject. 1? -. ?M_t`,. . -tfG }+t.lv-1 rLV.~1.1.%N. v. ....._..__ ? I' .' ? t' WASHINC.1ON D. C. 70101 'a' . -? . Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 13 OCT 1U< t?,EtIORI't"DU:'t rCR THE ASSISTANT TO THE PR ESIDEI:T FOR UATIOt1AL - SECURITY AFFAIRS DEPUTY SECt:ETARv OF STATE DIRECTOR, CENTRAL INTELLIrENCE DIRECTOR, orr i CE or I i1,,:A1rEi'E; T Ai T1 BUDGET DIRECTOR, ARJ?IS CONTROL AND DISAF:i MEIlT ACEUCY in Thailand SUBJECT: NSSt:-171 Follow-on --. Analysis of U.S. Deployments The attached paper responds. to the 28 August 1973 rcc,uest from Dr.. Kissinger for. an analysis of.U.S. dcployr,cnts in.Thailan withdrawal of forces from Thailand between now and end FY 74. 'However, a decision on longer-term deployrents card, be deferred dep1uylrwiL . A ohx is ton un the short- Lc.rm dep ioyr.vents is needed in the near. future as this decision will affect the The analysis includes options for both short-and longer-term MI/6{ I 4t1L .NI i l ~.V-~ JI bb-44IV-I J1.4N1.1 {GLJ .- \~\~ Enclosure COPY TO: Chaivr;.n", Joint ^-iiie; of staff pr~.t.l~.;' P - t 'r f ist') Approved For Release 2001/11/19 CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 . THE SECRETARY OF CiEF'EN-WE ! .. Approved For Release 2OOlt9M/19-CFA`PE)P-7`9-05399A0002000300Q2 O I2M RA:1DU:t FCR ASSISTANT TO TEE PRESIDENT FOR 1:,'1TI0:I^,L SLCu^ITY AFFAIRS SUGJCCT: U.S. Dep to eats in Thailand (L') delayed until t'av 1075 in order to protect an FY 75 drv season capability. However, I am prepared to withdraw some unessential,'. non-strike aircraft at any time if pressures on the RTG make some r 7 dry season, with further reductions to reach the end FY 75 level (S) To comply with the President's decision to maintain the current U.S. force level in Thailand through the Fv 74 drv season (ilovember- April), I have prepared a plan with reductions eornuiencinn in Flay ii ti i 1 t'i'thclra%.!,Il s will be eornl etgd prior to the FY 75 4 Th i l B-52s in Thailand, 25 B-52s would be returned to Thai an nom Guam if a decision were made to employ the B-52s during the FY 75 dry season. The FY 75 dry season force level in Thailand will b h held thro t .~e I plan fuMrV}her i vllt1f"f'ucY?fT!1y e h tfth April - 75, at Which ti-me N l air and gunship squadrons, anu F/ 0-DLs. 11 auui "': yvdf~ W1 re ae nnn ii tartirn1 Air and aunshin squadrons, and 50 (S) The withdrawal scheduled to begin after the FY 74 dry season ill duce our forces in Thailand from the current. level of redeployments necessary. to reach an end FY 75 level of 24,700 personnel, 5 tactica ?(5) Throughout this entire period we plan to maintain as a minimum one carrier either on-station or on 96 hour readiness for South Vietnam, one within one week's sailing time, and a third carrier .,air and gunship squadrons, and 15 B-52s. Vietnam, one would be available within four days, an a carrier would be available within one week. to the Indian Ocean, then one carrier wou F u ue uii-:, uu 6 i uir .. r , d third noon surge levels for up to six nonths without additional funding, munitions production should he increased if bombing is resumed so that our stocLpiles would not be dannerously lowered. Supplemental funding of $32 - 42 million per month to support additional munitions procurement would be needed at the time a surge was started. 1,800 B-52s sorties per month. lrhdle our current muni ion i toriee nil Programmed production will permit us to fly these T (5) iroug i p permit us to fly, indefinitely, as many as 11,500 tacticalsair and j f IFV 7r I ian to maintain an SEA surge capability that will Classified bv 1 Pft ,C Sl.fl J[CT TO r4-!fll.l:AL. UL(:L/1;S I ? I (7A 1 IOU SCI II i)UU OF EXECUTIVE tl7"Di:R 11(11*2. AtiTr?." ATICALLY f.0:"?rI'.Ar)CD AT TVO YLAR. IIITEi'VALS. DLC1;,SSIFIED Oil 1Z/:;1/,111 Approved For Release 2001/4'4;11'1 C!A fRDP78-05399A00020QQ30Q02-0. '-- Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 (S) The personnel levels, sortie capabilities and surge levels available fro::, now through FY 75 are sur.;ciarized in the following table. Cetween the dry season periods (November-April) shown in the table the capability declines to the-next lower level. U.S. Forces and Carahilities in SEA Timinn Thailand Carriers Mi i tary sorties/i::onth .Personnel B-52 lac Air a/ 0)_.__.- sorties/r onth FY 74 Dry Season 36.0 1,200 8,500 FY 75 Dry Season 32.2 1,000 5,100 End FY 75 24.7 300 1,900 Surge Capability Through FY 75 1,800 7,000 a/--Includes 400 nuns ip sorties per month. 2,100 2,100 2,100 4,500 j E/ In addition to a minimum of one carrier on 96 hour alert, two carriers are available within two weeks which could raise the sustained Navy capability to 3,300 sorties per month. A fourth carrier wculd take one month, to reach SEA and enable the Navy to sustain the 4,500 sortie per month surge capability. (S) To insure efficient manpower management a decision to modify this withdrawal plan should be made at least three months in advance. While the plan can be chanced on very short notice, the three-months' planning for personnel reassignments is the decision factor with the longest lead time. (S) In addition to 25 EB-66s tirhich have redeployed, if required, Y am prepared to withdraw on short notice 8 EC-121s, 7 C-130s, and 38 0-2s, although the 0-2s are under consideration for possible turn- over to the RTG. Approximately 1,290 personnel would also be withdrawn when these non-strike aircraft were redeployed. It should be noted that these aircraft and personnel do not include dedicated national intelligence collection assets. Approved For Re)e' ase 100i/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A00020003000230 (S) A reply to your requests for (1) our review of equipment which could be turned over to the Thai, and (2) our recoranended manning levels for headquarters in Thailand will be forwarded to you in the near future. SE(3"Pi Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 THE SECRE' F r Approved For Release y7,Qga/,~,,~ RfpA000200030002-0 1 F:-12 1974 MEVORANDL:1 FOR THE AS ISTANT TO THE PRESIULi*:T FO1; NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIrS SUBJECT: Turnover of U.S. Equipment to Thailand (U) (S) Your r.:r.r:nranrium of r:ovc:^her 21, amonn other thinns, relayed the President's directive that we review the enuirrent of U.S. forces to be withdrawn from Thailand through FY 75 to determine to what extent amounts ;of U.S. equipmcnt in addition to that which we are fi-nancinq -.(S) On a number of occasions the Thai have requested significant we can respond to Thai equipment requests.. major items of equipment-is over 5400 million, tonetber with the requested by the Thai, for which the first year's cost of the in the Military Assistance Program (MAP). A list of equipment -equipment and support for which DoD believes there is a valid many items requested by the Thai are in the apnroved POt?t. for thre_mo.st The size of the Thai request precludes serious consideration, althounh the DoD program is now S310 million, of which over 40Z is FMS Credit. military need are shown in the Enclosure. The five-year cost of,. part, this _eq.uipn:ent--would-upn-rade.and- modernize the Thai armed orces to a much greater exi int_thaII_ L bel.tcvve necessar_ . _; ar_ 4h it security requ to the Thai, placing the oth.er_..-in-.caretaker.-status.-.However, listings or-the exact items which can be made available will not be known FY 75. Durin2that_ver_iod_ste plan to withdraw about _10,000.-mil-i-tar-y._.. personnefrom Thailand, return Takh.l i --and either Ubon or Kor-at--airbase.s..__ which we would be witlina to provide the Thai between now and end (S) There is.a significant amount of equipment and valuable facilities LST. There are also as many as 34 O-2s and 5 EC-47 aircraft which be identified now for turnover. In fact, since receipt of your November 21 memorandum we haverniven 6 F-5As and an AU-23 to tli^. RTG. A destroyer escort (DE),and an LST are currently on loan to the Royal Thai Navy. We are exploring the possiblity of transferring the DE to Thailand on a no-cost basis and are in the process of extending the loan on the (S) Nevertheless, there are some major items of equfnment which can until the time of the withdrawals and base closings. Classifier by DDPA"E SUflJECT TO CI ~:i T:A T,ttL-I ,Ti`irr,Tli1,^;C}rr irT'~F EXFCIITIvi n!!Nrl"f 1)15?.. Atli c:il!TICALLY I")!lr;CPAfiD AT 11.10 YCAI; I::TCRVALS. DECLAS;;IFILD %Nl?'/31/::? Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78701399AQ00200030002-0I} Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A0(L0200030002-0 eruld r.ivrn to the Thai, plus sore t:;edical enuip;;:cnt (less than S10,000). In addition, I believe discussions should be initiated with the Thai to determine their interest in and capability for assunino control of a Sincilc Intenratcd Military Tel ecoryuunications System (SUITS) to serve U.S. and RTARF renuiremcnts. Although this would not provide turnover of the communications enuipr.:ent to the RTr, by the end of FY 75, discussions initiated at this time could lead to equipment turnover beninninn in fY 76. Ilowever. S I!!T S is not in the FY 75-7') fAP for Thailand and its Bests have not yet been determined. (S) In*order to insure the capability for rapid re-introduction of our forces into Thailand, it'is desirable that, if necessary, we be able to reacquire the facilities which we turn over to the Thai. However, we do not have RTG assurance that these facilities would be made available nor that they would be in operating condition. (S) Rapid re-entry also requires that mobility equipment and supplies needed for direct support of an aircraft or its weapons systems be redeployed with the units. Therefore, except when not cost effective, this equipment should be redeployed with the unit. (S) A factor'in the"turnover'of equipment to the Thai is the impact of the annual $150 million world-wide legislative ceiling on foreign excess Defense articles and facilities which need not be chargeable to PIAP appropriations. Although this legislative ceilincr does not appear to be a constraint, equipment turnovers must be considered in light of turnover actions elsewhere to insure that the ceiling is not exceeded. Also, there are no prior agreements recardino disposition of equipment and property at Thai bases, and disputes may arise over whether property is part of the real estate which belongs to Thailand or whether it is U.S. property. Deputy Enclosure Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 MUitarv Assistanct for the. P, TG; AT? roved For F e,~ me ~2~~1/ 1/~Sry~?-RPR78r t4atgo- peQ$Qo02 th The footirtn(l c()sn? ti-se U.S. ~t'Cnr?i ty prorlrart fir Thailand in the FY 75-79 Security A sistance pO.I. The identified fir,t year costs for tie RTG request is $400 million; the U.S. program has a five-year cost I. Esuipient Aircraft 011 -!Z U11-111 0-1 T-41 U-17 OV-10 F-5E C-123K NH-53 EC-130 A-37 B Shins and Goats Thai Request 27 40 + 10/year a/ 10/year 10/year. 2/year 32 27 8 25 8 PGFi tlbt, ) PGU1 (100' ) mist 2 rCF LCU 2 PBR 55 DE Up to 75 non b/ 1,500 Over 75 nun 174 M167 Vulcan Radios Camand & Control c/ 7 Ali Tt:C-9Q Torn Tape Relay Equip 6 Proposed U.S. FY 75-7n Pronrarr 25 (F!?1SCR) 55 (HAP) 11 (MAP) 6 (MAP) (no cost) 13,09 2/204 (MAP/Fit':CP) 150/3G0 (MAP/F11 SCl:) 144 (FtfSCR) 481 (MAP.) a-1 The i:TG has in icatet t1 one time request for 40 U11-is (for RIM F?- +t,., DTR and Rl/It), as well US 1ki 1,;j .ru, The RTG specified 1,500 11-16 rifles for Thai Marines. In addition, the Thai have also made less definitive requests for smaller caliber t?;capons? (1) modernize AAA battalions, (2) iiaprovr combat readiness of three special forces groups, (3) provide equiplent for 7,000 security force troops and security of four bases, (4) military equipment support for volunteer ornanizitions, and (!) equi paent support to lrri nq all RTA units to full TOC. In addition to the items sp-cifically requPsterl, the RTC, also inrlic?.tt+?'t a need for: (1) repIt'ni shinq and mod-rnizinq RTA eommmications equiinarnt and (2) the II.S. co:'U'ninicatiens neWori': in Thailand for joint U.S./RTAF use. of $310 -ai l l i on . Approved For Release 2?Q44/.1El.:.FIA-RDP78-0539 0A QPP30002-0 ~\ .t. ..I . Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A000200c30002-0 II. Support The RTG also requested the following types of sunport: - NO years repair parts for aircraft requested for RTA. - Amnuni ti on support for war reserves. Increased armunition production support. Increased maintenance capability for aircraft communications equipment, air defense radars, and combat support equipment. - .A general support field hospital. During the period FY 75-79 the U.S. proqram, while not addressing the specific RTG requests, does contain the following support funding (in addition to the equipment noted above). Support for RTG: FY 75-79 mil ions Type of Support Aircraft Ship Supporting Equipment Training 0M Total 14AP 2.6 12.2 3.5 - 21.1 13.8 7.4 - 66.6 101.2 2-6.-0 The approved FY 75-79 Security Assistance POM is the best estimate of RTG requirements, but is subject to Congressional authorizations and appropriations. Additionally, the- FY 75-79. P0fl does not reflect the impact of FY 74 funding reductions nor program changes resulting from the President's FY 75 budget decision to give the RIG $15 million additional grant aid in i-ieu of an equal amount of Ft1S credit. At the present time field agencies are preparing an updated PC:1 for FY 7G-80. Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 Future S. 1crlov:.ents in Thailand Introduction .. The purhosE o ~ political ir.:plieations of cicployr?cnts in Thailand during FY 74-79- as they rcl atc to U.S. military strateny in Asia and as they impact upon the dvvclooinn rely ionships ar..onr' the Asiatt nations. Included in tile. discussion are options for Loch short-and lonr!er-term deploy- pent levels.' II, Sortie C,t.rol.ilitics of the Current Faree~tis Pr viaus Sortie 11`ctt~t_v_ Since the cease-fires in trietnart and Laos and especially since the t;ombinn halt.t'rrouchnut Southeast Asia, reouircr:ents for U.S. forces based in Thailand have decreased. The forces which previously had an active eo^:aat role, now are a sti-:tho1 of U.S. presence and resolve in Southeast -Asia,. and act as a deterrent to increased iiort:h Vietnamese military activity. f this ,per is to assess Foth tie military and ' draual tirl~icit was co*'rlet{:d in r.tcl-Scntcr~.hcr (al L.UU t u we had even more aircraft and 45, noo military personnel in Titailanu c to air'and runship sc'uadre'ns,. and .:C G-52s priorI + one Foint forces in Thailand. To accor.moaate this expansion ue .?r relaxed the U.S. l annct-cr ceiling. Our force area .front 32,200 personnel (the cei l i era autheri zccl by the RTC, at the time) , 12 tactical (2 air and aGnSrtlp scuadrons and 42 G-5`S, to ~i2 ,000 t:en, 22 tactical initial frith- ti ? Concurrent T?rt t t our - of North Vietnam's offensive in the Sprinn of 1572, we exna nded our +t rTC tot-^orarily 1 ? ~i thdrat??al from South-Vietnam and as a .resul t .ceiling authorized by the RTG. rccaed to fly tlt(ese scrtics, as null as Lrtese for o rc _ reeu i rce:ents in Thailand were to be kept within the military manpotrcr a 1 Asia (.SC/?.), as urn f:wa U.S. to fly co:-bat sorties frer, air Lases in Thailand. The personnel tI 'r rrilitarv Since 1~'C4 the level of L.S. presence in Thailand has been dctcrr,:ined laat?c'%.?ly tw our rccuirtr.:c?nts for air support in Southeast vt'rni rent (PTC) has ncrraitted the Tt C I. ' Current L.S. rPeirce. At a result c?f tl:c r c c c nt.l v cr': ?pl etcd ;tai thdrat:al (I ncrc:: en t 1 of a here's inc:rer.cnt itS pl;.n), U.`. forces in Th3ilzind have been 0.0 ridpproved For Release 0001111/19: dIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 . ~LUL'LL Approved For Release 2001/11/19 : CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0' reduced to lG t: etieal air and runnhir scuadrons and ?1.3 KC-135s.* Thcrc eras no rcc!uctiout in the nti.- :cr of f-'_'2s t.hieh rer:ains at 50 aircraft. iwlso rcr-aininn in Ti?wilr:rc: are al,rut 3~.5OO U.S. ctil i taarti 't rscanne?1 , -:i tit alzcut 31,600-of these personnel directly related to U.S. air activities. The tactical air force: not! in Thailand are eapaL?lc of c.encratiam! .,"'0 nortics ver? r.Y111ti1. A dds ti na l lv, Marco Grits in can sustain 3,3CC t'ctic; t1 ail' ;ertics I`C1? r.onth, for a total SUa\ ca;;ability of ll,C! tactical air sarLics l'er i onth. The C-52s in Thailand can c cnc.raatc 1 ,20.1 sorties monthly and those on Cuac:w can fly 1,320 more sorties i1;onthly. B. Past Sortie Activity The table below?- cor-rares current sortie capabilities t . is at selected times III the pas SEA U.S. Attach and C-52 Sorties a/ ?sorti s/t:.ontn r.....i i i i t. I or-3 i 71 i 72 Tac Air/Gunship 11,100 31,100 10,200 13,500 G-52 2,520 1,715 1,050 2,370 l 72 flc.c 72 17,700 11,700 2,2E0 2,770 Includes sorties flown from. RVtt, Thailand, carriers and Guam. A1thourh our current tactical air car-ability of 11,800 sorties per month would be aLle to sustain only one-third the levels flown in 1"M (when Sol-tic's rc flo :n fror t:iscs%in fVt; and Thailand and frori carriers in support of U.S. oncratinlls)-it represents a capability cca :raaral,l a to the averaactcw sGr?ti rs f l Cain in t)cecr ;er 1972 (the rontia enco-...raassinr L1!:cb cl:el? II) and in 1971-1.'72. Current 6-S2 capability has not um-cased sic'nificantly below the monthly averages of the periods shown at;ovr.. *t;ot eoncic!ercd in the discussion are other support and marl titre patrol aircraI t. Approved For Release 2001/11/19 ,1 CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 ?? Approved For Release 2001/11/19: CIA-RDP78-05399A000200030002-0 M. re'aIrr,l nc(+ C,1 t.ilit.y In addition to and indercrt'cnt of the caiabilities of the forces renainino in Thailand or offshore. t:e have bc.c:n r:aintainina a capability to return addi tioiwl air assets to SEA .:nd resume our scrtic can bil i tv to as rr:uch as 20,''.!'(' tactical air and 3,000 C-52 sorties r:an.ti;1y in t!:c event enc:r'v activity prorpts such a r.ced. Ito ever, in -lcoir .:ction with our reduced SE/: air renuirc.m.ents the Seerctl;i'1; of L'c.'fc'n:c try s prorcict. to li!..er Lite. sur('c' eal?a! i l i t' to 11,5,^?n tactical air and C-S2 scrtic:s p(:r n:::lrttt for the ror:airidcr of FY 7, and for FY 7f.. P.r unitinn sufficient to sustain the sure until the resunply pirel inc could 1.0 cstrat.l ish:cJ rust 'be pre-rosi.t.ioncd in Thailand, on Cuc-r; and at,card ships dcploycd in tiESTPAC.* .Our current dcployr~ents and base availability permit all of the 1.? ~.~. .(? t .. ?. .tP.,.,,.......; ;., r.~"CTOAr lIr 1Rt}}u 011411144 .~ R/1/ IN ~t/.!u/3 \l.l, bll~ 1/4i1.1.4'i V1 car r is rs .c ~cvcr. ?.? ..v...w. be available within 30 days rcc:a rdl es s of the force levels i n nevertheless, it is cstimated that the full surge carability t:culd on the nu^vcr of bases that are oncn or in a. caret: t:cr status.** V the surge can be ir,rl er.:entcd at any tir::c in the future will depend B-52s and the r-.ajority of the tactical air capability- necded for the surge to be available within one week,, with the rc'maindcr available in no core than two weeks. However. the speed with which There are costs associated with rniintainino the resurcence with active forces costs approximately X20 million per year, al thounh holding a base in a caretaker status reduces the cost to about $2 a ptontt; is also costly. For crag:hole, ti:aintaininn -a base in Thailand a caretaker status to insure that the suroc is achieved in less than capability. t'unitions are a significant part of these costs as it is estimated that nrotectinn the lo-tcr surge canabi l i ty throunh FY 75 will cost about $70 million in added munitions procurement (actually irtpler.'entirta the surge would increase this cost. the size of increase dependent on the duration of the sume). Keeping bases open or in million annually. *Currcntly there are sufficient air munitions stored in or enroute to the Pacific greater to support the hir.;rcr surac level for 45 da e. or the lo:-(?r level for t) days. At {!resent sufficit'tit r.:urti tions are buitlq pruducclt to sustaini th' hir'hl:r .ur!?c: hcn:c:vcr, after fI.Lca:Lcr 1973 planucct r.'r'nductic:n t:ill s:ri'i'ur't uatly t.t.-.' lt.:c'r surc:c lc:v(,1; ,k+tin f}.l'_.L' R:,l irlta irlt.,i in?~l ,:i'.l'r :;tilt:i call 11C.. fully orcration.-.1 t' /: thin twi', 3a'?l't.a, t:7tcr'e.I!: 'r r::ty f.c' nl?t dcd for a f'a e t'irtch hV- been CIc};t?VI, to f:(.(:(.r:r' 101t? o; cI aLilla.s1 . ia,;,, vc r, ttu' tir.c: to roe.L'