VOYAGE OF ARGENTINE SS MENDOZA TO STETTIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000500340073-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 9, 2006
• Sequence Number: 73
• Publication Date: October 20, 1998
• Content Type: REPORT

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far 1951 51-41
U.S. Officials Only
CONFIDENTIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Poland
SUBJECT Voyage of Argentine SS MENDOZA to Stettin
PLACE ACQUIRED
(SY SOURCE)
DATE ACQUIR
(BY SOURCE)
DATE or IN
N M AIRS IN A ION A FIE IN TM NATIONAL D ttttt
I THE UNITID tttttt . wITHIN TAIMIANINS OF TITLt IN. SECTIOMI 7$
MD 714, OF TAN U.S. COOL. AS MA'AM. ITS TRAMIRISEION OR REFS.
ATIOM OF ITS COMTINTS TO ON ItCEIPT $Y AM YEAUTHORIEtti PINION IS
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
Ott0P011$111 TO
CO NO.
OR NO.
ORS NO.
OC1 NO.
DATE DISTR. 1 440.41
NO. OF PAGES
NO. OF ENCLS.
SUPP. TO
REPORT NO.
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LThe Office of Naval Intelligence furnished the following information to C/A for
IAC dissemination in accordance with paragraph 35 of NSCID #7. This-information
was obtained by DIO-3ND and was forwarded as ONI report 208-517
1. Itinerary: The Argentine cargo ship m/v MENDOZA arrived Stettin on 6 July 1953
from Dunkerque and loaded 4356.1 metric tons of coal destined for Buenos
No cargo was discharged at Stettin. The MENDOZA sailed Stettin on 14 July 1953_
for Bremen.
2. Charter Information: The MENDOZA, owned by the Ministerio deraneportes de la
Nacion Flotaiergentina de Navegacion de Ultramar Compania Argentina de Navegacion
Dodero of Buenos Aires, as under charter to the Ministerio de Transportes de la
Nacion, E.N.T., to deliver Rpart cargo of about 4200 metric tons of coal to Buenos..
Aires. The shippers were Centrala Zbytu Wegla (Polish Coal Sales Corporation), _
Katowice. The charter Wab eegotiated in London on 8 June 1953 by Kaye Son &
Ltd. for the charterers hnd by Kaye e Co., Ltd. for the owners. The charter form
was entitled "The Baltic and International Maritime Conference, Polieh Coal
Charter 1950."
3. Entry and Security Measures: The MENDOZA was met approximately ten miles off the
mouth of the Oder River by a small Polisi torpedo best. She was boarded by an
officer and a pilot. The latter ueed his own chart of the mine fields. The.. .
torpedo boat escorted the MENDOZA up the Oder River as far as Stettin. The ship
moored at the coal docka in the Parnitz on the south end of Molln Wieee, where she
was boarded and searched by approximately 35 Polish Marines. Thereafter, the shin
was kept under guard at the bow, stern, and ladder by guards armed witE teubMtehtea,
guns. The crew was allowed ashore after being advised not to mingle with the
residents. It is believed that those going ashere were kept under surveillance.
4. Naval Veesels: In the Damanscher Strom, just south of Canal Flanken, four new
Soviet destroyers were moored. The MENDOZA saluted in passing and within several.
minutes each destroyer had lined he rail. The crews appeared well uniformed and
showed excellent discipline.
ONI review(s) completed.
U.S. Officials Only
CONFIUNTTA%
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CON1,:DEPIZA.L/ g''.'7.1.217-77, ONLY
to Stettin along both banks
C:Ter River, nmeroua 17.4;:.; v.:re oboarved. Some of these were
arced vith cmall aflbr nc and alL were ec.:Irn?ed with machine guns. On the West
b%nks c..f the Oder River, opposite Croce.. Korf Werder, a huge concrete structure
resembling a fortification I.:L.5 observed. A largo alrpPrt WOE observed behind the
struct..lre. When asked, the pllr.t saf_d it ve.c a -flab factory.
6. Conotrq:ction: Very little new conctruction was observed in the city. A large arr.%
nebeen destroyed by Soviet %rtill.?-y ,hen thev captured it, and ve-.:.y little had
reconctructed. The only b:idge the Oder that was in use was the railroad
brf.dge Lastadle.
Other: The coal and railroad terninal wao patrolled Ly armed, uniformed women, who
aeemed to be regular army personnel. All of the public buildings in Stettin flew
Soviet, rather than Polish flags. Daily t 1COD while the ship was moored at the
tier, lclt,dspc2.karn me-ic and propaganda to tha workers. In the city
of Et-ttin, the ':hly money accepted from foreigner.: ,,ran dollars or English pounds.
Each of the Polish mariner worc a large button be-ring Stalin's picture on his
'_.nlf-rn. Several 7arines, befriended by a menbor of the MENDOIA's crew, confided to
hi= thet they hated thc Soviets and hoped acme day to overthrow their present state
of !)ppression.
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