OBSERVATIONS IN THE HARBOR OF VENTSPILS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A000300050007-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 27, 2003
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: May 19, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2003/12/02 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA000300050007-6
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
25X1
This Document contains information affecting the Na
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person Is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
SECRET
25X11 I
PLACE ' ACQUIRED
USSR (Latvian SSR)
Observations in the Harbor of
Ventspils:
25X1
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
25X1
1. In the southern part of Ventspils harbor, at the point where, in March 1952,
25X1 three submarines, there were two submarines, the bows
25X1 of which faced east. he,smaller,of the two submarines was tied up along
25X1 the harbor bank and had a gun mounted on its turret. The larger submarine,
25X1 I Istood alongside the
25X1 smaller sub inel 11
25X1
25X1 larger submarine
25X1 0 a sketch of ts vesse is a ac .
25X1
2. About 250 meters east of the submarines, nine identical ships rode at anchor
25X1 in groups of three; all stood parallel to the harbor bank, and their bows
faced east. Only the port side of those ships could
25X1 ,,e .,'.ee,..,ea
25X1
25X1 Each ship appeared to be about 40 meters in lengt and carried zl~e following
armament:
a. One gun forward, mounted in an armored shelter, with a caliber approxi-
mately that of a field artillery piece.
b. One heavy antiaircraft.: machine gun (this may possibly have been a small
antiaircraft: cannon), on the forward deck of the pilot house.
c. Three antiaircraftl, cannons, mounted at various heights on the after deck.
A slip for dropping mines was located at the stern; all ships were loaded with
many mines, both covered and uncovered, Informant believes that these ships
may have been among those which he described as trawlers in arlo~h?.r reportl
on this same subject. A sketch of one of these ships is attached (see figure
2).
SECRET]
25X1
STATE X ARMY I X INAVY X AIR FBI AEC
19 May 1953
3
Q
25X1
25X1
(Nate Washington Dlsfributiep ppdrovve For'Release 2003/ /0
22 ): CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000300050007-6
 Approved For Release 2003/12/02 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA000300050007-6
25X1 25X1
0
3. Among about thirty trawlers of various kinds I uin
Vents ils harbor, four identical ships
25X1 These ships ap-
25X1 peared to be about 25 meters in length. They were .arme wi h two identical
25X1 cannons, of a caliber smaller than that of a field artillery piece; one cannon
25X1 was located forward, and one aft of the pilot house. A slip for dropping mines,
smaller than those mounted on the ships described in paragraph 2 above, was
25X1 mounted on the stern. the entire comp-
25X1 lement of the crew gathered on one ship; ere were about
twenty men. A sketch of one of these ships is attached see figure 3).
4. About fifteen other trawlers were located at various parts of the harbor.
25X1
25X1
5, As reported ea,rl~,1 , the entrance to Ventspils harbor is mined. The
channel that must be followed by ships entering the harbor is marked by buoys.
As indicated on the attached sketch (see figure 4), this channel follows the
coast line for about four miles, and then goes in a westerly direction; the
channel ends at the point at sea where the first two buoys are located. At a
speed of ten miles per hour, informant's ship took three and a half hours to
cover the distance through this channel from Ventspils harbor to the above-
25X1 mentioned buoys.
25X1
SECRET
Approved For Release 2003/12/02 : APIA-RDP80-0081OA000300050007-6
 Approved For Release 2003/12/02 : CIA-RDP80-c 3c9 f 000300050007-6
SERETJ
Figure 1. Sketch of Soviet submarine S-311
Figure 2. Sketch of Soviet submarine chaser B0-246
Figure 3. Sketch of Soviet fast motorboat 30-208
4
' SE RETI
Figure 4. Sketch of channel
through mine field
outside Ventspils.
Approved For Release 2003/12/02 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA000300050007-6