PORT OF VENTSPILS

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP80-00810A007000260003-6
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
3
Document Creation Date: 
December 21, 2016
Document Release Date: 
August 29, 2008
Sequence Number: 
3
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
June 8, 1955
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
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PDF icon CIA-RDP80-00810A007000260003-6.pdf242.6 KB
Body: 
Approved For Release 2008/08/29: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007000260003-6 CENTRAL -INTELLIGENCE AGENCY This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Rapionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law. F11-t YY m DATE OF INFO. PLACE ACQUIRED DATE ACQUIRED 4. USS (Lfttlrian SSR) Port of Ventspils REPORT DATE DISTR. NO. OF PAGES REQUIREMENT NO. RD REFERENCES 8 June 1955 This is UNEVALUATED SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFT Information NT IS TENTATIVE. ship arrived at Ventspils There was no sign of Soviet naval activity in the Baltic while en route to the port. When the ship arrived at Ventspils, it had to anchor about two kllfyn&tAI~9~ the harbor entrance and lay there During the time the ship was at anchor, were was no naval activity in the arrea, and the ship was not approached by any control vessel. Contact with shore authorities was maintained by visual signal light. At 1000 hours,ithe pilot came aboard and took the ship into port. The ship was berthsd at the southern end of the import quay th load coal. Soviet naval vessels inside the males at the entrance to the h b ar or. The vessels moved out of the harbor in line formation t a epee; of 16 knots. At 223C hoars'tJhe same day these seven vessels moored at the town quay, near the winter harbor. 3. Each vessel was painted gray and was about 25 meters long. Each had a break in the deckline at the after edge of the bridge, a single raked stack aft of the bridge, a small mast on the bridge, a search- 'light on a short pole on the front of the bridge, and twin davits on the stern. The armament on each vessel consisted of one light gun with a shield on the foredeck, and one light antiaircraft gun on the bridge. A long cylindrical object lay on deck near the stern. Level with the stack there w or five objects, each about two meters lori.g; they resembled oxygen cylinders. Each vessel displayed a naval ensign at the masthead. tween the fishing harbor Each boat had a flush deck, a squat, stack loc ted directly aft of and almost touching the bridge, a short simple mast at the rear of the bridge, a searchlight on the bridge, one light gun with a shield on the foredeck, and two 'similar guns aft of the stack. Each boat w e n i n+pd graty, and displayed fi a2 about twenty patrol boats moored t be- (Note: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by Approved For Release 2008/08/29: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007000260003-6 25X1 :25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2008/08/29: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007000260003-6 S-E-C-R-E-T sloped steeply aft. The submarine had a sharp bow, and free flood holes at the water level. It did not have a jumping stay, periscope, snorkel, or armament. There was a small mushroom-shaped projection on top of the conning tower; the object was about 35 centimeters high and 50 centimeters 5. An old steamer of about 800 tons was moored in the same area as the patrol boats. The ship was painted black, and several women in overalls observed among the crew on deck. The vessel had a tall bridge and superstructure amidships, two tall masts, the first of which carried four lights, and a large steam winch on the stern. 6. marines were moored near the steamer. Submarine I was a modern type, a ou 40 meters long. It had a streamlined conning tower about two and a half meters high and eight meters long. The conning tower was almost vertical forward; it then had a step-down and in diameter. The submarine was painted rav; it did not display a flag 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 7. Submarin~ Ian older type, about 35 meters long. It had a sharp 25X1 bow, and its conning tower was abut two and a half to three meters high and eight meters long. There was a step-down located at one third of the tower's length. The submarine was fitted with a jumping stay and a net cutter. No deck armament, flag, or crew were observed. 8. Two anti-submarine vessels or minelayers were also observed. 25X1 Each vessel was about 45 meters long and had a, break in the deckline between the bridge and the stack. A large raked stack was located amidships and there was a single mast at the rear of the bridge. Each ship's armament consisted of two gun turrets with one gun each on the foredeck, an antiair- craft gun of two centimeters on the bridge, two similar antiaircraft guns on high mountings aft of the torpedo tubes, which were located aft of the stack, and a bomb or mine chute on the stern. Each ship also had a searchlight on the front of the bridge and a half-cheese radar at the top of the mast. Both vessels were painted gray and displayed the Soviet naval ensign. Sailors were observed on deck on both the vessels. 9. Two other anti-submarine vessels or minelayers) were also observed. Each ship was about 45 meters long and had a break in the deckline at the after edge of the bridge, and probably another break in the deckline near the stern. Each ship had a large raked stack amidships, a single mast at the rear of the bridge, a searchlight on the bridge, and a half-cheese radar at the masthead. The ship's armament consisted of two gun turrets, each with a single gun, on the foredeck, and a bomb or mine chute on the stern. Both vessels were painted gray and displayed the Soviet naval ensign. Sailors were observed 011--both thp vessels. these vessels 25X1 25X1 had an extension of the superstructure aft of the stack and that this extension was fitted with portholes. 10. In the same general area were destroyers. Each ship was about 50 meters long and had a break in the deckline between the bridge and the forward stack. Each s.ip had two low raked stacks, a single mast at the rear of the bridge, a half-cheese radar on the masthead, and a spherical object believed to be a searchlight located on the bridge. Both ships were painted gray, and no flags were observed on the vessels. Each ship's armament consisted of two gun turrets, each with a single gun on the foredeck, and a bomb or mine chute on the stern. No other equipment was noted. Approved For Release 2008/08/29: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007000260003-6 Approved For Release 2008/08/29: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007000260003-6 -3- 11. An old destroyer was also observed. This ship was about 50 meters long, and had a break in the deekline forward of the bridge. The ship had a straight bow, two tall slightly-raked stacks, and two masts, one at the rear of the bridge and a smaller one aft of the second stack. The ship's armament consisted of a single gun turret with one gun on the foredeck, an antiaircraft gun on a mounting between the second stack and the mast, an antiaircraft gun on a near the stern, and probably a bomb or mine chute on the sterna the ship had a half-cheese radar on the foremast. The ship was painted gray and displayed the naval ensign. Soviet sailors were observed on deck. U. Near the old destroyer MTB was about 20 meters long and had a "scooped-out portion" at the w. The boat had no stack; it had a small mast at the rear of the deckhouse, and two torpedo tubes, one on each side of the deckhouse. The boat was painted gray and no flag was observed. 13. On a slipway near the castle, there lay a motor boat with its bow toward the water. The boat was about 15.meters long. The boat had a flush deck, and a small deckhouse near the bow; it did not have a stack, a mast, armament, or a flag. 14. An old auxiliary vessel of about 2,500 to 3,000 BRT lay at a bunkering point on the west bank of the river. No details could be obtained because of distance, fog, and the angle of observation. 15. The northern mole at the harbor entrance was in need of repair. At a point on the mole about 150 meters from the shore, there was a breach in the wall about 10 meters wide. 16. Several small coastal and fishing craft lay near the fishing harbor on the south bank of the river. A Soviet freighter of about 1,200 tons entered the port on the morning of 25 March and moored at the export quay. 17. There were four diesel-powered cranes on the import quay; each crane had a lifting capacity of 10 tons. Stacks of lumber were also observed on the quay, 18, ship was berthed at 1120 hours and three security officers hi ' s p and a woman came on board to examine the seamen's books and the s papers. They were followed by the ship's agent and another woman. The pilot then left the vessel. At 1230 hours the ship was declared free to load; there was no inspection of quarters or engine room and no one was searched. There were no inquiries for cameras or other forbidden articles. A sentry was posted at the gangway; the same sentry was on duty for about 10 hours without relief. The ship began to load coal at 1300 hours and had taken 1,200 tons on board by soon after 2000 hours. None of the crew went s h hi n wa e s ashore because the ship lay well away from the ferry and t w s bili a ty in port there was no sound of any air activity. Visi restricted because of fog. 19. There was no sign of Soviet naval activity on the voyage from Ventspils to Kotka. 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2008/08/29: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007000260003-6