ARMY MANEUVERS IN SE BULGARIA, 2-5 OCTOBER 1957

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A038500500001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 14, 1957
• Content Type: REPORT

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? REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Sew. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
COUNTRY Bulgaria
SUBJECT Army Maneuvers in SE Bulgaria, DATE DISTR.
2-5 October 1957
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
NO. PAGES
REQUIREMENT
NO.
14 November 1957
report titled
"Activity in Connection with Army Maneuvers in South Eastern Bulgaria."
This report gives the locations, and local times of the
military activity observed on 2 and 5 October 1957.
25X1
25X1
STATE X ARMY X NAVY X AIR X FBI AEC
(Notes Washington distribution indicated by ''; Field distribution by "#".)
0
I N FORMATION REPORT I N FORMAT ION REPORT
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SECRET
ti }
BULGARIA
i,ZISTARY
,petiv-ity in connection with Idanoeuvres in South Eastern
Bul~,aria
14 The following is an account of the military activity observed on a
road journey from SOFIA to the frontier via PMVDIV and SVILENGRAD 25X1
on the 2nd Octobe' and a corresponding return journey on the 5th October 1957?
2. 2nd Octob r
(a) i OPOVITS_X
(b) Rd Junction
(c) 5 limns lest
of Dam
in Westerly direction.
114,30 (i) 2 Signals vans and 1 Jeep in
t
(d) Vic%nity of 1420 Single engined high wing
spotter aircraft seen flying
YABVO
(e) "IDVO
SECRET CONTROL ()
U.S. CF,
I C1ALS ONLY
Activit
2 Signals vans
2 6 wheeled scout cars
(1 was on tow)
AU Westbound but stationary.
2' long Red arrow on North side
of road pointing South to track
leading to TATAREVO.
1 Signals van parlwd on South
side of main road at this
junction. No aerials observed.
Westbound convoy of 12 0 25X1
stationar ose to tail at road-
side* about middle of 25X1
convoy loaded with petrol drums
equivalent in size to 42.p-gallon
drum, from one of which jerry
cans were being filled by small
semi-rotary hand pump - for
refuelling the convoy vehicles.
permanent Radar compound a
IIr 81 L 5. Vans were very badly
camouflaged with ungarnished
scrim-nets.
All radar scanners and aerials
were stationary.
c>crr VT
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-2-
SECRET
crrgrt
(e)
2 ins East
oft ASEOVO
local)
Activity
(iii) 12 tanks (probably T.3Le)
lined up in barracks North of
road on West side ot1 HAEEDVO.
1 !4) (iv) 3 Signals vans, including 1
with trailer-generator, and
3 =all on rail-flats
int iASBDVO sidings.
1450 The observer was stopped by
a "regulovchik" (who was a
Tank private) and ordered to
wait by the roadside. The
following appeared to be the
personnel employed at the
road check:-
1 Tank corporal
6 " privates
I Infantry private
I private with plain black
shoulder boards with red
piping and
I Militia Sergeant.
The check point was visited
by a Captain from time to
time.
1500 (v)
The following items were seen
at this check-point during
the next four hours:-
6 large saloon cars (ZTs and
ZISs) Eastbound at speed, and
appeared to be full of senior
officers.
(vi) L. 6-wheel ~_ Eastbound
carrying large timber baulks
not less than 6" X 6"
section, some of them
fastened together with
double pointed "dog" nails.
(vii) I 0 Eastbound carrying
beds.
(viii) I 0 Westbound loaded
with ammunition cases
(equivalent in size to 75 m
ammunition containers).
(ix) 2 6-wheel Eastbound
each towiirg apes
trailer shovm in sketch at
Appendix 'At.
(x) 3stbound.
SECRET CONTROL
U. S. OFFICIALS ONUI
(xi) 1 ~ loaded with
ungarnished coloured
camouflage nets.
1830 (xii) Picket consisting of N. C.0
SECRET
and 8 Tank privates with
ro1d/
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SECRET
Activity
rolled blanket slung round
shoulders and armed with
rifles, marched to check point
building from direction of
KHASIcVO.
(xiii) After dusk.* the "regulovchik"
was accompanied by a soldier in
a spotted camouflage suit with
long skirted smock. Armed with
automatic rifle and wearing on
Inf'? min -re armbAnd
(f)
(j)
- ----- --- (local
184,5 (xiv) 6 large saloon cars (ZIIis and
ZISs) Westbound at speed.
7 jeeps and
1 command car
'I~th 16 officers
~
1 th about one dozen
officerse
all 17Pstbotuul.
1900 The observer was allowed to
proceed in convoy with some
half dozen motoriets with
foreign number plates, escorted
by a Captain on a motor-cycle.
1905 After kilometre a single
soldier was sewn in similar
camouflage outfit to that
described in (e. xiii) above,
but he was so anxious not r,
be seen that he tried entirely
unsucessfWly to hide behind a
militia-man as the observer
drove past.
1920 Westbound convoy comprising:-
I large signals van with whip
aerial erected.
3 6 -wheel O tang
tarpaulin covered guns
(pro bab r medium field guns).
14.and
3 jeeps.
All were close spaced nose to
tail and showing normal
driving lights.
SECRET CONTROL 193`' Noise of several tanks heard
South of road, numerous vehicle
lights - all presumed from
Ys Se OFFICIALS 0 RLY milestonesntoT be in genera].
(k) KANr T 19+5
CRET
Over 100 other ranks were
E:l;parently off duty collected
in loose crowd in main street.
(l)/8
25X1
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SFPRF
(1)
Tame
(local)
Activity
Isolated sentries and 2 motor
cycle combinations were seen
between 'SLI and BISER
where the observerts
rao -eye a escort permitted
foreign travellers to continue
unarccompanied. No military
activity was observed East of
BISF;Ft.
3, 5th October
Location Time
(local
Activity
(a) SVILENGRAD AI I 1230 After a night of heavy rain
f cobbled road
00
d
s o
yar
1
immediately to the East of
GRAD was flooded to a
(b) POLANOVO
road junction
(0) 3 laps East of
KHAMaNLI
depth of 3" to V,
Westbound convoy of:-
4E=including I towing 25X1
a field ldtchen.
2 Signals vans.
5 d I parked just south of 25X1
ro
Field kitchen in operation,
~ooa;,, ~,A+W ?1 ~n rind )in tro"
25X1
I Headquarters van and
I signalsvan parked on road.
Lip parld nose to tail
in five rows.
(d) 2 lane East of
kHAR .iANLI
(e) KHAMVO 1345 (i)
1 Ambulance standing at empty
rail siding.
3 tarpaulin covered light A. A.
guns wited within 25 yards of
each other on hill top south
of road opposite rail siding.
3 parked near guns.
In another rail-siding I km
East ofkHASID11O, 17 empty flat
trucks were seen.
2 stationary trains consisting
mostly of flat trucks, and
nearby a,)parently awaiting
loading were:-
22
3 jeeps
#t, itt. I
2 motor cycle combinations.
In*IASI)VO a picket of 17
infantrymen, with rolled
blanlaets slun, and armed with
rifles were seen marching East
through the town.
trnnr.P
(ii)
s~ aa~
U. S? OF CI L OHLI
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NDjORN CCS TIIJOED CONTROL
(e)
location
Time
(local)
Activity
(iii) A total of 31 officers were
seen in small groups scattered
through the town.
(iv) The 12 tanks mentioned in Para.
2. e. iii. were still in the
barracks West of the town, as
were the si,nals vans in the
radar compound.
(v)
Al]. radar scanners and aerials
were stationary.
(vi) No aircraft ?0een on AZUPJDZBOVO
airfield which was clearly
observed,.
(f)
1W
11x30 Westbound convoy parked at
roadside closely spaced,
comprising of:-
29 all loaded high with
logs and rough timber in about
3' lengths.
The raa jority of the
carried vehicle
appeared
to consist of a light grey
modern cab and chassis with old
service green bodies added to
them.
PLOVDIV 1530 A total of 13 airforce officers
were seen in PLOVDIV.
No other activity of note was
observed during the remainder
of the journey.
SECRET CONTROL
p, S. OFFICIALS ONLY
SECRET
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Some 6 of the
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f OFORN COi!Ti'OED CONTROL
Source t s comnent
or at the a munition dump East of GARA IiDSTENETS
at the hos -)ital train sidings at NOVI KHAN
(a) On both journies there was no observable activity
traversed, were over.
(b) On the return journey a strong impression was
gained that the manoeuvres, at least in the area
HANYA
as though it mint have been used as inQrOvised
bridging material
(c)
(d) The sketch at AI-Pendix A. shows the trailer somewhat
larger than life size in proportion to the 6 wheel
Its appearance was suggestive of an
overgrown field kitchen or perhaps field bakery.
(e)
SECRET
SECT CONTROL
SECRET
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H
CA
H rn
M
C= =0
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T
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_
C"4
rrj
won
Z
y --4
Rough impression of specialised trailer
APPEMIX 'A'
The horizontal pipe appeared to be a chimney fastened down for travelling.
I
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