MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT - JANUARY 1964

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00586R000300040012-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 15, 2013
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: February 4, 1964
• Content Type: REPORT

STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300040012-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300040012-4
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300040012-4
FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
SAIGON BUREAU
AMERICAN EMBASSY APO 143
SAIGON, VIETNAM SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.
4 February 1964
TO: Chief, FBIS
FROM: Chief, Saigon Bureau
SUBJECT: Monthly Progress Report - January 1964
I. GENERAL
South Vietnam's military coup of 30 January went off so
smoothly and quietly that it had little effect on the daily
lives of Bureau personnel. At the office, there was no
marked increase in filing of material from Radio Saigon --
which was just as well, since communications were very poor
and was out of the country on leave. There
are many who believe that in a matter of days or weeks
another, less peaceable coup will be effected.
Cholera reached epidemic proportions during the month,
following diagnosis of the first case on 7 January. Public
health experts report that the GVN has not been entirely
frank in its announced statistics, which cover only cases
in the major hospitals. The experts feel the epidemic is
now under control, even though the peak is yet to come, in
late February.
No American has contracted the disease; all are advised to
renew their cholera immunizations every three months instead
of six. FBIS local employees received free immunizations
from a U.S. medical team, while: their dependents obtained
free shots at GVN installations.
II. OPERATIONS
A. Monitorial
Total publishable wordage filed reached 200,000, the
second month in a row this level has been approximated.
Cambodian monitor passed with high honors
from grade 10 to 11 in the English-language courses of
the Vietnamese-American Association. Grade 12, which
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300040012-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CICRDP83-00586R000300040012-4
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he should complete this summer, is the senior grade.
Cambodian monitor is also making very
significant progress in English.
A total of 154 hours of voice broadcasts weekly were
being covered at the end of the month.
B. Communications
Severe outages, both incoming and outgoing, occurred
during the latter half of the month. They were caused
in part by generally unfavorable reception conditions,
and in part by dislocations attendant on the move of
STARCOM Saigon from MAAC Headquarters to Phu Lam, a
district on the edge of Saigon. Formerly we were
connected to STARCOM Saigon's relay point via landline
and, technically, VHF, although the latter was rarely
utilized. Now we will be connected only by VHF, and
once the inevitable and frustrating shakedown period
is over our communications should be improved.
Improvement is also expected from the fact that the:
Embassy teletype unit has installed a new Kleinschmidt
teleprinter, with a second one Soon to be installed.
The printers will operate at 60 wpm for the time being,
bid 100-wpm operation is planned for the future.
III. ADMINISTRATION
Buildings and Grounds
A shift in FBIS office space will occur in the next few days
as a result of the move of Station offices to our floor in
the Embassy annex. We will gain some sorely-needed space;
we will give up only the large monitoring room (12' x 24')
in exchange for three average-size rooms (12' x 16'). We
will retain the two 12' x 16' rooms we have had; and the
offices will thus consist of five equal rooms extending from
the elevator straight back. For reasons of Station security
we will have only one entrance. The console will remain
where it is. A floor plan will be forwarded later.
IV. VISITS
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300040012-4
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Attachments:
1. Classified Personnel Report
2. Foreign Personnel Report
3. Broadcast Coverage Report
cc: Okinawa, Tokyo bureaus
Chief, Saigon Bureau
SECRET
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300040012-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy A?pproved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RBP83-00586R000300040012-4
Nor
SAIGON BUREAU BROADCAST COVERAGE SCHEDULE FOR 1 FEBRUARY 1964
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300040012-4
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300040012-4
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300040012-4