REPORTS ABOUT THE MAYAGUEZ CARRYING CIA CODED EQUIPMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-71-2-14-5
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: April 20, 2010
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: May 22, 1975
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/04/20: LOC-HAK-71-2-14-5
MEMORANDUIIW W
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
05
May 22, 1975
SUBJECT:
FROM: W. R. SMYSE
MEMORANDUM FOR: GENERAL SCOWCROFT
Reports about the Mayaguez Carrying
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS
APPLY
CIA Coded Equipment
As we suspected, the Mayaguez did not stop in Saigon just before
it was picked up by the Cambodians. It had, however, docked
there earlier. Nor did the Mayaguez, to our knowledge, carry
such classified material as codes.
CIA tells me the following:
MORI/CDF per
C05448318
1
25X1
-- The vessel docked in Saigon on the 19th of April and left on
the 20th or 21st. It carried some
administrative gear, as well as cargo belonging to the State Department
and perhaps other government agencies. Nobody is too sure right now,
given the nature of those hectic last days in Saigon.
-- From Saigon, the Mayaguez sailed to Hong Kong. Normally
and almost certainly, all this material would have been off-loadedthere
and woulc'? not have been on the vessel when it was picked up by the
Cambodians.
In the light of this, I think we can deal with the press queries by
saying that the Mayaguez had stopped in Saigon on an earlier trip
and had loaded "?'adminiet r a t e e ui ent belonging to a number
of U. S. agencies, but that this equipment was
no longer on the vessel when it was picked up off Cambodia and did
not, in any case, include such sensational items of equipment as
codes.
If you wish, CIA would be prepared to run a more thorough check
to make absolutely certain that everything was off-loaded in Hong
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE - GDS
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/04/20: LOC-HAK-71-2-14-5
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/04/20: LOC-HAK-71-2-14-5
! w
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
Kong and that, indeed, no classified material of any kind was on
that vessel. At this point they are reasonably confident but,
because of conditions in Saigon at the time, they cannot be absolutely
certain. Such a check would, however, take some time.
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE - GDS
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/04/20: LOC-HAK-71-2-14-5