LETTER TO MR. A. AUSTIN BRICKER, JR. FROM C.H. MARCK, JR.

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02103509
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: September 23, 2021
• Case Number: F-2019-00562
• Publication Date: December 5, 1959

Approved for Release: 2021/09/23 CO2103509
Dear Mr. Bricker:
DOCUMENT NO,
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
0 DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
RUTH: H 70-2
DATE:
/ REVIEWER:
LExecutive Registry
2 --(b)(6)
December 5, 1959
On May 29, 1958 I sent you a letter concerning crews disappear-
ing from ships on the high seas, or ships which have disappeared
without trace, well, I have just read a weird story concerning the
Dutch vessel S.S. Ourang Medan. I will be indeed grateful for your
opinion of this story. Also, do you think "something from the unknown"
is involved?
(b)(3) CIAAct
In early February, 1948, an SOS came from the S.S. Ourang Medan.
Dutch and British-listening-ffieti iodated-the vet-sel as proceeding --
through Malacca Strait, the sea was calm, the weather clear.
SOS, SOS, again came the frenzied call. After a short silence,
� � � all officers, including Captain dead, lying in chartroom and
on Bridge � � � probably whole crew dead � � ."
There followed a series of indecipherable dots and dashes and
then came quite clearly: "I die."
Rescue ships from Dutch Sumatra and British Malaya rushed to
the indicated location of the vessel in distress. They found her
only fifty miles from the position given. Boats were put over the
sides to investigate.
When boarding parties reached the Ourang Medan they found an
eerie sight. There wasn't a living creature on the ship. The captain
lay dead on the bridge. The bodies of the other officers sprawled
in the wheelhouse, chartroom and wardroom. The faithful "sparks" was
slumped in a chair in the radio shack, his hand still on the sending
key. The bodies of the crew lay everwhere: in their roams, in the
passageways, on the decks. And on all the dead faces was a look of
convulsive horror. As a report of the PROCEEDINGS OF THE MERCHANT
MARINE COUNCIL put it: "their frozen faces were upturned to the sun,
the mouths were gaping open and the eyes staring . � ." Everyone
WAS dead. Even the ship's dog, a small terrier, was lifeless, its
teeth bared in anger or agony.
But strangely there was no sign of wounds or injuries on any
of the bodies.
After a quick conference, the boarding parties decided to put
a tow line onto the vessel and take here into port. But at that
very "moment" smoke and flames belched forth from No. 4 hold. The
fire was immediately so hot and so widespread that it was impossible
to subdue.
The boarding parties hurriedly abandoned the vessel and returned
to safety of their own ships. Moments later there was a terrific
"explosion" on the Ouremg Medan and then the vessel sank with all
her "dead" crew.
irro-q-71,7
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I feel sure that the S.S. Ourang Medan tragedy holds the answer
to many of these airplane accidents, and unsolved mysteries of the
sea. Also, I have often thought about the many sightings of hUge fiery
spheres rising from the "sea," or disappearing into the "seas" by ships
captains and crews in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
There are alarming passages in old English chronicles, written
in medieval Latin, and in Latin-inounabula, or books printed before
the year 1500 A.D., which suggest that these "fiery spheres" cause
destruction, and that they come from "within our planet." For instance:
In 216 B.C., "things like ships were seen in the sky, over Italy
In Sardinia, a knight was making his rounds, inspecting the posts :
guarding the rampart, when a stick in his hands "burst into flames."
The same thing happened to Roman soldiers in Sicily who saw their
javelins flame and burn in their hands. At Arpi, "a round shield
was seen in the sky."
Also, in A.D. 1067 people saw a fire that flamed and burned
fiercely in the sky. It came near the earth, and for a little time
brilliantly lit it up. Afterwards, it revolved, ascended on high,
then descended into the sea.' In several places it "burned" woods
and plains.
Yes, the enchanting sea, what terrifying "secret" does it hold?
I feel sure that the S.S. Ourang Medan tragedy also holds the answer
to this "secret."
Sincerely yours,
e. 0444
C. H. Marck, Jr.
Mr. A. Austin Bricker, Jr.
Assistant to the Director
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Washington, D. C.
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