CHRONOLOGY

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05802874
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: July 13, 2023
• Document Release Date: February 8, 2022
• Case Number: F-2017-01666
• Publication Date: April 16, 1975

Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
16 April 1975
CHRONOLOGY
27 Feb-3 Mar NVA ABF's and ground probes (later determined
to be diversionary) in Pleiku and Kontum
Provinces
4 Mar NVA cut QL-19 between Pleiku City and Qui
Nhon at two spots (one each in Pleiku and
Binh Dinh Provinces)
5 Mar NVA cut QL-21 between Darlac and Khanh Hoa
Provinces on Khanh Hoa side. NVA cut QL-
14 between Pleiku City and Ban Me Thuot
9 Mar POIC Pleiku began to reduce classified
files to one week's holding as precautionary
measure
10 Mar NVA attacked Ban Me Thuot (POIC BMT was
closed December 1974 at suggestion COS)
12 Mar NVA captured Ban Me Thuot and was chasing
ARVN forces along QL-21 towards Khanh Hoa.
� ConGen Rep and several other Americans
were captured in Ban Me Thuot (also believed
captured was . Lesson: get (W(1)
our sensitive locals out of threatened (b)(3)
� areas early. VNAF dependents began leaving
Pleiku by air. NOTE: Since early March
the civilian population was nervous due to
daily rocket attacks, cut roads, higher
prices for essential commodities, extended
curfew of 2100 to 0600, availability of
electric power only every other day.
Attempt by those with money to flee along
with influx of frightened population from
Kontum added to sense of doom.
'PAFT
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28p05802874
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
SECRET
13 Mar
14 Mar
15 Mar
POIC Pleiku discussed emergency evacuation
planning with ConGen ProvRep and DA0 Rep
POIC Pleiku arrived in Nha Trang to explain
situation in Pleiku and the status of the
evacuation planning. COB and POIC Pleiku
.briefed ConGen on the situation in Pleiku.
COB directed Acting POIC Pleiku to reduce
classified holdings to one day's holdings
immediately.
President THIEU met with MR-2 commander,
General PHU, in Phan Rang and ordered
PHU to abandon Pleiku and Kontum.
reported Kontum and Pleiku (W(1 )
to be abandoned and that all military (b)(3)
forces will be leaving not later than
17 March. said he tried (W(1 )
to contact Case Officer evening 14 March (b)(3)
but the phones were out. Lesson: Make
sure CO/Agent emergency commo operative
and tested, particularly with curfew
situation. APOIC notified ProvRep and
suggested latter get reading from General
PHU. ProvRep unable get to PHU and saw
Chief of Staff who said MR-2 can no longer
guarantee safety of Americans and urged
all Americans to leave Kontum and Pleiku
immediately. This message passed to
ConGen Nha Trang on our classified circuit.
ConGen and COB discussed situation in
terms of two issues: validity of intel-
ligence and safety of Americans. Although
we were unable to confirm the intel, we
decided to recommend to Saigon the immediate
evacuation of Americans on the premise we
could always go back. The Ban Me Thuot
experience was very much with us. Saigon
agreed. By. 1800 hours all Americans in
Kontum and Pleiku, plus a substantial
portion of the'local staff, were evacuated
by air to Nha Trang. APOIC, Fred Stephens,
and came out on the first (b)(3)
-2-
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
SEITET
16 Mar
17 Mar
18 Mar
plane; commo officer and NSA
officer Bryce Martin came out on the second
plane with classified commo gear. All
classified files and materials were destroyed
and all small valuables were moved out
earlier to Nha Trang. The remaining local
staff were told to use our vehicles to
�
evacuate should it be necessary. Later,
some of our Pleiku locals showed up in
Nha Trang after travelling down LTL-7B
and turned in our vehicles. Lessons:
Advance intel from proven sources vital;
reduce local staff early and make provision
for their evacuation, which includes their
dependents; prepare ProvRep and ConGen in
advance re probability of evacuation.
Attempts to evacuate DGTS personnel from
Pleiku had only limited success due
chaotic conditions in Pleiku. Station-
designated aircraft brought out only few
DGTS personnel among two plane loads of
ARVN dependents and others. Soldiers and
civilians began to flee the city.
Pleiku airfield closed to fix wing air-
craft - all further attempts to evacuate
DGTS personnel closed.
returned to Saigon.
Thousands of civilians and military were
retreating in a disorderly fashion down
Route 14 to LTL-7B through Phu Bon towards
Phu Yen.
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
COB decided to thin out personnel. On
15 March Base was responsible for 28
personnel, including one NSA officer and
12 dependents. With evacuation commo
officer NSA officer Martin and (b)(3)
release to Saigon, Base complement (b)(3)
reduced to 25.
20 Mar Very little effective GVN military forces
were available for defense of MR-2.
left on FVT, was told to hold
in Saigon, reducing Base to 24.
-3-
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
(b)(3)
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
SECRET
22 Mar
Khanh Duong in western Khanh Hoa fell
to the NVA. MR-2 decided to abandon
northern and western districts of Binh
Dinh.
23 Mar ConGen decided to thin out dependents.
24 Mar
25 Mar
26 Mar
27 mar
NVA overran Cung Son town, Phu Yen, and
eliminated the Ranger blocking force at
the rear of the retreating column. Mrs.
and two children left for
Saigon.
ConGen approved FSL dependents to leave
by air, plus FSLs who wished to resign.
Base to 23.
(b)(3)
left for Saigon, reducing (b)(3)
Refugees and unruly troops from Pleiku
and Kontum reached Nha Trang, which was
already hosting large number of refugees
from Darlac. NVA attacked Binh Khe in
attempt to open road to Qui Nhon.
All POICdoms instructed to reduce files
to one day's useage and thin out person-
nel to one chopper load and be prepared
to leave on one hour's notice. POIC,
Qui Nhon arrived in Nha Trang to discuss
evacuation.
to Saigon.
reducing Base to z4.
and two children departed
left on FVT, (b)(3)
(b)(3)
COB ordered POICs Qui Nhon and Tuy Hoa
to return to Nha Trang and begin shuttle
coverage. Following action taken at
Tuy Hoa: all files destroyed, all valuables
taken to Nha Trang, all but five local
staff moved to Nha Trang by jeep and 3/4
-4-
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 u05802874
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
SECRET
ton trucks and hired transportation.
ProvRep took over compound for his own use
and our shuttle coverage. Following action
taken in Qui Nhon: all files destroyed.
Except for five, all local staff, plus
dependents, (77) departed Qui Nhon by
six vehicles for Nha Trang. One sedan
was given to Province Chief. SSB and two
portamobiles were given to ProvRep.
Weapons given to SB. All ops gear and
valuables sent out week earlier to Nha
Trang.
28 Mar
ARVN 22nd Division reportedly could no
longer hold. ConGen ordered ProvRep Qui
Nhon to begin evacuation so COB decided
against shuttle to Qui Nhon and instructed
our five local staff to come out with
ProvRep.
Messrs.
shuttle
run to Tuy Hoa.
made (b)(3)
Many of the FSLs spent time out of the office
to evacuate their dependents. Guards wanted
to leave. Base terminated many FSLs
from closed POICdoms.
Messrs.
arrived
in Nha Trang as evacuees from Danang.
All of them nlus Base nersonnel
departed for Saigon, reduc-
ing Base to 18.
Danang evacuees
arrived and were moved to Saigon.
29 Mar Mr.
family departed for Saigon, reducing
Base to 16 and zero dependents. COB moved into
ConGen compound to sleep because of 2000
hour curfew. Other Base personnel shifted
to fewer locations. Early morning Tuy
-5-
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
oranrT
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
lrft,prE
,
Hoa came under rocket attack.
ordered ProvRep to evacuate.
went in with chopper to evacuate ProvRep
and our remaining local personnel (some
of whom came out with our Pinto).
ConGen
Saigon officers
arrived for attempted water drop op to
evacuees in Danang harbor. Moved HHE
and official cargo by C-47 to Saigon.
30 Mar NVA broke through airborne brigade at
M'Drak Pass in Khanh Hoa.
31 Mar
COB ordered thin out of Phan Thiet.
Volpar took plus compromising
local personnel files to Saigon. C-47
sponsored by ConGen took out most of
the FSLs and dependents to Saigon, leaving
one TCN and five locals.
Saigon officers
plus Base officers
for Saigon. Base reduced to 13.
lei"
spent day in Cam Ranh helping
the move of Danang personnel to Saigon.
NVA
ing
the
by-passed airborne, which was retreat-
toward Duc My.
spent day in Cam Ranh helping
move of Danang personnel, including
to Saigon.
ConGen ordered evacuation of Phan Thiet
by chopper to Saigon and requested COB
to handle, as all his personnel were
busy attempting to evacuate ProvReps
from remaining provinces in MR-2. Mr.
one TCN and locals were moved
to Saigon. Mr. Fred Stephens and Miss
departed for Saigon,
reducing Base to ten.
-6-
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
ET
ConGen decided to move out all Americans
from Nha Trang save for a small hard core
on 1 April. COB ordered traffic to be handled
on a read and burn basis. All classified
files were destroyed. Weapons and C-
rations were placed in the ConGen.
Survival kits were placed in the boats.
0800 hours - Messrs
left by car for air-
port. They departed by air for Saigon
at 1030, reducing Base to five.
0930 hours - Crowd began to swell around
Consulate.
1000 hours - several carloads of Americans
moved to airport; were stopped three
times before they made it. ConGen ordered
chopper lift from ConGen to airport.
1015 hours - S-2 advised COB that NVA
had broken through and was near Duc My;
all ARVN troops at Duc My were fleeing
towards Dien Khanh.
1045 hours - Khanh Hoa Province Chief
called ConGen to say Nha Trang was out
of control.
1100 hours - ConGen ordered complete
evacuation.
1117 hours - COB ordered commo to close
down and destroy (used nitrate drums)
classified gear and files. COB decided
not try take out three KW-7's (around
90 lbs each), as it would deprive at
least two persons of chopper ride out.
1145 hours - Messrs.
were ready to leave. ConGen
requested all four to leave by chopper
to airport. took out all
-7-
FT
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874
nER
remaining piasters and dollars.
had spent most of the morning paying oil
terminating FSLs.
1215 hours - Messrs.
departed by air for Saigon.
, who was detailed to ConGen
to act as liaison with airport security,
was ordered off airfield by airport
authorities at gate and returned to
ConGen. He later choppered to airport
and arrived Saigon with Marines around
1900 hours.
NOTE: Later reporting showed city was
out of control as a result of desertion
by MR-2 staff around 1100 hours and -
desertion of MR-2 commander around 1200
hours. Looting and panic began around
1030 hours.
-8--
QPPEllirT �
Approved for Release: 2022/01/28 C05802874