BACKGROUND DATA POSSIBLY RELEVANT TO THE CURRENT VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST PRISONER EXCHANGE OVERTURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01720R000700020003-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 14, 2008
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: October 29, 1971
• Content Type: MF

NSC review completed
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MEMORANDUM FOR: Dr. Henry A. Kissinger
Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs
SUBJECT : Background Data Possibly Relevant to the
Current Vietnamese Communist Prisoner
Exchange Overture
1. The current Vietnamese Communist overtures on possible
prisoner exchanges, covered in our memoranda of 27 and 28 October,
seems to relate to the earlier activity that began in
August 1967. We have checked the voluminous file and
found three items of possible relevance. The pertinent traffic should
be contained in your records, but in the interests of time and convenience
we are repeating it here.
2. The January 1968 Letters. On 3 January 1968, then Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense (ISA) Richard Steadman was given five
letters prepared in Washington for passage to five American citizens
believed to be in VC hands. The pertinent message here is Secretary
Rusk's cable to Ambassador Bunker transmitted on 3 January 1968 as
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, O.C. 20505
29 October 1971
"Five letters to US personnel who may be held by
VC being carried by Steadman for delivery to Calhoun.
Steadman traveling with General William Depuy. ETA
Saigon 1330 local January 4 on Braniff milit~ry charter
flight 241. In view shortness of time suggest envelope
be picked up from Steadman upon arrival Saigon.
DPMO review(s) completed.
State Dept. review completed
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"Letters are addressed to following US personnel:
(Dates shown are date of casualty, which may be same
as date of capture if men are in fact prisoners. )
John F. Conlon III, Capt. 79318, AF,
4 March 1966
David S. Demmon, SP4, 563 73 772, Army,
9 June 1965
William F. Eisenbraun, Capt. 04074803,
Army, 5 July 1965
Douglas K. Ramsey, Foreign Service Officer,
17 January 1966
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" isenbraun and Ramsey are confirmed prisoners.
Conlon, and Demmon are listed as missing in action,
but in each instance there is some reason to hope that
service man is actually prisoner of VC. Families unaware
letters being sent by this route. "
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4. The February 1968 List. In January and February 1968
there was much discussion about giving art of
lease we desired as p
a list of US prisoners whose re
any exchange. The most important message here is Secretar Rusk's
bassador Bunker transmitted as
Y A
m
7 February 1968 cable to
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held by the VC (18 at present).
has been specific with his lists we believe we s ou also
be precise. We recognize problem
that we segecamong
t those
prisoners, and accordingly Propose
who have been held two years or longer. This would be
five officers, four EM, one civilian.
a total of ten names:
een
ths betwt
is a time gap of eight moneen ~e and?the
recent capture on the list of ten (January From released
next most recent captures t the(longer a9man is held, the
prisoners we know
more likely he is to
individual prisoners,
theiouhealth sly ill.
reliable information on appears to be fairest.
a selection by duration of captivity hou d be sentE=
"List of names ---"- --
drawn from list of US prisoners we have identified as
S' oce
Accordin 1 the following list s
uest that at least three of
state that we would particular y whether or not their
who may be seriously sick or injured,
names are on list. (Date in each case is date of capture,
and should not be transmitted to VC-)
with the req
also
the name prisoners be released. Message shoulrisoners
1 like to have any p
Begin list:
T/Sgt Samuel Adams, AF, 31 Oct 65
Capt. Donald Gilbert Cook, MC, 31 Dec 64
Capt. William Forbes Eisenbraun, Army,
6 July 65 28 Sept 65
Cv Robert
LRussell Garwood, awrence Thomas Holland,
Cap pt. 12 June 65 Army, 9 Feb 65
Sp/4 James Henry McLean,
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M/Sgt Thomas Moore, 17 Jan 66
Douglas K. Ramsey, Civ.,
Capt. James Nicholas Rowe, Army,
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Capt. Floyd James Thompson, Army,
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26 Mar 64
list
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"Believe we should inform ~ de similar list of ARVN
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development,
s u er the
6 The January 1969 List, In a later assa or
Rogers ent Ant that
on 30 January 1969 Secretary +'suitable to give to VC with ted. "
following list of twenty Wanner have reque
they ten of them in o change for the four they
o ies to Dr. Kissinger and Secretary Laird):
,lease
1ni p
TSGT Samuel Adams, 18554000, AF,
October 31, 1965 Civilian,
Michael D. Benge,
1968 January 31, 2084229, MC,
SGT Richard Gordon urgers,
September 25, 1966 072794, MC,
MAJ Donald Gilbert Cook,
December 31, 1964
1-V. C, I~LT I
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Gary Daves, Civilian, January 31, 1968
1st LT David Ronald Devers, 05321911,
Army, August 13, 1966
TSGT Charles Gale Dusing, 17203698,
AF, October 31, 1965
SGT Edwin Russel Grissett, Jr. , 1938579,
MC, January 22, 1966
MAJ Lawrence Thomas Holland, 57577,
AF, June 12, 1965
Philip W. Manhard, Civilian, January 31, 1968
SP4 James Henry McLean, 19722072, Army,
February 9, 1965
MSGT Thomas Moore, 14268347, AF,
October 31, 1965
SFC John Joseph O'Neill, 11212494, Army,
August 13, 1966
Thomas W. Ragsdale, Civilian, January 31, 1968
Douglas Ramsey, Civilian, January 17, 1966
SP5 Edward Daniel Reilly, Jr., 23933241, Army,
April 26, 1966
CAPT Floyd James Thompson, 05304076, Army,
March 26, 1964
Eugene Weaver, Civilian, January 31, 1968
Charles Willis, Civilian, January 31, 1968
the above list
of twenty names was never passed to the CommuniSL6.7nree of the names
on the February 1968 list of ten were not included in the January 1969 list
of twenty: US Army Captain Rowe, who escaped on 31 December 1968,
US Army Captain William E. Eisenbraun (also an addressee of one of
the five January 1968 letters) and USMC Private Robert R., Garwood.
SEC? E I
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8. I am sending copies of this memorandum on an eyes only
basis to the other three recipients of my 27 and 28 October memoranda,
namely, Secretary Rogers, Secretary Laird and Admiral Moorer.
Richard Helms
Director
cc: Secretary Rogers
Secretary Laird
Admiral Moorer
DCI/SAVA: GACarver, Jr /mee 29Oct7l
Distribution
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