Telegram from Henry Kissinger to Ambassador Graham Martin Regarding President Gerald R. Ford's Decision on the Evacuation of Saigon, South Vietnam

Digitized from Box 3 of the NSA. Backchannel Messages Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library 1 47 mann nnamonee _*****S COPY 16 FLASM DE WTE #2378 1190107 z 2981012 APR 75 FM TME WHITE HOUSE TO AMEMBASSY SAIGON SENSITIVE VIA MARTIN CHANNEIS WM50782 TO: AMBASSADOR GRAMAM MARTIN FROMD HENRY 4. KISSINGER 1. THE PRESIDENT MAS MET WITH THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL AND MAS MADE the WOLLOWING DECISIONS: A, IF THE AIRPORT IS OPEN FOR FIXED-WING OPERATIONS TODAY, YOU ARE TO CONTINUE THE EVACUATION OF MIGH RISK VIETNAMESE BY FIXEDeWING AIRCRAFT, YOU ARE ALSO TO EVACUATE BY THE END OF THE DAY ALL AMERICAN PERSONNEL AT TAN SON NMUT AS WELL AS ALLIBUT BARE MINIMUM PERSONNEL FROM TME EMBASSY, 8, WHILE you SHOULD NOT SAY 30, THIS WILL BE THE LAST REPEAT LAST DAY OF FIXEDEWING EVACUATION FROM TAN SON NMUT. C. IF THE AIRPORT IS UNUSABLE FOR PIXED-NING AIRCRAFI OR BEo CONES so DURING THE DAY AS A RESULT OF ENEMY FIRE, YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY TO RESORT TO HELICOPTER EVACUATION OF ALL REPEAT ALL AMERICANS, BOTH FROM THE DAD COMPOUND AND FROM THE EMBASSY COMPOUND, FIGHTER CAP AND SUPPRESSIVE FIRE WILL BE USED AS NECESSARY IN THE EVENT OF HELICOPTER EVACUATION. 2. ADMIRAL GAYLER WILLI BE RECEIVING IDENTICAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM DEFENSE. 3, WARM REGARDS, 0288 WHSR COMMENT MCFARLANE, RODMAN RECALLED . 8. FORD PSN1822717 PAGE 01 OF 01 DTG:290101Z APR 79 ******* *******S COPY DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12958, Sec. 3.5 NSC Memo, 11/24/98, State Dept. Guidelines By let , NARA, Date 1/10/00 intern -