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THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN dif MEMORANDUM THE WHITE HOUSE is SEARET INFORMATION WASHINGTON May 19, 1975 MEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT ART FROM: HENRY A. KISSINGER B SUBJECT: Debrief of the MAYAGUEZ Captain and Crew We have received a report (TAB A) of the debrief of the MAYAGUEZ Captain and crew, including chronology of events and a report of Singapore developments regarding the ship. Chronology The MAYAGUEZ Captain and crew present the following sequence of events (all times in Washington EDT): -- The vessel was challenged and stopped by a Cambodian gunboat off Poulo Wai (see map at TAB B). -- Their engines stopped at 0021 on Monday, May 12. They were, however, able to send out several distress signals. -- The gunboat crew that boarded the vessel ordered the Captain to proceed to Kompong Som, which he refused by claiming his radar was broken. -- The MAYAGUEZ remained at anchor off the island of Poulo Wai from 9:00 a.m., May 12, until 9:30 p. m. that evening, and was then instructed to proceed to the island of Koh Tang. - em The crew observed reconnaissance aircraft before "nightfall" Cambodia time (or by dawn EDT). - - After the vessel had moved to the vicinity of Koh Tang, an English-speaking Cambodian came aboard and asked the Captain about the ship's mission and about whether it carried military cargo. The Cambodians even brought the Captain, the Chief Engineer, and several crewmen back to the vessel the following night to open locked rooms for the Cambodians to inspect. But 8. FORD U.S. aircraft dropped flares which frightened the Cambodians and they turned away from the vessel. DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12958, Sec. 3.5 NSC Memo, 11/24/98, State Dept. Guidelines SECRET By let , NARA, Date 12/20/99