Memorandum from Brent Scowcroft to President Gerald R. Ford Regarding Escape from South Vietnam

File (30), Box 20, Adulser Fles for the Gerald R. Ford Presiden ttat 4 MEMORANDUM the PRESIDENT HAS 3866 THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON FORD INFORMATION GONFIDENTIAL ONE a July 10, 1976 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT FROM: BRENT SCOWCROFT a get SUBJECT: Escape from South Vietnam Our Embassy in Bangkok has compiled information (Tab A) on the most recent instances of Vietnamese refugees fleeing from South Vietnam. Since the risks involved are so serious and the sacrifices so large, I thought you should have this brief summary of the report. The Embasay states that even now, more than one year after the fall of Saigon, the flow of refugees from South Vietnam continues. More than 400 persons are currently at ports in Thailand hoping to continue on to the U.S. or other countries following their escape by sea. Others are in Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and even Brunei. These refugees have told Embassy officers that escape is a riaky under- taking requiring preparations carried out in utmost secrecy over a long period of time. Gasoline required for the long journey is scarce, expensive, and rationed and therefore must be obtained in small amounts and kept hidden until the day of escape. The most dangerous part comes when the escapees must rendezvous, load the suppliea undetected on to the boat, and then some- how evade the constant coastal security patrols. The refugees say that new laws in South Vietnam prohibiting meetings in groups of three or more people make these efforts even more difficult. Finally, if the people do get past the patrols and out into the open seas they find themselves in the hostile environment of a vast ocean with frequent storms and dangerous currents. Apparently most of those starting out to flee do not make it. Some refugees estimate that about one half are caught by authorities before they can get under way and perhaps one third of the remainder perish at sea. Our limited intelligence reporting confirms that some groups have been captured. GONFIDENTIAL GDS KBH 2/10/00