[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 700 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978STATE304712_d.html.]
O 012212Z DEC 78
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2220
JCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1802
INFO AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN IMMEDIATE
CINCMAC IMMEDIATE
USCINCSOUTH QUARRY HTS CZ IMMEDIATE
HEW IMMEDIATE
FBI IMMEDIATE
USSS IMMEDIATE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE STATE 304712
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS:CASC, OREP (RYAN, LEO), GY
SUBJECT:TRANSPORTATION OF JONESTOWN SURVIVORS
REF: STATE 296179 (DTG 230055Z NOV)
1. Reftel alerted JCS [Joint Chiefs of Staff] of the possible need for the use of military aircraft to transport Jonestown survivors from Georgetown, Guyana to Charleston AFB, South Carolina.
2. This is to advise that the requirement for military airlift of uninjured Jonestown survivors no longer exists. When subject survivors are released by GOG [Government of Guyana], appropriate commercial transportation arrangements will be made for those desiring to return to CONUS. Information regarding these commercial arrangements will be provided to interested agencies, as available.
3. Three Jonestown survivors remain hospitalized in Georgetown. When these persons are released by GOG, all efforts will be made to provide commercial transportation to destinations desired by individuals. However, need may arise for military medevac of one or all three of these survivors. Request for military medevac, if required, will be made via separate message. Resolution of this issue is anticipated within the next few days.
4. Your support/preparations regarding military movement of Jonestown survivors are greatly appreciated.
Vance [Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State]
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE