This is a listing of cables transmitted during the first week after the deaths in Jonestown – November 19 through November 25 – either by the State Department or by one of its embassies.
Sunday, November 19, 1978
Monday, November 20, 1978
Tuesday, November 21, 1978
Wednesday, November 22, 1978
Thursday, November 23, 1978
Friday, November 24, 1978
Saturday, November 25, 1978
It should be noted that many of the texts for the cables below were provided by the Wikileaks site, which was discovered to be defunct in late 2022. This is especially true for cables for which there is no corresponding pdf, such as the cable from State to Georgetown on November 20, 1978 at 0940, or which were heavily redacted, such as the cable from Port-of-Spain to State on November 24, 1978 at 2044. For more discussion of Wikileaks’ collapse, click here.
A key to the notations in the columns appears below the chart. A note on sources used in the compilation of this chart also appears below.
| Date | Time | Origin | ID | Content | Text | |
| 781119 | 0150 | Georgetown | 3775 8062 | Passenger list of Codel flight | Text | |
| 781119 | 0315 | Georgetown | 3776 8063 | Early reconstruction of Kaituma events | Stoen State | Text |
| 781119 | 0330 | Georgetown | 3777 8064 | Description of around Kaituma | Text | |
| 781119 | 0639 | Kuwait | 6154 2350 | Codel in Kuwait wants updates | Text | |
| 781119 | 1105 | Georgetown | 3778 8065 | Police units arrive at Kaituma | Text | |
| 781119 | 1200 | London | 19057 2097 | Codel in London wants updates | Text | |
| 781119 | 1252 | State | 293746 | State reports on deaths at Kaituma, medevac arrival | Text | |
| 781119 | 1450 | Georgetown | 3779 8066 | Police report death of Patty Parks | Text | |
| 781119 | 1510 | Georgetown | 3780 8067 | Georgetown police consider moving Concerned Relatives | Text | |
| 781119 | 1535 | Georgetown | 3781 8068 | Kaituma wounded land at Georgetown airport | Text | |
| 781119 | 1659 | State | 293748 | US offers necessary assistant to GOG | Text | |
| 781119 | 1700 | Georgetown | 3783 8070 | GOG allows arrival of US military aircraft | Text | |
| 781119 | 1720 | Georgetown | 3782 8069 | Concerned Relatives to stay pending further developments | Text | |
| 781119 | 1759 | State | 293763 | Military aircraft en route from Panama | Text | |
| 781119 | 1819 | State | 293764 | State reports Ryan assassination to committee staffer | Text | |
| 781119 | 1832 | State | 293765 | Military authorized to evacuate US civilians | Text | |
| 781119 | 1839 | State | 293766 | State reports on assassination, Kaituma deaths | Text | |
| 781119 | 1930 | Georgetown | 3784 8071 | Burnham considers US offer of assistance | Text | |
| 781119 | 1950 | Georgetown | 3785 8072 | Police request items from US | Text | |
| 781119 | 2010 | Georgetown | 3786 8073 | Monica Bagby in Georgetown hospital | Text | |
| 781119 | 2035 | Georgetown | 3787 8074 | Larry Layton arrested | Text | |
| 781119 | 2046 | State | 293771 | Listing of personnel on military aircraft | Text | |
| 781119 | 2049 | State | 293776 | Situation report III summarizes Kaituma shooting, reports GDF advance on Jonestown | Text | |
| 781119 | 2049 | State | 293777 | Situation report forwarded to Calif. senator | Text | |
| 781119 | 2055 | Georgetown | 3788 8075 | Embassy asks for State records on PT members | Text | |
| 781119 | 2110 | Georgetown | 3789 8076 | Sharon Amos and children discovered in Lamaha Gardens | Text | |
| 781119 | 2218 | State | 293781 | Rumors of mass suicide | Text |
| Date | Time | Origin | ID | Content | Text | |
| 781120 | 0054 | State | 293787 | State says arrested Americans should be prosecuted by US | Text | |
| 781120 | 0105 | Georgetown | 3790 8077 | GDF requests items from US | Text | |
| 781120 | 0200 | State | 293788 | Confusion on ID of Parks woman killed at Kaituma | Text | |
| 781120 | 0200 | State | 293789 | State tries for positive ID on Sharon Amos | Text | |
| 781120 | 0214 | State | 293790 | Situation Report IV | Text | |
| 781120 | 0222 | State | 293791 | Arrival of C-141 in Georgetown | Text | |
| 781120 | 0330 | Georgetown | 3791 8078 | Concerned Relatives decide to leave | Text | |
| 781120 | 0355 | Georgetown | 3792 8079 | GDF reports 200 – 300 bodies | Text | |
| 781120 | 0535 | Georgetown | 3793 8080 | Update on status of Codel | Text | |
| 781120 | 0550 | Georgetown | 3794 8081 | Plans for military aircraft to evacuate Concerned Relatives | Text | |
| 781120 | 0805 | State | 293797 | State questions how Lane and Garry escaped | Text | |
| 781120 | 0836 | State | 293798 | HAM operator reports two more Jonestown farms, possible survivors | Text | |
| 781120 | 0940 | State | 293799 | Names and address of PT relatives | Text | |
| 781120 | 1043 | Stockholm | 4642 5259 | US Ambassador expresses shock at Ryan assassination | Text | |
| 781120 | 1142 | State | 293800 | GDF reports 400 bodies | Text | |
| 781120 | 1403 | State | 293801 | State asks if Bagby well enough to travel | Text | |
| 781120 | 1404 | State | 293803 | Situation Report VI: GOG establishes crisis team | Text | |
| 781120 | 1405 | Georgetown | 3799 8084 | Death of Patricia Parks confirmed | Text | |
| 781120 | 1500 | Georgetown | 3807 8090 | Interview with Mark Lane | Text | |
| 781120 | 1505 | State | 293821 | Personal message passed along to State Dept | Text | |
| 781120 | 1605 | Caracas | 10950 4684 | State liaison en route | Text | |
| 781120 | 1640 | Caracas | 10952 4685 | State liaison en route | Text | |
| 781120 | 1730 | Georgetown | 3811 8094 | GOG discusses disposition of Jonestown remains | Text | |
| 781120 | 1755 | Georgetown | 3812 8095 | Kaituma airstrip cannot handle military aircraft | Text | |
| 781120 | 1837 | State | 293999 | Situation Report VII: Military graves team en route to Guyana; autopsy done on Ryan | Text | |
| 781120 | 1923 | Port of Spain | 3322 3247 | Trinidad newspaper to send reporter | Text | |
| 781120 | 1925 | Georgetown | 3813 8096 | Number of relatives calls surprisingly low | Text | |
| 781120 | 1930 | Georgetown | 3815 8097 | Bagby not well enough to travel | Text | |
| 781120 | 2058 | State | 294162 | State worries that Jim Jones may attempt escape | Text | |
| 781120 | 2120 | Georgetown | 3816 8105 | Guyana police seek large-scale effort for body removal | Text | |
| 781120 | 2155 | Georgetown | 3817 8106 | Jones, 13 others ID at Jonestown | Text | |
| 781120 | 2300 | Georgetown | 3818 8107 | Information on Sharon Amos and children | Text | |
| 781120 | 2301 | Georgetown | 3819 8108 | Expenses to be covered for US pathologist | Text | |
| 781120 | 2301 | FBI | FBI agents en route to Guyana | Text |
| Date | Time | Origin | ID | Content | Text | |
| 781121 | 0052 | State | 294466 | Jonestown survivors praise Richard Dwyer | Text | |
| 781121 | 0052 | State | 294467 | State praises American Embassy | Text | |
| 781121 | 0141 | FBI | Description of shooting at airstrip | Text | ||
| 781121 | 0203 | State | 294495 | Embassy believes some Jonestown residents fled into jungle | Text | |
| 781121 | 0341 | FBI | Description of shooting at airstrip | Text | ||
| 781121 | 0541 | FBI | Description of shooting at airstrip (Pt. 2) | Text | ||
| 781121 | 0611 | State | 294528 | Question of disposal of remains on Jonestown site | Text | |
| 781121 | 0620 | State | 294529 | Request for personnel from US military | Text | |
| 781121 | 0645 | Georgetown | 3820 8109 | State takes responsibility in notifying next-of-kin | Text | |
| 781121 | 0730 | Georgetown | 3821 8110 | Embassy releases list of next-of-kin | Text | |
| 781121 | 0848 | FBI | FBI interviews Temple members in California | Text | ||
| 781121 | 0850 | Bamako | 5609 1322 | Embassy seeks next-of-kin for Jonestown victim | Text | |
| 781121 | 0856 | State | 294531 | State reports on climbing death toll, decomposition | Text | |
| 781121 | 0913 | USICA | Daily news bulletin from the International Communication Agency includes Guyana | Text | ||
| 781121 | 1231 | Amman | 8872 8708 | Embassy seeks names and address of Ryan family | Text | |
| 781121 | 1235 | Georgetown | 3826 8112 | US/Guyana discuss burial on site | Text | |
| 781121 | 1235 | State | 294533 | State has no information on w/w Carolyn Looman | Text | |
| 781121 | 1343 | State | 294561 | US/Guyana discuss burial on site | Text | |
| 781121 | 1430 | USICA | Daily news bulletin from the International Communication Agency includes Guyana | Text | ||
| 781121 | 1443 | State | 294619 | US/Guyana discuss burial on site | Text | |
| 781121 | 1500 | Georgetown | 3832 8117 | GDF requests assistance in search for underground bunkers | Text | |
| 781121 | 1553 | State | 294637 | All costs in Guyana operations will be covered | Text | |
| 781121 | 1645 | Georgetown | 3837 8119 | Guyana aviation requests planes, parts | Text | |
| 781121 | 1705 | Georgetown | 3838 8120 | Guyana makes small request for medical equipment | Text | |
| 781121 | 1743 | Port of Spain | 3256 3339 | Report on Trinidad coverage of Jonestown tragedy | Text | |
| 781121 | 1755 | Georgetown | 3841 | State Dept liaison arrives in Georgetown | Text | |
| 781121 | 1959 | Georgetown | 3843 8123 | US/Guyana discuss burial on site | Text | |
| 781121 | 2016 | State | 294822 | State takes responsibility in notifying next-of-kin | Text | |
| 781121 | 2016 | State | 294823 | State asks that DOD provide specified equipment | Text | |
| 781121 | 2016 | State | 294824 | State asks prioritization in equipment requests | Text | |
| 781121 | 2018 | Port of Spain | 3343 3260 | Embassy reports on PT members in Trinidad | Text | |
| 781121 | 2030 | Georgetown | 3844 8124 | PT members deny existence of underground bunkers | Text | |
| 781121 | 2105 | State | 294872 | Report of Jones death; others may have fled and attempting to leave Guyana | Text | |
| 781121 | 2120 | Georgetown | 3845 8125 | GOG requests repatriation of bodies to US | Text | |
| 781121 | 2125 | State | 294880 | US Capitol physician requests copy of Ryan autopsy | Text | |
| 781121 | 2140 | State | 294898 | Family of Chris O’Neal asks for contact | Text | |
| 781121 | 2200 | Georgetown | 3846 8126 | List of identified dead | Text | |
| 781121 | 2200 | Georgetown | 3847 8128 | Report on Temple survivors in Georgetown | Text |
| Date | Time | Origin | ID | Content | Text | |
| 781122 | 0040 | Georgetown | 3849 | Georgetown to provide info on status of two Jonestown families | Text | |
| 781122 | 0045 | Georgetown | 3848 | Joint Task Force arrives in Georgetown | Text | |
| 781122 | 0100 | Georgetown | 3850 8131 | GOG asks about presence of FBI | Text | |
| 781122 | 0105 | Georgetown | 3851 8132 | Ryan autopsy to be sent to US | Text | |
| 781122 | 0157 | State | 295234 | Mickey Touchette arrives in San Juan from Georgetown | Text | |
| 781122 | 0220 | FBI | Description of Lamaha Gardens house | Text | ||
| 781122 | 0223 | State | 295248 | List of PT relatives in US | Text | |
| 781122 | 0301 | State | 295259 | Guyana officially asks for removal of bodies | Text | |
| 781122 | 0333 | State | 295260 | Stephan Jones provides names of Georgetown survivors | Text | |
| 781122 | 0416 | State | 295263 | FBI concerned over lack of permission to enter Guyana | Text | |
| 781122 | 0509 | State | 295317 | State provides update from beginning | Text | |
| 781122 | 0524 | State | 295410 | Military aircraft may be needed to evacuate survivors | Text | |
| 781122 | 0545 | Georgetown | 3853 8133 | More survivors arrive in Georgetown from Kaituma | Text | |
| 781122 | 0837 | State | 295682 | Situation report 12: Few survivors located; NOK notified for 174 dead | Text | |
| 781122 | 1122 | USICA | Daily news bulletin from the International Communication Agency includes Guyana | Text | ||
| 781122 | 1200 | Caracas | 11013 4723 | Venezuela believes hundreds on Jonestown survivors en route | Text | |
| 781122 | 1205 | Georgetown | 3855 8134 | GOG Ministry of Health asks for medical equipment | Text | |
| 781122 | 1415 | Georgetown | 3861 8135 | GOG, US negotiate over FBI presence | Text | |
| 781122 | 1445 | Georgetown | 3866 8138 | Embassy asks GOG for US passports | Text | |
| 781122 | 1450 | Georgetown | 3867 8139 | GOG, US negotiate over FBI presence | Text | |
| 781122 | 1500 | State | 295786 | Situation report 13: Military prepares to evacuate bodies; Layton to be charged | Text | |
| 781122 | 1540 | State | 295840 | TV networks interview Richard McCoy | Text | |
| 781122 | 1549 | Bogota | 11251 1324 | Embassy offers assistance | Text | |
| 781122 | 1625 | Port of Spain | 3354 3263 | Embassy reports on Trinidad media coverage | Text | |
| 781122 | 1750 | Georgetown | 3868 8140 | US medical personnel report on condition of bodies in Jonestown | Text | |
| 781122 | 1800 | Georgetown | 3869 8141 | Efforts to rescue people in jungle still underway | Text | |
| 781122 | 1827 | State | 295932 | FBI announces intention in investigate Ryan assassination, Jonestown deaths | Text | |
| 781122 | 1834 | State | 295945 | State asks Venezuela for use of small aircraft | Text | |
| 781122 | 1835 | Georgetown | 3870 8142 | Confirmation of death of Patricia Parks | Text | |
| 781122 | 1848 | FBI | First contingent of 81 bodies en route to Dover | Text | ||
| 781122 | 1915 | Georgetown | 3875 8144 | Autopsies on Amos family complete, evacuation requested | Text | |
| 781122 | 1918 | Georgetown | 3876 8145 | Death of Lisa Layton in October reported | Text | |
| 781122 | 1935 | Georgetown | 3877 8146 | List of PT members from GOG immigration | Text | |
| 781122 | 1954 | Brussels | 22217 0118 | US Ambassador to Belgium sends condolences | Text | |
| 781122 | 2005 | Georgetown | 3878 8158 | Embassy reports error in death list | Text | |
| 781122 | 2050 | Georgetown | 3879 8159 | Embassy reports on Sharon Amos parents (information is incorrect) | Text | |
| 781122 | 2054 | State | 295988 | Military aircraft will fly bodies to Dover AFB | Text | |
| 781122 | 2101 | State | 295989 | FBI seeks interview with PT survivors in Trinidad | Text | |
| 781122 | 2104 | State | 295993 | State seeks identity of PT members fleeing to Venezuela | Text | |
| 781122 | 2106 | State | 295999 | New York Times reports on FBI investigation | Text | |
| 781122 | 2109 | Port of Spain | 3359 3264 | Trinidad has no small aircraft to assist | Text | |
| 781122 | 2111 | Port of Spain | 3360 3265 | Trinidad decides to let news media upload video | Text | |
| 781122 | 2117 | State | 296009 | House committee announces investigation of State Department | Text | |
| 781122 | 2149 | Kingston | 9380 4547 | W/W of Essie Mae Townes | Text | |
| 781122 | 2209 | Panama | 8581 9895 | Small Panamanian planes not operational | Text | |
| 781122 | 2215 | State | 296099 | Bodies of Sharon Amos and children to be transported to Dover | Text | |
| 781122 | 2222 | State | 296106 | Discussion of military attire in clean-up operation | Text | |
| 781122 | 2224 | State | 296115 | State appreciates FBI offer to assist in body ID | Text | |
| 781122 | 2229 | Port of Spain | 3371 3273 | Question of whether PT members still in Trinidad | Text | |
| 781122 | 2243 | State | 296119 | State asks FBI for info on previous investigations of PT | Text | |
| 781122 | 2350 | Caracas | 11070 4739 | Venezuela maintains lookout | Text |
| Date | Time | Origin | ID | Content | Text | |
| 781123 | 0002 | State | 296138 | Laurence Mann expresses GOG sorrow | Text | |
| 781123 | 0025 | State | 296145 | DOD needs more info on helicopter models | Text | |
| 781123 | 0055 | State | 296179 | State asks DID to transport survivors to Charleston | Text | |
| 781123 | 0057 | State | 296180 | List of Peoples Temple members in Guyana | Text | |
| 781123 | 0057 | State | 296181 | Provision to be made for Jonestown survivors | Text | |
| 781123 | 0203 | FBI | Inner workings of PT, as described by former members | Text | ||
| 781123 | 0215 | Georgetown | 3882 8160 | Guyana police need additional materials | Text | |
| 781123 | 0256 | State | 296315 | Situation report 14: Bodylift underway; Layton charged | Text | |
| 781123 | 0330 | Georgetown | 3883 8165 | Survivors remain in Guyana, pending investigation | Text | |
| 781123 | 0331 | Georgetown | 3884 8166 | Layton formally arrested | Text | |
| 781123 | 0332 | Georgetown | 3885 8167 | Details on Layton | State Stoen | Text |
| 781123 | 0340 | Georgetown | 3886 8161 | Details on survivors | Text | |
| 781123 | 0436 | Panama | 8591 9905 | Travel details for military assistant | Text | |
| 781123 | 0505 | Georgetown | 3887 8168 | Military aircraft leaves Guyana for Dover | Text | |
| 781123 | 0203 | FBI | Interview with former Temple member Daniel Phillips | Text | ||
| 781123 | 0605 | Georgetown | 3888 8169 | Military aircraft en route with human remains | Text | |
| 781123 | 0615 | Georgetown | 3889 8170 | [Administrative memo] | Text | |
| 781123 | 0632 | State | 296504 | State press conference transcript, 11/22 | Text | |
| 781123 | 0655 | State | 296505 | Aunt of Danny Casanova to accept remains | Text | |
| 781123 | 0656 | State | 296506 | Some equipment would arrive too late | Text | |
| 781123 | 0826 | State | 296523 | State asks for verification of survivor names | Text | |
| 781123 | 0836 | State | 296525 | Situation report 15: Survivors should be released soon; problems in body recovery | Text | |
| 781123 | 1052 | Kuwait | 6286 2403 | [Administrative memo] | Text | |
| 781123 | 1148 | Georgetown | 3890 8171 | Bio data on Sharon Amos | Text | |
| 781123 | 1245 | Georgetown | 3891 8172 | Military personnel may operate in civilian clothes | Text | |
| 781123 | 1641 | State | 296714 | Situation report 16: Bodies arrive in Dover; more bodies removed; no more ID’s in Guyana | Text | |
| 781123 | 1658 | Port of Spain | 3372 3274 | Trinidad survivors learn of deaths of relatives | Text | |
| 781123 | 1715 | Port of Spain | 3373 3276 | Embassy awaits words on approval of FBI agents | Text | |
| 781123 | 1736 | State | 296840 | List of Peoples Temple members in Guyana | Text | |
| 781123 | 1900 | Georgetown | 3895 8174 | Guyana police to allow survivors to start to return home | Text | |
| 781123 | 1910 | Georgetown | 3896 8175 | PT survivors complain about release of private info | Text | |
| 781123 | 1941 | State | 296852 | Embassy urged to take protective measures for survivors | Text | |
| 781123 | 2015 | Georgetown | 3897 8176 | Mootoo reports on partial autopsy of Jones | Text | |
| 781123 | 2043 | State | 296856 | State offers guidance for press queries | Text | |
| 781123 | 2045 | State | 296858 | List of Peoples Temple members in Guyana | Text | |
| 781123 | 2051 | State | 296859 | List of Peoples Temple members in Guyana | Text | |
| 781123 | 2100 | Georgetown | 3898 8177 | Updated list of survivors | Text | |
| 781123 | 2113 | State | 296862 | State releases additional names of people in Guyana | Text | |
| 781123 | 2212 | State | 296908 | FBI declines to pay for Trinidad survivors’ travel; still seeks permission to interview | Text | |
| 781123 | 2212 | State | 296909 | Embassy authorized to hire legal counsel for survivors | Text | |
| 781123 | 2300 | Georgetown | 3899 | Strategy to resolve conspiracy issues include weapon ID, Temple records | Text |
| Date | Time | Origin | ID | Content | Text | |
| 781124 | 0141 | FBI | NBC has 13 hours of videotape | Text | ||
| 781124 | 0216 | State | 297102 | Get well message to Richard Dwyer | Text | |
| 781124 | 0300 | Georgetown | 3900 8178 | Search and rescue operations continue | Text | |
| 781124 | 0330 | Georgetown | 3902 1768 | Report on body removal, search and rescue, review of passports | Text | |
| 781124 | 0632 | State | 297276 | Transcript of State briefing of 11/21 | Text | |
| 781124 | 0755 | State | 297277 | Situation report 17: 202 bodies at Dover; no new survivors; 3 members arrested | Text | |
| 781124 | 0835 | State | 297279 | Arranges for transport of survivors | Text | |
| 781124 | 0846 | Jakarta | 16194 3067 | Report on media coverage in Indonesia | Text | |
| 781124 | 0851 | State | 297280 | Name of Pat Grunnett corrected | Text | |
| 781124 | 0911 | State | 297281 | Inquiries about surviving PT members | Text | |
| 781124 | 0929 | State | 297282 | PT survivors from Albatross en route to Georgetown | Text | |
| 781124 | 1130 | USICA | Summary of worldwide media includes Guyana coverage | Text | ||
| 781124 | 1147 | State | 297342 | Transcript of State briefing of 11/20 | Text | |
| 781124 | 1420 | SSA | Social Security seeks guidance on December checks to beneficiaries | Text | ||
| 781124 | 1420 | Georgetown | 3906 | Sherwin Harris to return to US | Text | |
| 781124 | 1426 | State | 297373 | Names of Jonestown victims | Text | |
| 781124 | 1427 | State | 297374 | Names of Jonestown victims | Text | |
| 781124 | 1434 | State | 297396 | Situation report 18: Body count at 600; Remains of 270 in Dover; recovery continues | Text | |
| 781124 | 1705 | FBI | Sherwin Harris provided list of dangerous PT members | Text | ||
| 781124 | 1705 | El Salv. | 6123 420 | El Salvador president extends sympathy | Text | |
| 781124 | 1714 | FBI | Guyana Embassy in Washington reports bomb threat | Text | ||
| 781124 | 1720 | State | 297520 | State suggests involving Amerindians in search efforts | Text | |
| 781124 | 1745 | Georgetown | 3907 8181 | Verification of identities of bodies impossible | Text | |
| 781124 | 1851 | State | 297586 | State requests all Embassy correspondence with PT | Text | |
| 781124 | 1900 | Georgetown | 3914 8184 | Ambassador assigned 24-hour protection | Text | |
| 781124 | 1927 | Caracas | 11104 4757 | Venezuela on lookout for PT survivors | Text | |
| 781124 | 1944 | Port of Spain | 3380 3279 | FBI may interview survivors; PT members want to sail to Georgetown | Text | |
| 781124 | 1957 | Caracas | 11112 4759 | Venezuela discusses lease of plane to Guyana | Text | |
| 781124 | 2020 | Georgetown | 3919 8188 | GOG issues official statement on assassination | Text | |
| 781124 | 2030 | USSS | 1061 | Secret Service considers assassination threat against US officials | Text | |
| 781124 | 2044 | Port of Spain | 3381 3280 | Listing of Albatross crew in Trinidad | Text | |
| 781124 | 2050 | Georgetown | 3921 8189 | Beikman to be charged with Amos murder; legal status of others examined | Text | |
| 781124 | 2051 | Georgetown | 3922 8190 | Identification of Temple vessels | Text | |
| 781124 | 2115 | Georgetown | 3924 8192 | Embassy replies to House committee questions | Text | |
| 781124 | 2122 | State | 297692 | American author to arrive in Guyana for book research | Text | |
| 781124 | 2151 | Bogota | 11336 1376 | Colombia has no aircraft for Guyana’s use | Text | |
| 781124 | 2156 | State | 297818 | Sherwin Harris lists dangerous PT members | Text | |
| 781124 | 2200 | Georgetown | 3925 8195 | Embassy reports on Joe Mazor contacts | Text | |
| 781124 | 2211 | State | 297847 | State asks for locations of numerous children from Jonestown | Text | |
| 781124 | 2221 | FBI | FBI sets up phone number for RYMUR | Text | ||
| 781124 | 2221 | State | 297856 | Embassy asks to review equipment requests | Text | |
| 781124 | 2221 | State | 297857 | State ships office equipment to Dover | 781124 2221 state-gt 297857PDF | Text |
| 781124 | 2359 | FBI | FBI had not investigated Peoples Temple before November 18 | 781124 2359 fbi-state cableCable 781124 2359 fbi-state telegramTelegram | Text |
| Date | Time | Origin | ID | Content | Text | |
| 781125 | 0125 | Georgetown | 3926 8196 | 3 survivors identified as Eugene Smith, Tim Jones, and John Cobb | Text | |
| 781125 | unk (0127) | Georgetown | 3927 | 32 guns listed; Guyana police reluctant to surrender guns | Text | |
| 781125 | 0130 | Georgetown | 3928 8197 | Embassy reports on effects of media interest in Jonestown story | Text | |
| 781125 | 0132 | State | 298062 | Situation report 18: Body count at 800; search efforts may be futile; survivors still in Georgetown | Text | |
| 781125 | 0230 | Georgetown | 3929 8198 | Reclaiming possessions in Jonestown complicated by body removal; death tape found | Text | |
| 781125 | 0327 | State | 298102 | State warned of danger posed by Richard Janaro | Text | |
| 781125 | 0356 | State | 298103 | Transcript of State briefing of 11/24 | Text | |
| 781125 | 0400 | Georgetown | 3931 8201 | Aunt of Danny Casanova to accept remains | Text | |
| 781125 | 0405 | Georgetown | 3932 8200 | Report on Larry Layton | Text | |
| 781125 | 0451 | State | 298105 | Report on partial autopsy of Jim Jones | Text | |
| 781125 | 0441 | State | 298104 | State receives queries from Temple relatives | Text | |
| 781125 | 1003 | State | 298754 | State receives queries from Temple relatives | Text | |
| 781125 | 1624 | State | 298761 | Situation report 18: Body count at 794; Jonestown cemetery located; 532 bodies in Dover | Text | |
| 781125 | 1718 | State | 298802 | State offers answer to queries about non-US children’s bodies transported to US | Text | |
| 781125 | 1718 | Port of Spain | 3394 3283 | Report on the Trinidad contingent | Text | |
| 781125 | 1723 | Port of Spain | 3395 3284 | Trinidad survivors authorize release on info about themselves | Text | |
| 781125 | 1804 | State | 298836 | FBI agents will have sidearms | Text | |
| 781125 | 1936 | State | 299036 | Embassy should recover and store tapes | Text | |
| 781125 | 1940 | Georgetown | 3933 8203 | Embassy recovers passports for four infants | Text | |
| 781125 | 1945 | Georgetown | 3934 8204 | Embassy drafts promissory note for survivors to sign before return | Text | |
| 781125 | 1947 | Georgetown | 3935 8205 | Embassy reports on six deaths before 11/18 | Text | |
| 781125 | 2045 | Georgetown | 3936 8206 | Guyana newspaper blames US for tragedy | Text | |
| 781125 | 2050 | Georgetown | 3937 8207 | Countries request clearances for aircraft to land | Text | |
| 781125 | 2050 | State | 299092 | State issues list of JT dead for whom queries have been made | Text | |
| 781125 | 2117 | State | 299097 | Embassy asked to store evidence for future trials | Text | |
| 781125 | 2134 | State | 299101 | State offers guidance in answering media questions | Text | |
| 781125 | 2240 | Georgetown | 3938 8208 | Embassy to hire counsel to identify Temple assets | Text | |
| 781125 | 2242 | State | 299104 | DOD reports on equipment sent to aid in recovery efforts | Text | |
| 781125 | 2324 | State | 299110 | Guidance on processing personal effects, Jonestown equipment, assets | Text | |
| 781125 | 2345 | Georgetown | 3939 8209 | Ambassador upset with conspiracy allegations | Text | |
| 781125 | 2347 | State | 299112 | Treasury checks may be returned to survivors | Text |
The cables at the basis of this research come from a variety of sources.
• The bulk of them came from the State Department itself, in response to a Freedom of Information request for documents on Jonestown and Peoples Temple. The request was made by Rebecca Moore and Fielding McGehee, who eventually became the managers of this website. Of the 5700 pages that State released in 1981, fully 3000 were cables dating from 1974 until 1981, most of them from November and December of 1978 and early 1979.
• A smaller collection from the State Department came in response to another FOIA request, this one for what the agency had on the custody battle over John Victor Stoen, a battle waged by Timothy and Grace Stoen, primarily against Jim Jones.
• The second most productive official source was the FBI, which released many State Department cables collected during the FBI’s investigation of the Leo Ryan assassination (RYMUR).
• In 2014, the State Department released thousands of agency files as part of a general declassification review. Hundreds of those related to Peoples Temple. They didn’t become widely available to the public, however, until 2015 and 2016, when Wikileaks put them online. While the resulting record was neither official nor complete – there are scores of cables that the State Department continues to withhold and that Wikileaks didn’t access – the texts that Wikileaks posted are accurate.
It should be noted that many cables contain information which was deleted under an exemption in the Freedom of Information Act. The majority of those cables were eventually re-released with the exemptions lifted. The more-recently declassified passages appear in red type of the text version of the cables.
The most commonly-used exemptions by State are:
b(1) = information the release of which would jeopardize national security
b(6) = information the release of which would violate an individual’s privacy
This is a key to the meaning of the columns and the notations within them:
Columns 1 and 2 comprise the dates and times that the cables were sent. The dates are in the format of the last two digits of the year (74-79), the month (01-12) and the day. As an example, November 18, 1978 would be designated as 781118. The times are in Greenwich Mean Time, used internationally on all cables. They are included because – especially in the first few days after the tragedy – scores of cables were flashing back and forth between offices on a single day.
Columns 3 comprises the government agencies and embassies sending the cables. Abbreviations include:
State = State Department
Georgetown = U.S. Embassy in Georgetown, Guyana
POS = U.S. Embassy in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
CAR = U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela
PAN = U.S. Embassy in Panama City, Panama
Column 4 provides the cable identification number, unique to each document.
Column 5 presents a brief description of the cable’s contents. (The abbreviation “W/W” which appears on numerous cables means “Whereabouts and Welfare,” the State Department’s notation of the checks it makes on American citizens in foreign countries.)
Columns 6 and 7 provide links to the PDF and Text versions of the cables. The PDFs which were provided through the second FOIA request for Stoen documents are noted.
Originally posted on February 27th, 2020.
Last modified on December 27th, 2022.