Dec 2, 78 • 0038 • State-DOD • 304929

[Editor’s note: The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978STATE304929_d.html.]

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PAGE 01
STATE 304929
ORIGIN SCS-06
INFO OCT-01 ARA-11 ISO-00 CA-01 L-03 MMO-01 SS-15 PM-05 OMB-01 SSO-00 /044 R
DRAFTED BY CA/SCS:AAGISE:VAB
APPROVED BY ARA:JABUSHNELL
CA:BMWATSON (DRAFT)
L/CA:RDALTON (DRAFT)
M/MO:J.M.EALUM (DRAFT)
M:RWMURAY (SUBSTANCE)
S/S-O:TMARTIN
S/S-O:BRAMSEY (INFO)
D:MBARNES (DRAFT)
ARA/MGT:WCALDERHEAD (SUBSTANCE)
——————056142 020219Z /62

O 020038Z DEC 78
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2221
INFO JCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1803
CSA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
CNO WASHDC IMMEDIATE
CSAF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
CMC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
USCINCSOUTH QUARRY HTS CZ IMMEDIATE
US REDCOM/RCJ2 MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
CINCMAC SCOTT AFB ILL IMMEDIATE CINCLANT NORFOLK VA IMMEDIATE DOVER AFB DEL IMMEDIATE
USCINCARRED FT MCPHERSON GA IMMEDIATE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE STATE 304929
DOVER PASS BRUCE DOZIER AND MICHAEL WHITE, STATE LNO.

E.O. 11652: N/A

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PAGE 02 STATE 304929

TAGS: CACS
SUBJECT: DOD ASSISTANCE IN PROCESSING REMAINS FROM GUYANA REFERENCE: SECDEF MSG DTG Z222032Z NOV 78

1. STATE APPRECIATES DOD ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT IN REMOVING REMAINS OF PEOPLES TEMPLE MEMBERS FROM GUYANA TO DOVER AFB FOR IDENTIFICATION AND BURIAL PROCESSING.

2. THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA REQUESTED THE USG TO REMOVE ALL REMAINS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND, SINCE COMMERCIAL OR GUYANESE FACILITIES WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR AN OPERATION OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND COMPLEXITY, IT WAS AGREED THAT DOD WOULD ASSIST IN HANDLING AND PROCESSING OF REMAINS.

3. STATE WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR LIAISON AND COMMUNICATION WITH NEXT OF KIN AND OTHERS EXCEPT IN CASES WHERE DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH DOVER AFB MAY BE DESIRABLE SUBJECT TO MUTUAL CONCURRENCE OF STATE AND DOD. STATE WILL PROVIDE LIAISON OFFICER AT DOVER UNTIL OPERATION IS TERMINATED.

4. IDENTIFICATION AND PROCESSING OF REMAINS FOR BURIAL SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED ACCORDING TO DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES.

5. RECORDS OF PROCESSING CONCLUDED IN EACH CASE SHOULD BE DEPOSITED WITH THE ARMED FORCES INSTITUTE OF PATHOLOGY.

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PAGE 03 STATE 304929

6. PERSONAL EFFECTS FOUND ON REMAINS SHOULD BE DISPOSED OF ACCORDING TO PERTINENT DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES EXCEPT IN REGARD TO THOSE CASES OF UNCLAIMED EFFECTS, WHICH SHOULD BE DISPOSED OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNING LAW.

7. REMAINS SHOULD BE RELEASED TO NEXT OF KIN, THEIR REPRESENTATIVE OR OTHER APPROPRIATE PERSONS ACCORDING TO DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES. DISPOSITION OF UNCLAIMED REMAINS SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER FINAL PROCESSING AND AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH STATE.

8. EVACUATION OF SURVIVORS FROM GUYANA TO THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES SHOULD BE EFFECTED AS NECESSARY AND AS REQUESTED BY STATE AND ACCORDING TO DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES.

9. ALL FUNDING QUESTIONS PEND FURTHER REVIEW BY OMB AND CONCERNED AGENCIES.

VANCE

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STATE 304929
POSS DUPE
ORIGIN SCS-06 INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 ARA-11 SS-15 /033 R 66011
DRAFTED BY CA/SCS:MCELLA
APPROVED BY ARA:BBRUCE S/S-O:TMARTIN
——————016391 051003Z /14

R 050637Z DEC 78 FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE STATE 304929
FOR MIKE ABBELL
FOLLOWING REPEAT STATE 304929
ACTION SECDEF
INFO JCS CSA CNO CSAF CMC USCINCSO USREDCOM CINCMAC CINCLANT DOVER AFB USCINCARRED

DEC 2: QUOTE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE STATE 304929
DOVER PASS BRUCE DOZIER AND MICHAEL WHITE, STATE LNO.

E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CACS
SUBJECT: DOD ASSISTANCE IN PROCESSING REMAINS FROM GUYANA
REFERENCE: SECDEF MSG DTG Z222032Z NOV 78

1. STATE APPRECIATES DOD ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT IN REMOVING REMAINS OF PEOPLES TEMPLE MEMBERS FROM GUYANA TO DOVER AFB FOR IDENTIFICATION AND BURIAL PROCESSING.

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
PAGE 02 STATE 304929 POSS DUPE

2. THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA REQUESTED THE USG TO REMOVE ALL REMAINS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND, SINCE COMMERCIAL OR GUYANESE FACILITIES WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR AN OPERATION OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND COMPLEXITY, IT WAS AGREED THAT DOD WOULD ASSIST IN HANDLING AND PROCESSING OF REMAINS.

3. STATE WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR LIAISON AND COMMUNICATION WITH NEXT OF KIN AND OTHERS EXCEPT IN CASES WHERE DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH DOVER AFB MAY BE DESIRABLE SUBJECT TO MUTUAL CONCURRENCE OF STATE AND DOD. STATE WILL PROVIDE LIAISON OFFICER AT DOVER UNTIL OPERATION IS TERMINATED.

4. IDENTIFICATION AND PROCESSING OF REMAINS FOR BURIAL SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED ACCORDING TO DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES.

5. RECORDS OF PROCESSING CONCLUDED IN EACH CASE SHOULD BE DEPOSITED WITH THE ARMED FORCES INSTITUTE OF PATHOLOGY.

6. PERSONAL EFFECTS FOUND ON REMAINS SHOULD BE DISPOSED OF ACCORDING TO PERTINENT DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES EXCEPT IN REGARD TO THOSE CASES OF UNCLAIMED EFFECTS, WHICH SHOULD BE DISPOSED OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNING LAW.

7. REMAINS SHOULD BE RELEASED TO NEXT OF KIN, THEIR REPRESENTATIVE OR OTHER APPROPRIATE PERSONS ACCORDING TO DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES. DISPOSITION OF UNCLAIMED REMAINS SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED AS SOON AS LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 STATE 304929 POSS DUPE POSSIBLE AFTER FINAL PROCESSING AND AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH STATE.

8. EVACUATION OF SURVIVORS FROM GUYANA TO THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES SHOULD BE EFFECTED AS NECESSARY AND AS REQUESTED BY STATE AND ACCORDING TO DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES.

9. ALL FUNDING QUESTIONS PEND FURTHER REVIEW BY OMB AND CONCERNED AGENCIES.

VANCE

UNQUOTE

VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]

NOTE BY OC/T: ORIGINAL DIST.: SCS/ARA,ISO,CA,L,MMO,SS,PM, OMB,SSO.

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PAGE 01 STATE 304929
ORIGIN SCS-03
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 ARA-03 SS-05 /012 R 66011
DRAFTED BY CA/SCS:MCELLA
APPROVED BY ARA:BBRUCE S/S-O:TMARTIN
——————020534 060552Z /14

R 050637Z DEC 78
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE STATE 304929
FOR MIKE ABBELL FOLLOWING REPEAT STATE 304929
ACTION SECDEF
INFO JCS CSA CNO CSAF CMC USCINCSO USREDCOM CINCMAC CINCLANT DOVER AFB USCINCARRED
DEC 2: QUOTE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE STATE 304929
DOVER PASS BRUCE DOZIER AND MICHAEL WHITE, STATE LNO.

E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CACS
SUBJECT: DOD ASSISTANCE IN PROCESSING REMAINS FROM GUYANA REFERENCE: SECDEF MSG DTG Z222032Z NOV 78

1. STATE APPRECIATES DOD ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT IN REMOVING REMAINS OF PEOPLES TEMPLE MEMBERS FROM GUYANA TO DOVER AFB FOR IDENTIFICATION AND BURIAL PROCESSING. LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 02 STATE 304929

2. THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA REQUESTED THE USG TO REMOVE ALL REMAINS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND, SINCE COMMERCIAL OR GUYANESE FACILITIES WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR AN OPERATION OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND COMPLEXITY, IT WAS AGREED THAT DOD WOULD ASSIST IN HANDLING AND PROCESSING OF REMAINS.

3. STATE WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR LIAISON AND COMMUNICATION WITH NEXT OF KIN AND OTHERS EXCEPT IN CASES WHERE DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH DOVER AFB MAY BE DESIRABLE SUBJECT TO MUTUAL CONCURRENCE OF STATE AND DOD. STATE WILL PROVIDE LIAISON OFFICER AT DOVER UNTIL OPERATION IS TERMINATED.

4. IDENTIFICATION AND PROCESSING OF REMAINS FOR BURIAL SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED ACCORDING TO DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES.

5. RECORDS OF PROCESSING CONCLUDED IN EACH CASE SHOULD BE DEPOSITED WITH THE ARMED FORCES INSTITUTE OF PATHOLOGY.

6. PERSONAL EFFECTS FOUND ON REMAINS SHOULD BE DISPOSED OF ACCORDING TO PERTINENT DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES EXCEPT IN REGARD TO THOSE CASES OF UNCLAIMED EFFECTS, WHICH SHOULD BE DISPOSED OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNING LAW.

7. REMAINS SHOULD BE RELEASED TO NEXT OF KIN, THEIR REPRESENTATIVE OR OTHER APPROPRIATE PERSONS ACCORDING TO DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES. DISPOSITION OF UNCLAIMED REMAINS SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED AS SOON AS LIMITED OFFICIAL USE LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PAGE 03 STATE 304929 POSSIBLE AFTER FINAL PROCESSING AND AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH STATE.

8. EVACUATION OF SURVIVORS FROM GUYANA TO THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES SHOULD BE EFFECTED AS NECESSARY AND AS REQUESTED BY STATE AND ACCORDING TO DOD REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES.

9. ALL FUNDING QUESTIONS PEND FURTHER REVIEW BY OMB AND CONCERNED AGENCIES.

VANCE

UNQUOTE

VANCE [Secretary of State Cyrus Vance]

NOTE BY OC/T: ORIGINAL DIST.: SCS/ARA,ISO,CA,L,MMO,SS,PM,OMB, SSO.

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
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