News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: DPMO Research Project Summary Report

Date: May 27, 2000

National Archives of Cambodia DPMO Research Project
February 28 - April 6, 2000

Summary Report

BACKGROUND: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for POW/Missing Personnel Affairs Robert L. Jones and Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia met to discuss issues concerning POW/MIA affairs as they relate to Cambodia. One issue, in particular, was information concerning the discovery of government documents belonging to the Council of Ministers that dated from the 1980s. Upon request by DASD Jones, Prime Minister Hun Sen gave permission for DPMO to carry out archival research in the National Archives of Cambodia for America’s unaccounted-for personnel from the hostilities in Southeast Asia.

DISCUSSION: The major emphasis of the archival visit was the review of 260 boxes of Council of Minister documents in the Cambodian archives. DPMO was aware of this cache of documents since one archival researcher had been in contact with the National Archives of Cambodia during the course of more than a year’s correspondence. These boxes contained almost 21,000 pages of historical and archival documents mainly originating from the provinces of Cambodia. During the course of an intense archival review, the “Deeds” document was discovered.

In addition to the documents found in the 260 boxes, there were more than 1,015 foreign language newspapers and periodicals in Chinese, French, Khmer, and Vietnamese newspapers and periodicals that were perused for any information germane to the POW/MIA issue. Approximately 50 articles of interest were copied and translated and are now being passed to DPMO analysts for review. In addition, 13 black and white photographs about North Vietnam activity and scenes of alleged wartime losses of American aircraft were found.

FINDINGS: One Cambodian government document found in the National Archives of Cambodia revealed that an American, Michael Deeds, was taken to the notorious Tuol Sleng (S-21) prison, tortured, and then executed during the last days of the Khmer Rouge government regime in Cambodia in 1979. He was then buried behind Tuol Sleng. This discovery suggests avenues for further research in terms of Khmer Rouge prison officials who were present during the Pol Pot area. In addition, approximately 50 items of interest from wartime newspapers and periodicals that mentioned American losses in Indo-China were copied and translated for review as well as 13 photographs of enemy personnel and potential wreckage of U.S. aircraft in Vietnam. These materials have been passed to DPMO analysts for further review. As an initial effort, four Phnom Penh news agencies were interviewed, and, according to one credible media source, no Cambodian film coverage of American personnel engaged in war effort exists. However, there may still be a potential for research at the archives. The six-week mission in Cambodia consisted of one DPMO representative and eight locally hired translators.

DETAILS: “Deeds.” The document pertaining to Michael Scott Deeds, an American citizen, was the only one found in some 20,800 pages of 260 boxes of government documents from the Council of Ministers. This document was sent from the Cambodian Council of Ministers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 27, 1989 and requested the disposition of Deeds while in Tuol Sleng prison in late 1978 before the Pol Pot regime had him executed. Deeds was one of four Americans allegedly killed while possibly smuggling marijuana from Thailand when their ship went off course and ended up in Cambodian waters where they were boarded by Khmer Rouge and captured.

This information was presented to Colonel Chum Soyath, a Cambodian Ministry of Interior officer and a member of the Kingdom of Cambodia POW/MIA Committee. Col Soyath suggested that DPMO and Stony Beach interview one of six survivors of Tuol Sleng prison. The interview took place in late March 1999 with Mr. Vat Nat. Mr. Nat produced a photograph of Michael Deeds and his brother taken in Singapore shortly before the former’s capture in Cambodia. Mr. Nat stated that during his internment in Tuol Sleng, he saw four “hairy Westerners.” He did not, however, witness an execution. Vat Nat suggested that the registrar of Tuol Sleng, Mr. Suk Thi, be interviewed. Col Soyath is currently in the process of pursuing this interview. COMMENT: Mr. Suk Thi’s information is vital to this case and possibly to that of other Westerners who may have been interned in Tuol Sleng from 1975 through early 1979, when the Pol Pot regime collapsed.

Newspapers and Periodicals: 204 newspapers dating from 1969 through 1975 from 12 Chinese, Khmer and Vietnamese news sources were reviewed for relevant content. 12 items of wartime interest pertaining to Western losses (mostly U.S. casualties) relating to the conflict in Indo-China (Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam) were copied and translated and are awaiting DPMO analyst review. Additionally, 876 French periodicals dating from 1969 through 1975 were reviewed for relevant content. 36 items of wartime interest were copied and translated and are awaiting DPMO analytical review.

Publication: One North Vietnamese publication “1,000th Shootdown” listing their version of U.S. aircraft losses from August 5, 1964 through April 29, 1966. The publication lists the names of six U.S. pilots who were shot down, captured and subsequently released as returning POW's. They were: CDR Jeremiah Denton, CPT Graham Boyd, LT R. Ratzlaff, LTJG Larry Spencer, Lt Gerald Coffee, and LTCOL Robinson Risner.

Photographs: A Stony Beach representative reviewed 43 black and white photographs and chose 13 that possibly depict enemy personnel and potential U.S. aircraft in Vietnam.

COMMENTS: This archival visit, and the resultant review of a large number of historical documents and periodicals, is especially significant as it appears to be the first time that foreign archivists and researchers have had an opportunity to view these special collections in the National Archives of Cambodia.

Cambodian News Sources

TVK-National Television of Kampuchea: The general director of TVK, Mr. Mao Ayuth, is knowledgeable on all government releases. Mr. Ayuth stated that he has not seen anything pertaining to U.S. losses or Westerners in Cambodia. His previous background was as a film archivist during the periods of the Lon Nol, Pol Pot and the Vietnamese regimes.

Rasmei Kampuchea Daily: A moderate newspaper ran an article requesting the public for assistance on anyone knowing the whereabouts of U.S. remains.

Cambodia Daily: Provided additional info on missing American “Deeds” from researcher Peter McGuire.

Phnom Penh Post: Is continuously searching for Khmer Rouge information. The Post will notify us immediately of potential information germane to our issue.

COMMENTS: Embassy PAO accompanied DPMO representative to the above news agencies. PAO after-action report will be forwarded via separate correspondence.

Methodology Employed in Research

DPMO representative hired a team of eight local professional Cambodians for this six-week project. After a thorough training session, the team reviewed newspapers and periodicals during the period 1968 - 1975. Team consisted of linguists in Chinese, French, Khmer, and Vietnamese. Stony Beach will be the U.S. government agency henceforth carrying out all archival research activities in Cambodia with DPMO and Joint Task Force-Full Accounting oversight.