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ORIGIN PM-04
INFO OCT-01 AF-08 EUR-12 EA-07 NEA-10 IO-13 ISO-00 SIG-01
CIAE-00 H-02 INR-07 L-03 NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-01 PRS-01
SP-02 SS-15 USIA-06 ERDA-05 ACDA-07 OMB-01 /111 R
DRAFTED BY PM/ISO:JEBURGESS:ML
APPROVED BY PM/ISO - GTCHURCHILL
OSD/ISA/NESA: R ZWART
EA/RA - R. FINCH
AF/I - F. WIRKUS
EUR/RPM - D. KINNEY
NEA/RA - R. HOBBS
--------------------- 024592
R 300457Z OCT 76
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY CAIRO
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN
AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
AMEMBASSY DACCA
AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
AMEMBASSY DOHA
AMCONSUL HONG KONG
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
AMEMBASSY JIDDA
AMEMBASSY KABUL
AMCONSUL KARACHI
AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
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AMEMBASSY MANAMA
AMEMBASSY MANILA
AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
AMEMBASSY MOGADISCIO
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
USMISSION NATO
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
AMEMBASSY PARIS
USLO PEKING
AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY RANGOON
AMEMBASSY SANA
AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
AMEMBASSY TANANARIVE
AMEMBASSY TEHRAN
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
AMEMBASSY VICTORIA
AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
INFO AMCONSUL BOMBAY
AMCONSUL CALCUTTA
USINT BAGHDAD
USCINCEUR
CINCLANT
CINCPAC
CINCPACFLT
CINCUSNAVEUR
COMIDEASTFOR
SECDEF
S E C R E T STATE 268134
MILITARY ADDEES ALSO FOR POLAD
E.O. 11652:GDS
TAGS:MOPS, US, BO
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SUBJECT: INDIAN OCEAN DEPLOYMENT
1. THE NUCLEAR POWERED GUIDED MISSILE CRUISER USS TRUXTUN
(CGN-35), ACCOMPANIED BY THE GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYER USS
TOWERS (DDG-9), THE GUIDED MISSILE FRIGATE USS RAMSEY
(FFG-2) AND THE MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND OILER USNS PASSUM-
PSIC (TAO-106) WILL BE OPERATING IN THE INDIAN OCEAN FOR
ABOUT FIVE WEEKS. THE USS TRUXTUN WILL TRANSIT THE MALACCA
STRAIT ON 31 OCTOBER; THE OTHER SHIPS HAVE ALREADY ENTERED
THE INDIAN OCEAN. THE TASK GROUP IS COMMANDED BY RADM S.T.
COUNTS, USN, EMBARKED IN USS TRUXTUN, AND THE SHIPS COMMAND-
ING OFFICERS ARE: TRUXTUN, CAPT B.F.TALLY; TOWERS, CDR J.J.
ANDRILLA; RAMSEY, LCDR C.I.COOK; PASSUMPSIC, MASTER V.T.
GEHRIG.
2. ANNOUNCEMENT OF PORT VISITS WILL BE HANDLED IN A ROUTINE
MANNER WHEN DIPLOMATIC CLEARANCES HAVE BEEN COORDINATED WITH
EMBASSIES CONCERNED.
3. IF DEEMED NECESSARY, EMBASSIES MAY INFORM HOST GOVERN-
MENTS OF DEPLOYMENT ON CONFIDENTIAL BASIS.
4. ADDEES SHOULD NOT VOLUNTEER THIS INFORMATION, BUT IF
ASKED, MAY DRAW IN LOW KEY MANNER ON FOLLOWING PUBLIC
AFFAIRS GUIDANCE (APPROVED BY DOD) AFTER 3L OCTOBER:
QUOTE A FOUR SHIP SEVENTH FLEET TASK GROUP IS CURRENTLY IN
THE INDIAN OCEAN. THE GROUP INCLUDES THE NUCLEAR POWERED
GUIDED MISSILE CRUISER TRUXTUN, ACCOMPANIED BY THREE
CONVENTIONALLY POWERED SHIPS: THE GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYER
TOWERS, THE GUIDED MISSILE FRIGATE RAMSEY, AND THE MILI-
TARY SEALIFT COMMAND OILER PASSUMPSIC. THE TASK GROUP IS
COMMANDED BY RADM S.T. COUNTS, USN. END QUOTE.
5. THE FOLLOWING Q'S AND A'S HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY DOD
AND DEPT FOR USE ON IF-ASKED BASIS:
Q-1. IS THERE ANY SIGNIFICANCE TO THE TIMING OF THIS DE-
PLOYMENT?
A-1. NO. THIS IS A ROUTINE DEPLOYMENT IN KEEPING WITH
US POLICY OF CONDUCTING NORMAL NAVAL OPERATIONS IN INTER-
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NATIONAL WATERS AND WITH PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED INTENTIONS
TO OPERATE SHIPS PERIODICALLY IN THE INDIAN OCEAN AREA.
Q-2. WILL THE SHIPS IN THE TASK GROUP MAKE PORT CALLS
DURING THE DEPLOYMENT?
A-2. YES. T;E SHIPS ARE EXPECTED TO MAKE PORT CALLS.
LOCATIONS WILL BE RELEASED AS THEY OCCUR.
Q-3. ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR THE SHIPS TO PARTICIPATE IN
A MAJOR EXERCISE?
A-3. ANY PARTICIPATION BY US NAVY SHIPS IN A MAJOR EXER-
CISE WILL BE ANNOUNCED.
Q-4. HOW MANY DEPLOYMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE INDIAN
OCEAN SINCE 1973?
A-4. THERE HAVE BEEN 11 PREVIOUS DEPLOYMENTS BY PACIFIC
FLEET TASK GROUPS. THE LAST DEPLOYMENT WAS CONDUCTED IN
JULY 1976 BY THE USS RANGER AND THREE SURFACE COMBATANTS
ACCOMPANIED BY TWO AUXILIARY SHIPS.
6. IF QUERIED REGARDING FUTURE OPERATIONS, YOU SHOULD
RESPOND QUOTE WE DO NOT DISCUSS FUTURE OPERATIONAL
MOVEMENTS END QUOTE.
#
7. IF QUERIED PRIOR TO USS TRUXTUN TRANSIT OF MALACCA
STRAIT (SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BY 2000, 31 OCTOBER,
WASHINGTON TIME), EMBASSIES SHOULD MODIFY PUBLIC REPLIES
TO EXCLUDE TRUXTUN.
8. FOR USNATO: MISSION SHOULD PASS THE ABOVE TO MILITARY
COMMITTEE VIA USDELMC.
9. FOR JAKARTA, SINGAPORE AND KUALA LUMPUR: POLICY RE
STRAITS TRANSIT REMAIN AS EXPRESSED IN STATE 222096 (1973).
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