UNCLASSIFIED ! UNIT H ISTORY (U) UNITED STATES MILfTARY LIAISON MISSION TO THE COMMANDER IN CHEF GROUP OF SOVIET FORCES IN GERMANY I976 '. In last year's unit history, 1 mentioned the challenge cf the future for both IJSMLM ant! the intelligence comity. This challrmgc is still foremost in our minds, and currently wc havc under preparation a futurc study, USm, 1978 - 1985. Hopefully, it will provide smc constructive ideas, particularly with regard to inprovirR our capcthility to react tn guidance, be it from the Berlln Eamfly or !hat from a national level. To confirm or dony infornation from other sources at s?ecific tincs and places and t.0 responsively repcrt ow Ascrvations rail 1 facilitate, I belicvc, our unjquc posi t ion and pcmit greater selective contrihutions of sigificance. Additionally, wc ate looking hard at our photographic take; in thc past, this 3W.M product 113s been rccognized as tops among U.S. IIWXNT collectors. We, however, cannot afford to stand still and must look for brcaktt:1roqhs to pcoviCe iiew dimensions, Otir photo lab pcrsonnnel are professionals who deserve the finest equip" just as the tour-ma- collectors do in the field. This unit history marks 30 ycars of service fur USLM. Our coopcration and relatims with the allied missions remain strong. The supnotr ve receive--be it from USCOB, a thcatcr component, or a tcdinical ager.cy at hom--is timely and meaningful. Those of us ut USMLY &re most grateful for this material assistancc and for tltc mr.y fine thvughts, constructive criticisms, md sirggestims given to us orally or in writing . .Most of us scrvc k,crc for three ycars, and if pie have beer. able to provide suhstantivc improvcncnt in onc tenth of ow overall operation we nay havc eamcd our pay and contributed to UfiMLM's unusual thiray year upporturiity arid challenge, P. L. THORSEN Coloncl, CS Chief of Mission UNCMSSIFIEB ij i UN C LASS1F I E P EOR~TRD.. The piirpose of this doctolent is to provide an annual rcview of the activities uf thc thited Stares Yilitary Liaison Mission to thc Cnimnander in Chief, Srwp of Snvret Fcrccs in Gemany. TF Is revim contributes tn t.hc MilitaTy History programs of the military sCTVlCeS and is intcndd to assist in the understanding of cwt'rnt operations, problem, and trends and in -he dcvelognent of firture doctrine, plans, and prog7-s cE the UsWl,M.I. iv UNCLASSl F IED !-1 A, Introduction 1-1 9. RcfeTeTCeS 1-3 C. Kission of USfW I- :i n. Q,-ganieatim of IISMlX 1-3 E. Reorganization 7 - 5 A. 1976: Opcrationnl Overvicw j1-1 B. Significant Observations 11-3 C. -cmpvrary Rastrictcd Areas TI- 19 D. Incidents and Dct.entims 11-41 e. Intelligence Proluctior 11-45 F. Special Fcntrirp.: Trash as a Source of Intclligcncs 11-47 I I1 LLZISCN ASD 2WBESFITATlON MATTERS A. Genera1 B. Meetings Kith SERB C. Hclations wirh GSFG D. Socxal Events IY LOG I STTC S IY- 1 1v- 1 I\'- 2 11'- 2 TV- 2 IY- 5 A. kneral v- 1 R. Roster of visitors Y- I A. G0ncra1 VI-1 B. Chiefs of Mission vr-: C, USMIM Rev isi tcd : LT(: Kandall A. Greenualt VI-5 Il, lJ9lr3 iri the Pruss: Ms. Jacqueline Padgctt VI-5 E. An Old Friend Ketires LIT- E 1 F. GSFG Today: Lest We ForLet v1-12 G. Ohjecttves: 1977 VI-13 A HUI;.BKCR-kY\l,th'LN AGREEMENT' A- 1 H 'IOURMG STAT1 SrlCS B-1 C 1976 PFKSUSNEL RDSTW c- 1 PART I GEKERAL A. INTRODWrION. Althntrgh thittxl Liaison [C: .--- the States Military Missinn &id its allied cozntcrparts car: take jmtifiablc prpTidc in thcfr c:)llcctive efforts and accom72 ishments during 1976, ccrtain forcbd ing developments indicate that the chall e?ges uf 1977 wi 1 I provide no rcspi te nor d ininish the cossidcrahl e responsihili t i BS already weighinp, upor these special collectors opcratirig ir. the midst of the Warsaw Pact's foraardmst deployments. T).e extensive Tri- Mission coverap of the introduction of the Swict 'r'-72 tuk, thc HIND, and third generatior. aircraft into GSPG and its 16th TactizaI Air Army demonstrated in drrtmatic fashion the continued nwdcrni ratiu:i and upgrading of #"saw Pact forces during 1976. Conc.urmnt ly , omiwus rumblhgs were hard on thc political scene. SALT and YBFK negotiations wcre stallcd. [)issemion surfaced in East: Germany in late 1976 an3 was mct: vith stern rc-xessive measures. The German Ikaocrat ic Repuhl ic undertook r:ew kitiatives to as~crcits swcrei.gity, particularly with reqect to the corr.plcx ratters of East and West Berlin. bach of these lssces has spccific imaact on the liaison and intelligence opmations of the thrcr: a1 lied Military Liaison Missions. There Is, perhaps, nn better way to review s1ic::inctly USMIM's accomplishmcnts and stmrtfalls In 1576 than to look jack at t3e seven Dhjcctives eniimsrated in thc 1975 Unit History. 1. I)welopmcnt of a Tri-Missioa Tminmce [IT Hostilities Idicarioris Plan: On 11 May 1976, 1V.e Tri-Mission Plan was formally signed by the three Mission Chiefs. The first amendment was xhlishal fn September -ad continmas revinn aiid rcvision webeing carried out by designated zution offlsers. 13 thc context of thirty yeiLrS of Tri-Mission existence, thj s Tri-Mission plan is both historically and oparat ionally significant. 2, --'urthcr irnprovwwnt of out capability t.0 predict or othe-vise anticipate (;SFG/EGrl activities: nlrough improved intugrnt ion with othcr intelligence agencies and with rccei?t. of Iiexiodic furecssts of I;SFG/EGA activity from higher heaCquilrters and othcr agcncics, I)SMIM'S collection iictivitics have hecomc mre ratiorial, pirpnscful , and. accordingly, more prod uct ive. 3. Ydxinim utilizatlon of our col1cst.i:m assets by effective targeting, priuritizat ion, and coordin;ition of air, ground, aad naval col?cr:l:ws: Vjhi le specific and concrete progress toward this goal was ohuinus. particularly thyough forecasts, lhc curit inuously refind tip-off system, and the Arcn Chanp 'I'al-jytiq cmcep~:,mr5 mnfe T- 1 rewins to be accomplishcd. USMIM air and grwnd coordination on Soviet TI-OOP Rotation within thc context of thc overall 'h-kj-lilission effort ~esultedin significant success and demonstrated the pnt.entia1 :)f coordinated and prioritizcd cvllect.ior., 4. Further enhancenait of thc analyttcal quality of the IJ.SMLM prduct: USMLY IK's conk ir..ic fo includc (higinator's Cments forwarding the ar.alysis awl/or impression..; of the on-tfe-sccne col lector. k'hi le thcse coments occasionally provokc dksagrecmcnt or testy x+uttz.ls from higher echelon analysts, they are, much mom oftmi than nut, well received hy all agcncies and are ecknowledged to have ad2od a spmial dimension tn otlr reports. Special wrap-up lR's and our Air and Ground Imprcssions and Soviet SnlcZier briefings were also used as vchicles to convey analysis and impressions to wr many ccnsmcrs a S. Miintcnancc of stable and proper Telafims wjth tbc Soviet External Relations Branch: Ry any standards, U!BLV-SEKB relations in 1976 must he considered to havc been exccllCnt. Rwtinc liaison activities wcre conducted without significant prohlms. Our intell i- gcncc collcction act.ivitics engendered no scrims incidents nor resulted in my new harriers inposed 03 collection. 6. Continuation wf the long-standing superb 'IYi-Hission coDperation ,and rapport: 'I'he signing of tk,e Tri-Missim I(lH Indica- LDTS Plan, thc highly suczcssful hoop Rotation and KEFORGER- a+str3at.~dFN coverafie, und the nmcroils and always enjoyiiblc Tri- Mission social. activities attest t3 the eccomp1ishrcr.t of this cbjcrtive. htlr vcry special appreciation is dce kK lionel Harrd, 3RW?TS, and Colonel Koger Boudon, NLM, both nf whom cox1udt.d highly successful tuws in 1976 as CThZefs of Mission. H'c Look forward to contimcd succcsscs with our counterport Miss ions under Brigadier Elderkin and Colonel IFeChapoaux. 7, Final resolution of the USMM organizational issue: After consicerabble cxpcnditure of tiac and effort--end riot without mre than occasional ~wiodsof candid and strung dchate--the current organization was appTovrtl by the componmt hcadquartcrs. Providing the Lliief of: Mission with a viable coordination mechanism and freeing the cnl lert-icn sections to concentratc on substantive o?rratims, this organization fuTthcr nttmpts to- reconcile tha sos.etincs conflicting dumanGs of con-mmr requircnients , resvurce inminagemem, and military snrvi ce int crcsts . 1-2 However, as USYIH prepares to celcbratc it; 30th Anniversary in- thesc ominous early days of 1977, OUT preocuqations are lcss with previous accoxplishmen? s than with future challenges. On the concluding pges of this IIistory are scz nut oSScct1ves for 1977. With the outstandine officers an6 titn arriving at USbW duricg 1977 and with the continued SUpFOrt uf our allied cunnt.crpdrt MissIms, our consumers can propcrly anticipat.c t.hat thc quality of service and rcsyoasivmess will not d’minish. --REFEKENCES. TDA H1 KINM ‘i.10175 tQ UMR3UR, 26 Scptmber 1974 IlSEUCOM Dircctive 40-18 (Clas), 75 June 19711 USARkITK Regulation 383-27 (Clas), 7 Novumbar 1969 USAFF Rc~uTutiori 23-11, 8 July 1974 Scydron Rcguiatjon 23-5, 71 13 Sp Acty Sq (FJSAFF) lEMC T-dblc of Orpnizstior, S503, 17 Dcccnhcr 1976 -M13STON OF IJSVIX.--. The pTiiI;lry ad iinclassified Kission of I1SMIM is to carry nut respmsih; lities for liaison between t.he Carnmndcr in Chief, Lfnitcri States Army, Eiirope (CTKCIJSARHJR), 011 behalf of thc 3.S. Commander in C?lief. Europe (USClNCFIlK), and the Cumnder in Chicf, Group cf Soviet FOYCCS,Gsmny [GINCGSPG), and to serve as a Foint of contact for othm 1I.S.