Office of the Historian

156. Telegram From the Embassy in Chile to the Department of State1

Santiago, September 23, 1973, 2154Z.

4529. Subj: W/W: Analysis of Status of AmCits Missing or Detained in Chile. Ref: Santiago 4462 and 4528 State 187383.

1. Of ten persons reported currently detained or missing in last sitrep (Santiago 4528), one (Abeid) has been removed as not AmCit—determined to be Kuwaiti according to military authorities at National Stadium. Four have been confirmed by Chilean authorities as detained—the two Maryknoll priests, Dougherty and Flynn, at the National Stadium; Fisk, at the Aviation School; and Nolasco, by the Investigations Bureau. According to military authorities at the National Stadium, the latter two had not yet arrived there—the normal long-term detention locale—as of noon 23 Sept. Of the remaining five, three (Nezzo, Ritter and Welsh) were seen by friends or neighbors to be detained and taken away. The other two (Horman and Wool) have been reported missing and are assumed to be detained. Chilean authorities report no info on any of these five. Embassy continues to check other sources including hospitals to locate them.

2. Of the twenty additional persons reported in sitrepts to be missing or detained, but then subsequently reported safe, twelve personally reported circumstances of detention and release to Embassy. Consulate made inquiries in eight of these cases. Four—two Garrett-Schesches, Cerretti and Warlow—were released to consular officer. Four were released on their own cognizance, and the other four were released before Embassy heard they detained. Of the remaining eight of these twenty cases, all of which were eventually reported safe, con [Page 793] sulate had unconfirmed info on detentions and sought unsuccessfully to locate them.

Thompson

  1. Summary: The Embassy continued its efforts to account for the welfare and whereabouts of U.S. citizens in Chile, including journalist Charles Horman, who it noted was “reported missing” and “assumed to be detained.”

    Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, [no film number]. Unclassified; Immediate. For the text of telegrams 187383 and 4462, see Documents 152 and 154.

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