Desertion from war is as old as war itself. The US involvement in Vietnam saw desertion reach its newest heights, with more than half a million US service members fleeing its ranks, but it can be argued that none were so public or pronounced as that of the so-called “Intrepid Four.” On 23 October 1967, four US sailors (Richard D. Bailey, Craig William Anderson, John Michael Barrill, and Michael Anthony Lindner) from the USS Intrepid, a US Navy aircraft carrier at port in Japan, refused to return to their ship after a day of shore leave, later declaring it a stand against “the American aggression in Vietnam.” The four soon found themselves being used for propaganda purposes by the Soviet Union, in a deal with the Japanese peace organization Beheiren, as well as a host of other countries who also opposed US actions against the Vietnamese.
A book recently published in Russia about the sailors, “The Intrepid Four: The USSR, the US, Propaganda, and Counter-Propaganda During the War in Vietnam (1964-1973)” [Четверо с «Интрепида»: СССР, США, пропаганда иконтрпропаганда во время войны во Вьетнаме(1964-1973 гг.)], ISBN 978-5-8331-0413-2, contained a nice selection of Top Secret documents written by KGB director Yuriy Andropov and Foreign Minister Andrey Gromyko for the eyes of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The documents show the efforts by the Soviets to make use of the deserters for their own propaganda purposes. We will be presenting all of the translated classified documents over the course of the coming three or four posts.
There are also a number of unclassified open media interviews and articles regarding the Intrepid sailors, which we have chosen not to translate, as they should be in the public domain. Drop us a note if you feel this extra material would be worth translating into English for posterity’s sake.
Source for the collection: RGANI. F. 89. Op. 46. D.9.
Document 1: A report from the Chairman of the KGB of the USSR Yu. V. Andropov to the Central Committee of the CPSU, dated 10 November 1967: “Regarding the actions taken in connection with the escape from Japan of deserting American sailors (Richard D. Bailey, Craig William Anderson, John Michael Barrill, and Michael Anthony Lindner) from the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid due to their opposition to the US war in Vietnam”
TOP SECRET
USSR
COMMITTEE FOR STATE SECURITY
under the COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE USSR
10 November 1967
No. 2751-A
Moscow
Recently, Yoshikawa Yuichi, secretary of the Japanese pacifist organization Beheiren (Peace for Vietnam Committee), contacted the Soviet Embassy in Japan and reported that the organization was harboring four American servicemen: Richard D. Bailey (19), Craig William Anderson (20), John Michael Barrill (20), and Michael Anthony Lindner (20), who had defected from the American aircraft carrier Intrepid, which was operating off the coast of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, in the port of Yokosuka. These servicemen expressed their opposition to the aggressive war in Vietnam and asked Beheiren to assist them in relocating to European countries where, according to their information, there are organizations assisting Americans who have defected from the military.
Beheiren believes it is possible to evacuate the American servicemen from Japan and ferry them secretly to Europe on a Soviet ship. After their departure, Beheiren plans to conduct a broad anti-war campaign using the organization’s available materials, including statements from the four defected American servicemen.
A Beheiren representative reported that they plan to clandestinely evacuate the American service members on the Soviet steamship Baikal, which is departing from Yokohama for Nakhodka on November 11th. To this end, Beheiren will use its resources to provide the Americans with passes to board the vessel and requests that the captain be instructed not to obstruct them.
Given that the escape of the four American servicemen could be used for broad propaganda purposes against the US aggression in Vietnam, the KGB considers it advisable to facilitate their delivery to the Soviet Union and their relocation to the European countries where they intend to go.
You are kindly requested to give consideration.
KGB CHAIRMAN ANDROPOV
Voting in favor: Comrades Suslov, Shelepin, Mazurov, and Voronov.
Document 2: A report from the Chairman of the KGB of the USSR Yu. V. Andropov to the Central Committee of the CPSU dated 14 November 1967: “On the actions in connection with the arrival in the USSR of deserting American sailors (Richard D. Bailey, Craig William Anderson, John Michael Barrill and Michael Anthony Lindner) from the aircraft carrier Intrepid due to their opposition to the US war in Vietnam”
TOP SECRET
USSR
COMMITTEE FOR STATE SECURITY
under the COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE USSR
14 November 1967
No. 2771-A
Moscow
Four American Navy sailors, Richard BAILEY, William ANDERSON, Michael BERILL, and Anthony LINDNER, who deserted from the aircraft carrier Intrepid, as reported by the KGB on November 10, 2751-a, have arrived in the Soviet Union and will be delivered to Moscow on November 15.
According to preliminary information, the sailors in question intend to travel to a European country where there are organized groups of Americans opposed to the Vietnam War and the current political course of the Johnson administration. It is possible that they will appeal to the Soviet government for political asylum in our country.
During his stay in Japan, R. BAILEY and his comrades wrote statements to the Japanese Peace Vietnam Committee (Beheiren), in which they sharply criticized the United States’ aggression against the Vietnamese people and the U.S. government’s policies toward small countries. These documents will be used by peace advocates in Japan to expand the antiwar movement and strengthen the fight to end the Vietnam War. They plan to hold a press conference for Japanese and foreign correspondents accredited in Tokyo, at which a joint statement by four American sailors will be read, copies of their statements and autobiographies will be distributed, and a film shot by a Beheiren representative will be shown in which the sailors describe the reasons that prompted them to abandon the aircraft carrier, fully aware that their actions will be considered by the American command as a military crime for which they could be court-martialed.
The KGB believes it would be appropriate to use the presence of American naval personnel in the USSR and their political statements condemning the aggressive US policy in Vietnam to conduct propaganda campaigns in support of the just struggle of the Vietnamese people.
To this end, upon the arrival of the American naval personnel in Moscow, they will be interviewed on behalf of the Soviet Peace Committee. During these interviews, it is expected that their sentiments and intentions will be clarified in order to determine specific opportunities for their use in a broad propaganda context: holding press conferences, appearing on television, radio, and in the press.
Your concurrence is kindly requested.
KGB CHAIRMAN ANDROPOV
To the members of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU for group vote, 15 November 1967.
Document 3: A memorandum from Chairman of the State Security Committee Yu.V. Andropov and USSR Minister of Foreign Affairs A.A. Gromyko to the CPSU Central Committee, November 17, 1967: “On a plan of activities, with the participation and on behalf of the Soviet Peace Committee, for the propaganda use of deserting American naval personnel who arrived in the USSR en route to Europe (K. Anderson, D. Barrill, R. Bailey, M. Lindner) in connection with their opposition to the US war in Vietnam (organization of appearances in the press, on radio and television, meetings with Moscow State University students)”
TOP SECRET
CC CPSU
On the implementation of events in connection with the stay in the USSR of the four American sailors from the aircraft carrier Intrepid
Upon the arrival of the American sailors K. ANDERSON, D. BARRILL, R. BAILEY, and M. LINDNER in Moscow, a KGB representative, on behalf of the Soviet Peace Committee, interviewed them regarding the reasons for their desertion, their intentions and plans for the future, and the possibility of their public appearances in the Soviet Union.
As these conversations revealed, the American servicemen in question firmly believe in the injustice of the US’s aggressive war against Vietnam, and are pacifists in their outlook, but lack any firm political views. All four come from the so-called American middle class.
As a result of this work, the American sailors submitted a statement to the Soviet Peace Committee, condemning American aggression against the Vietnamese people and announcing a further speech to representatives of the Japanese public. The American sailors also appealed to the Soviet Peace Committee and the Soviet people to support their continued struggle for peace outside the Soviet Union.
The American Navy sailors expressed their willingness to publicly make statements in the Soviet Union aimed at exposing the inhumane US war against Vietnam.
Work continues with the American sailors to influence them in a way that is beneficial to us and to persuade them to more decisively and sharply condemn the US aggression in Vietnam in a political vein.
In light of the above, the KGB believes it would be appropriate to conduct the following activities in the coming days with the participation and on behalf of the Soviet Peace Committee:
– Publish in the Soviet press a joint statement by the four American sailors addressed to the Soviet Peace Committee.
– Publish in the newspaper Pravda an article-essay by its correspondent regarding a conversation with the American sailors.
– Organize an appearance by the American sailors on Moscow radio and television. Broadcast the program on Intervision.
– Arrange a meeting between the American sailors and MGU [Moscow State University] students.
– Publish personal statements from the American sailors in the Soviet press.
In accordance with the request from the Americans, the KGB, the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Soviet Peace Committee will take measures to ensure the continued passage of the American sailors to Western European countries. Due to the Americans’ lack of proper documents, it would be advisable to issue them identification papers for stateless persons, issued by the Soviet Red Cross and Red Crescent Society.
Coordinated with the Soviet Peace Committee (Comrade I.I. Kotov).
Your concurrence is kindly requested.
ANDROPOV GROMYKO
17 November 1967
Translation © 2025 by Michael Estes and TranslatingHistory.org
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