16 February 1974 · False papers and disguises · Checkpoint Charlie
A stranger in US uniform is held back at Checkpoint Charlie
At midday on 16 February 1974 two men in US Army uniform walked towards Checkpoint Charlie from the East. One was a US military policeman; the other, who had fallen in beside him, could show no ID and speak no English, and East German guards took him away.
At 12.10 p.m. local time on 16 February 1974 two people in US Army uniforms were leaving East Berlin on foot through Checkpoint Charlie. East German border guards surrounded them and closed the gates and the pole barrier.
The American NCO in charge of the checkpoint went over to investigate. The guards said one of the men, who turned out to be a private first class of a US military police company, could return to West Berlin, but that they did not believe the other was a US soldier. The NCO asked for a Soviet officer to be summoned and escorted the private back to Checkpoint Charlie, where the private said the second man had joined him as he entered the checkpoint and that he had never seen him before. The checkpoint log showed no other US soldiers on foot in East Berlin at the time.
The man could neither produce an identity card nor, apparently, answer questions in English. After a while the East Germans took him into the checkpoint building and told the American NCO that he was obviously not a US soldier and that it would be better not to involve himself further.
The US protocol officer asked the Soviet embassy to help establish the man's identity and to return him if he proved to be a member of the US forces. Who he was and what happened to him is not recorded.
Sources
- Exfiltration attempt in U.S. uniform (telegram 1974BERLIN00310, 16 February 1974)US National Archives, Access to Archival Databases (Central Foreign Policy Files, RG 59)
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