AGENCY : PFIAB
RECORD NUMBER.
RECORDS SERIES;
AGENCY FILE NUMBER
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
IDENTIFICATION FORM
AGENCY INFORMATION
Date: 09/24/98
Page: 1
206-10001-10017
PRESIDENT'S FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE ADVISORY BOARD
ORIGINATOR : PFIAB
FROM:
ΤΟ :
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
TITLE: CONSIDERATION OF COVERT ACTION MATTERS BY PRESIDENT
KENNEDY'S FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE ADVISORY BOARD
DATE : 00/00/00
PAGES :
25
SUBJECTS : COVERT ACTION
DOCUMENT TYPE
PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
CLASSIFICATION : TOP SECRET
RESTRICTIONS : 1B, 1C
CURRENT STATUS :
RELEASED WITH DELETIONS
DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 09/08/98 08/01/2024
OPENING CRITERIA :
COMMENTS
: Box 11, Covert Operation (Bulk), March 29, 1971, Staff
Paper on Covert Action to Chairman, PFIAB, Tab B.
2025 Release under the President
John F. Kennedy Assassination
Records Collection Act of 1992
[R]
ITEM IS RESTRICTED
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206-10001-10017
Box 11
Covert Operation (Bulk)
Mar 29, 197)
Staff Paper on Covert Action
to Chairman, P.FIAB.
Jab B
2025 Release under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of
1992
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TAB B
"KENNEDY BOARD"
CONSIDERATIONS OF COVERT ACTION MATTERS BY
PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE ADVISORY BOARD
Briefing of President by DCI, June 28, 1961
References to Covert Actions, Board Reports to President
CIA Report on USSR and Communist China Expenditures
Briefing of Board Panel by Secretary, Special Group, May 11, 1962
Chairman's Discussions of Covert Action Matters with DCI, May 1962
Discussion with General Taylor, June 29, 1962
CIA Briefing of Board Panel, July 20, 1962
CIA Briefing of Board Panel, November 1, 1962
Board Discussion with General Taylor, Chairman, JCS,
January 26, 1963
CIA Briefing of Board Panel, April 15, 1963.
CIA Briefing of Board Panel, September 6, 1963
State Department Briefing of Board Panel, September 6, 1963
Discussions with McGeorge Bundy, September 23, 1963
Excerpts, Minutes of Board Meetings, 1961--1963
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CIA BRIEFING OF THE BOARD'S COVERT ACTION PANEL
!
APRIL 15, 1963
On April 15, 1963 Mr. Cord Meyer of CIA met at the Board's
offices with the Board's Panel on Covert Actions (Messers: Murphy,
and Gray); Mr. J. Patrick Coyne; and Mr. A. Russell Ash.
Mr. Meyer briefed the Board Panel on the major covert action
programs of the CIA (with the exception of programs relating to
Cuba, a subject scheduled to be covered in a briefing of the full
Board on April 23, 1963). Mr. Meyer described the political action
programs which had been pursued with respect to Chile. In his
briefing Mr. Meyer also covered programs with respect to Argentina,
Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, Japan,
Congo, Kenya, Italy and France.
(As a follow-up to the above mentioned briefing of the Board
Panel on Covert Actions, Mr. Gray and Mr. Coyne were given a further
briefing on the subject at CIA Headquarters on May 16, 1963, with
a number of CIA representatives participating from the DDP Staff.
This briefing included considerable information with respect to the
nature and level of Soviet espionage activities being conducted in
various areas of the world.)
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BRIEFING OF BOARD'S COVERT ACTION PANEL
BY STATE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES
September 6, 1963
Mr. Murphy, Dr. Langer and Mr. Coyne met with Mr. Thomas
Hughes, Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research of
the Department of State on September 6, 1963, for a discussion of
several matters in the intelligence area.
With regard to covert action matters Mr. Hughes said that
his Bureau in the Department of State is responsible for coordin-
ating all NSC 5412/2 matters throughout the Department. Mr. Hughes
felt that this job was being performed satisfactorily but he
regreted that the State Department played a relatively minor role
in Special Group activities. Mr. Hughes also expressed concern
about the DCI's failure to provide sufficient time in advance of
Special Group meetings for the coordination of covert action pro-,
posals which are to be discussed at the meetings and concerning
which the Department of State has an interest.
In a discussion with Under Secretary Alexis Johnson, the
Panel was told that in Mr. Johnson's opinion CIA is now coordinating
its covert action programs with the appropriate elements of the
Department of State. He did comment, however, that new programs
are submitted to the Department at the very last moment, because
the Director of Central Intelligence wishes to sign off personally
on new covert action proposals before they are submitted to the
Department of State or to the Special Group.
Secretary Johnson, in reply to a question posed by the Panel,
said that the Special Group does not follow the general practice
of reviewing periodically the status of implementation of covert
action programs approved by the Special Group; and he thought it
would be a good idea to have such reviews made, possibly by the
Bureau of Intelligence and Research in the State Department.
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CIA BRIEFING OF THE BOARD'S COVERT ACTION PANEL
September 6, 1963
The Board's Covert Action Panel met on September 6, 1963.
Present were Mr. Robert Murphy, Chairman%3B Mr. Gordon Gray;
Dr. William Langer; and Messrs. Coyne and Ash.
During the course of the meeting the Board Panel was
briefed by Mr. Richard Helms (Deputy DCI/Plans, CIA) and CIA
representatives Cord Meyer and Desmond Fitzgerald. The briefings
were on the subject of covert action programs with respect to
British Guiana, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Bolivia,
Brazil and Cuba.
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EXCERPTS FROM MINUTES OF PRESIDENT'S FOREIGN
INTELLIGENCE ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS WITH
RESPECT TO COVERT ACTIONS MATTERS
Meeting of May 15, 1961:
--
The then DCI, Mr. Allen Dulles, joined in a discussion of
the highlights of CIA's activities. In the covert actions field
Mr. Dulles suggested that the Board look into the future relation-
ship of CIA to paramilitary activities Mr. Dulles being of the
opinion that paramilitary operations should not be conducted by
the CIA. Mr. Dulles thought that the Board should look at such
CIA activities as the use of proprietary organizations including
Radio Free Europe, REA, the Afro-American Institute, and various
labor and youth groups. Mr. Dulles was asked whether a removal
of paramilitary activities from CIA responsibility would permit
a significant cut in the CIA budget and personnel figures, and
Mr. Dulles replied that such was not the case because of the
extensive activities being carried on by the International
Organizations Division of the DDP, and because of the many pro-
prietary activities in which CIA is involved. (Dr. Land said
that he was both shocked and indignant to learn that Radio Free
Europe is a proprietary organization of the CIA. Mr. Clifford
said that he had been on the Board of Directors of RFE for the
past three years and this was the first time he had known it
was connected with CIA. Mr. Dulles was asked what was the extent
of the knowledge of American business men concerning the RFE-CIA
connection and Mr. Dulles replied that certain American business
men are aware of the connection, but not the man-in-the-street
who makes dollar contributions to the tune of $3 million a year.)
Board Chairman Killian appointed himself and Messrs. Murphy,
Langer and Taylor to serve on a Panel of the Board to study the
extent to which the Government should be involved in political,
psychological, propaganda, and paramilitary activities; and the
policy which should be pursued by the U. S. Government in these
matters.
President Kennedy joined the Board meeting, and when the
discussion turned to a recommendation of the prior Board, the.
President referred to a recommendation that covert action
programs of the CIA may not have been worth the risk nor worth
the great expenditure of manpower and money; that CIA concentra-
tion on such activities had tended to detract substantially
from the execution of its primary intelligence-gathering mission;
and that there should be a total reassessment of U. S. covert
action policies and programs. The President indicated that
except for Laos and Cuba, he did not have extensive knowledge
of other covert operations being conducted by the CIA; he said
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that he had the feeling that someone in the White House should
be constantly in touch with and on top of covert operations;
and he observed that the Congress believes that someone in the
White House is keeping close watch on such matters. After a
discussion of the Indonesia situation, President Kennedy
thought that the Cuba fiasco was "Indonesia all over again,
and he wondered if the Secretary of State and the Secretary
of Defense should not be better informed regarding these
matters. The President also expressed concern over the recent
development in Singapore which involved some bungled efforts
on the part of CIA to penetrate the Singapore police. Follow-
ing expressions of views by General Taylor, McGeorge Bundy,
and Mr. Gray, the President agreed that in addition to the
need for staffing of NSC 5412/2 matters, the President needed
to be kept informed with respect to these programs on a
continuing basis.
Meeting of May 26, 1961:
In this second meeting of the PFIAB the discussion in-
cluded a statement by General Doolittle that proposed
reorganization steps with respect to the CIA would involve
the question of the interference of covert operations with
intelligence collection. General Doolittle had found, he said,
that the "covert operations dog is wagging the intelligence
tail" when in fact this should be reversed. General Doolittle
added that a great number of people in the CIA are more
interested in the political, psychological, propaganda and
paramilitary than they are in the dry, difficult but important
task of collecting, interpreting and distributing intelligence--
a matter which General Doolittle thought could be corrected
by a change of emphasis and by a change in organization.
At one point in the meeting when the DCI, Mr. Allen Dulles,
was present, that official said that with respect to organiza-
tional matters he favored transferring paramilitary activities
to the Defense Department%; he opposed the separation of other
covert action activities from foreign intelligence activities;
and he was opposed to separating the post of DCI from that of
Head of the CIA.
Meeting of June 7, 1961:
Upon the completion of its third meeting on June 7, 1961,
the Board met that evening with President Kennedy (the Attorney
General and Mr. McGeorge Bundy were also present.) In connection
with a statement by the President that he was receiving in-
adequate information concerning developments in a number of
countries, Board Chairman Killian said that it was the general
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consensus of the Board that the CIA was placing too much
stress upon covert action activities, with insufficient
emphasis placed upon the acquisition of intelligence.
Later in the discussion, Mr. McGeorge Bundy said that in
line with the President's wishes, a list was being prepared
of all programs involving covert support to political
parties abroad, and support to individuals associated with
political parties, with a view to assessing the direction
and value of those programs--Mr. Bundy noting that certain
of these problem areas which had been referred to by Ambassa-
dor Galbraith in connection with covert actions in India
had been recently reviewed by the Special NSC 5412/2 Group.
Board Chairman Killian informed the President that in the
Board's view the responsibilities of the U. S. Ambassadors
should be clarified to make sure that each Ambassador is
cognizant of the intelligence collection and covert action
activities which are conducted in or from his country of
assignment and for the purpose of assuring that such activities
are consistent with the over-all national security policies
of the President. Later on in the discussion, the President
commented on a suggestion that he not be publicly identified
with clandestine or covert action activities, saying that
he thought this raised a question about the desirability of
setting up on the White House staff a "Special Assistant
for Intelligence. (Mr. Bundy thought it would be all right
to establish such a position, provided that the Special
Assistant was himself not publicly identified with any
responsibility for covert operations.)
"
Meeting of June 30-July 2, 1961:
A portion of this Board meeting was attended by Mr. Mc-
George Bundy who, at one point, read to the Board the letter
from President Kennedy appointing General Taylor as Military
Representative. Mr. Bundy emphasized that General Taylor's
appointment was not exclusively military in character, for the
President desired that General Taylor counsel him with respect
to certain intelligence matters, and in the field of covert
action activities the President wished to look to General
Taylor for special guidance; and therefore the President had
appointed General Taylor to serve as Chairman of the Special
5412/2 Group. Mr. Bundy mentioned that recently a two-hour
briefing had been provided to the President, Mr. Bundy,
General Taylor and Mr. Coyne by Messrs. Dulles and Bissell
concerning major covert action programs currently being
carried out by the Agency.
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At another point in the meeting the Board heard comments
from Mr. Roger Hilsman, Director of the Bureau of Intelligence
and Research at the Department of State. Among other things,
Mr. Hilsman felt that the U. S. Government was not making
full use of covert action operations in providing assistance
to foreign political parties. He thought that such opera-
tions were important and could be helpful if done skillfully.
Mr. Hilsman expressed criticism of the fact that the Depart-
ment of State was brought into CIA's planning in the NSC 5412/2
area only at the last moment, which made it difficult for
the State Department to take a position without knowledge
of the extent and nature of the CIA resources that would be.
involved. Mr. Hilsman went on to say that he favored reorgani-
zing the CIA along the general lines of the British Intelligence
System; he would place clandestine collection and covert
political action operations under the Department of State%;B
and he would require that the State Department exercise policy
control over all aspects of intelligence including political,
psychological, propaganda, paramilitary and related covert
activities.
Meeting of July 18, 1961:
In the course of this meeting, Mr. Bissell of CIA was
invited to discuss with Board members his views on possible
reorganization steps that might be taken with respect to the
CIA.
At one point in the discussion Mr. Bissell volunteered
the suggestion that perhaps a step might be taken by the
President to obtain a better public understanding and acceptance
of the CIA's responsibilities. Mr. Bissell suggested that
perhaps the President could make an appropriate announcement
which would include recognition of the existence of the body
known as the Special NSC 5412/2 Group, telling of the Group's
duties 
and who compose it, without giving the public any
information on the actual nature of the covert operations per-
formed by the CIA.
N
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Meeting of October 16-17, 1961
During the Board meeting of October 16-17, 1961
the Director of Central Intelligence, Mr. Allen Dulles,
commented that the "principle of compartmentation" was being
violated by CIA in its dealings with the PFIAB because of
the CIA's effort to meet the convenience of the Board.
Mr. Dulles said that one example of this was the action taken
by CIA in furnishing the detailed compilation concerning the
proprietary and other cover organizations with which CIA
has dealings in its covert action programs. Mr. Coyne
observed that material received by the Board from the CIA,
and more sensitive information received from other U. S.
intelligence agencies, is given a greater degree of security
in the Board than in the CIA itself. (For use at this Board
meeting a 17-page summary had been prepared in the Board's
offices based on an undated document from CIA marked
"Top Secret--Eyes Only--Extremely Sensitive" containing a
listing and brief description of all CIA cover organizations
and proprietary activities, including references to the Asia
Foundation, Radio Free Europe, Institute of National Labor
Research, World Confederation of Organizations of the Teaching
Profession, U. S. National Student Association, and many others.)
Mr. Dulles told the Board that the CIA can play a help-
ful but relatively modest, role with regard to the Laos and
South Vietnam problems, and he thought it would be well if
the Board would suggest ways in which the CIA could more
effectively utilize its resources in meeting such problems.
The DCI observed that the CIA must do more in all covert
action fields because the U. S. faces the most formidable
covert action apparatus ever seen. He said that this apparatus
is the most effective one ever established, and the U. S.
has nothing like it.
During an executive session on October 17, 1961, Board
Chairman Killian suggested that Board members give serious
thought to the CIA's use of Foundations as covers for operations,
and he cited the Asia Foundation and the International Com-
mission of Jurists as examples. Dr. Killian felt that there
is danger that the entire Foundation systems in the U. S.
would be discredited if there were a disclosure of CIA's
connection with them. It was Dr. Killian's view that the
CIA should not place clandestine cover on any student,
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and he felt that it would be very serious should it become
known that the National Student Federation, for example,
was being financed by CIA as a cover organization. Dr. Langer
expressed agreement with this, but felt that CIA would be
Justified in using foundations as a cover in combatting
communist influence in such activities as labor unions.
Mr. Clifford thought that perhaps Dr. Killian's concern with
regard to educational foundations might be possibly met by the
use of cut-off organizations between the CIA and the foundations,
as a means of concealing CIA financial support to the foundations.
Mr. Coyne reminded Board members of the Board's recommendation
of last July, that all existing covert action programs be
reviewed by the Special NSC 5412/2 Group. In answer to a
question from General Doolittle, Mr. Coyne told the Board that
written summaries which had been furnished to the Board members
concerning CIA's cover organization activities, were being
given special security handling and strict accountability.
The Board meeting was joined by CIA representatives
Lyman Kirkpatrick, Richard Helms, Cord Meyer, and others, for
an oral presentation and discussion with respect to CIA cover
organizations, including commercial organizations and such.
foundation-supported student groups as the National Student's
Federation. After Mr. Helms had discussed the use of non-
official covers for individual CIA personnel, Mr. Cord Meyer
described the CIA's use of foundations and proprietary ·
organizations. Mr. Meyer then described such large scale
CIA cover organizations as Radio Free Europe (where the objective
is propaganda) and other organizations which CIA directs against
Soviet front organizations (where the effort is to exert
influence and at the same time do genuine work for the benefit
of the cover organization and its program, as in the case of
the Asia Foundation and the Afro-American Institute which are
based in the U. S. and whose activities are subject to CIA
influence in the form of money and a degree of policy direction).
In answer to questions from Board members as to the danger
of a disclosure of CIA's relationship to these various founda-
tions, Mr. Meyer said that there was no grave danger of a
"cultural U-2 incident", and the risk of a disclosure, by a
defector, for example, was less than the risk of a U. S. news
story or a disclosure resulting from gossip among members of
the U. S. "foundation community' 
11 
Mr. Meyer considered it
inevitable that the Asian mentality would suspect that there
is U. S. government influence in all U. S. based foundations;
Chinese communist propaganda continually charges that U. S.
government or Wall Street control exists in these foundations,
even in the Ford Foundation where this is not the case;
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nevertheless the cover foundations which are in fact influenced
by CIA continue to do legitimate work as, for example, in the
case of a labor training school supported by the Asia Founda-
tion in Pakistan, and in the case of a teacher-training grant
at the University of Rangoon; and in the case of the National
Student's Federation, Mr. Meyer pointed out that CIA financial
support is normally funneled through a variety of channels
and CIA money goes to the National Educational Association through
a cut-out arrangement. Mr. Meyer expressed the opinion that
CIA's budgetary control over the use of moneys contributed to
international student groups would deter any effort to impose-
foreign influence upon U. S. student organizations.
1. Mr. Meyer informed the Board that CIA cover organization
activities are approved by the CIA Project Review Committee
with the State Department being made knowledgeable. Mr. Helms
stated that since January 20, 1961, there had been no review.
of such activities by the NSC nor by the Special NSC 5412/2
Group.
Next the Board was briefed by CIA representatives Amory,
Breitweiser, and others concerning CIA paramilitary involve-
ment in Laos and South Vietnam (in the latter country this
activity included ground reconnaissance teams and intelligence
teams, and a recent requirement on CIA "to harrass Soviet air
drops of supplies" in the Southeast Asia area).
When the Board met with President Kennedy, on the after-
noon of October 17, 1961, the Chairman read to the President
the text of the Board's report on paramilitary activities, and
he mentioned to the President the highlights of presentations
which the Board had heard earlier that day concerning develop-
ments in Laos. The President directed Mr. Coyne to discuss
this subject with Mr. McGeorge Bundy, with a view to a review
of paramilitary activities in Laos, to be conducted by the
Special NSC 5412/2 Group (this was discussed by Mr. Coyne
with Mr. Bundy who said that he would have the review made of
the paramilitary activity in Laos and the question as to
whether the responsibility for the activity was properly.
assigned to the CIA).
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Meeting of December 9, 1961
During this meeting of the Board an opportunity was
given to Mr. Gray to present some of the highlights of
Mr. Gray's and Mr. Coyne's findings in the course of their
on-the-scene review of U. S. foreign intelligence activities
in seven Middle East countries. One of the recommendations
of Mr. Gray's report to the Board, which the Board subsequently
adopted and submitted to the President, called for a review
of NSC 5412/2 and related NSC Intelligence Directives to
insure that adequate guidance is given to Ambassadors and
CIA Station Chiefs with respect to covert actions generally;
and that the station in Cyprus be reviewed with a view to
placing increased emphasis on covert operations, particularly
in the newspaper and trade unions fields, with appropriate support
to be furnished by the CIA stations in Athens and Ankara.
Subsequently, at the request of General Taylor, Mr. Gray and
Mr. Coyne briefed the Special NSC 5412/2 Group concerning
covert action-related matters which had been reviewed during
the Middle East trip.
Meeting of January 19-20, 1962
,
In the course of this Board meeting discussions were
had with the newly-appointed DCI, Mr. John McCone. During
a discussion of possible ways to reorganize and strengthen
the CIA, the DCI said that he might decide to separate the
functions of the DD/P area within the CIA. Mr. McCone thought
that he might possibly name one assistant who would specialize
in "conventional covert operations". including the management
of the clandestine services world-wide, and designate another
assistant in the DD/P area who would be in charge of such
matters as COMINT, ELINT, satellite reconnaissance, etc.
Mr. McCone added that he thought he would pick a military
man to head up covert operations and to handle paramilitary
activities in order that these functions would be conducted
on an absolutely professional basis, without disturbing the
lines running from the DD/P to the CIA Station Chiefs.
Further on in the discussion with the DCI, Mr. McCone
expressed concern over the fact that in the CIA organizational
responsibility for financing was placed at a rather low level
in the headquarters organizational set-up, and therefore the
DCI desired to place this responsibility upon a higher level
official who would serve as Comptroller in the Office of the
DCI. Mr. Gray asked whether this would increase problems
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with the Bureau of the Budget if the DCI made the Comptroller
responsible for all funding, including covert operations;
and the DCI replied that in his opinion he could compart-
mentalize the work of the Comptroller in a way which would
facilitate dealing with the Bureau of the Budget concerning
covert action matters.
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Meeting of March 23-24, 1962
During a discussion in Executive Session, Board
Chairman Killian noted that President Kennedy had accepted
the Board's recommendations concerning a re-definition of
the role of the DCI, and regarding reorganization of the CIA.
Dr. Killian thought that the point had now been reached in
the Board's efforts when it should serve the President by
examining selected areas of the government's intelligence
effort, and he mentioned as an example, covert actions carried
out under NSC 5412/2.
At another point in the Board meeting, Chairman Killian
again pointed out that there was a need for the Board to
explore thoroughly the activities being carried out in the
NSC 5412/2 area; Dr. Killian thought that a general session
with General Taylor at the next Board meeting would give the
Board an opportunity to become acquainted with the present
status of the specific programs being carried out under the
Special NSC 5412/2 Group; the Chairman thought that it would
be advantageous if the DCI were present at such a Board
meeting; and Dr. Killian added that the Board lacks clear
information on covert action programs with respect to Cuba.
Later on in the meeting, the Chairman made several
Panel assignments to various Board members. Dr. Langer was
asked to obtain information concerning covert actions being
carried out under auspices of the Special NSC 5412/2 Group,
in order that the Board might be informed in depth with regard
to such activities. The Chairman said that Dr. Langer's
report to the Board should include information concerning
covert actions with respect to Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and
Guatemala, among other countires.
In another reference to covert action matters, during
an Executive Session of this Board meeting Mr. Coyne suggested
that consideration be given to having one or more of the Board
members take an on-the-scene look at covert operations which
are being carried out abroad, particularly in South America.
Dr. Killian agreed that this should be done.
Meeting of May 11-12, 1962.
During this meeting, Board Chairman Killian reported
to the Board concerning a talk he had had with Mr. McGeorge
Bundy about the role of the President's Board.
It was
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Mr. Bundy's view that the Board must continue to keep
itself fully informed about the foreign intelligence program,
and Mr. Bundy emphasized the need for the Board to be com-
pletely informed regarding covert action operations taking
place in the NSC 5412/2 area.
In an Executive Session, Mr. Coyne reported on a dis-
cussion which he had had with the newly-appointed DCI,
Mr. McCone, for the purpose of outlining the various Board
Panel assignments, and for the further purpose of scheduling
CIA briefings for the members of the various Board Panels.
Mr. Coyne reported that the DCI's reaction was to indicate
his belief that the Board Panel activities seemed to be con-
cerned with matters which were appropriate for the DCI
himself to pursue. Chairman Killian said that following this
discussion between Mr. Coyne and the DCI, Dr. Killian had
contacted the Deputy DCI, General Carter, to pursue the
request that CIA furnish briefings to the various Board
Panels. General Carter replied to Chairman Killian that the
DCI wanted to hold up on such briefings, for example, the
briefing of the Board Panel on NSC 5412/2 activities, because
the reorganization process was still underway in CIA.
Chairman Killian also reported that when he contacted General
Carter a week later on this same subject, it appeared that
the CIA was reluctant to furnish the desired briefings, but
Chairman Killian took a firm stand in requesting them.
During an Executive Session, Chairman Killian asked
for suggestions concerning subject matters to be discussed
with the DCI when that official joined the Board meeting the
following day. With respect to the Langer-Gray-Murphy Panel,
Dr. Langer said he had no particular questions to raise with
the DCI concerning activities carried out under the NSC 5412/2
Group. Dr. Langer observed that he was impressed by the way
the Special Group checks up on the implementation of covert
operations. Chairman Killian referred to various indications
he had received that General Taylor was doing a very good job
in this respect. Mr. Gray thought that if the Board is going
to try to protect the President in this particular area, the
Board must have a better flow of information to the Board con-
cerning NSC 5412/2 activities, in order that the Board may make'
a necessary evaluation of the covert action programs involved.
Chairman Killian agreed with a suggestion by Mr. Coyne that
the Board Panel on NSC 5412/2 activities should remain in
existence on a continuing basis in order that the Board might
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1
be kept informed concerning these activities.
Dr. Killian remarked to Dr. Langer that the Board
Panel on NSC 5412/2 matters. should conduct a continuing'
review, with the objective of the Panel becoming fully
informed regarding covert action programs, following which
the Board would determine the next step to be taken.
Meeting of June 25-26, 1962
In Executive Session Chairman Killian informed Board
members that recently there had been scheduled a CIA briefing
of the Board Panel on covert action programs. However, the
day before the briefing was to have been given by CIA officials
Chairman Killian received a telephone call from the DCI,
Mr. McCone, who said that he hesitated to provide the in-
formation requested by the Board Panel because only the
President was privy to some of the covert operations involved.
Mr. McCone told Chairman Killian that he had discussed this
matter with the President who had concurred in the DCI's
suggestion that the briefing of the Board Panel be limited
to procedural aspects of the Special NSC 5412/2 Group.
Dr. Killian's reply to the DCI was to the effect that this
would be a waste of time because the Board was already fully
informed concerning these procedural matters, and therefore
the Chairman expressed his intention to discuss this matter
with the President, and the DCI indicated that he favored
this course of action. Thereafter, Chairman Killian discussed
the problem with Mr. McGeorge Bundy who felt that under the
Board's Directive it should have full information in order to
carry out its duties. Continuing his report to the Board,
Dr. Killian said that on the preceding evening he had dined
with the DCI who on this occasion said that he was prepared
to give the Board whatever information it needs, including
information on CIA operations in the covert action field.
The Chairman added that Mr. McCone planned to brief the Panel
himself from a book prepared for the first time in CIA with
regard to all of the activities involved. Mr. Gray stated
that the ability of the Board to get complete information
concerning covert action activities was essential if the Board
were to be able to discharge its responsibility to the President.
Mr. Clifford thought that the gravity of this issue with the
DCI was such that it warranted mention to the President when
the Board met with the President the following day, and the
President should be told the background of the problem and how
the matter had been resolved.
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At another point in the Board meeting there was a
discussion of the need for identifying the President
with clandestine intelligence and covert action activities.
One Board member suggested that in any event the public
probably has an idea that the President is fully aware
of covert actions undertaken by our Government; however,
Mr. Clifford pointed out that an attempt has always been
made to maintain a separation of the President from intelligence
agency operations all down the line in Government, and this
separation should be preserved.
Chairman Killian observed to Board members that when
the DCI arrived at the Board meeting later in the day the
matter of previously withholding information from the Board
concerning covert operations would not be brought up unless
the DCI himself should bring it up for discussion. Dr. Killian
added that steps should be taken by Mr. Coyne to contact the
DCI and re-schedule the CIA briefing of the Board Panel on
Covert Actions, preferably within the next two weeks.
When the DCI, Mr. McCone, joined the Board meeting for
a discussion of intelligence matters, at one point the DCI
referred to his recent extensive field trip in South Vietnam.
Mr. McCone said that training is being given to South Vietnam
villagers in civil defense, arms and training are being supplied
to hamlet leaders who train and arm others, and there are
plans for additional similar projects if the Special NSC
5412/2 Group approves. The DCI described the extent to which
CIA is involved in the conception and administration of these
programs which are backed by U. S. military teams. He added
that CIA trains mountain people as trail watchers to report
on the infiltration of communist forces from North Vietnam;
and CIA is installing communications between villagers and
is equipping military units with communications.
In the course of a discussion with the DCI concerning
CIA budgetary matters, Mr. Gray observed that at times in the
past the Budget Bureau had been prone to look into policy
decisions which had been arrived at with respect to covert
action programs in the Special NSC 5412/2 Group. Mr. McCone
said that he anticipated no such problem in the Bureau of the
Budget in the future, with the recent appointment of Mr. Robert
Amory (formerly DD/I at CIA) to fill the Budget Bureau post
which is concerned with CIA budgetary matters.
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In his further remarks to the Board members at this
meeting, Mr. McCone took up the subject of covert action
programs which he then proceeded to describe to the extent
that they involved aerial reconnaissance missions over China
following consideration and approval by the Special NSC 5412/2
Group.
Later on in the meeting, the Board was briefed by
In answer to a
that thought had
enroute to Cuban
Mr. Helms of CIA concerning Cuba. Mr. Helms said that after
the abortive Cuban invasion there was a relaxation of covert
action and intelligence collection efforts for several months
with respect to Cuba; however, since December 1961 a major.
intelligence effort has been aimed at Cuba, involving U-2
overflights, interrogations of Cuban refugees in Florida;
and the obtaining of intelligence reports.
question by a Board member, Mr. Helms said
been given to sabotaging petroleum which is
refineries, but such a covert action project was awaiting
further policy consideration. General Taylor joined the Board
meeting at another point, in response to the Chairman's
invitation, and among other things he discussed the subject of
covert action activities. General Taylor asked whether the
Board wished to indicate any reaction it might have to its
current review of NSC 5412/2 matters, and Dr. Langer responded
with a comment that as yet the Board's discussions had not
gone beyond a briefing on procedures given by the Secretary
of the Special Group. In answer to a question by Dr. Langer,
it was General Taylor's opinion that the Special NSC 5412/2
Group is not set up nor equipped to run a continuing check
on the implementation of all covert action projects, and for
this reason the Special Group places dependence upon the
PFIAB.
(When the Board met with the President on the afternoon.
of June 26, 1962, Chairman Killian mentioned to President
Kennedy, among other things, the problem of assuring appropriate
political control of covert actions conducted by the CIA or
other elements of the government. Chairman Killian observed
that the Special NSC 5412/2 Group was functioning effectively.
As a footnote to its report to the President, Chairman Killian
informed President Kennedy that the Board was happy to state
that there had been resolved a problem which had recently arisen
with respect to the Board's need-to-know regarding certain
intelligence and covert action programs; and Dr. Killian
felt that with the resolution of this problem, the Board could
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expect to receive the information which it had to have in
order to carry out its responsibilities to the President.
Dr. Killian added that based on briefings which had been.
received by the Board there appeared to be a lack of in-
formation on the overall plan with respect to covert actions
regarding Cuba which prompted General Taylor to explain that
he had not yet had an opportunity to give the Board a thorough
fill-in concerning covert actions against Cuba, which had been
considered in the Special Group. After the Board meeting with
the President, General Taylor summarized briefly for the Board
the intelligence programs being established with respect to
Cuba, pointing out that such programs were the first phase
of the effort against Cuba at this time.)
Meeting of September 28, 1962
PJT noJS objection
subject to PERAB
approval. 9/2/98
During this meeting of the Board, Mr. Murphy presented
an oral report of the Board's Panel on Covert Actions Operations,
based on a detailed report which had been prepared by Mr. Coyne
with respect to the recent meeting which the Panel had had with
the DCI. Mr. Murphy touched on some of the highlights of the
information which had been supplied by the DCI and by Mr. Helms,
and Mr. Murphy suggested that Board members read the memorandum
report which Mr. Coyne had prepared. Mr. Murphy thought that
a good rapport had been established by the Panel with the DCI
and he indicated that the Panel would continue to review the
subject periodically with Messrs McCone and Helms. Dr. Baker,
Acting Board Chairman, emphasized the need for the Board to
obtain full and accurate information concerning covert operations
being conducted with respect to Cuba and with respect to other
matters.
Meeting of November 9, 1962
At the beginning of this meeting, it was announced that
Mr. Pace was absent on a trip to South America, in the course
of which he would, on behalf of the Board, look into some
foreign intelligence and covert action activities in Argentina
and Uruguay.
Meeting of December 6-7, 1962
During this meeting Mr. Coyne suggested that the Board
consider the advisability of a recommendation to the President
that the Board be granted continuing access to records of the
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Special NSC 5412/2 Group in order that the Board's
responsibilities to the President may be fullfilled;
Chairman Killian said that he would see to it that this
was accomplished in another way.
Meeting of December 27-28, 1962
During this meeting of the PFIAB, and in the course of
the discussions had with DCI McCone, the DCI made reference
to the "MONGOOSE" program with respect to Cuba. He said that
Phase I of the program consisted of obtaining intelligence
on the possibilities for organizing and supplying resistance
groups within Cuba. The DCI said that it had not yet been
considered an appropriate time for the execution of plans for
"violent actions of a sabotage nature within Cuba. Mr. McCone had
thought that such actions would not be appropriate because of
his own speculation in August 1962, that the U. S. would be
faced with MRBM's. In any case, the DCI said, the "MONGOOSE".
effort became diverted by considerations of Soviet activities
in Cuba.
Meeting of January 25-26, 1963.
For use in connection with the Board meeting of
January 25-26, 1963, primarily on the subject of Cuba,
A. R. Ash prepared a memorandum for the file, dated January 11,
1963, summarizing the results of a review of minutes of the
Special NSC 5412/2 Group, and of the Special Group "Augmented"
(the latter group including the Attorney General, concerned
with the "MONGOOSE" program directed at the Castro regime in
Cuba). At the August 4, 1962 meeting of the Special Group
"Augmented", the Attorney General stated that the President
felt that more priority should be given to mounting sabotage
operations, and the Attorney General urged massive activity
within the entire framework of the "MONGOOSE" program. It
was agreed that one of the objectives of the Special Group.
"Augmented", under the chairmanship of the Attorney General,
would be to develop new and imaginative approaches to the
possibility of getting rid of the Castro regime. (The review
of minutes of the Special NSC 5412/2 Group with respect to
Cuba, reflected that this body was concerned primarily with
reconnaissance overflight questions during the period leading
up to the Soviet missile crisis.)
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Meeting of March 8-9, 1963
In the course of this Board meeting the only consideration
of any significance given to covert action matters was in con-
nection with the visit of the DCI for a discussion of intel-
ligence-related problems with members of the Board. The DCI,
Mr. McCone, mentioned that CIA had traditionally carried out.
activities in the paramilitary field%; however, the Department
of Defense now has Special Forces operating in the paramilitary
field in South Vietnam and elsewhere, which has resulted in con-
flicts between the CIA and DOD elements in those areas.
Meeting of April 23, 1963
At this meeting, in the course of a discussion of covert
action matters, the question was raised as to whether the Board
should not ascertain specifically whether the President desired.
that the Board go into covert action programs deeply, and if that
proved to be the President's wish then the Board should take
steps to insure that it received full briefings from the agencies
concerned. Chairman Killian stated that there were no limita-
tions on the Board's access to such information and that this is
well established.
At the request of Chairman Killian; Mr. Murphy briefly
informed the Board concerning the meeting which he, and Mr. Gray
and Mr. Coyne had recently with Mr. Cord Meyer of CIA on the
subject of covert action programs. Mr. Murphy said that the
briefing covered operations in certain Latin American countries
(the subject of Cuba was excluded because that was to be covered
at today's Board meeting) and the briefing consisted primarily
of "light touches", and was of such routine nature that it seemed
to downgrade the importance which the Board attached to covert
action operations and requirements.
Mr. Coyne informed the Board of a request from Mr. Kirk-
patrick of CIA who asked that the scheduled CIA briefing of the
Board on clandestine operations with regard to Cuba, be scheduled.
outside of the presence of Mr. Cottrell, Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, who was
scheduled to join the Board meeting at the same time that the
CIA briefing was to be given. Mr. Kirkpatrick explained that
the DCI urged these briefings to be separate because the CIA
briefing would include a discussion of covert action operations
which Mr. Cottrell was not privy to.
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Later in this Board meeting, during discussions with the
DCI, Mr. McCone was asked whether the terms of the U. S.-Cuba
Prisoner Exchange Agreement were of a nature which would affect
the conduct of present or future U. S. intelligence and covert
operations with respect to Cuba. The DCI replied that Castro
had not imposed any conditions which would preclude the U. S.
from the conduct of such activities.
The Board was briefed by Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald of CIA.
Mr. Fitzgerald said that the intelligence team's that CIA was
sending into Cuba were primarily confined to intelligence-
gathering missions rather than covert action, although the
teams would have missions involving "low key resistance and
subtle sabotage". The CIA representative stated that monthly
plans of the CIA for infiltrating these teams into Cuba were
approved by the Special NSC 5412/2 Group. Mr. Fitzgerald added.
that CIA was not receiving policy guidance with respect to
positive covert action programs of a specific sabotage nature,
and he indicated that a decision regarding this was being sought
during the coming week.
The Board meeting was joined by Mr. Cottrell of the Depart-
ment of State who explained that he was serving as Chairman of
an Inter-Departmental Coordinating Committee established at the
direction of the President, to provide a focal point for co-
ordinating policy recommendations and the execution of approved
policies with respect to Cuba. Mr. Coyne raised the question
which had been brought up earlier by Mr. Fitzgerald concerning
the absence of policy guidance with respect to covert actions
conducted by CIA. Mr. Cottrell said that with the release of
prisoners in Cuba, in his opinion, the time had come for more
aggressive sabotage operations with respect to Cuba.
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Meeting of June 25-26, 1963
A large part of this meeting was taken up with reports
by various Board Panel Chairmen concerning the status and
adequacy of the implementation of recommendations which the
Board had made to date. As Chairman of the Panel on CIA,
General Doolittle reported on those Board recommendations
concerning CIA which were being acted upon; and Board Chairman
Clifford asked that at the next Board meeting General Doolittle
identify areas in which CIA was not carrying out Presidentially-
approved recommendations of the Board (one of the CIA-related
"recommendations which was presumably to be included in General
Doolittle's next report would be one in which the Board recom-
mended deeper cover for CIA's covert action operations).
In the course of giving the report of his Panel on CIA
organization and related matters, Chairman Clifford included
a reference to the Board recommendation that the President be
protected against identification with clandestine and covert
action programs.
Mr. Clifford said that the need for this was
pretty well understood in appropriate quarters.
At another point in the Board meeting, when the DCI,
Mr. McCone, was reporting to the Board on CIA operations against
Cuba, the DCI referred to certain covert actions. Among these
were operations (approved by the Special 5412/2 Group) to
promote disaffection in the Cuban military; hampering the
Cuban economy; and sabotage.
Meeting of September 12-13, 1963
This Board meeting was attended by Mr. McGeorge Bundy
whom Chairman Clifford had invited for a discussion of several
subject matters listed in the Chairman's memorandum of invitation.
As to the subject of covert actions, Mr. Bundy said in frankness
that he did not know precisely how the Board went about its
coverage of NSC 5412/2 matters. He said that he looks to CIA
from time to time for reports on the status of particular
covert action programs, but preferred not to have in his office
a current compilation of all of them. However, Mr. Bundy
said that he was prepared to facilitate any review of covert
action programs that a Board Panel might want to make.
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Meeting of November 21-22, 1963
During a report given at this Board meeting by the
DCI, Mr. McCone urged that the Board urge President Kennedy
to take actions (public statements, for example) to correct
the bad public image which CIA was acquiring as the result of
charges that CIA had engineered the anti-Diem coup in South
Vietnam, and was acting as a "Third Government" in that
country. The DCI asserted that the CIA role in Vietnam was
not to overthrow governments, but to carry out other tasks.
Referring to paramilitary operations in Vietnam, the DCI
said that there were problems involving the question as to
whether CIA or Special Forces should have the responsibility for
such activities (Mr. Colby of CIA later told the Board that
paramilitary matters in Vietnam were being transferred to
U. S. Special Forces)..
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