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3 October 1969 

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1'1EMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD 

SUBJECT: Minutes of the ne_t:_ting of the 303 Committee, 30 September 1969 ·-

PRESENT: Mr. Kissinger, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Packard, Mr. George C. Denney, Jr. 

and Mr. Helms 

1. 

General Ralph D. Steakley, Colonel Alexander Haig, and 

Mr. Wymberley DeR. Coerr were present for Items 1 .: 4 

Proposed Mission for New Type Drone (BYE 78344-69) 

a. Consideration of the proposed specific track for the TAGBOARD 

drone operational test flight over South China quickly evolved into a 

general discussion of intelligence requirements and the pros and cons 

of overflights of the area by various platforms. 

b. Mr. Helms circulated a paper advocating that the problem of 

airborne photographic reconnaissance of South China be considered as a 

whole, not piecemeal, and suggesting that the U-2R piloted by Chinat 

pilots under the ostensible sponsorship of' ~he GRC is the most suitable 

and least provocative system to provide the desired intelligence coverage of South China at this time. 

c. Mr. Packard and General Steakley supported the proposed 

operational test of the TAGBOARD as well as the previously proposed four 

147T drone overflights in October. 

d. Mr. Denney expressed the State Department's continu~d opposition 

to overflights of South C'. ~,·: .. . : . :J.ny reconnaissance platform for politica 1 

and other reasons detailed in .::. " special minutes of the 303 Committee 

dated 26 September 1969 (see BYL 106,266-69). 

e. The Chairman and Mr. Mitchell suppc~~0d Messrs. Packard and 

Helms on the need for a resumption of overfli/ .. ts to obtain priority 

intelligence in the South China border areas. 

£. The Chairman asked the Executive Sec~,. .::o draft a new 

proposed ::-,er:iorandum for higher authority expressi~--- .:he divergent views 

of the members and presenting to him for decision che essential question 

of whether any aerial overflights of South China for intelligence collection 

purposes are worth the political risks involved. The Chairman asked that 

the proposed memorandum be circulated to each member before it is sent to 

higher authority in order to assure that each member's views are fairly 

presented. 

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4. SAFSS Forecast for October 1969 

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l'he SAFSS forecast for October 1969 was approved with the following 

restrictions: 

a. All overflights of the China mainland continued to be stood 

down, but the proposed Photo and ELI~'T IDEALIST/TACKLE 

missions were approved with the understanding that there 

be no approach closer than 20 n.m. to the China mainland. 

b. ·Act ion was deferred on the request for the four BUHPY 

ACTIO~ drone missions over South China in October pending 

decision by higher authority on the mehlorandum described 

under Item l of this minute. 

3YE 106,269-69 

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c. Mr. Packard stated that SR-71 overflights of North Korea 

had now been suspended for about six weeks while negotiations were 

under way for the release of a three-man helicopter crew shot down 

and captured by the North .Koreans when they inadvertently strayed 

into North Korean air space on a training mission. He observed that 

the negotiations did not seem to be making much headway and advocated 

an SR-71 overflight in October and approximately one per month.thereafter depending upon intelligence requirements. 

d. Mr. Helms supported Mr. Packard's proposal observirig that 

the previous three SR-71 overflights had produced significant intelligence on installations and equipment not seen before. 

e. Mr. Denney opposed resumption of the overflights saying that 

insufficient time had passed for successful negotiations and expressing 

concern that resumption of overflights now would prejudice obtaining 

the release of the ·captured crewmen. Mr. Denney was not persuaded of 

the necessity for approxim;,,te monthly missions and asked that COMIREX 

be asked to identify desired target coverage and establish the required 

frequency of overflights. 

f. On Mr. Denney's latter point, Mr. Packard. and General Steakley 

pointed out that requests for intelligence coverage from Field Commanders 

must also receive due consideration. 

g. Mr. Mitchell expressed the belief that the North Koreans .will 

release the captured crewmen only when it suits their purposes to do so 

and doubted that an SR-71 overflight now will have much impact on their 

decision. The Chairman and Messrs. Packard and Helms agreed with this 

viewpoint. 

·h. The Chairman stated that in view of the State Department 

position he would send forward a memorandum to higher authority requesting his decision in the matter. 

5. National Reconnaissance Program (NRP) Annex to the Space Task 

Group Report 

On 30 September ~~69, higher authority approved che following 

recommendation appendeG co the NRP Annex to the Space Task Group 

Report dated 15 July 1969: 

"This Annex recommends on page 21 that you confirm the goals, 

objectives and capabilities of the Nation~l Reconnaissance Program 

as prese~ted in che report. With this guidance the Secretary of 

Defense will continue to make program decisions consistent with 

the needs expressed by the intelligence community. 

BYE 106,269-69 

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"The 303 Committee has reviewed this annex and believes thc1t 

because of its sensitivity and lack of general applicability 

to the basic Space Task Group Report it should not be further 

disseminated to the full membership of the Space Task Group 

and their staffs. 

"The 303 Committee also endorses the above recommPnil.::lrinn ::,nil 

K""'--""'"'1..-"'v:- THAr '(ou ;\f,fU,n:: .. 1, 

Frank M. Chapin 

Distribution 

Mr. Hitchel:i.. 

~~~~,-~>----,.·> Mr. Packard ,.i';in/7,7 Mr. Johr.,,on 

Mr. Helms 

BYE 106,269-69 

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