Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-10-23
u. S. Hunts Red Ships;
Contoct Due Tonight
BY JERRY O'LEARY, Jr.
Star Staff Writer

SVHEVOS0 Nv
BY JERRY O'LEARY, Jr.
Star Staff Writer
American warships and
planes today were d eploye d
over a wide area of the Allan
tic Ocean on the lookout to in
tercept a large number of So
Wet ships en- route to Cuba,
with the first contact expected
by tonight.
Any ship of any nation, in
Guiding Russia, that refuses to
stop for a search by United
States Navy forces will be halt
ed by force, a high-ranking
Defense Department spokes-
man said.
1--WE are prepared to sink
Soviet ships If necessary" the
spokesman told reporters yes
terday, in order to carry out
the terms of the quarantine Or
dered by President Kennedy ito
keep offensive weapons out of
Cuba.
The Pentagon refused to give
any details of the number of
ships and men being used to
enforce the quarantine, but an
estimated 40 ships and 10000
men were reported to have
been in the area originally for
maneuvers.
There were continuing re-
ports, meanwhile, of United
States military movements to-
ward the Southeastern part Of
the country.
East Coast Ports Emptied
East Coast ports such as
Norfolk, Jacksonville and Key
West were emptied as the Navy
moved its ships in a Gordon
around Cuba. Hints Of other
possible action against Cuba
came from the movement of
amphibious ships from Little
Creek, Va. There are $50 ships
and 100 aircraft squadrons in
the Atlantic Fleet, commanded
by Admiral Robert L. Dennison.
Other moves ordered by the
Defense Department in the Gu
ban crisis include:
l. Redeployment of air de-
Tense units to defend the East
Coast of the United States.
2. A doubling of the Marine
garrison at Guantanamo Bay
in Eastern Cuba.
3. A worldwide alert Of all
military forces of the United
States, including the nuclear-
armed Strategic Air Command,
to be ready for any eventuality.
4. Evacuation of 1900 de-
pendent women and children
from the Guantanamo enclave
by ship and plane to the United
States.
No Gallup Planned
There is no plan at this time
to recall reserve or National
Guard forces or increase
monthly draft calls, the Penta-
gon spokesman said.
"If we call up reserve units
we also will extend enlistmentS
and tours Of duty of officers, I"
ne said. He indicated certain
skilled specialists in the Re-
serve might be called in the
crisis.
The Defense Department Of
fetal gave this picture of how
Cuba will be sealed off from
any ships carrying offensive
weapons to the island:
1--WE will h all, stop and
search all vessels proceeding
toward Cuba. We will divert
those searched and found to be
carrying offensive weapons to
other ports.
I'VE will use force to halt
ships that refuse to stop.
"If, after boarding parties
search the ships, offensive
weapons are found and if the
ships refuse to go to 9th e r
ports, we will use force to pre-
vent them from proceeding to
Cuba"
Some Weapons Allowed
Ships carrying purely defen-
s1ve weapons will be permitted
to proceed to Cuba, the spokes-
man said. Asked for a list of
what would be considered Of
fensive and defensive weapons,
he said rifles would be consid-
cred defensive but declined to
elaborate further.
The list of prohibited goods
is to be spelled out later today
in a formal proclamation by
President Kennedy.
More than enough to do
the job" he said.
Several Russian ships al
ready are en- route to Cuba and
their location is known, he
said. Unless there are changes
in course, the first of the Red
vessels could encounter block
aiding American warships to-
night.
United States planes will
range far and wide to check
the courses of vessels of all