Document date: 04/17/2018
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY : NARA

RECORD NUMBER

: 176-10037-10033

RECORD SERIES : National Security Files: Robert W. Komer

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

ORIGINATOR : NUFK

FROM

TO :

TITLE : John F. Kennedy document Control Record

DATE : 5/17/1961

PAGES : X2

SUBJECTS :

DOCUMENT TYPE :

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000

OPENING CRITERIA

COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 447: Vietnam 1961-1963. Box 4.

49061

DocId: 32628712

Page

1

---

## Page 2

SEE SANTIDEO VERSION NI. O9IZIE 109

M. Komer SECRET

• May 17, 1961

MEMORANDUM FOR MB. ROSTOW

SUBJECT:

Meeting of the

Viet Nam Task Force on

Monday, May 15, 1961

After briefings on the military and political situation

in Viet Nan and surrounding areas in Southeest Asia, Mr. Cottrell

summarized actions taken over the weekend, referring to a

series of outgoing and incoming telegrams.

These covered the

foltowing natters:

The establishment of the Task Porce in Washington

and a request to the Ambassador in Saigon to forn a

simllar fasts lorce there.

A message to Saigon containing the substance of

is Action lemorandan ile. 5a and indicatind that those

actions would be reviewed further at an NSC meeting on

Hay 19.

1718/61

A message to Salgon summarizing the substance of

the task Force report for the field advising that the

report itself would be pouched.

A message to Saigon indicating that the JCS was

making the study called for by paragraph 4 of the Action

Memorandum (relating to comuitnent of U. S. forces).

patch®

The Secretary of State had authorized the dis-

1 of 93 additionaL hAnd personal fron dark air

Force Base in the Philippines to Saigon.

I asked whethor the status of the Task Force report had

been clearly indicated in sending it to the field.

veloped that the status had not been indicated in the messages

en thatsto 14 cho 20

and I was asked to prepare a brief statement of the points

thst needed to be made for inclusion in a subsequent message.

In connection with the reference to NSC discussion of the

Aotion Memorandun, Mir. Gottrell asked that agencies make known

at the Wednesday meeting of the Task Force any views they pian

(I subaequently euphasized to

Mr. Cottrell the fact that this Memorandum was being scheduled

on the agenda for information and that it was intended that

the Memorandun

should stand and that there would be no dis-

cussion of it in the NSC unless an agency had a serious point

that it wished to argue in front of the Fresident.

ir. Cottrell

agrecd to

make this point to Defense and at the beginning of

Hodnesday's Task Force meeting)

• 1*

SECRET

HH 49061 DocId: 32628712 Page 2

---

## Page 3

SEGBET

Mr. Cottrell referred to the fact that it was planned to

add an additional individual to the Public Relations Staff of

the Far Bast Bureau tolhandle pubiic relations on Viet Nam;

that is, to put out information on south viet lam and to be

available to answer questions

In responae to a question,

Mr. Cottroll indicated that there would be no connection be

tween this public relations man and the task force.

Mr. Cottrell also noted that this Task Force would be running

the Viet Nan desk, although the forner Assistant Desk Officer

would now be naned the Desk Officer and would handle routine

matters.

Mr. Cottrell asked me whether the planned weekly

status report should not be so timed that it could be

scheduled on a Friday NSC agenda. He also noted that a

separate status report ould be propared on covert activities

and transmitted to the NSC. I pointed out that there was no

established meeting time for the NSC and that, therefore, it

would be difficult to relate work on the report to lse

meetings.

I indioated that I would check on the matter of

scheduling such reports on isc agendas.

(This natter sub-

sequently taken up with you and with fr. Bundy.)

A question was raised as to whether portions of the Task

Force report could be downgraded or de-classified.

I pointed

out that me ordinarily proceeded, in handling list documents.

having primary respoasibility

should make determination as to the classification of a

particular item in an NSC document and had the authority to

doingrade or de-classify as necessary in the course of in

plementation.

Reference was made to the fact that a meeting was

scheduled in the White House on Thursday (under Hr. Dutton's

leadership) to discuas the fate of Project Hope".

Although

this hospital ship la supposed to be a private enterprise,

the

Government (ICA) has been picking up the tab for some time.

It is said to have considerable publio relations value, but

there is considerable doubt as to unether it makos econonio

sense - it costa $5,000 a day to operate the ship.

It was

the consensus of the meeting that, in view of the

preparations

that had been made to receive the

ship in Saigon, it would

not be desirable to

cancel the stop in Saigon, although, if

necessary, it could be kept short.

Robert M. Johnson

Co:

hire

Smith

yir.

Komer

- 2-

SECRET

HW 49061 DocId:32628712 Page 3

---