62. Letter From the Commander in Chief, Pacific’s Chief of Staff (Riley) to the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam (Williams)1
Meanwhile, here are my reactions.2 The case in Greece was somewhat different than that in Vietnam, in that the U.S. was quarterbacking the show and was, in effect, the behind-the-scenes director of the operation. So far as Quemoy is concerned, our role there has been strictly circumscribed by instructions from high Washington authority. Briefly, our people are there strictly in the role of advisors. They are specifically prohibited from engaging in direct combat operations. Under the circumstances, that is a very fine line [Page 180] to draw, but there it is. Naturally, they are exposed to all of the hazards of whatever action there may be on Quemoy at the time. But they have been enjoined repeatedly to refrain from direct participation in the operations.
To translate the instructions which were promulgated to our advisors on Quemoy to the situation with which you are faced in Vietnam would require an even finer line to be drawn, since, in essence, the action on Quemoy was defensive, whereas it would be difficult for your advisors to accompany their counterparts on anti-guerilla operations which are basically offensive, without “participating” in those operations. There should be no real difficulty so far as operational planning is concerned, but my guess is that our Washington superiors would frown upon direct participation in guerilla hunting.
I appreciate your position fully, and know the spot it puts you in when you are called upon for advice concerning operations your people cannot observe at first hand. I think that it is likely that we can get the necessary U.S. authority for you to have your people participate in operational planning, and perhaps even to accompany units in the field if there is some way we can throw a block at the direct participation which seems to be such a sensitive subject in Washington. If you can enlarge on that aspect a bit, I think perhaps we may be able to do some business. In any event, I hope to have an answer for you by the time I get to Saigon,3 but it would be helpful for me to have your views as to whether the “no direct participation” line can be held.
Sincerely,
- Source: Center of Military History, Williams Papers, Official Correspondence January–July 1959(54). Secret–Personal. Extracts. The omitted material includes discussion of Admiral Felt’s and Admiral Riley’s schedules, the Anderson Committee, U.S. policy in Laos, and the date of General Williams’ retirement.↩
- To the letter supra.↩
- No documentation regarding discussion of this issue during Admiral Riley’s visit to Saigon in May has been found.↩
- Printed from a copy which bears this typed signature.↩