339. Editorial Note
On June 8, 1965, Department of State Spokesman Robert J. McCloskey acknowledged, in response to questions from reporters, that U.S. forces in South Vietnam “would be available for combat support together with the Vietnamese forces as and when necessary.” (The Washington Post, June 10, 1965) McCloskey’s statement followed a joint State-Defense message to Saigon, June 5, which reconfirmed General Westmoreland’s authority to commit U.S. ground forces to combat support operations:
“This is to confirm your understanding that COMUSMACV has the authority to authorize commitment US ground forces to action in combat support on the basis of operational coordination and cooperation with RVNAF.” (Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S)
On June 9 The Washington Post ran a lead story, based upon McCloskey’s statement, which observed that a new phase in the Vietnamese war had been signaled with the announcement that United States ground forces could be used in a combat role in South Vietnam.
The White House issued a statement on June 9 that indicated that there had been no change in the mission of United States ground combat units in Vietnam:
“The primary mission of these troops is to secure and safeguard important military installations like the air base at Danang. They have the associated mission of active patrolling and securing action in and near the areas thus safeguarded. If help is requested by appropriate Vietnamese commanders, General Westmoreland also has authority within the assigned mission to employ these troops in support of Vietnamese forces faced with aggressive attack when other effective reserves are not available and when, in his judgement, the general military situation urgently requires it.” (American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1965, page 872)
The text of the statement was conveyed to Saigon in circular telegram 2470, June 9. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S) Secretary of State Rusk, interviewed on the NBC “Today” program on June 9, said that, while United States forces had been sent to Vietnam to defend certain installations, “obviously, we do not expect these men to sit there like hypnotized rabbits waiting for the Viet Cong to strike.” (The Washington Post, June 10, 1965)