127. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos1
193. Vientiane’s 337 and 338.2 We agree with your assessment of importance SAR operations, that Air America pilots can play critically important role, and that SAR efforts should not discriminate between rescuing Americans, Thais and Lao. You are also hereby granted as requested discretionary authority to use AA pilots in T–28’s for SAR operations when you consider this indispensable to success of operation and with understanding that you will seek advance Washington authorization wherever situation permits.
At same time, we believe time has come to review scope and control arrangements for T–28 operations extending into future. Such a review is especially indicated view fact that these operations more or less automatically impose demands for use of US personnel in SAR operations. Moreover, increase AA capability clearly means possibilities of loss somewhat increased, and each loss with accompanying SAR operations involves chance of escalation from one action to another in ways that may not be desirable in wider picture. On other side, we naturally recognize T–28 operations are vital both for their military and psychological effects in Laos and as negotiating card in support of Souvanna’s position. Request your view whether balance of above factors would call for some reduction in scale of operations and/or dropping of some of better-defended targets. (Possible extension T–28 operations to Panhandle would be separate issue and will be covered by septel.3)
On control problem, our understanding is that Thai pilots fly missions strictly controlled by your Air Command Center with AIRA in effective control, but that this not true of Lao pilots. We have impression latter not really under any kind of firm control.
Request your evaluation and recommendations as to future scope T–28 operations and your comments as to whether our impressions present control structure correct and whether steps could be taken to tighten this.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS. Top Secret; Priority; Limdis. Drafted by Green and Trueheart, cleared by McNaughton in draft and with McGeorge Bundy, and approved by Rusk. Repeated to CINCPAC.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 124 and Document 125, respectively.↩
- Telegram 197 to Vientiane, August 28, in which the Department requested the Embassy’s appraisal of Royal Lao Government reaction to the use of RLAF T–28’s in the Laos panhandle and for a detailed targeting plan for both the RLAF and Yankee Teams. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 LAOS)↩