Office of the Historian

J.C.S. Files

The Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (King) to the President 1

secret
FF1/A1–1
Washington, 7 September 1943.

Serial: 001900

Subject: Examination of Special Habbakuks as directed on Friday, 3 September 1943.

1.
I transmit herewith—as Enclosures—the report of the ad hoc Committee appointed on Friday, 3 September 1943, at a meeting in the White House with the President and Mr. Churchill.2
2.
A copy is enclosed for your reference to Mr. Churchill.
3.
I concur in the recommendations of the Committee.
E. J. King
[Enclosure]

Report of an Ad Hoc Committee Concerning Habbakuks

Memorandum for Admiral King

Subject: Habbakuk —Report of Ad Hoc Committee.

1.
The report of the Ad Hoc Committee appointed to investigate into the practicability and feasibility of providing floating seadromes or the equivalent thereof for certain operations in southeast Asia, is submitted herewith.3
2.
Recommendations of this committee are:
a.
That the British provide by target date, 1 February 1944, the CVE’s necessary for this operation.
b.
That, in case the British are unable to provide and man the necessary number of CVE’s by the target date, 1 February 1944, an overriding priority be assigned to eight British escort carriers scheduled for completion prior to 15 December 1943, and that these be manned, and equipped with necessary air squadrons, by the United States.
c.
That, in the latter case, and after the operation immediately contemplated, these carriers be employed, United States manned, to support operations in the Pacific scheduled for the late spring 1944, upon completion of which they would be taken over, manned, and operated by the British.
d.
That, to determine the practicability and effectiveness of the use of Habbakuk’s, one concrete barge Habbakuk be constructed by the British in India or elsewhere for trial.
John S. McCain
Ben Moreell
O. C. Badger
  1. Circulated under cover of a note by the Secretaries of the Combined Chiefs of Staff (Memorandum for Information No. 137), September 10, 1943.↩
  2. See ante, p. 1207.↩
  3. The full report of the ad hoc committee is not printed.↩