740.00119 Control (Korea)/5–449
The Secretary of Defense (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
Dear Mr. Secretary: On 29 April the Acting Secretary of the Army requested your concurrence in a plan to downgrade the security classification of the military withdrawal from Korea in order that necessary preliminary actions might begin on 1 May to insure the completion of the withdrawal by 30 June. The Department of State did not concur in the proposed Army action and implied that concurrence in the final withdrawal of our troops might be contingent upon the provision of certain additional vessels and equipment requested by Ambassador Muccio for the Korean Coast Guard. This additional requirement, which is not within the scope of the conclusions of NSC 8/2 “Position of the U.S. with Respect to Korea”,1 is a change from the position heretofore adopted by the Department of State in support of the Department of the Army plan for the withdrawal. The postponements by the Department of State in the past, of dates previously agreed to for the withdrawal, have already created serious logistical and budgetary problems. I am sure you share my concern over the unwarranted expense which will result from further delay and indecision in this matter.
In order that the Department of the Army can meet the 30 June 1949 withdrawal date prescribed in the conclusions of NSC 8/2, “Position of the U.S. with Respect to Korea”, it is Requested that you agree to the immediate downgrading of the withdrawal operation. Otherwise a subsequent downgrading date should be set with resultant withdrawal completion date being delayed beyond 30 June. In the latter event, it will be necessary for your Department to support such supplemental appropriations as may be necessary.
Sincerely yours,