Office of the Historian

242. Memorandum From Secretary of State Dulles to President Eisenhower1

Washington, December 1, 1955.

SUBJECT

  • “Operation Grayback”2

I have been fully briefed by the Air Force on “Operation Grayback”.3 It is my view that while I would not today start the operation in view of possible newer techniques, nevertheless the operation is already mounted at a cost of approximately $70,000,000, with personnel all over the world. The operation will probably produce intelligence data of considerable significance. Also, reasonable cover has been devised in that similar operations have, in fact, been conducted from a good many points in the United States and elsewhere, designed to obtain meteorological data. This cover will probably not fool the Soviets, but it will create a situation such that they cannot take any very great offense publicly.4

On balance, I would be inclined to go ahead with it if Sir Anthony Eden is also prepared to do so. While some operations will be started from Norway, Germany and Turkey, there is, I believe, primary dependence upon the British Isles.

I would suggest your authorizing me to advise Eden of the foregoing attitude on our part and see what his reaction is.5

JFD
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1955–60, 711.5261/12–1555. Top Secret.↩
  2. Formerly known as Project Genetrix. See Document 229.↩
  3. The Secretary of State received an Air Force briefing on Grayback on November 29. (Memorandum of conversation by Armstrong; National Archives, RG 59, INR Files: Lot 58 D 766, Genetrix)↩
  4. According to the memorandum of the November 29 briefing, the Air Force proposed to say that the balloons were part of a worldwide meteorological research survey that the U.S. Government had been conducting for years. (Ibid.)↩
  5. A handwritten note on the memorandum reads: “I concur C.E. Wilson O.K.” Below this note President Eisenhower wrote: “Original query to be of a non-pressure type. D.” Secretary Dulles wrote a December 1 letter to British Ambassador Sir Roger Makins in which he noted that he had discussed “Grayback” with the President who had asked him to notify Prime Minister Eden, through Makins, that he, the President, was disposed to let the operation proceed. He would, however, not take final action until he had Eden’s response. (Ibid., Central Files 1955–60, 711.5261/12–155) On December 3, Secretary Dulles informed Secretary of Defense Wilson that he had solicited Eden’s views and would let Wilson know of Eden’s response. He added: “I showed the President my memorandum with your concurrence with respect to ‘Grayback’. The President said that he was disposed to go along, provided Eden concurred. However, the President asked me, in putting it up to Eden, to make clear that the President was not trying to pressure him. I gathered that the President has not much enthusiasm for the project.” (Ibid., INR Files: Lot 61 D 67, Genetrix)↩