59. Letter From the Director of the Office of Southeast Asian Affairs (Kocher) to the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow)1
Dear Durby: You are probably aware through MAAG channels that the question of replacement of Viet-Nam’s F8F aircraft is at a standstill in Washington. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Shuff is opposed to the replacement of the F8F’s by AD–4’s, apparently on the grounds that the F8F’s can be kept operable for a while longer by one means or another and that, by the time replacements are needed, our attitude toward the Geneva Agreements will probably have evolved to the point that jets can be furnished.
We have been keeping in close touch with Defense at staff level on this question. We understand from Defense that the Air Force is looking into the matter of spare parts for the F8F’s. The Air Force had been taking the view that spares were unavailable for the F8F’s, but the JCS recommendation2 (on which Shuff has held up action) that the F8F’s be replaced by a Navy plane (AD–4’s) rather than an Air Force plane has apparently caused the Air Force to have second thoughts about the possibility of keeping the F8F’s in operating condition. It has not, however, been possible to date for us to get any definite information from Defense as to how long the F8F’s could be kept operable.
Our reconsideration of the U.S. position toward the ICC and the Geneva Agreements has also introduced a complicating element into this question of the replacement of Viet-Nam’s F8F’s. If dissolution of the ICC or removal of Article 17 of the Viet-Nam Cease-Fire Agreement from the ICC’s jurisdiction through one of the methods suggested in Saigon’s Telegram 15193 should occur in the foreseeable future, then we assume that it would become desirable to consider replacing the F8F’s with jets rather than another propeller-type aircraft. Until consultations with the GVN and perhaps other countries on the future of ICC Viet-Nam have proceeded further, it does not seem possible to arrive at a judgment as to the timing of any change in the status of the ICC. For this reason we have not to date made any effort at high levels to obtain a reversal of Shuff’s position on replacement of the F8F’s by AD–4’s.
Because of the Shuff position Defense has cancelled its previous tentative programming of FY’59 MAP funds for replacement aircraft for Viet-Nam. When a decision has been reached on desired type [Page 176] and timing of the replacement aircraft, we shall make a strong effort to have either FY’59 or FY’60 MAP funds programmed for this purpose.
We would welcome any views or comments you may have on this subject.4
Best regards.
Sincerely yours,
- Source: Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, Jet Aircraft. Secret; Official–Informal. Drafted by Mendenhall and cleared by Jenkins.↩
- See Document 53.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 54.↩
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Durbrow commented in a letter to Kocher, April 3, as follows:
“As to the matter of F8F’s versus AD–4’s, General Williams informs me that according to his Air Section the AD–4 is better adapted to do the sort of job that needs to be done here. Moreover, it appears that one scheme for getting spare parts for the ‘obsolete’ F8F’s is to cannibalize those being replaced by jets in Thailand.
“You can imagine what President Diem’s reaction would be if he heard about this ‘junk pile’ operation. Under the circumstances, and based on the best advice I can get here, there seems to be no doubt that we should replace the F8F’s with AD–4’s. As far as I can determine, the main reason for resisting such replacement arises from the pettiest sort of inter-service rivalry and Shuff’s views that ‘shortly’ we can forget about the Geneva Accords. Even if we can by-pass or ignore the Accords in a year or so (which I very much doubt), we think the more up-to-date AD–4 prop job is better suited to the type of military operations contemplated here.” (Department of State, Vietnam Working Group Files: Lot 66 D 193, Jet Aircraft)
Durbrow wrote the following postscript on this letter: “P.S. General Williams concurs with foregoing. E.D.”
↩ - Printed from a copy which bears this typed signature.↩