89. Memorandum of Conference with the President1
OTHERS PRESENT
- Secretaries McElroy and Quarles, General Twining, Chairman McCone, General White, General Loper, Colonel Harbour, Colonel Foster, Mr. Gordon Gray, General Goodpaster
The President referred to Dr. Fisk’s comment which seemed to question the advisability of holding another large shot at Eniwetok.
The group then turned to its main subject which was a proposal for the conduct of SAC exercises involving aircraft carrying the “sealed pit” weapons. A “briefing” was given by Colonel Harbour and Colonel Foster, the charts of which are attached.
During the discussion the President alluded to his proposal to put parallel runways on SAC bases, so as to increase the number of planes that could be gotten off on short notice. General Twining said a study is going forward, and Mr. McElroy said he is setting up a project on this.
The President indicated a generally favorable view of the SAC exercise proposal. Mr. McCone asked whether, during the ground alert phase, aircraft would be taking off carrying these weapons all over the country, and General White said they would. Mr. McCone then said the AEC is concerned about this, since even if the weapons are safe against nuclear detonation the accidental HE explosion would scatter plutonium; he would recommend that they take off only from Loring. Colonel Harbour indicated that some detonation might occur; decontamination would not, however, be difficult. He pointed out that there is much less HE in these new weapons than in the old ones. The President asked if the test could be made using aircraft without weapons loaded, and was informed that tests of this kind are constantly being conducted.
[Facsimile Page 2]The President then asked for a memorandum to which he might give his consideration. Mr. Quarles gave him one, requesting approval, but the President asked me to have the matter checked with the State Department. Subject to such a check he was generally agreeable to the proposal.
General White, General Loper and Colonels Harbour and Foster then left and the President discussed further the proposed test of a large weapon at Entiwetok. Mr. Quarles said that Defense is asking for this, [Typeset Page 300] since it is a more powerful weapon than we now have for our ballistic missiles. Defense would not press the matter, however, since it is an improvement not too high in priority or importance. Mr. McElroy also indicated Defense could give way on this. The President asked Mr. McCone to have work go forward constructing the weapon, and placing it in stockpile without making it the critical item in the stockpile. He did not think it was a good moment to conduct a large test in the Pacific. Mr. McElroy suggested building a modest number of weapons of this type.
Brigadier General, USA
- Source: Testing at Eniwetok; SAC exercises. Top Secret. 2 pp. Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, DDE Diaries. Drafted on August 29.↩