Office of the Historian

112. Telegram From the Commander, U.S. Taiwan Defense Command (Smoot) to the Commander in Chief, Pacific (Felt)0

Taipei, September 20, 1958, 5:30 p.m.

200930Z. Subj is protection of GRC offshore island airdrop missions. ChiCom reaction at night to CAF airdrops on Kinmen is increasing and [Page 241] has been deterred thus far by presence only of US all weather fighter acft in area. This now appears no longer a deterrent. Unodir [sic] I am establishing following rules of engagement policy effective immediately. US all weather fighters under control of GCI radar will provide night protection of CAF transport acft flying airdrop missions to Kinmen. Each transport will be considered the center of a vertical cylinder 20 miles in radius. As escort cylinder centers over airdrop target on any offshore island for which convoy escort is approved, that part of the base circle which would normally extend over mainland will be flattened so that any point on its periphery is 1/2 the distance between the GRC offshore island and mainland. Hostiles entering this moving cylinder at any altitude will be attacked. Alternative is to advise GRC that US will not protect airdrop missions. Alternative not acceptable.1

  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 218, JCS Records, 381 Formosa (11–8–48), Section 39. Secret; Operational Immediate. Received in Washington at 9:48 a.m. Repeated to JCS, CNO, CINCPACFLT, CINCPACAF, CINCUSARPAC, COMSEVENTHFLT, CTF 72, CTF 75, CTF 77, CHNAVSEC MAAG TAIWAN, MAG 11, and the Embassy in Taipei.↩
  2. Telegram 210026Z from ADMINO CINCPAC, September 20, directed Smoot to defer implementation of telegram 200930Z until it could be personally approved by Admiral Felt. (Ibid.) JCS telegram 948448, September 23, implicitly disapproved Smoot’s proposal; it stated that paragraph one of JCS telegram 947298 (Document 53) remained in effect and concluded: “Desire at this time avoid involvement US forces in direct action with ChiCom forces except in self-defense.” (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 218, JCS Records, 381 Formosa (11–8–48), Section 39; see Supplement)↩