Office of the Historian

164. Telegram From the Commander, U.S. Taiwan Defense Command (Smoot) to the Chief of Naval Operations (Burke)0

Taipei, October 7, 1958, 6:05 p.m.

071005Z. Your 061951Z.1 Accordance your instruction have directed US ships resume normal patrol operations in Taiwan Straits. Ambassador is passing information contained in SecState 304 to GRC.2 This constitutes notification to GRC of action in re escort of convoy.

Separately however have reached agreement with Chinese Navy that our normal patrols in Straits can be arranged as to provide adequate protection for emergencies during this period of lull. Tiger [Wang and] Minister Yu Ta Wei not informed of foregoing by any US official as yet. Ambassador suggests that since Chinese Navy concurs as indicated above the better policy would be to allow the information reach Tiger and Minister Yu Ta Wei through their own channels.

New subject. In conference with Tiger was informed MND is making maximum effort get critical items on Kinmen redistribute forces regroup and recoup offshore island defenses using LSTs LSMs landing on beaches, objective is about 4 to 5 thousand tons a day including 8 inch Hows 155s ammunition food oil clothing. This is distinct change from President’s firm position that convoy plans would proceed using mobile loading as though ChiCom cease-fire had never occurred. Tiger did ask for use of LSD to transfer LCUs and LCMs to Kinmen for inter-island services. Unless otherwise directed therefore plan to have LSD make 1 night trip to within 12 miles discharge LCUs LCMs and return immediately. LSD will probably have to make 1 additional trip toward end of period to return these mobile craft to Taiwan under same conditions.

  1. Source: Department of State, FE Files: Lot 63 D 76, ComTaiwan Telegrams. Secret; Operational Immediate. Received at 7:39 a.m. Also sent to CINCPAC and repeated to COMSEVENTHFLT and CINCPACFLT.↩
  2. Document 160.↩
  3. Document 162.↩