466. Notes from transcripts of JCS meetings, October 311
NOTES TAKEN FROM TRANSCRIPTS OF MEETINGS OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 1962, DEALING WITH THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS (Handwritten notes were made in 1976 and typed in 1993.)
CJCS: Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Maxwell D. Taylor, USA.
CSA: Chief of Staff, Army. General Earle G. Wheeler.
CSAF: Chief of Staff, Air Force. General Curtis E. LeMay.
CNO: Chief of Naval Operations. Admiral George W. Anderson, Jr.
CMC: Commandant, Marine Corps. General David M. Shoup.
CONAD: Continental Air Defense
DIA: Defense Intelligence Agency
DJS: Director, Joint Staff
LANT: Atlantic
NORAD: North American Air Defense
OAS: Organization of American States
RCT: Regimental Combat Team
SAM: Surface-to-Air Missile
TAC: Tactical Air Command
[Facsimile Page 2]Wednesday, 31 October
JCS meeting at 0900:
DIA briefing on photo readout: Construction continues in at least two launching sites, and extreme effort is being extended on extensive camouflage.
[Typeset Page 1300]CJCS tables State Dept’s draft instructions to the UN delegation about verifying missiles’ withdrawal, then leaves for White House meeting.
JCS were particularly disturbed that State’s draft had no provision for follow-on guarantees against the reintroduction of offensive weapons. JCS telephoned this to CJCS at the White House. When CJCS returned, he said additions probably would be made. (Note: Msg, SecState 1147 to USUN, 31 Oct, was amended by Msg. SecState 1153 to USUN, 31 Oct)
CJCS also said the President had agreed to resume reconnaissance flights on 1 November. (Note: Flights had been suspended during UN Secretary General U Thant’s visit to Cuba on 30–31 October.)
- DIA briefing on latest photographs; State instructions for UN negotiations; reconnaissance flights over Cuba. Secret. 2 pp. DOD, Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Office of Joint History.↩