505. NSC Executive Committee record of action, November 71
1. Deputy Director Carter summarized the current intelligence, reporting that three ships have loaded seventeen Soviet missiles, eleven of which are on two ships on the high sea. Secretary McNamara added that we are obtaining pictures of these missiles which will give us very strong evidence of their removal.
[Typeset Page 1378]2. The Defense Department was authorized to state publicly that arrangements are being made for the U.S. Navy to check the Soviet missiles which Russia has announced are being shipped out.
3. Secretary McNamara reported there was no reaction to today’s aerial reconnaissance missions. Authorization was given for tomorrow’s missions comprising five U–2 flights, if weather permits, and twelve low-level flights, some to photograph cave areas.
4. The President asked for a description of the kind of continuing surveillance required for our protection after offensive weapons are withdrawn, with and without some on-the-ground inspection.
5. There was a discussion of our response if one of our surveillance planes is shot at or destroyed. A Defense Department paper was circulated and General Taylor summarized the views of the Joint Chiefs.
6. The President asked for a list of actions we can take to keep pressure on Castro without a quarantine which halts Soviet ships at sea.
7. There was a general discussion of unresolved issues, including future U.S. aerial reconnaissance and the importance of the removal of the IL–28 bombers in relation to any broader negotiations with the USSR.
- Current intelligence; Naval checking of Soviet ships; reconnaissance missions; surveillance; unresolved issues. Top Secret. 1 p. Kennedy Library, NSF, Executive Committee, Meetings, Vol. II, 17–24.↩