Office of the Historian

438. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Thailand0

Washington, May 12, 1962, 9:10 p.m.

1742. Eyes only for Young and Harkins and Brown and Thompson and Nolting. Joint State-Defense message.

1.
General Harkins proceeding immediately to Bangkok. You should seek on most urgent basis appointment (you and Harkins) with Sarit.
2.

Request from Sarit permission to land and deploy in Thailand following U.S. troops with mission as indicated:1

(a)
Offload Valley ForgeBLT and helos Bangkok and move to Udorn.
(b)
Move one Marine attack squadron to Udorn.
(c)
Move Battle Group (minus) 27th Inf to Ubon.
(d)
Reinforce Battle Group (minus) to self-contained unit strength.
(e)
Reinforce 9th Logistic Command Unit now at Korat as necessary to support operations of Battle Group Reinforced.
(f)
Move one USAF Tactical Air Squadron plus necessary supporting units to Thailand, exact location at your discretion provided satisfactory to RTG.
(g)
Move CJTF-116 and necessary elements his staff, his component commanders and their staffs to Thailand. Assign all US combat units Thailand to his operational control

Interim mission forces concerned is to give clear indication US intentions carry out commitments assist in defense Thailand, precautionary impact these actions on situation in Laos, and to position US forces for faster reaction time for possible further actions subject to future decisions.

3.
Inform Sarit appointment Harkins as over-all commander US forces Thailand (COMUSMACTHAI) in addition, present duties as COMUSMACV. Task Force 116 (Richardson) and CHJUSMAG (Johnson) report direct to Harkins.
4.
Seek assurances from Sarit of Thai cooperation and specifically facilities support such as use their airfields, port facilities, rail and road communication nets as required.
5.
Discuss with Sarit possible additional Thai force deployments along Lao border and advise what he proposes.
Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 792.5/5–1262. Top Secret; Niact. Drafted by Koren; cleared by Harriman, McNamara, and Forrestal; and approved, by Rush. Repeated priority to Moscow and niact to Vientiane, CINCPAC, and Saigon.↩
  2. In JCS telegram 4527 to CINCPAC, May 12, Admiral Felt was sent these instructions with the proviso that they were contingent on the conclusion of necessary diplomatic arrangements. No forces were to enter Thailand until that diplomatic clearance was obtained. (Ibid., 751J.00/5–1362, and OSD Historical Office, Secretary of Defense’s Cable File, Thailand 1962) See also Document 437.↩