351. Telegram From the Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (Westmoreland) to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler)1

MACV 26.

1. General Duc just called and stated that he had understood that an individual whose name was unfamiliar to me wanted to speak to him. I told him that I did not know the individual or his whereabouts but I would talk with him. I asked if he had seen Colonel Nemethy recently and he replied in the negative. He said he was now at JGS Headquarters and had a few things to talk to General Khanh about tomorrow. I asked him the status of the situation. He was very vague in his reply. Then, in no uncertain terms, I informed him that MACV, the U.S. Mission, and the U.S. Government did not support in any way his move. I advised that he get his troops moved out of town immediately. He said he understood and thanked me. He seemed to be a shaky and insecure young man.

  1. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 319, HQDA Message Center, Reel 11925. Secret; Flash. Passed by the ICS to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the White House, and the Department of State. Also passed by other means to the Embassy in Saigon. Received in the National Military Communications Center at 3:30 p.m., September 13. No time or date of transmission appears on the source text.