168. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam1
1840. Subject to consultations described below, it has been decided2 to proceed to land at once MEB command and control element, surface BLT, and one helicopter squadron, and thereafter build up by air and surface movement Marine force by adding second BLT, all in Da Nang area, under terms of reference as indicated in MACV recommendation,3 with primary mission of providing security for Da Nang airfield. Execute order will await following consultations.
You should consult urgently with Quat, describing proposed deployment and its purposes, and seek his approval and ascertain whether he sees any serious problem. If Quat approves, believe we should also have full understanding and acceptance of Minister of Defense, Chief of Staff, and perhaps most important Thi as Corps commander. All should clearly understand mission, and arrangements with military and particularly Thi should clearly provide for cooperation with local military, leaving them in no doubt this is deployment for a limited purpose and that GVN must continue have full responsibility in pacification program.
Since, assuming GVN concurrence all levels, this will be first US ground deployment of such a unit, request your recommendation as to timing of deployment and form of announcement. Reference to general security duties seems to us best approach, since we do not wish on one hand to give impression pacification mission or on other hand to indicate we alarmed over DaNang security.
We are considering further recommendations for Composite Marine Air Group, third BLT, and remaining elements of tailored MEB, but are deferring decision on these for present.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Repeated to CINCPAC. Drafted by William Bundy and approved by Rusk.1↩
- See Document 170.↩
- See Document 155.↩