126. Memorandum From Michael V. Forrestal of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)1

SUBJECT

  • Cambodia-Chantrea Incident

According to Bill Sullivan, Max Taylor has declined to send a message to Harkins following up the Chantrea incident to determine what steps are being taken to avoid this sort of thing in the future and asking some questions about the tactics used. I have not seen the message which was drafted in General Anthisʼs office for Taylor to sign, and I doubt if I can get ahold of a copy.

As the matter now stands, there has been no effective reaction from Washington on this matter. Probably State could get Defenseʼs concurrence [Page 295] to send a message simply saying that this sort of thing must not happen again, at least during the next few months; but all the Saigon experts tell me that this will have no effect on the field. If there is to be an effect, some sort of action has to be taken to bring home to the officers involved that this kind of mistake could affect their careers.

One handle we could use is to ask Taylor to pick up the statement at the end of Harkinsʼs long telegram describing the incident.2 Harkins said that the error in navigation was inexcusable and that the failure of the two officers involved to report the incident was being investigated. As a first step, could we at least ask Taylor to query Harkins on what action he has taken with respect to the Chantrea incident, and what action he proposes to take to prevent these incidents from happening in the future?

Mike
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of McGeorge Bundy, Luncheon Meetings with President, Vol. 1. Secret.
  2. Reference is to COMUSMACV telegram MAC J3 2154, March 21. (Department of State, Central Files, POL 32–1 CAMB–VIET S)