358. Editorial Note
A luncheon meeting held at the White House on April 23, 1968, from 2:15 to 3 p.m. with President Johnson, Secretary Rusk, Secretary of Defense Clark Clifford, General Wheeler, Director Helms, George Christian, and notetaker Tom Johnson attending, discussed Vietnam. As part of these deliberations, the question of operations in base 607 in Laos was discussed. According to Tom Johnson’s notes, the discussion on the proposed operation into Laos went as follows:
“The problem of entering base area 607 in Laos was discussed.
“Secretary Rusk: I would send indigenous forces in with U.S. advisers. Our Ambassador (Sullivan) has great problems with this. We should limit this to ‘Ashau Valley fighting.’
“General Wheeler: Westy wants to put one battalion in for 3–5 days. We will call it the Ashau Valley operation.
“Director Helms: All you have are primitive tribesmen in the area.
“General Wheeler: Ambassador Sullivan is worried about three sites for Air America flights being knocked out. We have a plan to hit Route 7 up to the 20th parallel.
“The President: Let’s get the Defense supplemental up, together with other items.” (Johnson Library, Tom Johnson Meeting Notes, 4/23/68)