Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXIX, Part 1, Korea

153. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Analysis (Enthoven) to Secretary of Defense McNamara¹

Washington, February 5, 1968.

SUBJECT

• Deployments to Korea (U)

This morning the Joint Staff requested my staff to coordinate on the movement of a Tactical Air Control Center (197 personnel) from CONUS to Korea. Thus far you have only approved deployment of 162² Air Force tactical aircraft and 13 search and rescue aircraft or about 4600 personnel. To support these forces, CINCPAC and PACAF are deploying substantial numbers of TDY support personnel. In total, the Air Staff estimates that approximately 9000 Air Force personnel have been ordered to Korea. Neither the Air Staff nor the Joint Staff know how accurate this figure is or what support units are included.

It is possible that CINCPAC is also deploying Army and Navy units and personnel that we are unaware of. It is unlikely that the numbers involved are large, but they may be difficult to withdraw when the Pueblo crisis is resolved.

I believe we should keep close rein on any additional deployments. The enclosed memorandum for the Secretaries of the Military Departments and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff states that no more personnel or units are to be deployed to Korea without your prior approval.³ This memorandum may cause some delays in deploying support units, but it is unlikely to have a serious impact on readiness. It will permit us to control the size of the buildup, preventing any unwarranted increase in deployed forces.

I recommend signature. OASD/ISA Mr. Steadman concurs.

Alain Enthoven

1. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSA/OASD/ISA Files: FRC 73 A 1250, Korea 370. Secret.
2. A handwritten note on the memorandum reads: “Excluding 14 recce and 6 ECW aircraft.”
3. Attached but not printed; McNamara signed the memorandum.