Office of the Historian

102. Memorandum From William Odom of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Aaron)1

Washington, May 18, 1978

SUBJECT

  • Charles Duncan’s Revised Information on Combined Operations in Zaire

Charles Duncan called me at 11:00 a.m. today to update his last word to Dr. Brzezinski a short time ago2 and to make some other points:

—First, the refueling personnel on the ground in Kamina will remain tomorrow night due to Belgian requirements that Duncan was not aware of an hour ago. He wants to amend his report to specify that 11 American personnel will remain through tomorrow night. We were speaking on an open line, and I am not aware of the details of the Brzezinski/Duncan conversation; therefore, precisely what 11 additional Americans on the ground means is not clear to me.

—Second, General Huyser reports that:

(1) The French and Belgians are endeavoring to set up a combined command;

(2) The French intend to stay in Kolwezi longer than required simply to rescue Europeans;

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(3) The first group of aircraft lifting French forces are reportedly off the ground.

—Third, the French have only five DC–8s which are not configured for cargo transport. They also have 50 C–160s which are short range and unsatisfactory for the present operation.

—Fourth, if you still have questions, Duncan expects you to call him.

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, General Odom File, Box 61, Zaire: 5–8/78. Secret.↩
  2. No record of this conversation has been found.↩