436. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for Science and Technology (Wiesner) to President Kennedy1

RE

Your Directive Concerning Improvements in the U.S. World-wide Communications Capabilities

1.
At a meeting called by Mr. Bundy and Secretary McNamara, a National Communications Systems Working Group was created. The members are to be: W.H. Orrick, Jr., Department of State (Chairman); Admiral William Irvin, Department of Defense (Vice Chairman); [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] CIA; Dr. Irvin Stewart, OEP, Special Assistant to the President for Telecommunications; and Dr. David Robinson, OST Staff (Observer).
2.
The committee was given the following tasks:
a.
On the highest urgency make plans for correcting communication deficiencies to Latin America, with particular emphasis on the needs of CINCCARIB.
b.
Make a comprehensive survey of requirements of government agencies and a survey of available facilities.
c.
To plan an integrated national communications facility to meet these needs.
3.
A task force concerned with communications in the [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] area has made a preliminary survey of communications needs and additional facilities required to meet them for CINCCARIB and for general DOD, State and CIA communications to [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] countries and is attempting to do the following:
a.
Increase the circuit capability from the U.S. to Panama. Several techniques are being explored, including the crash installation of a tropospheric scatter system, additional commercial facilities and the expedition [Page 994] of a planned submarine cable to Panama. Because of CINCCARIB’s requirements, this project has the highest priority.
b.
Mr. McCone has directed augmented staffing of the CIA communications centers in Latin America. The CIA and DOD are undertaking to provide the necessary manpower.
c.
The State Department has prepared a resolution on communications, recommending that member states of the OAS cooperate to strengthen their communications capabilities by entering into bilateral and other arrangements. A draft copy of the resolution is being forwarded to our Ambassadors to Latin America with the request that they consult local governments regarding the resolution. It is hoped that the resolution could be acted upon in the very near future and pave the way for the introduction of additional communication equipment, particularly by the Department of Defense. A draft copy of the resolution and a circular for our Ambassadors is attached.2
d.
The Department of Defense has located equipment which can be air transported if needed once agreements permitting its use have been obtained.
e.
A survey is being made of the availability of additional commercial service to the U.S. embassies in the area.
4.
The National Communications Systems Working Group is beginning a review of U.S. Government requirements on a worldwide scale. In parallel they will also survey the existing facilities and attempt to plan needed corrective measures. It is hoped that a preliminary report will be available for Mr. McNamara and Mr. Bundy on Friday, October 26. The group has organized five regional subcommittees on Africa, Latin America, Europe, the Near East and South Asia, and the Far East and Pacific, with members from DOD, State Department and CIA. The assignment sheet for regional subcommittees is attached.3
5.
It is generally agreed the most serious deficiencies in the communications systems are lack of integration and the fact that the State-CIA net has not been planned to meet crisis loads. It is our understanding of the present assignment that the facilities are to be modified and augmented so that it will be adequate for peak loads. This will involve the introduction of additional equipment and staffs at numerous points around the world. We are proceeding on the understanding that this is your desire.

JB Wiesner
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, NSAM No. 201, Box 339. Secret.
  2. See Document 437.
  3. Not found.