Office of the Historian

66. Memorandum for the Record by the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Rountree)1

Washington, February 7, 1957.

General Fox called to see me on February 7 on instructions from Mr. Gray. He said the Joint Chiefs of Staff had recommended that “Operation Stockpile” as it relates to 24 F–86’s for possible future delivery to Israel should be cancelled unless the Department of State felt that this would be unwise in present circumstances. He said the JCS wished to release the equipment for other priority needs.

I recalled that part of the operation relating to a shipload of military equipment for possible use of Egypt had already been cancelled. I said that while I believed in present circumstances the Department would agree with the JCS’ recommendation, I wished to confirm this with the Secretary in view of the latter’s personal interest in the matter.

[Page 106]

Later, on February 7, I talked personally with the Secretary who agreed that the operation might be cancelled. I have conveyed this information to General Fox. The matter will be confirmed in an exchange of letters between Defense and State.2

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784A.5622/2–757. Top Secret; Eyes Only.↩
  2. In a letter to General Fox dated February 19, Rountree confirmed that the Department of State had no objection to the termination of “Operation Stockpile”. Rountree’s letter also noted that the supplies and equipment assembled to support the plan were urgently needed to fulfill other requirements. (Ibid., 700.56/2–857)↩