138. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Atlantic (Dennison) to the Chief of Naval Operations (Burke)0
Norfolk, April 19,
1961, 2:01 a.m.
190701Z. Exclusive for Admiral Burke from Dennison.
- A.
- Your 190137Z.1
- B.
- My 190627Z.2
- 1.
- See Ref B to CTG 81.8 info JCS.
- 2.
- Evacuation of wounded is completely out of the question without overt involvement of US forces. Furthermore, I know of no haven in [Page 289] some place “inaccessible to news hawks.” Evacuation either by day or night is a fantastically unrealistic project unless I am permitted to put sufficient force ashore, with air and gunfire support from the sea, to provide a beach head. Alternative would be for CEF ships to bring wounded from beach to sea.
- Source: Naval Historical Center, Area Files, Bumpy Road Materials. Top Secret.↩
- Document 133.↩
- Document 137.↩