Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume X, Cuba, January 1961–September 1962

408. Memorandum From the Secretary of Defenseʼs Military Assistant (Brown) to Secretary of Defense McNamara⁰

Washington, September 4, 1962.

SUBJECT

• Facts and Estimates Concerning Cuba

Attached for your information is a memorandum for the record of Captain Haddenʼs conversation with Secretary Rusk concerning Cuba,¹ together with a fact sheet on the SSN-2 Soviet missile corrected in pencil to agree with the NIE, and a fact sheet on the Komar boat.²

I am informed that in Oriente Province there is estimated to be approximately 40,000 organized military troops including regular and militia. In the immediate Guantanamo area there are estimated to be 7 battalions at a strength of 300-1,000 men per battalion. The troop strength in the Guantanamo area has varied since January 1962 from “a few hundred” up to 5,000-6,000. There are estimated to be 30-50 tanks and artillery of all types. There is a prepared antitank defensive line north of the Base which is being extended south to the west of the Base. There are many prepared artillery positions in the hills and in the rain forest to the east, north and west of the Base.

The current U.S. strength at Guantanamo is:

	Enlisted	Officer
Marine	754	36
Naval Ships Complement	1627	152
MCB4	437	11
Total	2818	199	—3017

A paper on capability of U.S. destroyer against the Komar boat³ should be in my hands by 5:30 this afternoon. I can give you the essentials of the paper briefly should you need them prior to that time.

GSB

0. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD (C) A Files: FRC 71 A 2896, Cuba 1962 (McN Working Papers). Top Secret. A stamped note on the source text indicates that McNamara saw the memorandum.
1. The attached memorandum by Captain M.A. Hadden, USN, recorded a conversation on September 3 in which Hadden briefed Rusk, at Ruskʼs request, concerning the defenses of the Guantanamo base. Rusk indicated that it might be wise to consider the desirability of reinforcing and augmenting the Guantanamo defenses. (Ibid.)
2. Reference is to NIE 85-2-62, Document 363. The fact sheets cited have not been found.
3. In a memorandum to McNamara, also dated September 4, General Benjamin T. Harris outlined the capabilities of U.S. destroyers if confronted in combat by the missile-equipped Komar class patrol boat being supplied to Cuba by the Soviet Union. Harris noted that the information was being provided in response to questions posed by President Kennedy. Briefly, Harris concluded that World War II vintage destroyers might be at a disadvantage in such a confrontation, but that with post-World War II destroyers with missile capability, “the outcome would be in our favor.” (Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD (C) Files:FRC 71 A 2896, Cuba 1962 (McN Working Papers))