Office of the Historian

439. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Special Assistant for Science and Technology (Wiesner) to the Presidentʼs Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kaysen)0

Washington, September 25, 1962.

SUBJECT

  • Cuban Blockade Contingency Planning

Planning Directive CINCLANT No. 118-621 contains no new authorizations or directives beyond those contained in the basic Cuban [Page 1090] Contingency Plans, all of which have been approved by the JCS. These plans are summarized in the attachment.

This planning directive was issued to:

(1)
focus subordinate commandersʼ attention on this contingency and the applicable portions of existing OPLANS.
(2)
inform coordinate commanders of the possibility of their having to provide forces to support such an operation.
(3)
tie together the paperwork and provide a basis for issuing a specific operation order for a Cuban blockade, if one should be ordered.2

Gerry

Attachment

CUBAN CONTINGENCY PLANS

I.
CINCLANT OPLAN 314-61 is the basic contingency plan for operations in Cuba. It provides for (1) simultaneous airborne and amphibious assault in the vicinity of Havana; (2) reinforcement of Guantanamo; (3) mop-up operations in eastern Cuba. The time schedule for this plan calls for the first U.S. landings on the 18th day after receipt of the order to execute.
II.
CINCLANT OPLAN 316-61 is the quick reaction plan for operations against Cuba. It uses the same forces as OPLAN 314-61 but commits them in increments. The airborne assault occurs 5 days after receipt of the order to execute; the amphibious assault occurs 3 days thereafter. Reaction time can be reduced to 2 days if advance warning permits pre-positioning of forces.
III.
CINCLANT OPLAN 312-62 provides for the fast application of U.S. air power to Cuba in time increments of 6, 12, and 24 hours from a no warning condition. Target priorities are: (1) aircraft, anti-aircraft and radar installations, and air fields; (2) selective disruption of communication and transportation facilities; (3) troops and armor concentration, artillery, and naval vessels.
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Cuba, General, 9/62. Top Secret.↩
  2. See Document 435.↩
  3. Wiesner added a handwritten note at the end that reads: “Capt. Shepard has read and concurs with this information.”↩