Office of the Historian

90. Telegram From the Mission at Berlin to the Department of State0

Berlin, August 1, 1962, 11 p.m.

134. Paris also for USRO, Stoessel and McGuire. USAREUR for POLAD. SHAPE for US Element Live Oak. Ref: Berlin tel 120 Dept, sent Bonn 108, Paris 62.1 Following Soviet threat that helicopter might be shot down if it remained vicinity Karlshorst July 30, we were faced with question how to proceed with respect future flights. To abandon flights, which had been made for many years, seemed clearly unwise (as Bonn noted in Embtel 313 Dept).2 However, also recognized greatest discretion called for in choice and timing of flights. Safest course seemed to be to fly at an early time brief, innocuous flight at high altitude, and thereafter fly carefully spaced and controlled flights to maintain our right to do so and to fulfill at same time intelligence purposes. Brief flight of 13 minutes therefore flown today at altitudes above 1000 feet avoiding Karlshorst area. It was without incident. Press inquiries re possibility such flight having occurred have been answered with statement that routine helicopter flights took place (many normally occur each day over US Sector) but we do not divulge their routes. Pattern and character of future local flights being carefully considered and will be subject of separate message.3

Lightner
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 962.72/8–162. Secret; Priority. Also sent to Bonn and repeated to Paris, Moscow, London, USAREUR, USAFE, and SHAPE.↩
  2. Telegram 120 from Berlin, July 30, reported that the Soviet BASC controller had protested a U.S. helicopter flight over Karlshorst and had stated that if it returned, it would be shot down. (Ibid., 962.72/7–3062) Later that day Major General Watson, U.S. Commandant for Berlin, sent a letter to his Soviet counterpart vigorously protesting this threat. (Telegram 121 from Berlin, July 31; ibid., 962.72/7–3162)↩
  3. Telegram 313 from Bonn, July 31, agreed with the Mission at Berlin’s analysis that the Soviet threat introduced a new element of intimidation, but stressed that it should be viewed with caution since it could not be confirmed. (Ibid.)↩
  4. On August 2 the Department of State advised the Mission at Berlin that local flights were being reviewed by the Departments of State and Defense. Pending completion of the review, the JCS requested that flights over Soviet installations in East Berlin be suspended and that other flights into the Eastern sector be kept to the minimum consistent with operational requirements. (Telegram 115 to Berlin; ibid., 962.72/8–162)↩