470. Memorandum of Decisions0
Document #1
Washington, October 11,
1962.
HONOLULU CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 8–9, 1962
The following decisions were made during the Conference
- 1.
- If the SEATELCOM contract is not signed by October 19 (expiration date for the current bids), the Country Team should bring the matter to the attention of State and DOD with recommendations on what should be done to expedite action.
- 2.
- We should bring the BPP to 7,000 in FY 1963, if possible. We should offer Sarit equipment for this increase as an inducement to get him to put up troop support. If the RTG is unable to pick up the troop support item, we should be prepared to do so through an AID transfer under MAP. This increase is important; we should give the CT maximum flexibility in negotiating with the RTG.
- 3.
- DOD will provide 28,000 M-1s or other suitable weapon to AID at low cost ($14 was suggested for the M-1) to arm the provincial police.
- 4.
- The following objectives should have top priority on total AID and MAP
resources:
- 1)
- Raising the BPP to 7,000 men.
- 2)
- Forming a well-equipped and well-trained provincial police.
- 3)
- Increasing and improving the VDC in both the provinces and villages as rapidly as politically feasible.
- 5.
- We will supply the equipment for an airborne battalion, psywar battalion, and an engineering unit, but the Thai must provide the personnel. They can establish new units or convert existing ones.
- 6.
- As a matter of principle, we will supply only equipment but not troop support to the Thai Armed Forces.
- 7.
- There was no $12.6 million Johnson commitment. This was merely a “misunderstanding.” Ambassador Young will clarify this matter with the RTG. We will give the Ambassador a “sweetener.”
- 8.
- We should take a given province and put down all we know about it. This should include the local security apparatus, and attitudes of the people. We should try to develop a set of techniques and programs to meet these vulnerabilities. Admiral Felt suggested Sakorn Nakorn Province as the example.
- 9.
- The Battle Group and the Tactical Air Units will remain in Thailand until the Laos situation is further clarified. Consultations will be held with Sarit on October 15 or shortly thereafter. When the Battle Group is removed we will then decide whether to leave the Tactical Air Unit behind.
- 10.
- Subject to RTG concurrence, we will pull out now a Cavalry Reconnaissance Unit of roughly 200 men subject for rotation on October 11. At the same time we will introduce about 200 Seabees under the logistics program.
- 11.
- Subject to later confirmation from Washington, we will leave in Thailand the equipment for the Cavalry Reconnaissance Unit.
- 12.
- The SLAT Program was approved subject to further discussions with the RTG to reach satisfactory arrangements on maintaining the floating crane. The new site for the Nakorn Phanom airfield was also approved.
- 13.
- State should advise Defense when and if the RTG should be filled in on our contingency planning for Laos, particularly on the possibility of integrating Thai forces into Plan 32–63.1