Office of the Historian

438. National Security Action Memorandum No. 2011

Washington, October 26, 1962.

TO

  • The Vice President
  • The Secretary of State
  • The Secretary of Defense
  • The Secretary of the Treasury
  • The Attorney General
  • The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • The Director of Central Intelligence
  • The Under Secretary of State
  • The Deputy Secretary of Defense
  • The Ambassador at Large
  • The Special Counsel to the President
  • The Acting Director, U.S. Information Agency
  • The Director, National Security Agency
  • The Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • Chairman, Federal Communications Commission
  • Administrator, Federal Aviation Agency
  • Administrator, General Services Administration
  • Director, Office of Emergency Planning
  • Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs)
  • The Counselor of the Department of State

SUBJECT

  • Establishment of Subcommittee on Communications

There is hereby established a Subcommittee on Communications of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council. It shall be the responsibility of this subcommittee, under the direction of the Executive Committee, to ensure the establishment of a national communications system which will make the worldwide communications available to the United States Government as prompt, reliable, and secure as possible. The President has designated William H. Orrick, Jr., Deputy Under Secretary of State for Administration, to be Chairman of this subcommittee. Mr. Orrick will take whatever action is necessary to eliminate deficiencies which presently exist. He will look to all agencies for prompt and immediate support. He will have as Vice Chairman an officer designated by the Secretary of Defense, who shall be the representative of the Department of Defense, who has undertaken to give particular support to the pursuit of this objective.

In this task, Mr. Orrick should consult with and secure the cooperation of other departments, agencies, and the public sector as appropriate, [Page 997] drawing to the extent necessary upon the work done by the Emergency Planning Committee under NSAM 127.2 By copy of this memorandum, other agencies are instructed to cooperate with Mr. Orrick in this mission to the fullest extent. If Mr. Orrick encounters difficulties or resistance, he will report at once to the President.

McGeorge Bundy
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, S/S-NSC Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM 201. Confidential.↩
  2. Not printed. (Ibid.)↩