CONVERSATION WITH COLONEL ANDREW J. GOODPASTER, DR. JAMES KILLIAM AND DR. EDWIN LAND, 21 JUNE 1956

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP33-02415A000100070038-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 13, 2001
• Sequence Number: 38
• Publication Date: June 22, 1956
• Content Type: MFR

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD 22 June 1956
SUBJECT: Conversation with Colonel Andrew J. Goodpaster, Dr. James
Killian and Dr. Edwin Land, 21 June 1956
1. At Dr. Killian's request I accompanied him and Dr. Land to the
White House at noon on 21 June to brief Colonel Goodpaster on AQUATONE
and to discuss current operations with him. No one else was present.
Before the briefing was started, Colonel Goodpaster explained that he had
just returned from a meeting with the President at Walter Reed Hospital
and that the President had discussed AQUATONE with him. Colonel Good-
paster had with him the original copy of the memorandum entitled "AQUATONE
Operational Plans" dated 31 May (copy of which is attached) which had been
handed to him by the DCI and General Twining at the beginning of the month.
The President had read the paper and had made a longhand notation upon it.
His discussion of AQUATONE with Colonel Goodpaster had been related to
the paper.
2. Colonel Goodpaster stated that the President's views were as
follows:
the paper.
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a. In general, he approved the course of action recommended in
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5. The balance of the conversation was devoted to a rather full
briefing of Colonel Goodpaster and discussion of various phases of the
project primarily by Drs. Killian and Land. The main topics discussed
were the following:
a. Progress of equipment, with special emphasis on the shift
that has been made to the new (J-57 P-31) and more reliable engine and
on the extremely high quality photography obtained in recent flights in the
US with the A-1 and A-Z camera configurations.
b. Present enemy interception capability, the predictable
development of a higher attitude interception capability, and a consequent
urgency of making use of this reconnaissance system while a clear
advantage over interception still obtains.
c. Colonel Goodpaster's desire for periodic operational reports
when deep penetration missions are being conducted.
d. The whole question of the position to be taken by the U. S.
in the contingency of the loss of an aircraft over enemy territory. On
this point I explained that arrangements of a rather pedestrian sort were
being worked out with the Department of State and other interested parties.
Drs. Killian and Land suggested consideration of a much bolder action by
the U. S. involving admission that overflights were being conducted to guard
against surprise attack. It was left that we would think further about
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this matter and perhaps suggest several alternative courses of action
which would be discussed with someone in the Department of State and
among which a choice could be made on short notice.
RICHARD M. BISSELL, JR.
Project Director
Attachment:
Copy 6 of TS-143443 / B
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