MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD FROM MARSHALL S. CARTER

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP80B01676R001400030010-5
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
2
Document Creation Date: 
December 14, 2016
Document Release Date: 
February 13, 2003
Sequence Number: 
10
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
April 5, 1965
Content Type: 
MFR
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PDF icon CIA-RDP80B01676R001400030010-5.pdf85.91 KB
Body: 
Approved Fo*lease 2003/04 4 RDP80B016-*01400030010-5 1 upf- ~. "C~ 25X1 5 April 1965 MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD 1. On Friday afternoon, 2 April, at my request, I met with the Honorable Robert Murphy. During the course of the conversation, Mr. Murphy asked me what I knew about Mr. McCone's plans and a replacement for him. I told Mr. Murphy that I knew Mr. McCone would be leaving very shortly and that, to the best of my knowledge, no replacement had yet been selected. I told him that I had been Acting Director for an appreciable part of the time during the past three years, and that there would really be no problem in maintaining continuity if a Director was not selected prior to Mr. McCone's departure although this would create a sizable morale problem within the Agency because of uncertainties, and certainly would present the President with more problems than it would solve. I told him that I had made my position abundantly clear to Mr. McCone and to others (specifi- cally Mr. McGeorge Bundy) that it would be a grave error to put a military man in as Director, either retired or active, regardless of his competence and regardless of his stature. I told him that the Agency was more than 17 years old and that if it had not by now developed an in-house competence to provide a Director from its own resources, then they had best close up the place and turn it back to the Indians. I told him that there was within the Agency a competence for the position greater than in any of the names I had heard mentioned from outside. I told him that if the President had to have a name which would light up public lights, then the Agency would certainly be prepared to fall in line and support this selection, and live with it regardless of the competence of the individual chosen. I reiterated, however, that any selection from the Washington community (unless it were of the stature of Cy Vance or George Ball or McGeorge Bundy) would be a disaster, and particularly if it were someone who had been formerly employed by the CIA or the FBI or the military services. Upon questioning, I stated that there were at least three people in the Agency whom I 25X Approved For Release 2003/04/29 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001400030010-5 Approved Fo9lease 2003/04/29 CIA-RDP80B0167~01400030010-5 considered qualified to perform the job in an outstanding manner and for whom I would be perfectly prepared to stay on as Deputy for as long as they might wish. Specifically, I listed Mr. Kirk- patrick, Mr. Helms, and Mr. Bross. 2. Mr. Murphy commented that Mr. Kirkpatrick had probably been around the world more times as Inspector General of the Agency for eight years than any other officer in the Agency, and had probably visited more Stations and Bases on these trips than anyone in the entire history of the Agency. 3. There was no substantive discussion of qualifications of any of the officers mentioned, nor did Mr. Murphy express any views other than as indicated. He did, however, seem to be sympathetic to the proposition that the selection criteria enumer- ated above were the best in the long run for the Agency and the national interest. Marshall Carter Lieutenant General, USA Deputy Director 25X1 25X1 25X1 Approved For Release 2003/04/29 : CIA-RDP80BO1676R001400030010-5