MINUTES OF SPECIAL GROUP MEETING, 15 MARCH 1962

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001900120047-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 4, 2017
• Document Release Date: April 8, 2008
• Sequence Number: 47
• Publication Date: March 15, 1962
• Content Type: MFR

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MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD
SUBJECT: Minutes of Special Group Meeting, 15 March 1962
PRESENT: General Taylor, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Gilpatric and Mr. McCone
Dr. Scoville, of CIA, and Colonel Steakley and Major
Moran, of DOD, were also present..
1. Reconnaissance Projects
a. Defense Missions in Soviet Far East
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Projects CORVAIR, TEMPEST, RAMBLER, VALIANT and LARK were
all deferred because of the Foreign Ministers' meeting in Geneva.
The Group agreed that after Secretary Rusk's return, JCS officers
will check with Mr. Johnson as to whether or not these five missions
can then proceed. The Group authorized Mr. Johnson to act for it
in this regard.
b. Anti-Missile Mission, Kamchatka
Mr. McCone stated that the USIB had gone over this pro-
posed operation and decided not to authorize an overflight at this
time, but rather to discuss with the Special Group the possibility
of a peripheral flight, as presented to the Group at the 1 March
meeting.
After discussion, it was agreed that the peripheral mission
would be handled on the same basis as the five listed in a above.
Colonel Steakley and Dr. Scoville said that there is no
definite information on the deployment of SU-9's to this area,
although they mentioned a bit of collateral intelligence which
revealed the movement of certain support aircraft, which in other
situations are believed to have been identified with SU-9 deployment.
c. North Vietnam and China Missions
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Dr. Scoville gave the Group a summary of weather
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NSC review(s) completed.
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conditions encountered on the last two U-2 flights in these areas,
and the enemy reaction. It was noted that as soon as weather permits
the additional two North Vietnam flights, which have been authorized
by the Group, will be undertaken. The question of another South
China mission will await assessment of the results of the last one.
d. Satellites
The COMOR paper, which recommends the reinstatement of an
ARGON mission for May and later consideration of another one, was
approved.
Mr. Johnson raised the question of whether the continued
mounting of satellite reconnaissance missions is getting to the point
where it might lead to potential embarrassment of the U.S. Government.
In this connection, he cited the recent article in the British
publication Flight. The Group agreed with Mr. McCone's proposal
that it consider all the aspects of the problem, with emphasis on
the available evidence bearing on Soviet knowledge of these operations.
He undertook to have CIA pull this together by next week. General
Taylor said he was sure higher authority would welcome such an
assessment.
e. Anti-Missile Missile
Dr. Scoville gave the Group a summary of the indications
received from recent satellite photography bearing on Soviet develop-
ment of an anti-missile missile. He emphasized that the indications
are scanty and deductions from them are at best highly speculative.
omas A. Parrott
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NSC
Distribution
Mr. Johnson
Mr. Gilpatric
Mr. McCone
General Taylor
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