SPECIAL PRISONER OF WAR COMMITTEE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: August 2, 2010
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: April 3, 1970
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
~ CT1:Ul'~
*' 1~pril 3, 1'970
.M.~IvLUFtA.NI,~CiArI F~ fit. f'3A. KTS~tNG~~'Z
~?IwUM: J"c~hn .~~i. Holciridgea
~tJT:~3"EG'I': special Frisc~ner cif L~'a.r Gvrrxt~nitteee
S+~cxetary Laird hail-a seat yrsu a xxxemoraadurxa {'fats X3A ~x&~jectirn~ to the
e~,~ta+bxat~hr~t ~sf a special i~ris~c~ner e~f ~r~r ~c~~rattt~e vrithi~a tha ~'s"hits
House,. ~-ler wishes tc~ xnaintai~a. tha +sxisting r~.achinex~y and coordixsaticrn
proerdures far handling pr#aNaxaer of war matt~axs, and also Mill fs.vt~rs
his grt)froeal fc~r naming the Vide Prew~idant ae pr%ncipal au-thc,rity ova
ptelicy iss~,es. ire believes that the priir+~r~~rs issu-~ is sr~ crucial that
"~av~s will ne-od auth~arity and influence that c~-r~ only be supplia-d at the
hig:xest levaals of Go~rerx~ment'' to bring tnt>vezr~set-t axe. it.
`~eeretary Laird alms belf~sves that we should. press a3a~sad with detailed
planni~a.g for the 1?'residr~ntia-1 emissary on prisc~nesrs caf war, and that
this ixedividual shoutd be encaur~eged to proceed with his contact~l at the
~es-rlie~rt s. ~ s ~ ible date.
~t 7'ab ,~ is a exxsorandurx~ from you tcx Secretary Laird pointing oat
that the establiahsnent of the Special l'rison.sr cif mar ~s~mrnittree waa
r~eaciertaken as a result of they President's directive that such a body tae
argarciaead within the i~hite Hausa to focu~c upon the operatlc~nal s.sgecta
of the priaoan~er of wa.x prcablexn; this ixatenti~an, hc~w+ever, vsras not to suppla~it
ex~istitag machinery flat to vcrorl~ alr~ng with it. {,fit, Tab C is your merraa-
rantium to the Pre~sizlesnt on this subject for ref~-rarzce purpsasers.) The
xnemc~randum to Secretary T.,aird altev poinks nut that glan~dng activity
on the ~~residsatial axrsi,esary is gxoc:~redl~ag. It suggests th~-t if S~scr~atary
Laud's cDY~cerns ctvex` tho Spec~tal l~risc-n+er of ~'ar Corxxmitt?a remain,
he xnsay wish to cprxtmexnicats directly with the .president.
'That you sign the mexr~orandtxm to secretary Laird. at '7'ala .1~,.
A tta.,
NSS review completed.
~~
,T;E~H:pxrxh 4/3/7p
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
?
S KIT
~'~~ S~G~TAR'~ G~' T3~~"~1+75~
SC1:g3EG'Te Sp:eiai. Prtsaaar te'f Saar ;~-rre~:ittee
X hra~ yca~ar ersaezr~at?axad~axan Qt March 31 expre~serieag your appcaritive~ tt~
then creat#~~ ?t eel ~pactai ~ris~ax~er eat ~~ erx Cc~xx~itteee. Thee Crarrxittee
verse eeeteehl.ieelaee~3 at the- clireeclt behest c~~ thee .P'reeai~lea~-t aead lFefieects hf.r
eitr~rr~$ 1~elier~ that an act~re-arier~ted b?~y rh~ut~ hs creeatad v~rilhie'~ the"
hftee ~exerr to cieea~ with the pxiaae~eere ~~ ~rsx~ #aeettee? ]Et iee nok i-ataacia~i
that th3.e ~roap remit extsti~e ea.chieaar+y, bt~t ~atha~r tia-et f# c~~reei~a~r
axxri ct~taarciirrater xxaeaer~reis, tefc~th is t!-a arrert aa~ clax~edeeetiane field, vrhi~ch
ce.ra pat ~rreaeerrxxe oa 1-Iax~ai? It r~uautd th~-re ~raacle alrra-g with r~aistin~
xxsachiatry.
t cif cc~~ixee a~rpreecirAt e: khet coxreiciesx~stiax~a ai gric+rity a~ci policy diree~:tre
whic~e ya+~ heere a~xtli~aed. Ua. this ree~pect, ialueeari~;x+~ ie preeaer3tly wr~rteerwalr
az~ a prigritp barefer e~e~ the activ~tiee a~f thee ;'e~ee#dersetial, esuue.ie~tsszy an
~~i~s ~'~ ~~ ~~~r
~hr~~ld mar camerae al~a~xt the special ~rleaaer of ~a~r Goxxittee!
rexe~l.a, Ya'a ~.y verieh to ~a~w~icatee directly vrtth tho Px~eside~st oa
this ?~rbjevet.
teary A. :~issira~er
JHI.3:prx~h 4/3/70
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
~~
~, ~:~~
THE S~CR~.TARY OF l'~~F~NS~
WASf~fNGTON, D.C. 2a3a1
~ l~AR 1970
MEMORANDUM FqR THE' ASSISTANT' TO THE PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAt_ SECURITY
AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: Special Prisoner of War Committee
have your memorandum of March 2~+ regarding the establishment of a
specia9 prisoner of war committee. For a number of reasons, I am
opposed to creating such a mechanism at this time.
!n my memorandum to you dated 23 August l9bg, I reviewed some of the
recent history of the Government's handling of prisoner of war matters,
the way we are organized in the Department of Defense to handle PW
affairs, coordination with State, and so forth. My conclusion was
that, while our internal Defense and State working organizations and
relationships on prisoner matters seemed generally adequate, there
was a distinct need far palicy attention and direction at the highest
level. I recommended that the Vice President serve as principal
authority on palicy issues. I believe these judgments remain valid
today,
It is doubtful that our objectives in the pW field would be wets
served by the creation now of a formal intieragency group designed
to exercise guidance and control over the operational aspects of
prisoner of war affairs. Such operations can be effectively handled
by the existing machinery and through normal coordination.
It is my belief that the U.S. Government must assign the highest
priority to obtaining the release of aTl U.S. prisoners held by the
North Vietnamese, the Viet Cong, and the Pathet Lao, as well as a
complete accounting of those who are missing in action. Certainly
we must continue to stress the humanitarian requirements, including
the release of sick and injured prisoners, identification of men
held, and the free exchange of mail, However, the passage of time
dictates the need to press for the release of our men, some of whom
have now been prisoners for five and even six years in one case.
The pressing need, in my opinion, is for continuing palicy direction
on crucial major issues, which could not be supplied by the inter-
agency group contemplated in your memorandum, 1 have in mind the
need for decisions on such difficult questions as the relationship
of our PW efforts to the over-all Vietnamization program, to future
~ ~ ,. i.?
Soo Dr.~ Caret; I~ No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
&../ tv. 4.: A k L.. u
lJ5 farce levels in Vietnam, and to the priorities of the South
Vietnamese Government. !n mounting and carrying aut future
initiatives designed to bring real movement on the prisoner of
war issue, we will need authority and influence that can only
be supplied at the highest levels of Government.
Moreover, assuming the appointment of a special Emissary on the
prisoner question, planning for the Emissary's efforts will require
careful coordination at a high level. The Defense and State Depart-
...........
ments will, of course, be prepared to offer specific suggestions
regarding itinerary, contacts, and general approach, both public
and diplomatic, 1 believe we should press ahead now with detailed
planning for the Presidential Emissary, who should be encouraged
to proceed with his contacts at the earliest possible date.
As we,~ove ahead with additional troop redeployments from Southeast
Asia, the frustrations of the prisoners' families will increase.
This situation emphasizes the importance of proceeding with public
and private contacts by a personal representative of the President.
Such an endeavor will provide some measure of reassurance to the
families involved.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
~~
MEM?I~ANDUM
SECRET/SENSITIVE
MEMORANDUM ~'OR TIIE PRESIDENT
FROM: Henry A. Kissinger ~`~
SUBJECT: Special Prisoner of War Committee
ACTION
Maxch 13, 1,970
8003,
I have been considering various ways of setting z:p the action-oriented
team on prisoners of war which you wish to have established within the
White ~Iause, and believe that the mast effective and efficient way to.
accomplish this pu~?pose is to set up a committer--~ coznpased of xz`zemb~rs
of all Departments and A encies concerned with the POW issue to meet
regularly undex? the chaix~~fnanship of a mc~znber of n1y staff. In this way
White House direct .on catz be assured without th< administrative problems
connected with cre~.ting an entirely ne.w office within your staff, and new
ideas and concepts can be pLtt forward without ru~aning up against the
frequently stultifying inter- and intro-agency clearance process.
This corrixnittee, w~iich could came into e~istenc~: alai~ast immediately,
could be created by calling on each. of the Departments and Agencies now
concerned with PO~J' affairs to nominate one ar t~ua representatives,
depending an the extent to which it has been invo: ved in this particular
aspect o? our operations. For exarnple, DefensE might nominate two
people, one from tte office of the Special Assist..nt to the ,Taint Chiefs far
_.Counterinsurgency ~.nd Special Activities and onE from XSA; State one
individual who has ~ xperience in POW affairs; C: A one per son farr~iliar
with Southeast Asia 1 operations; and USIA one pE rsan with psychological
waxfare backgrounc. Support staff ~,vauld be supT~lied by the NBC.
The charter of the committee would be to funct9.a.i both in the avert and
clandestine field in all ways which could put pressure an T-Ianoi. Overtly,
it would assure that chard-hittinb series of statErn.ents on POWs is drafted
for the Paris talks, it ~vauld consider contacts w...th foreign governments
as appropriate, anc' it would coordinate efforts tr achieve inspections of
POW facilities, exchange o? mail and packages, release of Warne lists, and
release a? sick and wounded PO~GVs. This would, of course, be iz~ accordance
with cansultatior~s ~~xth State and Defense. On th~~ cla,n~l.~st~.nc: side, it vra~ild.
SEC RP~.T/ST:;NS:tZ'IV._{,
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
SECRET /SENSITIVE
undertake to exercise jurisdiction over the various efforts of CIA and
.Ararxxed Forces units to free our POWs. It might also see that contacts
are maintained crith "peace" groups which have opened up soxrs.e degree
of access to PO"Ts in North Viet-n.ax~. It wou:d propose and regulate
psychological operations of bath a "black" and overt r~.ature.
I have drafted a merzxorandum to the Secretaxies of State and Defense,
the Director of Central Intelligence and the Director of USIA (Tab A)
which. informs them of your decision to ixnplerrzent the plan described
above and directs them. to nazninate personnel..
RECOMMENDATIONS:
_.
That you approve the plan outlined above.
Approve _~ Disapprove
That you authori ae me to issue the memorandum at Tab A.
Approve~~~/ ;~/`, Disapprove
-~.----
SEC RET /SFNSIT C VE
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
~ ~
SECRET/SEITSITIVE
.March 24, 1970
THE SEGREZ'ARY OF STATE
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
TFIE DIRECTOR OF CENTx~tAL INTELLIGF,NCE
THE DIRECTOR, U. S. TN~~OR~~.TION AGENCY
SUI3JEGT: Special Prisoner of War Committee
1. The President bias decided that effoxts on beJialf of our prisoners
of war in 1~1'orth Vietnam, South Vietnam, and Laos might be made more
effective if an rote ragency comz-;~ittee is set up to exercise guidance and
control over all activities, both overt and cover:, which are undertaken
in connection with the POI issue. I-Ie has therEfare directed that a
Special Prisoner of ~Var Coxxxmittee be establisr ed under the chairn~.anship
of a xxzember of the: I~Tata.onal Security Council Staff, which will. xxleet
regularly for the purposes just described,
2. Each of the De,~axf:rnents and Agencies no~v concerned with POW affairs
should nominate representatives to serve on the Special PO~V Committee
-~ De artme:nt of Defense:
one from. ISA;
~,.
one xepresent~.tive from SALSA and=~~"-
Tr' ":. .
-- Depaxtx-nc.nt of State: one officer with experience in I?OW affairs;
~- CIA; one person familiar with Southea;,t Asian opexati.ons;
--- USIA: one person with psychological ~,v~.r?are backbraund.
3. The charter of the Special POW Comxnit:tee -rill be to considex? and
_.__--
supervise zneasurc.s, both irl the overt acid clone"estiz-~e field, which-sari
put pressuxe on H~.noi. Overtly, it will assuxe :hat a series of hard-hitti,_~b..
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1
SECRET /SF~:,NSITIVI
statezxients on FOGVs axe drafted for the Paris talks- i.t wzll consider --
contacts with foreign governments as appropriate, and it will coordinate
efforts tv achieve inspections of FO~V facilities, exchange of mail and
packages, release of naxxie lists, and release of sick and wvuncled POWs.
This will be in accordance with consultations with the Departments of
State and Defense. On the clandestine side, it will undertake to exercise
jurisdiction. over "he various efforts of CIA and Armed Farces. units to
free our POWs. It night also see that contacts axe maintained With "peace"
_ ..~ -
Vieups_ ~,~,f4~.ch have apened up some cle~ree of access ty POWs -xn-North-- _. _.
tnam. It will propose and regulate psycholc~bical operations of both a
e1black" and overt nature. _ ~_
4. Actual o~erat_ons agx.:e_ed upon by the Specir~_I POtiV Committee will be
carried out by thc. Dcpart~.nents or Agencies mast directly cori~cexnecl.
5. The suspense date for action on this directive is March 27, 1970,
He~iry A. Kissinger
SECRET /~: t;NSST[~,''~',
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/02 : LOC-HAK-5-1-3-1