July 23, 1952
MEMORANDUM OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
Participants: Secretary of Defense Lovett Mr. Acheson
The Secretary called Mr. Lovett this afternoon regarding the United Press report from Honolulu containing a statement by a spokesman for Admiral Radford describing a show of force by the United States Naval Air Units off the coast of China. The Secretary said that he had hoped to get to Lovett before the latter's press conference, in case this question arose. Mr. Lovett said that it had not come up in the conference.
The Secretary asked Mr. Lovett what this was about, and Mr. Lovett said that he did not know. The Secretary said that Radford's spokesman indicated that 100 jet planes were involved flying from a carrier task force. Mr. Lovett said that the maneuvers were the summer Seventh Fleet exercise which was publicized several weeks ago; this is taking place in waters between Formosa, Okinawa and Japan - outside, of course, the territorial waters.
The Secretary asked Mr. Lovett to let him read the ticker story and for Mr. Lovett to think about the reaction in the United Kingdom in the light of the commotion created by the Yalu power station bombings.
(The Secretary read the ticker to Mr. Lovett.)
After the Secretary read the ticker item, he inquired whether that treatment was a wise thing. Mr. Lovett implied that it was sophomoric-- just crazy. The Secretary said he thought it would be much more impressive if the maneuvers were carried out and nothing said about it. As it is now, we will have the British and other Allies after us, and probably receive a propaganda protest from the Chinese.
- 2 -
Mr. Lovett said he would get in touch immediately with Admiral Duncan, who is the Acting Chief of Naval Operations. He reiterated that the statement was a ridiculous, silly thing.
Mr. Acheson said that we were expecting some questions from the press as to whether we knew about this, and asked Mr. Lovett what we should say about it. The Secretary said that what we would like to do is to say that this is an ordinary maneuver; but the Navy has gone out if its way to make this difficult.
Mr. Lovett said he would talk with Duncan and have it toned down in case the Defense Department is asked about it. Mr. Lovett said he heard about it only in the corridor, and had not seen the ticker report. He thought it could be stated that the Navy was having the maneuvers and that these would tie in with the defense of Formosa. Mr. Acheson said he thought it would be desirable to say that these are ordinary training maneuvers, and all forces were operating with the President's directive regarding Formosa and the mission of the Seventh Fleet. If it was put on that basis, some very low pressure talk would be fine.
JK
S:JKitchen:mlm
HONOLULU - United Press -WCNS) - Carrier-based Navy jet fighter-bombers thundered close along the mainland coast of Communist China yesterday in a warning demonstration of U.S. Pacific Fleet air power, the Navy announced today.
A spokesman for Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Arthur W. Radford said at Pearl Harbor that about 100 American pilots flew "just outside" the three mile limit off China in a maneuver.
He said the demonstration was designed to "give the Communists something to think about."
It would show the Reds that the Navy could bomb the coastal cities of Amoy, Foochow and Swatow anytime without draining Korean Fleet power, the spokesman said.
Planes participating in the maneuver were launched by a carrier task force under the command of Rear Adm. Apollo Soucek which sailed into the Formosa Straits this week after a fast trip from Korean waters.
It was the first show of naval air power near Formosa since the Korean war began.
Radford's headquarters said the show "constitutes a forceful demonstration of American naval power in the Pacific."
The Navy announcement said the jet planes were within "easy range" of Communist radar installations on the China coast and may have been seen by citizen of the coastal cities.
A report from the task force said the "Air Parade" was "calculated to boost the morale of forces of Chiang Kai-shek and at the same time show the Communists that the Navy can throw her air power from any point in the Far East."
The Navy did not say how many planes it could throw against the Chinese Coast in a real shooting attack, but Soucek's task force was revealed to be composed of more than one carrier.
7/23 - JRll3lA