OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 11 April 1969 MEMO FOR Dr Henry Kissinger Paging Henry I am forwarding a plan which I under stand you and some of your staff have been working on with the Navy General Wheeler s comments are attached While I am providing both the basic plan and General Wheeler s comments I would like to talk with you about such operations before serious consideration is given for implementation I have serious reservations about this proposed operation in - Attachments DECLASSIFIED APR 0 6 2007 Authon' E0 12958 as amended Chief Declass Div WHS A @5333 2293 Plum j '3 Wear as i 0 OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN Joint Chiefs of Staff 11 April 1969 MEMO TO Secretary Laird Attached is a proposed plan for a mining feint of Haiphong Harbor which has been prepared in response to Dr Kissinger's request I believe Dr Kissinger discussed this with you previously I have gone OVer this plan and find nothing wrong with it militarily The sequential actions indicated down through Step Three can all be done unilaterally by the Navy However several of the actions indicated under Step Four would require u_ coordination with and implementation - by CINCPAC I understand that this plan is to be considered in addition to OPERATION LUNCH-BREAKFAST BRAVO and not in lieu of the latter I believe that the latter operation is more mean ingful from a military viewpoint While I am not fully informed on the complete politico military considera tions involved I believe that this plan for a mining feint is feasible APR 0 6 20m Authority EO12958 as amended my - EARLE 6 WHEELER Chairman - camaf Records Declass Div WHE PLAN FOR A MINING EINT OF HAIPHONG HARBOR Objective To create indecision within the Government of North Vietnam With regard to intended S military actions Specifically as they relate to the mining of Haiphong harbor General Cover Story U S Navy conducting a Pacific wide test of its mining plans including logistic procedures training mine readiness and reaction times The exercise includes movement of mines from storage areas to ships operating in the South China Sea Assumption That increased U S military activity in certain Specific areas of preparedness will come to the attention of the Hanoi government through the communist intelligence and eSpionage systems General Concept To undertake a series of military actions which separately or collectively create the impression that the U S is making plans for or giving consideration to the mining of Haiphong Each action will be deniable both publicly and Within the U S government b have a suitable cover story which would permit denial of any actual mining plan in the event of unintentional public disclosure c be relatively low key when taken alone d be credible in both near and far term Sequence The following sequential actions provide a scenario of events designed to transmit signals to the North Vi etnamese government These actions provide an increasing order of activity The earlier steps are more deniable both publicly and Within the U S government as being part of any master mining plan The supplementary actions at the higher end of the spectrum have both an increased threat potential and are less deniable as a function of time DECLASSIFI ED PR 0 6 3g Author E0 12955 as ameli th f Rtgcofds Declass Div grease Step One Sat Apr Thur 17 Apr l CNO transmit message inquiries to Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet normal information addressees to a confirm actual on board inventory and location of Pacific Command mine assets Message could be transmitted UNCLASSIFIED then upgraded neXt day to SECRET in order to focus attention b report material condition of mines and estimated manhours necessary to bring to Operational readiness c verify quantity of destructor mines on board deployed carriers d report state of mining readiness of embarked aircraft squadrons 2 Direct Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet to make ready 50 mines 50 mines and 50 mines and hold in high state of readiness at Subic 3 Airlift fifty mines each from Yokosuka Atsugi Iwakuni and Naha to the Naval Ammunition Depot Subic Bay Philippines 4 Airlift all available training configured inert mines from locations in Western Pacific to Naval Air Station Cubi Point Philippines for pilot crew training and indoctrination Step Two Sat 19 Apr Sun 20 Apr 1 Airlift mines and mine personnel from Cubi Point to attack carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin 2 Load ammunition ship in Subic Bay With replenishment mines and sail to Tonkin Gulf This ensures exposure to local stevedores DECLASSIFIED APR 0 6 Authori Chief at 12958 as amended cords Declass Div WHS Load attack carrier in Subic Bay with mines Conduct mine plant exercises from Naval Air Station Cubi Point for carrier air wing personnel Provide suitable number U S Marine Corps pilots temporary additional duty from Danang to Naval Air Station Cubi for mine qualification Move 1 000 mines from Yokosuka to Subic by ship Supplementary actions for further study and consideration dates to be determined Move North SAR Sea Air Rescue and PIRAZ Positive Indent Radar Advisory Zone ships from present southern positions' to pita bombing halt stations Provide suitable escort CAP Combat Air Patrol etc Increase reconnaissance over coastal approaches to Haiphong Initiate continuous and intensive surveillance of sea approaches to Haiphong with and ASW antisubmarine warfare aircraft DrOp empty mine drogue parachutes in area of ostensible mine field off approaches to Haiphong Time permitting soluble mine shapes could be manufactured Position squadrons of destroyers in area 20 miles off Haiphong to simulate threat of blockade Load and sail submarine from Subic with mines Replenish or increase West Pacific mine stocks from U S depots Mon 3 21 Apr Step Three Tues 1 22 Apr Tues 2 22 Apr Fri 3 25 Apr Step FouruwInitiate low key procurement discussions with U S mine manufacturers DECLASSIFIED APR 0 6 231133 A thori E0i12958 as amended Chief Fgeordista Declass Div WHS                     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