RELY TO mu 0F AFCCS 22 October 1962 $39 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF UNITED STATES AIR FORCE WASHINGTON D c Additional Decisions m Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff 1 In his draft speech the President identifies 32 missiles in Cuba capable of striking any target within 1000 nautical miles with nuclear warheads He further states Any Soviet show of force anywhere in the world against the safety and freedom of people to whom we are committed will be met by whatever action is needed Finally the President's speech states Third It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States requiring full retaliatory re- sponse upon the Soviet Union 2 In view of the above and in order to present the strongest possible deterrent to Soviet counter actions I recommend the following additional actions be taken at this time a Direct SAC to initiate 1 8 airborne alert beginning j 2at noon local time today This will be done quietly and gradually and will be in full effect by tomorrow afternoon Q1 b Direct SAC to generate its forces toward a maximum eadiness posture also at noon today The strategic air i dp f forces will be in maximum readiness by noon tomorrow and the force generation should not be apparent until after the President's speech tonight r 0 Direct CINCSAC at his discretion and beginning at noon today to implement dispersal plans for the force practices these plans at regular intervals and no particular comment should be evoked d Direct CINCONAD beginning at noon today to K limplement his plan for dispersal of the CONUS fighter inter ceptor forces on a very quiet low ke basis I e Direct DEFCON 3 worldwide JEZ ssn today to place 8 forces worldwide in an increased readiness posture a DECLASSIFIED 1 Sec 3 3 Copy This Document consists o f ungainpagcs DECLASSIM mu Au m nuintLZA fl i__ fEHligEf l jT an 7 DEFCON 3 readiness is to be accomplished without causing undue public notice and should therefore not add materially to current speculations 3 It is my view that - as in the Lebanon crisis and the Taiwan Straits situation readiness of U S military forces comprises a clear warning to the Sine Soviet Bloc and should serve as a powerful deterrent to any major counteraction Additionally such_a posture will provide maximum flexibility to the President in choosing further actions should Sinc Soviet belligerence or active counter-measures so warrant arm CURTIS E Chief of Staff This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu