BRIEFING OF THE FULL HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE- - 4 MAY 1972

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75B00380R000100020049-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 15, 2004
• Sequence Number: 49
• Publication Date: May 4, 1972
• Content Type: MFR

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4 May 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Briefing of the Full House Armed Services Committee--
4 May 1972
1. On 4 May 1972, Mr. George Carver, SA VA, briefed the full
House Armed Services Committee on the current situation in Vietnam.
The meeting lasted from 1010 hours until 1230 hours.
room was kept under technical monitoring throughout. Discussions
included Top Seeret/Sensitive material. A transcript was taken and is
on file with the prepared statement in the Office of Legislative Counsel.
2. .Present for all or part of the session were:
F, Edward Hebert (D. , La. ), Chairman
Melvin Price (D. , Ill. )
O. C. Fisher (D. , Texas)
Charles E. Bennett (D. , FIa. )
Samuel S. Stratton (D. , N. Y. )
Otis G, Pike (D. , N. Y. )
Richard H, Ichord (D. , Mo. )
Alton Lennon (D. , N. C. )
William J. Randall (D. , Mo. )
G, Elliott Hagan {D. , Ga. )
Robert L. Leggett (D. , Calif. )
Floyd V. Hicks (D. , Wash. )
William Nichols (D. , Ala, )
Jack T. Brinkley (D. , Ga. )
Robert H. {Bob) Mollohan (D. , W. Va. )
W. C. (Dan Daniel.~~. , Va. )
G. V. {Sonny) Montgomery (D. , Miss. )
Michael J. Harrington (D. , Mass. )
Les Aspin (D. , Wis. )
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Leslie C. Arends {R., Ill. )
Alvin E. O'Konski (R. , Wis< )
Robert C. Wilson (R. , Calif. )
Charles S. Gubser (R. , Calif. )
Alexander Pirnie (R. , N. Y. )
.Durward G. Hall (R. , Mo. )
Donald D. Clancy (R. , Ohio)
Carleton J. King (R. , N. Y. )
William L. Dickinson (R. , Ala. )
John E. Hunt (R. , N. J. )
G. William Whitehurst (R. , Va. )
C. bY. Bill Young (R. , Fla. )
Floyd D. Spence (R. , S. C. )
Walter E, Powell (R. , Ohio)
3. Present from the Committee staff were:
Frank M. Slatinshek
Earl J. Morgan
William H. Cook
Ralph Marshall
John J. Ford
George Norris
James F. Shumate, Jr.
William H. Hogan, Jr.
H. Hollister Cantus
John T. M, Reddan
John F, Lally
Richard A. Ransom
Oneta L. Stockstill
4. Accompanying Mr, Carver was:
John M. Maury, Legislative Counsel
5. The Chairman opened with a stern ten minute .admonition to the
Committee regarc~irig security. He commented that a story in yesterday's
Washington Post regarding what had transpired in an executive session of
the Committee couldn't have been more accurate or complete if he had written
it himself. He said the Cammittee could not continue to operate if its security
procedures were ignored and if a similiar leak occurred in the future he might
follow the practice of the late Chairman Vinson where no one but the Chair-
man knew what was going on, He said that if there was further trouble about
security he would put every member-.under.. oath and interrogate him. Mr. King
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supported him and Mr, Gubser said that such leaks inevitably inhibit Com-
mittee witnesses and thus cut off valuable inforrnatian from the Committee.
6. Mr, Carver then delivered the prepared statement, text of which
is on file in the Office of Legislative Counsel. Questions and answers in the
ensuing discussion are reported in the Committee transcript, also on file in
OLC.
7. Follow-up action:
a, Mr. Clancy asked how long Agency reports.. had shown
in excess of 500 tanks in the North Vietnamese inventory,.- and
also asked for the precise figures on how many North Vietnamese
regulars were in South Vietnam now, and how many were there as
of 1 March of this year. Mr. Carver promised to provide the answers.
b. Mr, Stratton said he was still puzzled by the widely varying
reports on the effects of the bombing of North Vietnam logistical
targets and would like a detailed briefing on the subject. He said there
was a widespread impression that CIA felt such bombing was almost
completely ineffective, but he found it difficult to believe this was true.
I told Mr. Stratton we would be glad to arrange a private briefing on
this subject and asked him to let me know when it would be convenient.
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c. Mr. Young and Mr. Spence asked if they could be provided
with copies of statements from the. U. S. press and by U. S. public
.figures which had been exploited by the North Vietnamese for
propaganda purposes to illustrate the unpopularity of the war in the
U. S. 1VIr. Carver said he saw no reason why we could not provide
-such material.
JOHN M. MAURY
Legislative Counsel
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Distribution:
Original -Subject Briefing file
1 - Ex/Dir
1 - DDI
1 - SA VA
1 - (Security)
I - LC Chrono
SECRET
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