MINUTES OF TWO-HUNDRED-FIFTY-SIXTH MEETING UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE BOARD USIB CONFERENCE ROOM CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, AT 11OO HOURS, 14 FEBRUARY 1963

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP92B01090R002600090037-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 17, 2000
• Sequence Number: 37
• Publication Date: February 14, 1963
• Content Type: MIN

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USIB-M-256
14 February 1963
UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE BOARD
Minutes of
Two-hundred-fifty-sixth Meeting
United States Intelligence Board
USIB Conference Room
Central Intelligence Agency, at 1100 hours, 14 February 1963
Acting Director of Central 'Intelligence
Lieutenant General Marshall S. Carter
Presiding
MEMBERS PRESENT
Mr. Ray S. Cline, Deputy Director (Intelligence), Central Intelligence
Agency, acting for Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Mr. Roger Hilsman, Director of Intelligence and Research, Department
of State
Lieutenant General Joseph F. Carroll, Director, Defense Intelligence
Agency
Major General Alva R. Fitch, Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence,
Department of the Army
Captain Rufus L. Taylor, Acting Assistant Chief of Naval Operations,
(Intelligence), Department of the Navy
Major General Robert A. Breitweiser, Assistant Chief of Staff,
Intelligence, United States Air Force
Lieutenant General Gordon A. Blake, Director, National Security Agency
Major General Richard Collins, Director for Intelligence, Joint Staff
Mr. Harry S. Traynor, Atomic Energy Commission representative to
USIB
Mr. William O. Cregar, acting for Federal Bureau of Investigation
representative to USIB
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USIB -M-256
14 February 1963
Intelligence Requirements for
Photographic Reconnaissance
of Cuba
(USIB -D-41.5 /39, Final, USIB_
Approved, 21 November 1962;
USIB-D-41, 5/41, 6 December 1962;
USIB-M-247, 5 December 1962,
item 6; USIB-M-255, items 3 and 7. a. )
In opening this special meeting the Acting Chairman noted that it had
been convened at the request of the DIA member to consider certain aspects
of a recent message from the Director of Central Intelligence which had been
discussed at the 13 February USIB meeting (USIB-M-255, item 7. a. ) and
circulated, subsequent to adjournment of that session, to the USIB members,
the Secretaries of State and Defense and Mir. McGeorge Bundy.
General Carroll then advised the Board members of the concern which
the Secretary of Defense had expressed with respect to the implications of
the reference in paragraph 1 of the DCI message to a report which might be
construed as a possible indication of hardened MRBM or IRBM sites, General
Carroll proposed that the Board review the evidence on that report and
come to some conclusion regarding it. The Acting CIA member pointed out
that the report had come from an untested source .and had only mentioned
wells, not silos or missiles. General Carter noted that Mr. McCone's
message was not primarily concerned with the agent report as such, but in
stressing that it was dangerous to take a categoric or complacent position
regarding the situation in Cuba in the absence of on-site inspection.
Following a detailed discussion of the nature of the evidence bearing on
the possibility of Soviet reintroduction into Cuba of an offensive capability to
which Mr. McCone had referred in the afore-cited message, and related
matters, the Board took the following actions:
a. Agreed that intelligence community evaluation as to the significance
of the agent report regarding deep vertical wells, three to four meters in
diameter in a specified Cuban area, could not be determined without obtaining
more information, and that the requirement for collection of additional informa-
tion regarding such agent reports must be related to other priority intelligence
targets in Cuba.
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14 February 1963
b. Agreed that the Committee on Overhead Reconnaissance
(COMOR) should review the present USIB -approved overall program and
requirements for photographic reconnaissance of Cuba (USIB-D-41. 5/39;
USIB-D-41. 5/41) in light of the discussion in the meeting and, taking appropriate
account of unverified reports of secret Soviet activity in Cuba (of which the
agent report in the DCI message is one example), develop recommendations
for low-level photographic coverage of the three or four suspect target areas
of greatest priority concern, for clearance with Board members by mid-
morning, 15 February.
c. Agreed that the foregoing program and requirements should again
be presented to higher authority for consideration, particularly with respect
to the need for low-level coverage, together with a specific request that
approval be given for the conduct of low-level photographic reconnaissance of
the three or four priority target areas selected through action in b. above.
General Carter indicated that,.he would make such a presentation to the proper
authority on 15 February, if possible.
d. Noted (1) a statement by General Fitch regarding the Army's
capabilities for stepping up clandestine operations in Cuba and (2) a statement
by General Carter regarding efforts being made by CIA to re-direct and
improve its clandestine collection resources in that area, and his view that
Army should confer with CIA about stepping up clandestine operations.
e. Noted the Acting Chairman's statement that he believed it
desirable for USIB to be briefed on the total U. S. photographic reconnaissance
capabilities, with particular emphasis on new techniques. He indicated that he
would take steps to arrange such a presentation to the Board possibly at its
next regular meeting on 20 February. *
Adjournment: 1240
Executive Secret J
P -P
* The Secretariat has been advised that this presentation will be scheduled
for a USIB meeting subsequent to 20 February, probably that of 27 February.
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