LACK OF NOTIFICATION ON STATE'S REQUEST FOR P-3 FLIGHT IN CONNECTION WITH BRILLIG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M00165A001100090006-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 23, 2004
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: October 17, 1977
• Content Type: MF

CON FT D E N T I A L
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17 October 1977
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT : Lack of Notification on State's Request
for P-3 Flight in Connection with BRILLIG
1. I have just received your note (Attachment A) and concur completely
that you should have been consulted by the SDO before he agreed on behalf
of CIA not to press.for such a flight. In his behalf, however, I am
including (Attachment B) his explanation of how he approached the problem.
On the positive side, this is an excellent example of getting to know at
what level you wish to be involved. I accept complete responsibility for
the practice up until now which allowed our very capable Senior Duty Officers
wide judgmental sway in these things. With the emergence of a broader and
more tightly knit community organization under your leadership, it is clear
that these procedures must be amended.
2. In order to insure that this is more closely controlled in the
future, and until the arrival of a fully staffed and functioning NTTC
organization whose mission this probably will be, I have- instructed the
SDOs that henceforth any issue which involves the taking of a CIA. position.
particu?l?arlyj-in the fast--breaking field of manned reconnaissance flights.,..
t*--you are-to be immediately-consulted.. Where doubt exists in the mind
of ;the-SDO.-he isto-immediately consult. with me via secure phone and together
we will bring in the other parties as appropriate, i.e., NFAC, Reconnaissance
Group, RES, the DDO, the DDS&T and if appropriate other community parties.
This consultation is simply a way of insuring that if there is any doubt
in the minds of the Senior Duty Officers concerning further notification or
coordination, I could then be a point of clarification on that particular
issue.
3. In the past this role has been played variously by the DDI, the
DDCI et-al., during tim-es before the Operations-Center had reached its present
status. With the emergence of NFAC, and its much greater emphasis on longer
term analysis, we have naturally become more active in the current intelligence
field. Additionally, with the arrival of NITC, the Center and myself, become
the natural brokers between the producing and collecting worlds after hours
in your behalf.
Vincent J. Heyman
Director
CIA Operations Center
25X1
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OPERATIONS CENTER MORNING SELECT
US/VIETNAM
kf30X11
I. Although UPI reports that the US is pressing Hanoi for information'
about the yacht "Brillig" and the three Americans on board, we
still have little information about the ship or its crew and
passengers.
A. Although State sent an immediate message to Paris asking
our embassy to contact the Vietnamese and advise them that
we intend to fly a recon mission over the area where the
ship's emergency radio has been located, the cable was not
slugged for night action, and no response has been received.
II. A State request for a P-3 flight over the area--which would have
flown. with n 15 mil of the Vietnamese coast --was withdrawn
that such a flight stood a
after DIA, Navy an ,CIA a gree,
good chance ofpro'voking Vietnamese reaction unless the Vietnamese
A. The Vietnamese air force is on a high state of alert, probably
because of the Cambodian border clashes and Vietnamese
were advised that such a flight was planned.
tracking of US flights has been noted in the past.
B. to will probably renew its request for a flight today.
,Sta
STATE 246142 UPI A033
132047Z Oct 77 14 Oct 0309
CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED
STAT
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 ATTACHMENT B
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MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, CIA Operations Center
In regard to the circumstances surrounding the incident Friday early
AM in which CIA was asked to give concurrence to a P-3 mission off the
coast of Vietnam, I have the following comments:
A. I was informed by that CIA concurrence STAT
in a P-3 flight was routine as long as there were no other objections;
B. When I discovered that there were indeed other objections, I talked
with those who voted no. I also checked with who STAT
told me much the same thing as I got from DIA;
C. I decided to inform JRC that CIA's evaluation of DIA's position
was one of agreement. That is, we agreed with DIA that such a flight,
without notification, would indeed pose a question of risk to the
P-3.
D. Since State withdrew its request on the basis of DIA's objection,
before I took any action--before I informed them of our agreement
with DIA--I decided that no notification prior to OOB was necessary.
I'informed the DCI by sending him the Select at 0600, since he was
leaving on a trip. In retrospect I should lave consulted him immediately.
STAT.
STAT
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TRANSMITTAL SLIP DA"rE
21 October 1977
F
Ap
P/CIA Operat1ons Center
ROOM NO. BUILDING
REMARKS:
FROM:
DCI.
ROOM No, BUILDING
EXTENSION