30 Foreign Relations, 1958-1960, Volume IX



11.  Letter From Secretary of Defense McElroy to President
     Eisenhower

                                   Washington, September 19, 1959.
    MY DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: During your discussion with Chairman
Khrushchev on Berlin, it may be that he will refer to, or that the opportu-
nity will arise when you may wish to speak to, the right of the Western
Powers to fly to Berlin at altitudes above 10,000 feet. I am writing to ad-
vise you of the present position with respect to future flights.
    As you will remember, we made two C-130 flights in April 1959 to
Berlin at altitudes above 20,000 feet. Further flights were suspended
temporarily because of the Geneva Conference. At the close of the Con-
ference, the resumption of flights was dicsussed with the Secretary of
State. Although opposed to occasional probing flights that might appear
to the Soviet Union, as well as to certain of our allies, primarily to be
provocative, he was agreeable, subject to your approval, to high altitude
flights on a routine basis as part of our regular Berlin supply operation,
provided that the flights could be explained reasonably on economic
and logistic grounds.
    The Joint Chiefs of Staff re-studied this question, advised that the
flights are justified on economic and logistic grounds and recom-
mended that the flights be resumed. I am enclosing their memorandum
to me of August 19, 1959,1 with which, except as to. timing, I concur.
    Chairman Khrushchev should be familiar with the desirability of
operating jet transports at high altitudes. He flew to the United States
in
a Tu-114 whose normal cruising altitude is between 25,000 feet and
35,000 feet. The Soviet Union has three other jet or turbojet transports,
all
of which cruise well above 25,000 feet.
    However, of even greater importance in my view than the eco-
nomic and logistic justification of the C-130 is that the United States up-
hold the principle of its right to fly to Berlin at altitudes above 10,000
feet. Even though a C-130 operates most efficiently at an altitude above
20,000 feet, it is perfectly possible to fly them less efficiently below
10,000 feet. The basic point for ultimate decision is one of policy rather
than economic desirability.
    I am sending this to you via the Secretary of State so that he may
add such comments as he may wish.
    Respectfully yours,
                                                      Neil McElroy



    Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles-Herter Series. Secret.
    1 Not attached to the source text. A copy of the memorandum (JCSM-338-59)
is ibid.