Document K6ZpXvpENp0gOXjM5Bxr9jxXw

f: . - . 5-'* v :ufajcet i 11:4? ni U'AK,'.i. m 1* (C) k r c r v i w is rj5>- to r*-prri:. In by tf.t Deputy Cocretary of Defense. dat'd 15 April 1**70, uui.)*ci as bove, which irr^orarily tus|4.*.4cil th** utc cf 2.4,5-T |07/JJCC) in all uHitary operations. ^ ,L 2 Herbicide o p c ratim with ag^rt o h />t:ct: have been s.spcnoed. As of .) Kay 1*70. t.-sere -ere 1.047.C50 gallons 6? 0PJCX7E an hand' in the fe&^l:c of Vietnam and cn route to t*c Aepublic of Vietnam tn addition. th#*re are ><>5,715 gallons r.f'OAAZfCE in the CtWVS earr-arrc.fi for the. Pepublie of Vietnam TSwsc quantities represent afproxirately 15 norths of supply, at the rr-fuirceent rate ustuMi**ca by and a dollar value of approxinnioly 511*4 m l line.. JV-rMclrte c|rations are c*kntinuing with aqvnt MIITTi i/^-wr, only 15.741 gallons of WHJTt (approximately 15 sortie*) were cn hand as of 1 Kay 1570. W s this it contused. sll defoliation ojrations will cease* Vf *<. . , . -V - *-*X . - * . 1* 1*1 tc Vibv of the situation owe lift'd above, the following a.tentative* Involving defoliants W S and WHITE should be .considered* >..- ..>v*. V* * ,j - i\'mm * *>* * vt * 1 < i' .... a* Ternination of defoliation operations. .... - Procurenent of agent WHITE oc'another suitable substi* tube, and resuaptien of defoliation operations with this . agent "* . #B#* rs* '-1 c* Beoovsi ofthe.suspension on the use of herbicide OMNCt. ' ' v. V. I*, if) Bach o f ths above alternatives is evaluated belowi .'?* ' - * ** * .'* Termination of Defoliation Operations. Tcralnstloa of defoliataoo operations coul3 deny the solitary coosander a significant capability tot :  4 *: .V'J <: -* nI fr tRV.*>#t-.c.l..?' SB^H \ ,:>^wVLll J' : *1 - -i**1 *i*.*. 11 : : *- J ^ r.7S3 J. "hi:. Im i . *u \ * to c' * Jr.r..*, *.*M * l o .. i i f u i r it . . ` I (- . f . r o q f i * * ! " . * . - . T h v ir.vd .i>-rial Ot:*. rv.ition h.v. it i:*ii*.c-ll it:* the nvny to *a?s force*:, fur Kirov wtli.ckr. i-m r . >u his dnyliuht a o w w n t of irri.at Ir.rcf*, end rt |u*r \ vneny use'of circuited, less desirable routes for inf> tretran of r*n end lupplim. K) hduce the r*url*T of cnr.ee..K*<J fw.tvr.':al arluef. *nd iivlirret firo sites. This lies rrsultcd ir. deerta...'.; entity interdiction of friendly LOCb ^nd indirect fire attack* on population centers end friendly tan* carps. *31 Clear areas surrounding US and RViiAF ttre camps, firtf support bases* ar.d airfields* including r.ir.e fields and wire entanglements. This has diaeourag^d capper attacks and has strengthened perimeter defenses through increased ground visibility and fields of fire. Zn sunrary* the defoliation progran in the Republic of has helped elieinate enemy concealment along LftCs* river Lack.* and around banc arras and airfields. It has also permitted reductions ir the noaber of personnel used for pericet. e' security of .-re support bases* base carps, and airfield: doth off*?* i^-ly and defensively* the defoliation program .".as reduced t*J .-rr.ber of sen retired for combat operations lt.d has heir** aift many allied lives. This prograa. am well as any pr?T * which contributes to the reduction of casualti.* and troo*> requirements*.should be continued* . ` s b. Procurement of Agent WHITE . v- Cl) The Air Tore- could reprogran sufficient funds fur 'herbicide procurement to supply approximately 3.C months of the agent WHITE requirement stated by C0K7:!ACV following the suspension of OXAVCC. Additional funding *n the srsunt of 96.4 million would be required rsrhin the nr 1)71 513 budget to fill the remaining 7*4 months1 requireren* for tha period ending 1 July 1971* Production and *hippir.g leadtins would impose a 3-month gap in defoliatica opera tion*. V( .<21 Coopered with agent ORANGE, UNITE is lass effective V la that about 4 weeks are required for visible effects to occur after application. After ( weeks* so*t of the leaves are dead* bet lt takes up to < months to be able to sae through to the ground. Agent ORANGE is quicker reacting* with ita effects beginning in 4 to 7 days and with dcfollatloe occurring In 3 to 4 weeks* 0. - .; S 8 & * - mo mo CO (t i) :.i, - . r=.\c ttrc r* *! k -*v^ i.a -li- *- jF*-2**.* ^S-'^Va l >i 4 I'.i 11e c f Vi**;.'.* ; / -itj. *ji> i.t < -'Vi. ,n tli anti i .a - u-wj,7 a i r c r n ' i r e o n ly r. jur.-sit* or for sic*J . n u n o f low p o p u la t io n ( l e s s *-*. i r, -jrjr.t in h a bit inti t-.-r r.qii.tre h l l o - s t e r ) under e c n t r r l o f th e V ie t Cor.g or J-.-rth tn.mese A iry. This lim ita tio n w expressly stated by President Thicu end has tares r : * j o r ' . : - l y adhered t o . Ns h e r b i c i d e '..nder th e c o n t r o l o f i*S r i l i t a r y fo rc e s / used in any feed c o n t r o l prraerA* m er.rj.cction with *nvtrr--.*nt o f 'tetr.ar ^ r i e u l u n l e f f o r t s , llerbieiues are used for t a e t i e a l purposes ;r. r tr v .e areas which are being used as very base a r e a s c r i n f i l t r a t i o n r o u t e s . 4 (2) The IS Aprs! li70 announci-eent by the Secretaries of Anriculturc. Interior, and health, education, and Welfare specified the insediate ::uti*cntlon by the departrent of Agriculture of the registrations of liquid fcrrulations -of the weed killer 5.4,S-T (a component of CPANCE) for uses around bores and on lakesf ponds, and ditch banks. The Secretaries also announced that the Department of Agriculture intends to cancel registered -res of nonliquid fcrrulations of 2,4,1-T around the hone and r*n all food crops intended fer h--nan cehsunption. The suspension does net`eliminate use for control of weeds and brush c.i range, pasture and forests or 00 rignta-of-vay and ether acnagrlcaltural load (1) Ccnparlscn cf the rules for use 0"Ct in *Vietnas with the announced limitations cn don,stic use indicate that the IS military applications have been *- subjected to more stringent criteria than these provided . to protect the health of the CS population, S (S| To .view of the above considerations, the Joint Chiefs of Staff recc m cnd that the t e ^ e n r y euspensica oa the use of agent OIUUSSE In the republic of Vietnam be rescinded Per she Joint Chiefs of Steffi i . IN3 N3 T. Acting /Thaiman Joint Chiefs of Staff Srwa: <. rh .?#-.*