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1020Z 25 May 1967 transmitted message text from
U.S. Commander-in-Chief, Europe to
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe


O 251020Z MAY 67
FM USCINCEUR
TO CINCUSNAVEUR
INFO SECDEF
COMSIXFLT
JCS
SECSTATE
CINCSTRIKE
NSA NAPLES ITALY
CNO
BT
UNCLAS ECAP 08317.
SUBJ: NEWS COVERAGE OF SIXTHFLT ACTIVITIES
REF: DEF 6217 DTG 242355Z MAY 67
1. REQUEST ADVISE RECOMMENDED IMPLEMENTATION OF REFERENCE.
2. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT IF FEASIBLE, A DAILY COD SHUTTLE WOULD
SERVE SEVERAL PURPOSES FOR YOU. CONTRASTED WITH PERMANENT
POOL ARRANGEMENT, A DAILY SHUTTLE WOULD PERMIT ACCOMMODATION
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF NEWSMEN AND WOULD RELIEVE PRESSURE ON
COMMUNICATIONS BY PROVIDING MEANS OF MOVING COPY AND PICTURES
ASHORE AS WELL AS KEEPING DOWN THE NUMBER OF NEWSMEN ABOARD
SHIPS AT A GIVEN TIME. POOL ARRANGEMENT WOULD SADDLE YOU WITH
COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEM AND WOULD MEAN MANY NEWSMEN WHO HAD
TRAVELED GREAT DISTANCE AT GREAT EXPENSE WOULD NOT BE GIVEN
OPPORTUNITY FOR A FLEET DATE LINE.
3. SINCE BY AND LARGE YOU WILL BE OPERATING WITH YOUNG AND
INEXPERIENCE PUBLIC AFFAIRS HANDS IT WILL BE WELL TO DO
AGAIN EMPHASIZE THAT PUBLIC AFFAIRS IS A PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITY OF
COMMAND. ALL HANDS SHOULD BE INSTRUCTED TO REFRAIN FROM SPECULATION
ABOUT FUTURE OPERATIONS AND TO REFRAIN FROM SIDE-TAKING EVEN IN
CASUAL CONVERSATION. IT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED THAT A VACUUM EXISTS
AND WE DO NOT WANT TO BE THE UNINTENDED AGENTS FOR HELPING TO FILL
THAT VACUUM TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE NATIONAL INTEREST.
5. IT SHOULD BE MADE PERFECTLY CLEAR TO NEWSMEN THAT OUR COOPERATION
IN GETTING THEM TO THE FLEET IS AT THEIR REQUEST AND NOT AT OUR
INSTIGATION. WE MAKE NO PROMISES AS TO FACILITIES, SUCH AS
COMMUNICATIONS, AND THERE IS NO DIRECT OR IMPLIED ASSURANCE THAT
HARD NEWS WILL DEVELOP. IN SHORT, THEY ARE THERE ON THEIR OWN SPECULATION,
6. WHILE COD SCHEDULE WOULD EASE SEVERAL PRESSURES FOR YOU, IT IS
SUGGESTED THAT YOU MIGHT FIND IT FEASIBLE AND DESIRABLE TO
ACCOMMODATE OTHER NEWSMEN ON A LONGER TERM BASIS IN SHIPS OTHER THAN THE
CVA. NEWSMEN WHO WANT TO BE ASSURED OF A SEAT JUST IN CASE AND
WHO WOULD NOT PRESENT INSURMOUNTABLE COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEMS TO YOU.
7. REQUEST ADVISE ASAP ANY WAY THIS HEADQUARTERS CAN ASSIST.
BT


Message subject lineage: 311259Z MAY 67 USCINCEUR

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