</s>104-10301-10000 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 164-1030-1-0000 TOP SECRET JOHN A. McCONE THE SIXTH DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE By Walter Elder Edited by Mary S. Mcauliffe, DCI Staff Historian 1987 The attached is a draft history CL BY BYE-1 which has not been forwarded for DECL OADR review outside the DCI History Staff. DERIVED FROM BYE -1 WORKING DRAFT 99 BY NO. 018-88 copy a of 2 Handle via BYEMAN Control System TOP SECRET VMC 1

Summary  
This document details U.S. government actions and discussions related to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, 1963, and subsequent policy responses. It includes CIA Director John McCone’s briefing of Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson on intelligence matters, including assessments of Lee Harvey Oswald’s connections to Soviet and Cuban embassies in Mexico City. The text also covers U.S. military and political strategy discussions in Vietnam following the overthrow of South Vietnamese President Diem on November 1, 1963, and shifts in policy under President Johnson after Kennedy’s assassination. Key events include CIA planning for covert operations against Cuba, intelligence assessments during the Cuban Missile Crisis (October–November 1962), and interagency meetings involving the National Security Council (NSC), Department of State, and other agencies. McCone’s activities from September 1963 to June 1964 are detailed, including his role in reorganizing CIA operations in Southeast Asia and strategic planning for Cold War intelligence efforts.  

Key People  
- **John F. Kennedy**: President of the United States, assassinated November 22, 1963.  
- **Lyndon B. Johnson**: Vice President who assumed presidency after Kennedy’s assassination.  
- **John McCone**: CIA Director (1963–1965), briefed Johnson on intelligence and Vietnam policy.  
- **Dean Rusk**: Secretary of State, discussed Vietnam strategy and U.S. policy shifts post-assassination.  
- **Robert McNamara**: Secretary of Defense, involved in discussions about military options during the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam strategy.  
- **McGeorge Bundy**: National Security Advisor, participated in meetings with McCone and other officials.  
- **Allen Dulles**: Former CIA Director (1953–1961), referenced in context of earlier Cold War operations.  
- **General Curtis LeMay**: Air Force general, mentioned in strategic discussions on military actions.  

Key Locations  
- **Dallas, Texas**: Site of JFK’s assassination.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Central hub for government meetings, briefings, and policymaking.  
- **Saigon, South Vietnam**: Focus of CIA operations and reorganization efforts post-Diem overthrow.  
- **Honolulu, Hawaii**: Location of a 1963 meeting involving U.S. officials discussing Vietnam policy.  
- **LBJ Ranch**: Site of post-assassination meetings between McCone and Johnson.  

Key Events  
- **Assassination of President John F. Kennedy (November 22, 1963)**: Central event discussed in the document, leading to shifts in U.S. leadership and policy.  
- **CIA briefing for Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson**: Included assessments of Lee Harvey Oswald’s ties to Soviet/Cuban embassies.  
- **Overthrow of South Vietnamese President Diem (November 1, 1963)**: Influenced subsequent U.S. military and political strategy in Vietnam.  
- **Cuban Missile Crisis (October–November 1962)**: Highlighted through U-2 reconnaissance flights, intelligence assessments, and diplomatic negotiations.  
- **Interagency meetings on Cold War strategy**: Involving the NSC, Department of State, and other agencies to address covert operations against Cuba, North Vietnam, and the Soviet Union.  

Key Organizations  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Central to planning covert operations, intelligence assessments, and post-assassination policy discussions.  
- **National Security Council (NSC)**: Coordinated U.S. responses to Cold War threats, including the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam strategy.  
- **Department of State**: Involved in discussions about diplomatic and military options during the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam policy shifts.  
- **Planning Research Office (PFIAB)**: Referenced in context of strategic planning for Southeast Asia operations.  
- **Bureau of the Budget**: Mentioned in interagency coordination efforts.  
- **Joint Chiefs of Staff**: Indirectly referenced through military figures like General Curtis LeMay.

JFK Declassified Files

104-10301-10000.pdf

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