THE WHITE HOUSE
                              
                              WASHINGTON
                 
                                            October 11, 1963






         NATIONAL SECURITY ACTION MEMORANDUM NO. 263

         TO:       Secretary of State
                   Secretary of Defense
                   Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff


         SUBJECT:  South Vietnam

         At a meeting on October 5, 1963, the President considered the
         recommendations contained in the report of Secretary McNamara
         and General Taylor on their mission to South Vietnam.


         The President approved the military recommendations contained
         in Section I B (1-3) of the report, but directed that no formal
         announcement be made of the implementation of plans to with-
         draw 1,000 U.S. miltitary personnel by the end of 1963.


         After discussion of the remaining recommendations of the report,
         the President approved an instruction to Ambassador Lodge which
         is set forth in State Department telegram No. 534 to Saigon.
                                

                                            s/ McGeorge Bundy
                                            McGeorge Bundy



         Copy furnished:
           Director of Central Intelligence
           Administrator, Agency for International Development





[Declassified - was Top Secret Eyes Only
Auth: EO 11652
Date: 7-6-76 
By: Jeanne W. Davis
National Security Council]