LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



Congress of the United States, 

 Subcommittee on Military Applications, 



Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, 



Washington, D. C, August 19, 1958. 

 Hon. Carl T. Durham, 



Chairman, Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, 

 Washington, D. C. 



Dear Mr. Durham: I wish to thank you for pubHshing the report 

 of the Underseas Warfare Advisory Panel to the Subcommittee on 

 MiKtary Apphcations of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. I 

 know that you agree with me that the findings and recommendations 

 and the detailed analysis as contained in the panel's report deserves 

 the attention of all persons who are concerned with the adequate na- 

 tional defense of the United States. 



As you know, the Underseas Warfare Advisory Panel was formed 

 on March 7, 1958, with the express purpose of assisting the Subcom- 

 mittee on Military Applications in a studj^ of the adequacy of our 

 country's underseas warfare systems. In selecting members for the 

 panel, I was extremely fortunate to secure the services of six capable 

 men whose past experiences in the area of inquiry made them espe- 

 cially competent to study and report on the specific problems with 

 which we were concerned. 



On June 25, 1958, the advisory panel submitted to me its detailed 

 report which because of the sensitive information contained therein 

 was classified "secret." Copies of the classified report were sent by 

 me to the Secretary of Defense and to the Secretary of the Navy. In 

 addition, on behalf of the subcommittee, I submitted the report to 

 you for the information of all members of the Joint Committee on 

 Atomic Energy. 



In view of the importance of this report, it was my feeling that, 

 consistent with national defense, the details of the report should be 

 made public. I, therefore, requested the assistance of the Depart- 

 ment of the Navy and the i^tomic Energy Commission to review the 

 report for classified information. Accordingly, information — the 

 public dissemination of which would adversely affect the defense of 

 the United States — was deleted prior to the public printing. 



The United States and the free world today face a formidable threat 

 from a large number of Soviet submarines, many of which are capable 

 of launching missiles with nuclear warheads. Defense against this 

 threat in great part will be dependent upon an adequate number of 

 United States nuclear-powered attack submarines, coupled with the 

 deterrent effect of adequate luimbers of Polaris missile carrying nuclear 

 submarines which, in tiu'n, will necessitate an adequate knowledge of 

 oceanograpnhy. 



HI 



