HISTORY - Page 34
Administration and Coordination Bog
Although the Army stood ready to react to Air Force
direction with respect to JUPITER development, none
was forthcoming. And, when the Army took the
initiative in seeking Air Force requirements, it was met
with rebuffs.
In December 1956, ABMA's representative at WDD
placed several requests for documents concerning
operational requirements, concepts, and military
characteristics. These were refused by Brig. General
Osmond J. Ritland, Deputy Commander, WDD, based
on the contention that there were no implementing
instructions in the Wilson memo. With regard to
another request of the same sort and in the same
month, a February 1957 answer from General Ritland
indicated that such requests should be made only
interdepartmentally at the headquarters level. It had
already become apparent to ABMA in December 1956
that cooperation was going to be difficult, so they had
requested the Army Chief of R&D to seek USAF
operational requirements and military characteristics,
and in January 1957, DCSOPS informed ABMA that such
action had been taken. The next month, General
Thomas D. White, Vice Chief of Staff, USAF, replied and
suggested that the technical liaison units be used to
interchange such information.
This action should have settled the issue, but it did
not, for later in the month, General Ritland stated he
had not received the correspondence. Although he was
shown the message, the general said he did not feel
that he had the authority to release the requested
information. However, he did say that ABMA should
prepare a formal request to WDD; and, when the
message from USAF was received, up-to-date general
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