IM
1
HONG KONG S LETTER IK OJ/4/A DATED 23RD FEBRUARY 1966.
COPY
SUGGESTIONS FOR PLANNING VISITS OF US NAVY SHIPS TO HONG KONG
The total number of USN Ships in Hong Kong at any one time is not to exceed 12, including SOPA (ADMIN).
2. The total number of enlisted men embarked in all ships present is not to exceed 8,000.
3.
Visits by CVAS are to be separated by a period of at least three weeks between the departure of one CVA and the arrival of the next.
Visits by major units (i.e. CVA, CVS, CA, CL, LPH) are not to overlap.
5.
6.
CVA are not to arrive with more than four escorts.
CVA are not to proceed direct from operations but are to call at some port, e.g. SUBIC en route HONG KONG.
7.
CVA visits are not to be scheduled when a concentration of Commonwealth Ships is in port. The Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong will make known the forecast dates of such concentrations prior to each scheduling conference and COMSEVENTHFLEET and USNLO will be informed if the dates subsequently alter.
8.
No USN visits (except SOPA ADMIN) are to be scheduled over. the following dates:-
9.
10.
Letnance way
a. 1st May,
International Labour Day.
Nationalist China Day.
b. 1st October Republic of China Day.
c. 10th October
Nuclear Visits.
a. Requests for clearance of such visits must be received
by Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong at least one month before the start of the proposed visit.
b. Nuclear submarines must be accompanied by a Tug (ATA
or ATF) or Rescue Vessel (ASR).
Publicity.
a. Publicity of operational activity, particularly CVA strike activity, should be avoided for one month
prior to a scheduled visit to Hong Kong, lest diplomatic clearance for the visit be withdrawn.
b. Publicity while at Hong Kong is to ba co-ordinated with
the Hong Kong Government Information Services.
SECRET