Ballistic Missile Agency would play. It also gave indications that the commanding general of this organization would be delegated special authority, covering funding, development, and procurement actions, to execute the program under a compressed time frame, even to requiring assistance from Army organizations outside his immediate command 15 . Ways and means for conducting an IRBM development program were available, but one major question remained to be answered. This pertained to the employment of the missile when it had attained an operational capability. Simply stated, who was going to fire the missile—Army or Air Force? For years now the Army commanders had been envisioning a battlefield of considerable depth, which manifested the necessity for a long-range missile. Secretary Brucker defended this need before the National Security Council on 1 November, and pressed for a decision favorable to Army. The next day, the JCS indicated to Secretary Wilson there was an urgent requirement for IRBM development, but they could not agree as to the service to which it should be assigned. On the 8th the DOD decision was rendered, and an Army development program was given the "green light 16 ." Secretary Wilson's decision covered the long-range ballistic missile program, which included two ICBM's and two IRBM's. All were to be afforded the highest national priority, with a qualifying stipulation that the IRBM's were not to interfere with ICBM development. The Army, in cooperation with the Navy, was to develop IRBM Nr 2 to achieve an early land-and-sea-based capability. To direct the program from the top ______________________________

15. Hist, ABMA, 1 Feb-30 Jun 56, pp. 89-90; Hist Monograph Nr 3, subj: Spec Powers Delegated to the CG of the ABMA, 1 Feb 56-31 Mar 58, Feb 61, Hist Off files. 16. ABMA Ref Book, Part I, JUP, Tab A-4; Memo, JCS to S/D, subj: Definition of Mil Rqmts of the Mil Svcs for the IRBM, cited in AOMC Ball Msl Ref Book, JUPITER Chronology; Memo, S/D to S/A & S/N, 8 Nov 55, subj: Mgmt of the IRBM Nr 2 Dev Prog, Hist Off files; House Rpt 1121, op. cit., p. 102.