The trip out [departing from Baltimore's new airport for a short Presidential vacation] was smooth and we landed about 2:00 P.M. [in Kansas City] . . . . The president was met by his sister [Mary Jane Truman] and others and drove . . . to his home in Independence [Missouri] . . . . Later in the evening I received queries from the United Press about reports of fighting in Korea where the communist-inspired armies in the north launched an attack on the American-dominated southern portion. I did not communicate with the president, however. During the night I was awakened by the delivery of a message to the president from Secretary of State [Dean] Acheson, forwarding a report from Korea of the outbreak of hostilities.
Assistant Press Secretary Eben Ayers
Diary entry, June 24, 1950
Papers of Eben A. Ayers
From the Truman Library.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE REQUESTED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT:
TO THE PRESIDENT
FROM SEOUL
TO SECRETARY OF STATE
NO NINE TWO FIVE, JUNE TWO FIVE ONE ZERO ABLE MIKE
NIACT
SENT DEPARTMENT NINE TWO FIVE CMA REPEATED INFORMATION CINCFE.
ACCORDING KOREAN ARMY REPORTS WHICH PARTLY CONFIRMED BY KMAG FIELD ADCIQZR REPORTS, NORTH KOREAN FORCES INVADED ROK TERRITORY AT SEVERAL POINTS THIS MORNING. ACTION WAS INITIATED ABOUT FOHR ABLE MIKE ONGJIN BLASTED BY NORTH KOREAN ARTILLERY FIRE. ABOUT SIX ABLE MIKE NORTH KOREAN INFENTRY COMMENCE CROSSING PARALLEL IN ONGJIN AREA, KAESONG AREA, CHUNCHON AREA AND AMPHIBIOUS LANDING WAS REPORTEDLY MADE SOUTH OF KANGNUMG ON EAST COAST. KAESONG WAS REPORTEDLY CAPTURED AT NINE ABLE MIKE WITH SOME ONE ZERO NORTH KOREAN TANKS PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION. NORTH KOREAN FORECES, SPEARHEADED BY TANKS, REPORTEDLY CLOSING IN ON CHUNCHON. DETAILS OF FIGHTING IN KANGNUNG AREA UNCLEAR, ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS NORTH KOREAN FORCES HAVE CUT HIGHWAY. AM CONFERRING WITH KNAG ADVISORS AND KOREAN OFFICIALS THIS MORNING RE SITUATION. IT WOULD APPEAR FROM NATURE OF ATTACK AND MANNER IN WHICH IT WAS LAUNCHED IT CONSTITUTES ALL OUT OFFENSIVE AGAINST ROK.
