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^[[SP-A-1]]

19 September 1966
Mr. Ripley
THROUGH:  Mr. Hurlbut  Betty Morgan

Helmut K. Buechner

Vehicles for Korean Project

In consultation with personnel of the U. S. Armed Forces in Korea, including Lt. General Charles H. Bonesteel who is in charge of the entire United Nations command, I found it impossible to obtain vehicles on loan from the military for our Smithsonian Ecological Research Project being developed cooperatively with Seoul National University in the Demilitarized Zone study area.  The U. S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research has informed us that it is not possible for this military to purchase vehicles directly for Smithsonian use.

I would like to request $5,200 from the private side of the Smithsonian for the purchase of two long wheel base Toyota four-wheel-drive station wagons for the Korean project.  The air attache at the U. S. Embassy in Seoul determined that the cost per vehicle delivered in Seoul without custom's duty is $2,600.  The armed forces in Korea will purchase the vehicles for the Smithsonian to save our paying import duty.  Under our contract with the Air Force the vehicles can be amortized over the life of the contract.  Our initial contract is for one year only (15 October 1966 through 30 September 1967), but I am anticipating a continuation of the research over the next five years with funds from the military.  We can recover two thirds of the cost of the vehicles during the first year.  There is a small risk that the Smithsonian would be obligated for one third of the cost if the contract were not renewed after the first year.

The Korean project already shows so much promise for developing a Center for Human Ecosystem Ecology that I feel the investment in the vehicles will be readily justified.

There is real urgency in starting the Korean field work while the weather is favorable between now and Christmas.  The Air Force contract is ready to be signed as soon as the question of vehicles is settled.

cc:  Dr. Cowan
Dr. Galler (3)

HKB:bg

[[underlined]] ^[[file:]] [[/underlined]] Ofc of Ecology -
Korea Project