Dwight D. Eisenhower photo

Memorandum to Federal Agencies Directing Participation in a National Civil Defense Exercise.

May 18, 1955

[Released May 18, 1955. Dated May 16, 1955]

To the Heads of All Departments and Agencies:

On June 15 and 16, 1955, a national Civil Defense test exercise will be held. The forty-eight States, the District of Columbia, and the United States Territories and Possessions will participate.

Vigilance and preparedness under all circumstances all of the time is essential to the civil defense of our country. Every community and every citizen must be ready to act swiftly and with confident knowledge of what they are about. Not only will such vigilance and preparedness minimize the effects of any disaster, it can powerfully deter aggression itself.

Therefore, I hereby direct each department and agency of the Executive Branch of the Government, both at the national and field level: To cooperate fully with Federal, State and local civil defense authorities; to take part in this civil defense exercise; and to the extent feasible under the terms of Executive Order No. 10529, dated April 22, 1954, to authorize the release of Federal Employees who are enrolled in local civil defense organizations to perform such civil defense duties as are assigned during this exercise.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

Dwight D. Eisenhower, Memorandum to Federal Agencies Directing Participation in a National Civil Defense Exercise. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/233899

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