Wednesday, October 17, 1962: American military units begin moving to bases in the Southeastern U.S. as intelligence photos from another U-2 flight show additional sites; and 16 to 32 missiles. President Kennedy attends a brief service at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in observance of the National Day of Prayer.

In the later afternoon, President Kennedy met with Soviet Foreign Minister, Andrei Gromyko – a long-standing appointment. In the meeting, Gromyko assured the President that the USSR was in no way providing Cuba with weapons that “could ever constitute a treat to the United States” (32). In reply, President Kennedy reminded Foreign Minister Gromyko of the stance the U.S. would take in the event the Soviet Union should place missiles or offensive weapons within Cuba – a message he’d made on September 24th.

“Gromyko assured him this would never be done, that the United States should not be concerned. After touching briefly on some matters, he said good-by. . . .The President of the United States, it can be said, was displeased with the spokesman of the Soviet Union. . . .” (32-33).

Works Cited:

“Cuban Missile Crisis: Day 2 – Oct 17.” John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, 17 Oct 2017. http://microsites.jfklibrary.org/cmc/oct17/

Kennedy, Robert F. Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis. New York: Norton, 1971.