PROPOSAL FOR THE ESTABLISHED OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE CENTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61S00750A000200090004-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 30, 1999
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: March 28, 1958
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2000/08/22 : CIA-R1P61 SO0750A000200090004-5
TC:-2967-58
Copy of 5
28 March 1958
OR ANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Intelligence
SUBJECT
Proposal for the Establishment of the
Photographic Intelligence Center
REFERENCE TCS-2821-58
25X1A9a
1. During your recent absence provided
to this office a copy of referenced paper ant requested my comments.
2. Experience has, I believe, shown that the functions performed
by units of DRR and OCR (as HTAUTO)AA.T) and placed together in a
single building where close working relationships were possible, was
proper and essential for the exploitation of aerial photographic materials.
It may be due to the extraordinary pressures of the moment but nonethe-
less it is true that somehow the two units have worked well together
under the leadership of Mr. Lundahl and no serious problem has arisen,
at least as I see it, in the reporting of the two units through their
respective Assistant Directors or directly to you.
3. However, it would seem that the present situation does not
fully allow those Assistant Directors to exercise responsibility over
the administrative functions of HTAUTOMAT and at the same time it
may be that your own office is not in a position to carry out the type of
administrative supervision which Assistant Directors are normall
expected to exercise. In any event, Messrs. Lundahl an 25X1A2g
are faced with somewhat confused administrative channels upward.
4. The proposal at hand is, it seems to me, a reasonable
method to clarify the position of HTAUTOMAT and, in addition, has
the very important merit of placing upon that organization the full
responsibility to gear itself administratively to become as nearly as
possible "normal". By this I mean that if the proposal were approved
HTAUTOMAT would presumably then have to handle its own budget
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justifications and fiscal affairs and make such adjustments as are
required to fit into the personnel policies (bearing upon assignment,
reassignment, grade structure, and career service) as apply to other
units of the Agency.
5. Whereas the future and what it may bring in the way of
new aerial photographic materials cannot be detailed exactly, it is
my strong conviction that from one type of collection or another this
Government is likely to continue to receive high grade photographic
materials which can provide new and hard intelligence information
of critical importance.
6. While it is true that HTAUTOMAT thus far has accommodated
in its midst the representatives of the Army, Navy, and Air Force in a
commendable fashion and whereas the office does bear certain types of 25X1X7
responsibilities vis-a-vis (advising them on technical matters),
these things do not appear to me to be the significant reasons for aacceptin
proposal for the center. These things are all to the good, and
HTAUTOMAT has performed commendably in these regards. The
onsideration, however, is the continued development of
a P1 unit in the United States Government manned with personnel of
likely permanent status and charged with pushing ahead on all aspects
of R&D bearing upon the exploitation of photographic interpretation and
available for advice in the preparation of collection operations.
7. For the foregoing reasons, and on the basis of what I know
about this matter, I am inclined to recommend that you approve the
proposal for the establishment of the center. I should emphasize, however,
that I have not been exposed to any of the arguments (if there be such)
against this action. Moreover, I do not feel that the existing administrative
arrangements for HTAUTOMAT have adversely affected its operations or
would be likely to do so in the future. The case for a change seems to me
to rest on considerations of administrative convenience. Finall
sure you realize I have not felt called upon to evaluate In detail the plans
for organization and the staffing pattern discussed in the HTAUTOMAT
proposal.
JGR: cw
i&2-DD/I
3-Proj Dir subj file
4-Proj Dir chrono
5-TCS chrono
RICHARD M. 3I
Project Director
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