BRIEFING OF IDEALIST PILOTS

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP63-00313A000600080054-9
Release Decision: 
RIFPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
1
Document Creation Date: 
December 12, 2016
Document Release Date: 
July 3, 2002
Sequence Number: 
54
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 9, 1961
Content Type: 
MF
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP63-00313A000600080054-9.pdf66.09 KB
Body: 
Approved For Release 2002/07/31 : CIA-RDP63-00313A000600080054-9 IDEA 0414-61 9 August 1961 ORANDUM FOR; Military Representative of the President Briefing of IDEALIST Pilots 1. in connection with the forthcoming IDEALIST mission, I am attaching for your information a copy of a document known internally as Operations Policy Letter No. 6. It controls the substance and procedures used in briefing IDEALIST pilots. 2. An earlier version of this document was in force at the time of the toss of the U-2 aircraft over the USSR on May 1. 1960. The whole subject of pilot briefing was exhaustively reviewed following this incident by a committee established specifically for this purpose. The committee drew heavily upon the relevant experience of the military in this review. One member of this committee had personally interviewed the turn:oat prisoners in Korea and the American crews who were downed by the Com- munists during the Korean conflict. The attached Operations Policy Letter No. 6 was the result of this review process. 3. 1 would particularly call to your attention paragraph 4. c. (4) which specifies that the pilot may reveal his CIA civilian affiliation. This provision has been in force since the Inception of the project and was not changed as a result of the review mentioned above. Our reasoning has been from the beginning that we should emphasize the civilian intelligence collection mission of these flights. so as to remove so far as possible any iearrM" -- .eser military overtones. In the aftermath of the U-2 incident of 1960 we continue to believe that this is the proper attribution. RICHARD M. BISSELL. JR. Enclosure Deputy Director Ops Policy Ltr #6 (Plans) Distribution: Original & I (Cyr t & 2) - Addressee Copy of Copies Cy 3 - AC/DPD w/l cy Encl 4 - Spec Asst to G/GA Staff Aor-o'S M Release 2002/07/31 : CI 3-00313A000600080054-9