CORONA VS. COMOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP63-00313A000600200055-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 19, 2002
• Sequence Number: 55
• Publication Date: September 14, 1962
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2002/08/20 - P63-00313A000600200055-4
NRO REVIEW COMPLETED St
I IIIIII IIIII IIIII IIIIi14
14 00073598l 111 11 lull llllll 111 llll
00073598D
COR 1786
Copy~l__of
14 September 1962
MEMORANDUM FOR: James A. Cunningham, Jr.
SUBJECT
.Acting Assistant Director, OSA
CORONA vs. COMOR
1. 1 have witnessed, as I am sure you have, that the congenial
group known as OSA has a definite split personality which it can
assume for one role or another to suit its own immediate needs.
2. How often have you heard, during the CORONA briefings,
that we did not do one thing or another because COMOR had not
designated it as a priority target at the time that the sanctified
program was cut? By so stating, we would seem to convey the
impression that we are chained, programwise, to the dictates of
the COMDR. In fact, and if I understand the facts of life around
here, this is the way it should be.
3. Yet in violation of this way of life, we in OSA, and at times
upon the urging of Dr. Scoville, will unilaterally cut passes into
the CORONA program which have not received the blessing of
COMOR. To wit: w. began fudging a little bit when we would sneak
the so-called engineering pass in over
could easily placate our conscience because the pass would not we
consume too great a quantity of film.
can now cut in other passes, unilaterally, such as we have does
over Cuba to the tune of some six passes in the next Cpl{ shot.
There is even talk at this very moment to slip in some over Korea.
4. Granted that we have covered our tracks occasionally by
advising Reber of what we have done. Reber cannot really speak
for the Group, and maybe someone might feel that a pass over his
pet target is just as important as a pass over ours.
ECRET
NOT "C)
25X1
Approved For Release 2002/08/20 : CIA-RDP63-00313A000600200055-4
 Approved For Release 2002/0%M*-f -RDP63-0M 3A000600200055-4
COR 1786
copy-2 of _2
Page Two
5. What I am getting at is that unless we are most attentive
to walking the straight and narrow when it comes to targeting by
following the dictates and requirements of COMOR and not our
own, then I suggest that decay can rapidly set in to our whole
system re COMOR activity. In other words, what we are tacitly
advocating, and in fact accomplishing, is that the guy who controls
the program controls the targeting. Should someone's nose be out
of joint over any of our unilateral targeting on CORONA, what will
happen the day that we do not control the targeting of satellite
operations "but must wait our turn to submit our target requirements
and hope that the operating agency be conscientious enough to cover
them ?
6. 1 realize that I have possibly blown this far out of proportion,
but I think the thread of corruption is there and should not be woven
to a great pattern by our own indulgence. Amen.
JOHN N. McMAHON
Executive Officer, OSA
Distribution:
Cy I- Addressee
Cy 2 - RB/OSA
Approved For Release 2002/08/ t M! DP63-00313A000600200055-4