PROCUREMENT OF RATIONS FOR PROJECT PBSUCCESS.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04727A000200160004-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 5, 2003
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: April 3, 1954
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 200 :71JtftfflP78-04727A000200
3 April 1954
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MIZORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Procurement of Rations for Project PBSUCCESS.
mately might be much more serious. I agreed to see
without delay in order to get further detailse
which, if true, indicated gross negligence as a minimum and ulti-
1. On 30 March 1954 Mr. Wisner telephoned to say that he had
Just received a very alarming report concerning certain procurement
2. ported to me and Mr. Kirkpatrick that the Lo-
gistics Office had procured a quantity of rations for Project PBSUC-
CESS and delivered them to where they were found
to be contaminated and 70 per cent lethal, making them unfit for hu-
man consumption and, hence, unavailable for a phase of the PBSUCCESS
operation.
3. Mr. Kirkpatrick agreed to get in touch with Mr. J. C. King,
Chief, WH Division, right away and I agreed to get in touch with the
Logistics Office to explore the matter and decide what remedial ac-
tion should be taken.
25X1A9A fit. from the Logistics Office cane
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immediately to my office and reported that they had received a req-
uisition from the WH Division on 12 February for ILpimican ra- 25X1
tions to be delivered by 20 February. They stated that they had
ointed out to representatives of the WH Division 25X1A9A
25X1 A9A FP- ) that the pimican ration was an Arctic ration develop-
ed for Admiral Byrd and others by an ex-Chief Petty Officer of the
25X1 Navy I and would not be suitable for the tropics inasmuch
25X1 A9A as it could be ma tained only in a temperature of 70 degrees and
lower. This was confirmed with Chief of the I 25X1
Division, Technical Services Staff, who was also asked to recommend
an appropriate substitute. (Specifications required a ration which a
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5. with Logistics Office representatives, visit-
ed ex-Chief Petty Officer who exhibited
pickets of rations which he said had been on the shelf of his home
for from nine to eighteen months.
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25X1A9A and0 examined the rations, sampled them, and later obtained the
approval of the VH Division for their purchase. had to
have the rations produced by meat packers who work under
Government supervision. The first batch of bations was deliver-
ed on 5 March. The final batch of F_ ra s delivered on or
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6. On 25 March 1954 a cable from tated that the ra-
tions were moldy and unfit for human consumption. A cable went back
to the field asking for further information on this matter. At the
same time, the Chief, Medical Staff was requested to analyze samples
sent here for that purpose.
7. On 26 March 1954 the field cabled, in substance, that the
rations were moldy but otherwise all right. In the meantime, however,,
the Chief, Medical Staff recommended that these rations not be used
since at least a part of them were, according to his own analysis, un-
fit for human consumption.
8. Later landI reviewed the ford o-
ing with Mr. Kirkpatrick and
of the WH Division. We also reported that Dr. Tietjen would
make a further analysis of his samples, the Logistics Office would ex-
plore all possibilities to replace these rations completely, and that
we would send a Medical Technician to ss quickly as possible
to make further tests on the spot. on behalf of the V/H
Division, indicated that if the rations could be replaced within
thirty days the deadline for the Project could still be met.
25X1A9A 9. I requested to brief Mr. Wisner on these develop-
ments and of the action being taken; he assured me that he would do so.
5X1A9A
L. K. WHITE
Acting Deputy Director
(Administration)
cc: Inspector General
25X1A9A Chief, WA Division
Chief., Logistics Office
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