STATUS OF CLANDESTINE SERVICES HISTORICAL EFFORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00764R000400050033-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 22, 1998
• Sequence Number: 33
• Publication Date: April 26, 1965
• Content Type: MF

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26 April 1965
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Plans
VIA : ADOP
SUBJECT Status of the Cland? ins Services Historical
Effort
1. On 30 November 1964, on the recommendation of C/OPSER
and ADDP, DD/P directed (a) that the undersigned be designated
manager of the Clandestine Services historical program; (b) that
three officer/analysts and one clerk be assigned for review work
on CS records, location of source documents of historical value
to the Clandestine Services, and establishment of the necessary
related indexes in support of the overall CS historical effort;
and (c) that a CS Historical Board be established to provide
terms of reference, set priorities and select qualified drafts-
men for monographs and broader historical papers.
2. CSN 1-632 (Attachment A) established the CS Historical
Board on 12 January 1965. It met first to shape and measure the
responsibilities of the Board and the requirements for its terms
of reference in guiding the CS historical effort. In consonance
with the Board's opinions and suggestions, the terms of refer-
ence were drafted. Implementing procedures, including a Handbook
for use by drafters of CS historical papers, are now being dupli-
cated. The undersigned reviewed the background and potential
of each CS officer known to be retiring during: the next two
year
Mrs.
and
regular Civil Service schedule) with
who will maintain the roster of assignments
re of progress of CS historical writers. The Board
considered the resultant assignee recommendations and set up
priorities for contacts and for papers to be written.
3. I have provided each division and staff chief with 11
plans for the development of the CS History and the current
status of this activity. Each chief has designated a Historical
Officer as his responsible focal point for historical activities.
Bach Responsible Historical Officer will assist me in (a) out-
lining the historical plan for the component, (b) providing,
from within the active files of the division or staff, reference
data on historical papers, background summaries, and essential
source documents--policy papers, command decisions, programs,
protocols, organizational charts, functional statements, and
(c) identification of potential contributors to the CS History.
(Attachment B is a list of the Responsible Historical Officers.)
Initial meetings have been held. Searches are now being made
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in each div ion and staff for docusents to be indexed by the
Clandestine Services Group of the Mister cal Staff (115/CSO).
Alter the above efforts have been completed, my work with the
HMO's will be largely limited to reaching decisions on priority
actions and personnel utilization in behalf of the CS Historical
Board.
4. In accordance with the determination of the CS Histori-
c& Board, division and staff officers have been advised (a)
that no officer on a regular command or staff assignment will
be requested by the Board to prepare a historical paper, (b) that
historical-type papers already in existence and meeting Board
standards may satisfy the historical requirements for the activ-
ity, function or area which they cover, and (c) that the HS/CSO
will maintain reference and availability indexes in lieu of file
of duplicate copies. Writers are being selected from among the
retirees who will be leaving by the end of 1966. It has been
found that a large percentage of CS historical requirements can
be met by officers in their final months of service who are
placed In less demanding positions on approaching retirement.
5. Attachment C is a list of CS historical papers now In
process. The WE papers were begun in 1964, before the establinh-
1A9 ment of the CS Historical Board, Marl 964 1 provided ad hoc
a
guidance and assistance to Mr. and his staff,
and worked with the drafters of the Chilean Election and the
CIA-Meo Activities papers during their preparation. The Board
is cognisant of these efforts. It will ultimately review histor-
ical papers for quality and conformance to standards prior to
their being included in the Catalog of CS History. Such papers
primarily will remain within the responsible diviaion or staff
for control purposes. Only where a paper covers an activity
which no longer exists would the HS/CSG maintain custody of
that paper in behalf of the DD/P.
6. The HS/CS0 (it operation since February 165) has;
opened a number of indexes (see list, Attachment D). Through
research into semiactive and retired CS archival material, it is
recording the appropriate facts and references in these Indexes
and in the master CS Chronology.
7. I have advised all CS support chiefs concerning the
CS historical effort. They are aware that the responsible
component will assist a writer In the acquisition of retired
documents. The support chief will provide a small working area,
including sate space, if such assistance is required.
6. As a group, the approximately 200 CS Records Office
rb
and Records Management Officers have been given a brief explana-
tion of the purposes of the CS historical program. They have
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been given general guidanc, on the part they will be expected
to play in identifying documents essential to the evolution of
the Clandestine Services. After their capabilities in select-
que and important documents have been tested, the 25X1A9a
EVCSG?Mr. . and
will indoctrinate the RMO's and RO's in the
cording procedure which will ensure that such
ts are maintained for future analysts and writers.
vs a target date of 30 June 1963 to complete the
forsuistion of procedures and indexes for the Clandestine
Services History. All divisions and staffs and Operational
Services components are energetically and cooperatively partic
ipating in the historical program. The CS Historical Board has
its terms of reference established and is functioning as directed
in CSN 1-632. The three research analysts of HS/CSO have been
examining document collections and inserting appropriate details
therefroa in the indexes which they are setting up. It is
anticipated that by the end of this June all divisions and stattri
will have identified within their active files those papers,
studies and surveys which may satisfy historical requirements
and thus warrant inclusion in the Catalog of CS History. Al-
though noticeable advancement has been made, the scope and
depth of research and the tremendous program of writing which
11* ahead pose a formidable challenge for the foreseeable
future.
25X1A9a
DD/P Repree
Historical
Attachments:
A--CON 1-632
B--List of Responsible Historical Officers
C-461st of CS Historical Papers in Process
D--List of Indexes
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