LANSDALE, EDWARD G., USAF (RET) UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85B00236R000200170012-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 16, 2013
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: July 7, 1981
• Content Type: MF

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/04/16 :CIA-RDP85B00236R000200170012-2
~tSEFENSE iNVESTIG;~TIVE SERVICE
~~ HAL.F STREET, S. W.
WASHINGTON, []. C. x1324
7 JUL 198 i
MEMORANDUM FOR DIRECTOR, SECURITY PLANS AND PROGRAMS, ODUSD(P)
SUBJECT: Lansdale, Edward G., Major General, USAF ~Ret)/Unauthorized
Disclosure
The attached memorandum sets forth a sunmary of results of our inquiries
to date.
N L ROITL -
Acting irector
Classi!ied by 1~ca._.~;_j.-~f-~ n~s
DeclaAaUy an ~~'~ ~(~ O ~ ~~
CONFIOENTIRI
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SUBJECT: Interim Report of Defense Investigative Service (DIS) Inquiries
Regarding: Lansdale, Edward G., Major General, USAF (Ret)/
Unauthorized Disclosure (U}
BACKGROUND
(U) Prior to initiation of the investigation, Defense Industrial Security
Personnel reported they had received the fallowing background information
from the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, Stanford University,
Stanford, CA. Major General Edward G. Lansdale, USAF (Ret) donated his
personal papers to the .institute. The papers were received in 55 boxes,
about one-half of which contained Secret and Confidential DoD documents that
Lansdale apparently removed to his private residence after he left his position
in the Special Projects Office of the OSD in 1969. The bulk of the material
appeared to have originated in OSD. The boxes were transmitted to California
via an uncleared commercial trucking firm.
5UMh1ARY OF INVESTIGATIVE ACTIVITY
(U) The Institution is cleared by DoD far storage of and access to material
classified up to Top Secret.
(U) The Office of General Officer Matters, USAF, Pentagon, advised that from
October 1958 to May 1963, Lansdale served as the Assistant to the Assistant to
the Secre-tart' of Defense (Special Operations) and from June 1963 to October
1963, he served as the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Central Control
Group}. They reported that he retired from active duty in October 193 vice
1969 as earlier reported by the Hoover Institution, 6
(C) At the request of the Special_Investigations Unit, an inventory of
Lansdale's material at the Institution was conducted by Defense Industrial
Security Personnel. The results were reported by letter dated June 4, 1981
(Attachment 1). Fallowing is a breakdown of the classified documents .which
were identified:
a. TOP SECRET - 16
b. SECRET - 1053
c. CONFIDENTIRL - 1071
d. RESTRICTED - 13
e. FOLIO - 2
f. EYES ONLY - 8
*g. OTHERS - 20
h. MAT (Vietnam Secret) - 5
i. KIN (Vietnam CONFIDENTIAL) - 8
*Includes highly sensitive material (names, incidents) not classified.
(C} A review of the list of documents prepared during the inventory (Attachment 2}
and telephonic discussions conducted with the individuals who performed the in-
ventory disclosed that Lansdale's material consisted of 57 boxes vice 55 indicated
by the Institution. Many of the documents and memorandum are on letterhead.
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C~ N F~ DEN~~~~
They may have been classified by Lansdale whilE he was stationed in the Far
East and Vietnam. Approximately 20 to 40 documents contain what appear to
be very sensitive information relating to DoD, CIA and the State Department.
As an example, the following is provided:
3. A memorandum which speaks rather unfavorably about Mr. Habib of the
State Department.
(U) Defense Industrial Security Personnel advised that due to the scope and
nature of the documents they would be unable to provide a damage assessment
or determine if Lansdale's documents could be declassified or downgraded.
They suggested that the Office of the Secretary of Defense would have
responsibility for taking such actions.
(U) In an attempt to determine who could provide a review of Lansdale's
documents for declassification or downgrading and a damage assessment, the
Directorate for Freedom of Information and Security Review, Office of
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) was contacted, That office
advised that all documents should be sent to the Director far Information
Security, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, so
.that his office could review and disseminate to the appropriate offices f`or
declassification ar downgrading.
(U) The Office for Information Security agreed that-they should handle
review of the documents, if they could be obtained from the Institution..
They felt that Dap should regain possession of the.doeuments as soon as
possible, but suggested that a legal opinion be obta-fined from the Office
of General Counsel, OSD, prior to contacting the Institution. -
(U) The Office of General Counsel, OSD, was contacted in this regard and
they advised that. classified documents and those containing proprietary
information did not belong to Lansdale and should not have been removed
from DoD control. They further advised that these documents are the
property of DoD and DoD has every right to regain possession of them
and to determine the final disposition of same.
(U) This matter was coordinated with the Office of the Director for
Security Plans and Programs who requested that the Institution be contacted
to determine their position regarding return of the documents to DoD control.
(U) On June 29, 1981, Mr. Charles G. Palm, Deputy Archivist, Hoover Institution
was contacted at his hotel in Washington, DC. Palm advised as follows.
(U) Lansdale maintained his personal papers in the basement of his home until
about 1'-z years ago when a fire nearly destroyed his home. At that time he
donated all of his papers to the Institution. They were accepted for the
Institution by the Freedom. Foundation, Valley Forge, PA, placed in sealed
boxes and shipped via Allied Van Lines to the Institution. The trucking
company is not cleared for access to classified information. The boxes
arrived with the seals intact.
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(U) The Institution views Lansdale's paper; as their property. (The paper
and ink belong to the Institution. The informatiun on the paper may belong
to DoD,) The Institution's normal practice is to provide copies of the
documents and retain the originals and they will do this for DoD if DoD
Yrill provide one individual to assist with the copy work. If DoD insists
on obtaining the originals the matter will have to be discussed with higher
officials at the Institution.
(U) The Institution will withhold Lansdale's papers from use until this
matter can be resolved. Palm is of the opinion that some of the documents
contain very sensitive information that should not be released anywhere,...
The Institution currently enjoys an amicable relationship with DoD and would
Tike it to continue.-
(U) As an aside, Mr. Palm stated that Lansdale has commissioned a young
scholar named Gary May, University of Delaware, to write his autobiography.
Lansdale has provided him with a great many copies of his papers. Palrn did-
not know whether Lansdale had provided play with any of the classified t>r
sensitive material. -Palm also advised that he has informed Lansdale of
this .investigation,
RECOMMENDATION
(U) It is recommended that this information and Attachment Z of this
memorandum be provided to appropriate authori-ties at CIA and the State
Department so that each may evaluate the material and take whatever action
they deem necessary,, in coordination with. DoD.
Attachments
0
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fi~~'~: Thomas I3. tUhi t e
Director of Informatics Ser~eices
12Q6 Ames
jG: (Qlicer designation, room number, and
6uilding~
i. tiVilliam Dannelly
C/ItiLSjDDO
1D.412.4_,_.t~{s.~.___._._
Discovery of Collection of Cover. nment Docl.mtents in Private Hands
(OS) ,
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DATE ~ OFFICEI2'5
INITIALS
FORWARDED
RECE7441
OIS 81-685/1
17 July 1981
~OMMEN75 (Number ouch comment to show from whom
n whom. Draw a lino across column afler each comment.
You may be interested in
the attached. which reports on
the discovery o_f a large pi.1e
of classified documents donated
to the Hoover Institute by Ret.
Mayor General .Edward G. Lansdale..
On page ?. you wall note that one
of the doctzmerlts purports to be
There was a meeting apt the
Pentagon. on lb July to discuss
what to do about the collection
of papers.
p. - IJIS:Tgi~9hite~ (17 July L~1.,1
1)is tribution:
~o. ~ Urig FRS - Af'ise 1,;J~Ltt
1 - GIU) w/ at.t.
1 - GTS SLib jer_t wf ~1~
(CRL, OIS attended. Accor~ ing
to the report T got, it was de-
cided tha,. J~D wo11l.d a.tterrpt to
get the papers back through nice-
ness and it they couldn't they ~
wou? d get hftia~v-y, especially with
respect to -the r11:ra:.1: iloaver
has with DUD. may be able 25X1
to give you a 1lttle otter rrun-~
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tilt, I-a:t:tt:_' aJ tn1G? rat) a_~.Ollr~' ci.~.S(J..
/s/ T~~E
U~CLASSII~IE) when
separated from attacrlrnent
FORM ~~ ~ usE ?REVioUs
l-79 E~ITION5
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