The National Security Act of 1947


196. Memorandum From the General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Group (Houston) to the Director of Central Intelligence (Vandenberg)

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Historical Files, HS/HC–803, Item 13. No classification marking. The source text was a transcript prepared for the CIA Historian on June 6, 1952.


197. Memorandum for the File

Source: Truman Library, Papers of Clark M. Clifford, National Military Establishment: CIA. No classification marking.


198. Minutes of the Fourth Meeting of the National Intelligence Authority

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Historical Files, HS/HC–245. Top Secret. The meeting was held at the State Department.


199. Memorandum From the Director of Central Intelligence (Vandenberg) to the National Intelligence Authority

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Historical Files, HS/HC–804, Item 2, Job 84–B00443R, Box 7. Confidential. The source text is a transcript prepared for the CIA Historian on September 4, 1952.


200. Memorandum From the Director of Central Intelligence (Vandenberg) to the National Intelligence Authority

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Historical Files, HS/HC–804, Item 2, Job 84–B00442R, Box 7. Confidential. The source text is a transcript made for the CIA Historian on September 4, 1952.


201. Memorandum From the Director of Central Intelligence (Vandenberg) to the President’s Special Counsel (Clifford)

Source: Truman Library, Papers of Clark M. Clifford, National Military Establishment: CIA. No classification marking.


202. Draft Central Intelligence Group Memorandum

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 3. Secret. The source text, attached to a copy of Document 201, may be the document referred to in Vandenberg’s office diary for December 9, 1946, which notes: “went to see Mr. Clifford at the White House with the article for the President’s ‘State of the Union’ speech to find out if he approved our project of advocating immediate legislation.” (Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 80–01731R, Box 31, Folder 1) Vandenberg also alluded to the possible inclusion of a recommendation for intelligence legislation in the State of the Union message in his January 8 conversation with Clifford; see Document 203.


203. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Truman Library, Papers of George M. Elsey, Central Intelligence. No classification marking. Drafted on January 9 by Elsey.


204. Memorandum From the Chief of the Legislative Liaison Division of the Central Intelligence Group (Pforzheimer) to the Director of Central Intelligence (Vandenberg)

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 263, Records of the Central Intelligence Agency, Troy Papers, CIG and NSA of ’47. No classification marking.


205. Memorandum for the Record

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 263, Records of the Central Intelligence Agency, Troy Papers, Legislation 1947. Confidential. The source text is undated; the date is from a handwritten date on the copy reproduced in CIA Cold War Records: The CIA under Harry Truman, pp. 105–109.


206. Letter From the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (Wright) to the President’s Administrative Assistant (Murphy)

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 3. No classification marking.


207. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (Wright) to the President’s Special Counsel (Clifford)

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 3. No classification marking. The memorandum bears no signature but appears to be from Wright.


208. Memorandum From the Chief of the Legislative Liaison Division, Central Intelligence Group (Pforzheimer) to the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (Wright)

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 3, CIG Enabling Act, 1947. No classification marking. Attached to the source text is a handwritten note addressed to Pforzheimer which reads, “Noted. Concur. Wright.”


209. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Decimal File 1945–49, 101.61/3–1047. No classification marking. Drafted by Sandifer.


210. Memorandum From George M. Elsey to the President’s Special Counsel (Clifford)

Source: Truman Library, Papers of George M. Elsey, Central Intelligence. No classification marking. Elsey was Clifford’s assistant. Also reproduced in CIA Cold War Records: The CIA under Harry Truman, p. 127.


211. Memorandum From the Secretary of State’s Special Assistant for Research and Intelligence (Eddy) to Acting Secretary of State Acheson

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Decimal File 1945–49, 101.5/5–547. Confidential. Drafted by Eddy.


212. Letter From Secretary of State Marshall to Senator Chan Gurney

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Decimal File 1945–49, 101.5/5–547. No classification marking. Drafted by Marshall. A note on the source text reads: “Delivered by hand 5/6/47.”


213. Memorandum From the Chief of the Legislative Liaison Division, Central Intelligence Group (Pforzheimer) to the Director of Central Intelligence (Hillenkoetter)

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 2. No classification marking. Attached to this memorandum is an undated draft (see the Supplement) of Document 214. It omits one sentence that is in the signed version. Also in the Supplement is a second May 9 memorandum from Pforzheimer to Hillenkoetter, transmitting a draft of the memorandum to Hillenkoetter, which is identical to the signed copy. (Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 2) Rear Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter was sworn in as Director of Central Intelligence on May 1.


214. Memorandum From the National Intelligence Authority to the Director of Central Intelligence (Hillenkoetter)

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Decimal File 1945–49, 101.5/5–1947. Confidential. The source text was an information copy sent by the NIA secretary to Eddy and the other members of the Intelligence Advisory Board. These instructions apparently were drafted in CIG for the signature of the principals. For a similar but more detailed memorandum, which probably is the forerunner of the text printed, see the memorandum from Pforzheimer to Hillenkoetter, May 9, in the Supplement. (Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 2)


215. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 2. Confidential. The memorandum is unsigned but appears to have been drafted by Pforzheimer.


216. Memorandum From the Chief of the Legislative LiaisonDivision, Central Intelligence Group (Pforzheimer) to the Director of Central Intelligence (Hillenkoetter)

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 2. Confidential.


217. Letter From the Director of Central Intelligence (Hillenkoetter) to the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (Gurney)

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Historical Files, HS/HC–805, Item 10. Secret. The source text is a transcript prepared for the CIA Historian on September 11, 1952.


218. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 2. No classification marking.


219. Central Intelligence Group Memorandum

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Records, Job 90–00610R, Box 1, Folder 5. No classification marking. The source text is neither addressed nor signed and contains no drafting information. It appears that it was drafted in the office of the CIG’s General Counsel. At the time that this memorandum was written, the differing House and Senate versions of the national security legislation had gone to conference.


220. Memorandum From the Director of Central Intelligence (Hillenkoetter) to the National Intelligence Authority

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 218, Records of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Leahy Papers, No. 129. Confidential. The source text carries a handwritten annotation “Approved by Adm Leahy 20 Sept 1947.” Another copy of this memorandum is in CIA Cold War Records: The CIA under Harry Truman, pp. 137–138.


221. Memorandum From the Director of Central Intelligence (Hillenkoetter) to the Intelligence Advisory Board

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Historical Files, HS/HC–806, Item 6. Confidential. Addressed to Eddy, Chamberlin, Inglis, McDonald, and Gingrich. The source text was transcribed on October 1, 1952, for the CIA Historian.


222. Memorandum From the Director of Central Intelligence (Hillenkoetter) to the National Security Council

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Records of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research: Lot 62 D 42, IAC. Confidential.


223. Memorandum From the Director of Central Intelligence (Hillenkoetter) to the National Security Council

Source: Truman Library, Papers of Harry S. Truman, President’s Secretary’s Files, Intelligence File. Confidential.


224. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Lovett to Director of Central Intelligence Hillenkoetter

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Decimal File 1945–49, 101.61/9–1147. Confidential. Drafted by William A. Eddy on September 18. Attached was a vote slip form, signed by Lovett and addressed to the secretary of the NIA, indicating Department of State approval of the September 11 memorandum subject to Lovett’s comments. Under the provisions of the National Security Act of 1947, the Central Intelligence Group became the Central Intelligence Agency on September 19, and Hillenkoetter became the Agency’s first Director of Central Intelligence on September 20.


225. Minutes of the First Meeting of the National Security Council

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 273, Records of the National Security Council, NSC Minutes, 1st Meeting. Secret. The meeting was held at the White House.


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