Office of the Historian

190. Letter From the Director of Central Intelligence (Vandenberg) to the Chairman of the Joint Research and Development Board (Bush)0

Washington, March 13, 1947.

JRDB 49/3

Dear Dr. Bush: Pending the arrival of the Chief of the Scientific Branch, I am most anxious that the Central Intelligence Group afford you every service possible on an interim basis.

I have, therefore, issued a memorandum to my offices which sets up the functional operation within CIG in this respect. This system will, I believe, provide the close cooperation envisioned by our agreement. A copy of this memorandum is attached hereto.1

I have designated Colonel Whitely as Acting Chief of the Scientific Branch and have directed him to report to you, and to make himself available to you and your Board for all intelligence requirements, or other intelligence matters which you may desire. I hope you will feel free to refer all intelligence requirements or other matters to us through Colonel Whitely.

If, in any way, I personally, or my Assistant Director for Reports and Estimates can be of further assistance to you at any time, please call on us direct.

Sincerely,

Hoyt S. Vandenberg 2

Lieutenant General, USA
[Page 502]

Enclosure3

Washington, March 13, 1947.

Memorandum by the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (Wright)

SUBJECT

  • Operations—Intelligence Relationship of CIG with JRDB

REFERENCE

  • “Program for JRDB–CIG Cooperation in the Field of Scientific Intelligence,” dated 10 January 1947
1.
In accordance with Program for JRDB–CIG Cooperation, which was jointly approved by the Director of Central Intelligence and the Chairman, JRDB, the following policies for the functional operation within CIG in its relations with JRDB are announced.
2.
The Chief or Acting Chief of the Scientific Branch, ORE, under supervision of the Assistant Director for Reports and Estimates, is the Intelligence Advisor to the Chairman, JRDB. In performing this function he will:
a.
Report to the Chairman, JRDB, as advisor and make himself and the facilities of his branch and the CIG as a whole fully available to him.
b.
Be the principal liaison and operational contact between JRDB and CIG.
c.
Arrange with the control the working relationships of appropriate offices of CIG with offices, individuals, or committees of JRDB.
d.
Coordinate closely with JRDB to develop and pass to OCD for appropriate processing, JRDB requirements, requests, information, and intelligence, except those matters subject to special handling or which cannot be accomplished within the framework of ORE.
e.
Receive from OCD, for processing with JRDB, CIG requirements and collection requests which may be susceptible of collection from JRDB sources.
In performing the above functions, he will follow the functional organization of CIG and will be guided by the operational policies announced by the Director.
3.
On matters concerning JRDB the other offices of CIG will regard the deal with the Chief of the Scientific Branch, ORE, as they would with [Page 503] the Chief of intelligence of a departmental agency. Contact with operational personnel of JRDB will be arranged through the Chief of the Scientific Branch, ORE.
4.
The Assistant Director, OSO, and the Assistant Director, ORE, will recommend to the Director any special arrangements necessary to the security requirements of OSO.
5.
Nothing in this directive negates the control of the Scientific Branch by the Assistant Director, ORE, for the purpose of producing national intelligence in the scientific field, and general requirements related thereto or abridges the normal relationship of the Assistant Director, ORE, with the appropriate officers of JRDB.
E.K. Wright 4

Brigadier General, USA
  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency Historical Files, HS/HC–804, Item 46, Job 84–B00443R, Box 7. Secret. The source text is a transcript made for the CIA Historian on July 29, 1952.↩
  2. Dated January 10. See the Supplement. Also attached was a March 13 memorandum by Wright, printed as an enclosure.↩
  3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩
  4. Secret. Addressed to the CIG Assistant Directors for Reports and Estimates, Collection and Dissemination, Operations, and Special Operations and the Chief, Intelligence Coordinating and Planning Staff. The source text is a transcript made for the CIA Historian on July 29, 1952.↩
  5. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩