Office of the Historian
  1. Home
  2. Historical Documents
  3. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1945–1950, Emergence of the Intelligence Establishment
  4. Document 26

26. Memorandum From Secretary of the Navy Forrestal to Secretary of War Patterson 0

Washington, October 13, 1945.

It occurs to me that these subjects which have common interest to both Departments might be the basis of a discussion between us some time in the near future:…

2. Joint Intelligence. The Joint Chiefs of Staff, as you know, made a recommendation to the President for a national intelligence organization, the general outline of which provides for intelligence supervision [Page 60] by the War, State and Navy Departments, with a director charged with the working responsibility functioning under these individuals as a group. I think this is a subject which should have our close attention. The Joint Chiefs of Staff paper seems to me soundly conceived and, if you agree, I think we should push it vigorously at the White House.…

James Forrestal 1
  1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency Historical Files, HS/HC–31, Item 22. No classification marking. The source text is an extract transcribed in July 1952 for the CIA Historian. The original document has not been found.↩
  2. Printed from a copy that indicates Forrestal signed the original.↩