SUICIDE OF FRANK OLSON (DELETED) ARMY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE, CAMP DIETRICH

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00144968
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 22, 2024
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: November 30, 1953

11EMOR.p..,DIJM L'Oil THE tlif.CORD:
SUBJECT: Suicide of Frank 01
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Army Civilian Employee, Camp Dietrich.
. I was called by telephone at 5:00 A. M. this date
and asked to meet with him, Dr. Cibbons and Dr. SirIney Cettl::b
in the latt :es office in Quarters nye. I arrived there alaut 5:40 ad :/as
told the following story:
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Z. Mr. Robert V. Lashbrook, a TSS employee, had 1;een in Ne..,/ York
City on two occasions during the last vic.21: accorn2nnying Stfaject,' -.vho was
taking psychiatric treatment from a Dr. Abrarr3son. Olsen is a civilian
employee of the Chemical Corps at Camp Dietrich. The arrangements for
Olsen to proceed to New York were made by Colonel Vincent Ruett-e
the officer in charge of Special Operations at Camp Dietrich, and at t:-.3
su83e5tion of Dr. Gottlieb. The latter stated that he suggested Dr. ..::Jraraso.--
due to t%e fact that the latter is a clenred cen.:ultant of both this Az;ency and
the Chemical Co:ps, and that the sensitive n:-:".nre of Clsen's work, pz:t of
which he was performing for TSS, made this aopear desira%le.
3. Dr. Gibbons stated that Olsen had been treatA five or six
during the last VI ek by D. Abramson. Olsen and Lasnrock return to
the Washinton area for Thanks.siving but went back to New York City for
further consultation .vith Abramson. Yesterday, ..A.Searnsba deciJed
Olsen should be placed in a sanitarium for treatment for a reriod and
apparently arranf;ements were male with a sanitarium near Rockville,
called Chestnut Gottlieb reported that So.bject had stated he was
to take this treatment.
4. Last n:tt, Lashbrook and Olsen had a room at the Static r
At 2:30 A. M. Lasl:brock was awakened by a crash, awel:e end found Cat
someone had dived through the window, blind, class and all. Olsen was
missing from the room.
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5. It appears that Lashbrook called Gottlieb before he called the desk.
lie then called the desk and police from the 14th Precinct arrived s:-.ertly.
Lashbrook told the police of the employment of Olsen by Army.. Ire told�-� -
them that he, Lashbrook, was a Government employee -.vho had been
associated with Olsen. Lashbrook had an ACO card and also a CIA badge
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on his person. rolicc made notes of identifying data on both Lashbrook
and thc body.
6. When I arrived in Gottlieb's office, he was talkin2 to Lashbrook,
who had called from a pay station in the Statler. I told Gcttlieb to tell
Lashbrook to take another room 'zit Stotler and await later phone call from
US.
7. I questioned Dr. Gibbons and Dr. Gottlieb at some length on certain
matters which had occurred prior to this incident and which will follow later ;
in this memorandum.
8. I then told Gottlieb to call Lashbrook at his room, which turned out
. to be Room 433 and to tell him Special Agent-le=633=grof the Departioent
of Defense would call on him at 3:00 A. M. to assist and follow any future
dealings or interviews with the police. I then sent word of the incident to
414MYClakand made the necessary arrangements with him.
CCCURRING PRIOR TO THESUICID
9. In my ri.uestioning of Drs. Gibbons and Gottlieb, they related the
ollo-o�ing events which preceded this incident.
10. It appears that on Wednesday and bn Thursday, N.ovember 13th and
rth, a group of persons from Camp Dietrich and from TSS assembled at a
cabin (two-story log house) at Deer Creek Lake. Gottlieb stated there were
seven men from the "Special Operations" of Camp Dietrich and three rnen
from TSS. The latter were Gottlieb, Lashbrook and Fittz;hes of S. Gi�olsons
stated that the TSS liaison and connection with the"Special Cperations" had
been kept "EYES CNLY' to a very few persons both in CIA and at Dietrich.
He said it was known to Generals nullene and Creary of the Chemical Corps.
It appears-that the ilurpose of this liaison and connection was to discuss and
work on matters of mutual interest in the sensitive and covert fields.
Gottlieb said the Dietrich group had 2-rtectizr,s once or twice a year at the.
1.oz-house referred to above.
11. In any event, it appears that the entire group had assembled at
Deer Creek Lake by Thursday,- Cn Thursday evening, it. was decided to
experiment with the drug LSD. and for the members present to administer
the drug to thernselves to ascertain the effect a clandestine application
would have on a meeting or conference. Gottlieb stated a "very small .lese"
of LSD was placed in a bottle of cointreau and that all present except two
of the persons had a drink thereof. This included Gottlieb and the ,Commanding
Officer of Special Operations, Colonel Vinson Rue.tte (sp?). Chen also was
included in the group. -
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12. Gottlieb reported thAt_the druc had a definite eff,:rt on the croup
to the point that they were hoizterous and "lau!,;hine and they could not
continue the meetini; or enr,.7..gc in 5ensible convcrL:ations. Gottlieb a:surts
that the meeting broke up about 1:00 A. M. Friday morning. �IIe stated
that Olsen atnong others coniplaincd of waheftilness during the night.
Gottlieb stated he drove home Friday morning as did Olsen.
13. On Tuesday, 24 November, it appears that Colonel Ftuette-talled
Gottlieb and stated that Olsen appeared mentally depressed and evidently
expressed some concern abc,..tt him. Gottlieb then su,sgested that Lashbrook
take Clsen up to New York City to be treated by Dr. Abramson. From that,
point, there were the series of psychiatric tre::,trne:its and plan to hospitalize
Olsen as narrated above.
14. When I arrived, Cott!lab had already communicated ,vith Dr.
Abramf;on. Gottlieb told ine that 44 brairson said that Clsen's condition
was one that existed prior to the events of 13 and 19 November. It sho.:Id
be recorded that Dr. Abramson has been experimenting with LSD on bk.-.half
of TSS. Gottlieb reiterated many time. that eutside of the boisterous effect
and the inability to think preps...rly, LSD has no harmful or permanently
injurious effects.
_Sheffield dwards
Director of Security
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