CIA TAPES AND TRANSCRIPTS OF TAPES

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01474408
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: February 14, 1974

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Legislative Counsel
EXTENSION
NO.
DATE 14 February 1974
(Officer designation, room number, and
,n2.)
RECEIVED
DATE
FORWARDED
OFFICER'S
INITIALS
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.) g
3,
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9..
I.
L,_________
FORM USE pievious
3 -6 2 ki ec,itorls
SEMI Li CONFIDENTIAL
Attached for your review is a
proposed paper on the tapes and
transcript situation for use with
Baker, Special Prosecutor,.
etc.
We still have a few loose ends
to wrap up, interviewing a few
people, but we do-n't expect any
surprises and thought you would
like to review this soonest,
ii finalizing the 1, og,.
It is my recommendation that
when that is completed,. we . show
it to (and to Jaworski and
our other Subcommittee. Chair-
men if they are interested) but
that we not leave it with anyone �
because of the sensitivity attached
to some the names in it:
WC).;
I I
eor
1:16)gislative Counse
INTERNAL n LIKLASSIFiED
USE ONLY
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Tapes and Transcripts of pes
I. General
A. Purpose
For many years the offices and phones of the three top CIA officials
(Director of Central Intelligence, the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
and the Executive Director-Comptroller) had the capability of recording
conversations. These recordings, done on a selective basis, served as
note-taking substitutes where accurate recall was needed, particularly in
dealing with foreigners whose command of English was limited. This paper
covers such recordings made subsequent to 31 December 1969.
B. Systems
1. Phone
Taping of incoming telephone conversations was handled
by secretaries in the offices involved.
2. Office
This "room" system was capable of recording conversations
in a specific area. This system was supported by technicians
in a remote recording facility and a secretary transcriber
supervised by the technician.
C. Current Status
The capability for recording telephone calls or office conversations in
the offices of the Director, the Deputy Director, and the Executive Director-
Comptroller was terminated in early 1973. The telephone and room systems
in the DDCI's complex was terminated on 3 February 1972. The telephone
o,n,r1 room system in the office of the Executive Director-Comptroller was
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terminated on 5 January 1973. The telephone system in the DCI's suite was
terminated on 5 January 1973, while the room system in the DCI's complex
was terminated on 17-18 February 1973.
L. Phone Recording Procedure
A. System
A recorder was attached to individual telephone instruments. With
few exceptions, the telephone recordings were transcribed in the principals'
offices. The tapes and the transcripts were maintained under the exclusive
control of that office. In the case of the DCI's phone, a backup recording
capability existed at the remote recording facility identified below. Only
one telephone recording was transcribed outside of the principals',offices and
the only information on the secretary.transcriber's log concerning the conversa-
tion is that it occurred on 7 October 1970 and one of the parties was Deputy
Director of Central Intelligence General Cushman.
B. Tapes
Telephone tapes normally were erased shortly after use and
reused. A careful search has failed to disclose the existence of any
such tapes.
C. Transcripts
The only transcripts of telephone recordings still extant are
those involving conversations between the Deputy Director of Central
Intelligence, General Cushman,andMr..Ehrlichman and other individuals
assigned to the White House (see Attachment A). Of the ten such.
transcripts, only one is Watergate related. It involves the 7 July 1971
conversation between General Cushman and Mr. Erlichman. The tran-
script of this conversation was provided to all congressional and
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� executive investigative bodies as soon as it was discovered. Since
telephone recording was used as a note-taking substitute, there is no doubt
that memoranda prep'ared by the principals incorporated some of the sub-
stance of the recordings. To the Agency's knowledge, all such memoranda
relating to the various "Watergate" investigations have been made available
to the congressional and executive investigative bodies concerned.
III. Office Recording Procedure
The system could be activated only in the principals' offices. The
recording took place in a remote facility. Once a conversation had been
recorded, the technician assigned to the recording facility, working under
the exclusive direction and control of the principals' office, was instructed
� either to destroy, transcribe., or erase the tape. Two recordings.were
made of each conversation, a primary tape and a backup tape. If a transcript
was to be prepared, both tapes were delivered by the technician to a
secretary-transcriber who worked under the technician's supervision.
A. Transcription
The secretary-transcriber assigned to the remote recording facility
made an original transcription only. The backup tape was insurance
against a defective or inaudible primary tape. The transcriber maintained
a log which included the date of the recording, the Agency principal by
title, the number of participants in the conversation, the location of the
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conversation, the completion date of the transcript, and the date the transcript
was delivered to the principals' office by the technician. The transcriber
would also mark on the tape container the date of the conversation, the
name of the principal, and the name of the guests, when available, and
the duration of the recording.
B. The recording technician picked up the two tapes and the transcript
from the transcriber, delivered the transcript to the principals' office and
stored the primary tape in a safe in the recording facility, after assigning
and markirg it with a sequential number. If the backup tape was no longer
reusable, it was destroyed. If it was reusable, it was erased and placed
in the reusable tape file. (Prior to January 1972 the recorded portion of
the reusable backup tape was clipped from the reel and destroyed. Subse-
quently, the recorded portion was only degaussed.) There were. 36 conversa-
tions recorded during the period 1 January 1972 through 11 January 1973.
The Agency has in its possession 36 degaussed, 10 1/2 inch reels of tapes
which are believed to have been used as the backup tape:.for these recordings.
All identifying information on the backup tape containers was removed and
destroyed.
C. Transcripts
The transcripts were completely controlled by the principals'
office.
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IV. �DceJ ru.ction of Office Tapes
A. From 31 December 1969 to 22 January 1973
The technicians assigned to the remote recording facility prepared
two separate listings for destruction at different times. The first list consisted
of tapes #1 through #185 and was submitted to Mrs. Dunlevy during the last
quarter of 1970. The second list covered tapes #184 through #237 and was
submitted to Mrs. Dunlevy during the first quarters of 1972. The lists served
as the basis for telephonic advice from Mrs. Dunlevy to the technicians to
destroy various tapes. The technician's log notes that tapes #1 through #54
(recorded during the period 22 September 1964 through 3 May 1965) were
destroyed on 21 January 1972. Another notation indicates that tapes #55
thro:.Igh #183 (recorded during the period 3 May 1965 through 5 June 1970)
were destroyed prior to January 1973.
B. 24 January 1973
All other non.degaussed tapes of conversations recorded between
31 December 1969 and 24 January 1973 (except for tape #214 of the Cushman/
Hunt conversation of 22 July 1971) were in storage in the recording facility on
24 January 1973 and were destroyed at the instruction of Mrs. Dunlevy.
The destruction commenced 24 January 1973 and ended several days there-
after, These included tapes #184 through #275 (recorded during the period
Z3 June 1970 through 11 January 1973). In this and the previous destruction,
�
the tape containers were also destroyed.
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C. Transcripts
As a normal part of office routine Mrs. Dunlevy, in the process.
Of preparing the office for Dr. Schlesinger (who was confirmed on
23 January 1973 to succeed Mr. Helms) received permission from Mr. Helms
to destroy transcripts kept in a safe locked in a vault in the immediate
office of the Director. She has stated that none of the transcripts contained
any information related to Watergate.
In December 1971 General Cu.shman's papers were reviewed after
he left CIA to become Marine Commandant. Aside from the tape and transcript
of the 22 July 1971 Cushman/Hunt conversation, referred to previously and
hereafter, the only transcripts retained were those concerning General
Cushman's telephone conversations with members of the White House staff,.
which are covered by Section II-C above.
The recording of conversations in the office of the DDCI was
.discontinued after General Cushman left CIA in December 1971.
There was only one recording of a conversation in the office of the
Executive Director-Comptroller during the period in question. It occurred
in. June of 1970 and there is no evidence that it was in any way related to
Watergate.
V. Records
Based upon a reconstruction of information available in the logs
.and other supplementary material, and from interviews, we have no evidence
to indicate that from the period 31.January 1969 to 24 January 1973 there
was any recording of any conversation with any of the principals heretofore
pul)licly identified in connection with the Watergate investigation, except as
previously noted above.
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VI. Summary
A. Mr. Helms has stated that, "I never destroyed any tapes or anything
else having any remote bearing on 'Watergate'."
B. It is the recollection of Mrs. Dunlevy, who maintained complete
control of the transcripts for Mr. Helms, that none of the transcripts were
in any way related to "Watergate."
C. To our knowledge only one office conversation relating to subjects
of interest to the various "Watergate" investigating bodies was ever recorded,
the 22 July 1971 office conversation between General Cushman and Mr. Hunt.
A transcript of this conversation has been made available to all congressional
and investigating bodies concerned. The primary tape of the conversation
is currently in the possession of a congressional committee.
D. All congressional and executive investigating bodies concerned have
been provided with all memoranda and information which to the Agency's
knowledge is in any way related to the various "Watergate" investigations.
Some of the memoranda and information i8 or may have been the product
of the recording of office and telephone conversations.
E. The Agency has no knowledge of the existence of any transcripts of
tapes or tapes relating to this matter except as identified above.
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F. TLe records relating to office conversations which were recorded
include sensitive information involving intelligence sources and methods
.Which the Director of Central Intelligence has a statutory responsibility to
protect,
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