OFFICE OF SPECIAL ACTIVITIES DD/S&T CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP69B00596R000100070018-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 10, 2000
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: August 30, 1965
• Content Type: SUMMARY

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30AUG1966
OFFICE OF SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
DD/S&T
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY
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OSA began its life organizationally in early 1955 as a
smal.. project group of about = people grafted onto the staff of
R. M. Bissell, Jr., then Special Assistant for Policy Coordination,
Office of the DCI (SAPC/DCI). The project, of course, was the covert
development and operation of the U-2 aircraft in conjunction with the
USAF, and was known as Project AQUATONE. A formal agreement with Air
Force was signed by Mr. Dulles and General Twining in June of that year,
delineating areas of responsibility for both parties to the pact.
2. The SAPC/DCI relationship continued as the Project grew, but
as it emerged and gave signs of surviving beyond the 13 to 17 months
operational life forecast for it as the beginning, and as field
detachments were deployed with more than = people each, by mid-1957,
SAPC/DCI strength topped _ people. Technically, this brought the on-
board strength of the Director's Office to some = bodies, and when
this was brought to Mr., Dulles' attention, he was horrified and directed
that something be done to reduce the apparent swelling in his personal
staff. The AQUATONE personnel were separated from Mr. Bissell's personal
staff and renamed the Development Projects Staff, retaining their
organizational affiliation with the Director only in the term DPS/DCI.
Mr. Bissell wore two hats as SAPC/DCI and as Chief, DPS. The group which
became later known as COMOR, was attached to SAPC/DCI as the ARC (Ad Hoc
Requirements Committee), the first unified effort to codify strategic
intelligence requirements and to differentiate them from tactical
intelligence requirements.
3. This condition pertained until February 1959, when Mr. Bissell
became DD/P. At that point, the group was renamed Development Projects
Division and was headed for the first time by an Air Force Officer, and
at the same time, the old Air-Maritime Division of DD/P (which was by
then all air and no maritime, and in reality, functioned as a staff
supervising clandestine air operations around the world) was absorbed
into DPD.
4. By the time DPD was blended into DD/P, it was no longer single
project-oriented, even leaving aside the inclusion of AMD assets. In
1958, preliminary work had begun on a successor system to AQUATONE (by
then named CHALICE) under the cryptonym GUSTO. Active work was under way
on development of Project CORONA, a satellite photo system which emerged
from the ashes of the abortive Air Force System 117L (Pied Piper),
cancelled as a cover ploy in March 1958, to permit covert development of
CORONA ostensibly under ARPA. In September 1959, OXCART became a project
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succeeding GUSTO, so on 1 January 1960, DPD was on the verge of
Launching with Air Force the first CORONA mission (it was unsuccessful),
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it was operating two major. CHALICE detachments overseas (Turkey and
and it was starting to work cutting titanium for the first
OXCART Mach 3 aircraft. It was also conducting, in the Air Branch
6. On 28 February 1962, with the resignation of Mr. Bissell as
DD/P, DPD was transferred to the newly formed DD/R, coincident with its
move in March of 1962 to the new building. It was also renamed OSA at
the same time.
7. Following establishment of the NRO by DOD/CIA agreement of
13 March 1963, it was not long before satellite operations responsibility
moved to the SOC of NRO in the Pentagon (1964). OSP was formed shortly
after establishment of DD/S&T in the fall of 1963. OSP then assumed all
responsibility for satellite systems and OSA reverted to concern only
with manned reconnaissance systems (IDEALIST, OXCART) and development of
downstream state-of-the-art manned systems like ISINGLASS. The new
version of the U-2 will also be lodged in OSA.
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MILESTONE DATES
24 November 1954 U-2 Project approved by President.
10 June 1955 USAF/CIA Agreement on Project AQUATONE.
June 1955 Project AQUATONE staff formed under SAPC/DCI.
6 August 1955 First flight of U-2, eight months after
contract let.
7 May 1956 First U-2 detachment deployed to
20 June 1956 First U-2 overflight of Soviet Bloc countries.
4 July 1956 First U-2 flight over Russia.
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20 August 1956
11 September 1956
February 1957
20 June 1957
November 1957
March 1958
1 September 1958
21 January 1959
June 1959
4 September 1959
November 1959
November 1959
8 February 1960
1 May 1960
20 August 1960
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October 1960
26 October 1960
Second U-2 detachment deployed to Adana,
Turkey.
First U-2 overflight (of Middle East)
from Turkey.
Third U-2 detachment deployed to
First U-2 overflight in Far East over Russia.
First U-2 detachment disbanded at _
Assets divided between
Turkey and units.
Project CORONA started; 117L system (Pied
Piper) cancelled by USAF.
Land Panel approved GUSTO effort leading
to OXCART; first GUSTO contract let.
Presidential approval for OXCART advanced
feasibility study.
Letter of intent with Lockheed for OXCART.
CORONA
Presidential approval to proceed with OXCART.
Production contract for OXCART let.
Last U-2 overflight of Russia.
First successful CORONA flight after 13
failures.
U-2 detachment in Turkey returned to U. S.
regrouped at
First U-2 flight over Cuba from U. S.
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November 1960
14 December 1960
January 1961
15-19 April 1961
12 January 1962
26 April 1962
9 May 1962,
5 October 1962
29 February 1964
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Air operations, Bay of Pigs.
First- mission over China mainland.
First flight of OXCART aircraft,
First -flight of OXCART 'aircraft.
Last CIA U-2 flight over Cuba (50 flown in
all).
A-11 surfaced by President.
20 May 1964 First carrier mission for U-2 over
23 November 1965
OXCART declared operationally ready.
OSA ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1. Developed and operated U-2 program for ten years (1956-66).
2. Developed first operational satellite reconnaissance system in
3. Developed first operational aircraft in world.
4. Developed TALENT and TKH systems plus system.
5. Established CIA world-wide security courier system and first CIA.
industrial security system.
U. Furnished entire air support to Cuban operation.
'!. Established and operated first effective
b. Located first SA-2 site in Cuba during 1'962 missile crisis.
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9. Established first combined world-wide communications and avionics
capability in CIA.
10. Established first and only CIA-industry secure communications network.
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SA/DD/S&T/JACunningham, Jr.:mep
Distribution:
Copy 1 - DD/S&T
Copy 2 - DD/OSA
25X1 A Copy 3 - DD/OSA
Copy 4 - DDS&T
Copy 5 - DD/S&T
Copy 6 - Exec. Officer, DD/S&T
Copies 7 & 8 - DD/S&T Registry
25X1A Copies 9, 10, 11 & 12 - James A.
Copy 13 -
Copy 14 -
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