CONVERSATION WITH (Sanitized) OF NSA RE PUEBLO MATTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP72-00337R000100120042-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 2, 2004
• Sequence Number: 42
• Publication Date: March 6, 1969
• Content Type: MFR

6 March 1969
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
25X1A SUBJECT: Conversation with
Re Pueblo Matter
1. On instructions from the Director, I called 25X1A
this afternoon to report highlights of the Director's appearance before
25X1A the House Subcommittee on the Pueblo yesterday. General
Counsel of NSA, was also on the line.
25X1 A Z. I told
a. Committee questions centered largely on the
303 procedures;
b. matters of interest to NSA were brought up by
Frank Slatinshek who quoted General Carter as having said
that the Pueblo loss
c. the Director said he was much more concerned
about documents than technical equipment.
25X1A
said he fully agreed with this.
4. 1 said Slatinshek went on to ask whether the capture of
technical equipment didn't help the enemy in breaking our systems,
and that in response the Director said:
25X1
25X1
a. The Committee had better hear from an expert
on this subject;
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b. however, it was true that the capture of a crypto
equipment would be very damaging if the loss weren't known,
but the loss is known and corrective action can be taken and
the damage largely prevented;
d. meanwhile, countermeasures have been taken on the
assumption that everything on board the vessel may have been
compromised.
25X1A
7. 1 mentioned the Director's comment that we all get parochial
in the intelligence business and that in fact the truly sensitive secrets
are like the heart of an artichoke and that often a number of layers have
to be peeled off before the real nuggets are exposed. I said the Director
therefore suggested to the Subcommittee that in trying to assess the
damage they take care to make sure everybody understands exactly what
is being discussed.
8. I mentioned the Subcommittee' a interest in contingency plans
and suggested NSA witnesses might get questions in this regard.
25X1
25X1
1bA1H 9. asked if there was a written transcript of the
hearings and if so whether he could see it since it would be helpful to
know the exact context in which the above points were brought out. I said
a transcript had been made and we expected to have a chance to review it
for accuracy. However, I said this transcript was strictly the property
of the Subcommittee and I wasn't sure about the propriety of showing it to
our friends. I said I would mention the problem to the Director.
25X1A
10. broke in to say that, as Mr. Warner could verify,
these transcripts have been shared between our agencies in the past.
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Legislative Counsel