ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS SECTION I GENERAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04007A001000030036-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 25, 1998
• Sequence Number: 36
• Publication Date: June 6, 1947
• Content Type: REGULATION

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Extracts from:
(Document in custody of Historical Staff20Docu
Key Bl. Ext. mentsg4.fficer n "
(Was TOP SECRET; reducbd to SECRET) (Copy No. 29, of ~O)
Pg. 1 6 June 1947
S. 0. DIRECTIVE NO--l 8
ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE
OFFICE OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS
SECTION I
GENERAL
1. DISTRIBUTION:
a. This Directive will not be sent to overseas stations and
b.
This Directive is for the use only of officials of the
Office of Special Operations and of the Office of the
Director of Central Intblligence. With careful editing to
preserve security, the Chief of Administration and Services
will prepare where necessary organization charts and func-
tional job descriptions for presentation to Civil Service
Representatives in order that departmental positions can
be finalized under Civil Service procedures. After prepa-
ration, these organizational charts and functional job
descriptions will be submitted to Chief of Operations and
the Chief of Special Security for concurrence and to the
Assistant Director of Special Operations for approval,
prior to presentation to the Civil Service Representatives.
The distribution of this Directive will be as follows
(Recipients of this Directive in the Office of Special
Operations will inform their subordinates of such portions
of this Directive as are essential for them to know in
carrying out their official duties. Under no circumstances
will its contents be revealed to personnel outside the office
of Special Operations without the specific approval of the
Assistant Director in each case.)
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25X1A9a
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(Pg. 2 is list of officials to whom copies were given. There were 30 copies.
Copy 1 went to DCI; Copy 2 to ADSO; Copy 3 to Chief ofLiaison Control; Copy 4
to Chief of Special Security; Copy 5 to Chief of Operations; Copies 6-25 to
various Chiefs of 030 Divisions, S,1,affs, and Branches; Copy No. 26 to Chairman
of the Reorganization Committee; Copies 27-30 to Executive Secretary.)
Pg. 3 2. RECISSIONS
5.0. Directive No. 7 dated 4 December 1946, Subject: "Organiza-
tion of the Office of Special Operations" is rescinded and its
provisions replaced by this Directive.
3?
ORGANIZATION
a. For the organization of the Office of Special Operations see
Enclosure 1.
b. For geographical area responsibilities of Foreign Branches
see Enclosure 2.
4. FUNCTIONS
a. The functions of the Office of Special Operations are as
prescribed in the Memorandum for Assistant Director for Special
Operations from the Director of Central Intelligence, dated
25 October 1946, subject: Functions of the Office of Special
Operations. This memorandum is quoted verbatim as follows:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - C DOTE - - - - - - - - - - -
"1. The Office of SpOci.al Operations x 1lhfun,ction in accordance
with the following policies:
a. The mission of the Office of Special. Operations is the
conduct, under the direct supervision of the Director, of all organ-
ized Federal espionage and counterespionage operations outside the
United States and its possessions for the collection of foreign
intelligence inforrtior required for the national security. Such
espionage and counterespionage operations may involve semi- ert and
semi-covert activities for the full performance of the mission.
b. The Assistant Director for Special Operations will be
directly responsible to the Director of' Central Intelligence for
carrying out the missions assigned him, for the ` curity of opera-
tional material and methods and for the collection of secret foreign
intelligence information required by the Office of Collection and
Dissemination and other user departments and agencies.
c. The.Office of Special Operations will coordinate its
field collection activities with other agencies of the Central
Intelligence Group charged with comparable functions.
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f. Ordinarily requests for specific information will come
from the State, War, Navy and other departments and agencies through
the Office of Collection and Dissemina ion, where it will be deter-
mined that the Office of Special Operations is the proper agency to
collect the desired information. However, the Office of Special
Operations is authorized to receive directly from user departments
or agencies requests for a specific action or the collection of
specific information when such requests are clearly within the sphere
of activity of the Office of Special Operations and the particular
type of desired information (or action) make such direct contact
necessary for security reasons. Such direct contact will be made
through the Office of Control, Special Operations, and corresponding
offices in the various departments and agencies. The Office of
Special Operations will maintain direct liaison with departments and
agencies of the Federal Government on secret operational matters,
knowledge of which must be restricted to the minimum number of persons.
g. The Office of Special Operations will be responsible
for the collection, processing, and distribution of foreign counter-
espionage intelligence information and will be the repository for
such information. Intelligence derived from the processing of
foreign counterespionage intelligence information will be made avail-
able to the Office of Research and Evaluation.
*2. Major support services for the Office of Special Operations
will be provided by the Special Projects Division, Personnel and
Administrative Branch of the Executive Staff, Central Intelligence
Group, under the operational direction of the Assistant Director for
Special Operations.
3. In carrying out the policies stated above operational
security requirements will be strictly observed by all concerned".
Pg. *(Note*. Reference paragraph 2 - it is contemplated that these
instructions will be revised in the near future to give the Assistant
Director for Special Operations complete control of his major support-
ing services.)
b. Reference paragraph 3 above - the functions of the major'
elements of the Office of Special Operations are prescribed in
SECTIONS II, III, AND IV of this Directive.
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SECTION II
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
5. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS:
The Assistant Director for Special Operations will control,
supervise, and direct the cevpral elements of the Office of
Special Operations so as to implement the assigned functions
of his office in accord with the policies announced in the
Directive of the Director of Central Intelligence quoted in
paragraph 4 above and will conduct or provide for and super-
vise the liaison and coordination of his office with other
offices of the Central Intelligence Group and with other U. S.
departments and agencies in accord with the policies of this
Directive. He will be directly responsible to the Director of
Central Intelligence for the carrying out of the missions assigned
to him and for the functioning of his office in accordance with
the directives and policies of the Director. He will conduct
such field inspections in person as are necessary to insure the
faithful execution of the directives and policies of the Director.
6. THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS
7. EXECUTIVE STAFF:
a. The Executive Officer:
Pg? 7
(1) Acts as the principla staff officer of the Office
of Special Operations.
(2) As directed by the Assistant Director supervises and,
coordinates the activities of Liaison Control and
pe &a Security 4, m elj"d
10
() Coordinates and maintains a record of the inspections
conducted by the Chief of Operations, the Chief of
Administration and Services, and the Chief of
ecurity?,- nd keeps the Assistant Director advised as
to the adequacy of inspections.
t5) Insures that all matters involving more than one of
the major subdivisions, i.e. Operations, Administra-
tion and Servic an the Assistant Director Office
(- Securit Liaison Control) presented to
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the Assistant Director or Deputy Assistant Director
.for decision are first coordinated with the interested
officers, that all sides of the matter are adequately
presented, and that all necessary staff action is
complete.
b. Executive Secretary;
Pg. 8 (,) Acts as Top Secret Control Officer for the Office
of Special'Operations.
(6) Maintains control of all OSS/sSU records and handles'
all inquiries and correspondence pertaining thereto.
a. Shall r..-ercirae general svpervisien ever liaiscr_ n_airtair.ed
ir. a.ccvrc:c;r.ce v: ?h this Directive by authorized officers of
the Office of Special Operations with other offices of the
Central Intelligence Group and with the intelligence agencies
of the State, War, and Navy Departments, with the Federal
Bureau of Investigation and, as appropriate, with other
agencies of the Federal Government. In performing this
function:
(j) Maintains a continuing check with Zpkenial Security on
the liaison being conducted in order that difficulties
incident to liaison with insecure organizations or
individuals may be avoided.
s xxA 43.?9xx~x
8. LION -CONTROL:
The Chief 014 aison Control:
SPECIAL SECURITY
In acco Knce with the policies and directives of the Assistant
Director thp Chief of Special Security:
Shall maintain liaison with the appropriate authorities of
CIG,'and wit other U. S. Government Departments and agencies
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in connection with matters pertaining to the security of the
Office of Special Ope aliens and shall insure conformity with
overall security polities of the Director of Central Intelli-
gence with particular ttention to the Director's policy th215X1A
all staff personnel wh are assigned to duty in Washington =
have a security investigation
PFFOPPRILPOPHREVestig ttion.
b. Shall in coordination wi%h the Personnel Division review Per-
sonal History Statementstof applicants for staff positions
prior to the forwarding ot Personal History Statements by the
Personnel Division to the"-'appropriate authorities of CIG for
security investigation by'Vthe Federal Bureau of Investigation.
c. Shall receive final reports, of security investigations of 030
staff personnel, evaluate results and make final recommendation
to the Assistant Director fbr Special Operations with respect
to employment.
d. Shall be responsible for the investigation and evaluation of
the integrity and loyalty of all OSO personnel on a continuing
b'sis.
e. Shall be responsible for the investigation of all covert per-
sonnel being considered for employment by the Office of Special
Operations. For the purposes of security investigation only,
all personnel serving overseas will be considered as covert
personnel. Overseas personnel whp may later return to Wash- 25X1A
ington for assignment to a staff iosition
will at that time have a security Investi
Bureau of Investigation. In rare ibstances it may
necessary to employ 25X1A6a
however the personal approve or ne' ssis an Director
for Special Operations will be obtained in each case for
any exceptions to the Director's policy as outlined in
subparagraph a above.
f. Shall be responsible for operational investigations which
may be necessary in support of counterespionage activities.
L. Shall b /appropriate inspections insure tI securit, of
personnel and the physical security of all 25X1A6a
overseas installations, property, and recor s o e ice
of Special Operations under the general security policies
prescribed by the Director of Central Intelligence and the
Assistant Director for Sp~cial.Operations.
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corrective measur
h.
L.
I?
k.
Shall mai Lain a field investigative staff sufficient to
carry out he responsibilities set forth in subparagraphs
d, e, f and above subject to the continuing approval of
the Assistan Director for Special Operations.
Shall report to the Assistant Director for Special Operations
security violati ns and recommend appropriate disciplinary or
Shall be responsible\for the maintenance of security files
on all personal of th Office of Special Operations to in-
clude both active and i active files as well as the files of
predecessor organization now in the possession of the
Office of Special Operati ns.
Shall interview and indoctr, ate new employees, overseas
returnees, couriers, oversew departees, and all personnel
in the process of terminating mployment with Special Opera-
tions regarding security requirements and related matters.
1. Shall consult with and be oonault4.d by the various eomponents
t f all
of the Office of Special Operations on security aspec s o
activities and personnel.
Shall coordinate all overseas inspeoti-Rns with the Executive
Officer, Office of Special Operations. k
n. Shall review all contemplated transfers opersonnel from
Special Operations to other units of the C tral Intelligence
Group, from other units!,of the Central Intelligence Group to
Special Operations, from one theatre to anot1r, and between
components of the Office of Special Operations--tiand give
security clearance prior to implementation of siich transfers.
. 11 0. Will lih Liaison Control of current liaison with
other offices _,,CTG and with agencies or individuals
outside CIG, and o.R~ny new liaison established in the
future.
(rest of
xx
When directed by the Assistant Dirac, for Special
Operations perform certain services or remainder
of CIG.
blank)
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Pg. 12 SECTION III
OPERATIONS
10. THE CHIEF OF OPERATIONS
In accordance with the directives and policies of the Assistant
Director, the Chief of Operations shall direct and supervise
all espionage and counterespionage operations outside the U. S.
and its possessions for the collection of foreign intelligence
information required for the national security. In carrying
out this responsibility he will:
a. Coordinate, direct, and supervise all activities of the
Foreign Branches and the staff sections under his control.
b. Require that Chiefs of Foreign Branches and Staff Sections
inform him or his appropriate deputy of directives and
decisions received by them directly from the office of the
Assistant Director fOr Special Operations.
c. Control, direct, supervise and coordinate the authorized
liaison of the Foreign Branches and his staff sections with
other elements of 030, Offices of the Central Intelligence
Group and other U. S. departments and agencies maintaining
or providing for direct liaison with U. S. departments and
agencies on secret operational matters, the knowledge of
which must be restricted to the minimum number of personse
f. Provide for the security of operational material and methods.
Pg. 13 0. Provide for the conduct of inspections of overseas opera-
tional activities, and of the local activities pertaining
to his office.
11. DEPUTY CHIEF OF OPERATIONS FOR COUNTERESPIONAGE
a. In General:
g? 1~4 b. In particular:
(1) Shall be directly responsible for the reception,
processing and controlling the use of special and
critical counterespionage materials originating in
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12.
:Pg. 17
13.
I,Pg. 18
14.
. .
20
15.
(2) Shall haintain or direct and control the liaison
with security and counterintelligence activities of
U. S. departments and agencies for matters pertain-
ing to counterespionage.
(10) Shall review, and wherever appropriate make recom-
mendations concerning assistance of OSO in security
matters to other U. S. departments and agencies,
notably State Department (visa and passport control).
(11) Shall be responsible for the coordination and
where appropriate the preparation of instructions
and procedures for the security of operational
materials and methods in the field, and for seeing
that such instructions and procedures are complied
with.
DEPUTY CHIEF OF OPERATIONS FOR PLANS AND PROTECTS
TRAINING STAFF
THE INFORMATION CONTROL STAFF
o
SPECIAL E,UIMENT STAFF
The Chief of the Special Equipment Staff:
a. In General:
Shall be responsible to the Office of the Chief of Opera-
tions that special equipment and devices are developed
and supplied in such manner as to support adequately
present and planned operational activities.
b. In Particular.
Pg. 21 16. THE TECHNOLOGICAL STAFF
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The Chief of the Technological Staff:
a. In General:
Under the direction of the Chief of Operations or his
appropriate Deputy, shall advise the Operations Staff
and Foreign Branches on all matters pertaining to the
collection and dissemination of intelligence information
of a scientific and technological nature.
Pg. 23 17. MISCELLANEOUS OPERATIONS STAFF:
The Chief, Miscellaneous Operations Staff:
Under the direction of the Deputy Chief of Operations for
Plans and Projects, shall control and supervise such opera-
tions as the Chief of Operations may assign which do not
lend themselves to control by any one Foreign Branch because
of their scope.
18. FOREIGN BRANCH CHIEFS
Pg. 24 b. In Particular:
,Pg. 27 (20) To maintain proper security of field operations,
enforce approved policies and procedures. This
will include arrangamahts for vetting, security
check or investigations of all personnel other
than staff to be used by his Branch.
Pg. 29
SECTION IV
AD14INISTRATION AND SERVICES
19. a. CHIEF, ADIMTNISTRATIa AND SERVICES
In accordance with thedtrectives and policies of the Assistant
Director, the Chief of Adri ntatration and Services shall so
direct and supervise all manager,.vent, administration, personnel,'
and ;services to support the activities of the Office of Special;
Operations and perform when directed by the Assistant Director
certain services for the remainder of OIG. In carrying out
this rQsponsibility he shall:
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(6) In coordination with the Chief of Special Security,
provide for the security of operational material and
methods in connection with administration and services.
Pg. 3O
20.
PERSONNEL DIVISION
Pg. 32
21.
TRANSPORTATION AND SUPPLY DIVISION
Pg? 33
22.
SPECIAL FUNDS DIVISION
0
Pg. 35
23.
REGISTRY DIVISION
The Chief of the Registry Division:
b. In Particular
0.50 ,
Pg. 36 (9) In coordination with the Chief of-Soil Security, shall
provide for the security of all classified material in
his division.
214. COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION
The Chief of the Communications Division:
Pg. 37
(5) Shall provide for the security of all communications
facilities under his control.
(6) Shall provide for the security of all code and cipher
messages.
Pg. 38 25.- COVER AND DOCUMENTATION DIVISION
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Pg. 40
(~) Shall provide for the security- of all cover and
documentation facilities, activities, and equipment
under his control.
SECTION V
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REORGANIZATION
26. OBJECTIVES
This directive is designed to provide an organization capable
of effective teamwork with clean-cut lines of authority and
specific designation of resz:)onsibility. Also it is intended
to emphasize the principle that the conduct of operation to
carry out our assigned missions is of primary importance and
that all elements of the organization can justify their
existence only if they conduct operations or render essential
and effective support to the conduct of operations.
27. MAJOR CHANGES
The major changes aret
pg. 41 m. The Special Security Section is redesignated Special Security4 ''j A
and will be directly responsible to the Assistant Director
for Special Operations.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
no
Control is redesignated as Liaison Control and its functions
redefined to give the Chief of Operations and the Chief of
Administration and Services more responsibility for liaison
under the overall supervision of Liaison Control, also the
responsibility for coordinating inspections is transferred
to the Executive OSO and the responsibility for conducting
inspections to the Chief of Operations, Chief of Administra-
tion and Services, and Chief of Security.
pg. 42 q. Projects Support Division will be abolished and its elements
will become Administrative and Services Division under direct
control of the Office of Special Operations. (A directive
from the Director of Central Intelligence will be issued
shortly specifying this change. The functions of the Admini-
strative and Services Divisions as presented in SO.0. Directive
No. 18 will be subject to minor refinements or changes as the
final details of implementations are worked out at operating
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28. P;,M2^ 01N',YTTISL
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29. PLAN FOR REORGANIZATION
a. A committee is appointed to supervise and direct the reorganiza-
Reference Enclosure 1 listing the major components of the
new organization,, the Chief of Operations for his office
and for branches and staffs under his control, the Chief of
Administration and Services for his office and for Divisions
under his control, and the Executive OSO for the Assistant
Directors Office and for Liaison Control and Special Security
will submit on or before noon 11 June 1947 to the Chairman m
of the Reorganization Committee at Room 225 Administration
Building, the following for each of their components!
(1) An organization chart whoring the detailed interior
organization of each component.
pg. 43
d.
(1) In planning personnel for new components it is con-
templated that personnel of the following will generally
remain assigned to their present units.
Assistant Director?s Office
Chief of Operations Office
Central European Branch
Southeastern European Branch
Far East Branch
Latin America Branch
(2) In planning recommended personnel allocations under
subparagraph c.(4) above, Chiefs of new components should
consider that personnel of old components will be generaly
available to the new components according to the following;
Control to Liaison Control
Special Security Section to Special Security
Plans OSO to Deputy Chief of Operations for
Plans and Projects
Training Branch to Training Staff
Source Control Branch to Information Control
Staff and Foreign Branches (reports
personnel to Foreign Branches)
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Assistant Director
Special Operations
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