PREPARATION OF OCR HISTORY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00951R000200200004-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 3, 2003
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: October 31, 1966
• Content Type: MF

ter' Approved For Release 2003/12/09 : CIA-RDP84-00951 R000200200004-6
WWI Nap*
31 October 1966
25X1A
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chairman, DD/I Historical Board
SUBJECT : Preparation of OCR History
1. The Director of the Office of Central Reference has discussed
with his division and staff chiefs the various problems in connection
with producing an office history. I have acquainted these officials with
the decisions and recommendations of the first meeting of the DD/I
Historical Board on 4 October 1966. Accordingly, we are attempting
to comply with the Board's request that we provide you with a list of
historical papers to be prepared within OCR, including the titles of
such papers; their scope and the topics to be covered.
2. OCR is unable to give the Board much information at this
time as to who will write thee ? etu"cCiei althou we have given this
que3Ifon careful preliminary consideration. OCR has a minimal number
of persons retiring in the near future who would in any way be qualified
to write any portion of this history. The most knowledgeable personnel
are in senior positions where the amount of their current work precludes
their undertaking such a task at this time, and they are several years
from retirement. One exception to this statement is the Chief of the
Graphics Register, who feels that he and his two
senior branch chiefs would be able to produce a useful document in
between one and two years' time while continuing to carry on their
regular duties. Furthermore, we have not yet found any retired OCR
personnel who might be approached to undertake this task. We have con-
sidered, and not yet rejected, the possibility that one full-time consultant
might be found, with sufficient historical and writing background, who
might be willing to undertake the complete OCR writing, utilizing docu-
ments and interviewing techniques.
3. I have reviewed the history of OCR, 1946-52, which is in the
Historical Staff files. It is a good start, but I feel that it needs con-
siderable reworking, and it must be updated. We are presently unable
to indicate who will write the overall narrative OCR history. However, J
I will do a short monograph on the Historical Intelligence Collection. If
Approved For Release 2003/12/09 : CIA-RDP84-00951 R000200200004-6
 Approved For Release 2003/12/09 : CIA-RDP84-009518000200200004-6
WW I-K
4. Each of the OCR divisions and staffs has prepared outlines of
its concept of the scope of the history and monographs of such components.
These outlines are attached for your consideration. Several of them are
quite comprehensive in scope; others will need reworking. In some
instances, I do not feel that there has been a completely realistic evalu-
ation of what should be narrative history and what should be historical
monograph. Of the attached papers, however, I think it safe to assume
that the detailed discussion of the CHIVE Task Force would probably be
a monograph rather than a narrative history.
5. As the attachments are only a first shot, it would be most
helpful if you could review them, not only in and of themselves, but
also in the light of submissions from other DDI offices. It would appear
to be useful if we could then have a Board meeting to exchange further
ideas and receive your professional guidance.
25X1A
DDI Historical Board
OCR Member
Walter Pforz eimer
Approved For Release 2003/12/09 : CIA-RDP84-00951 R000200200004-6