LETTER TO MR. E. F. WILLETT FROM R. H. HILLENKOETTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86B00269R000200010024-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 22, 2003
• Sequence Number: 24
• Publication Date: June 21, 1948
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release-, 2008106129,- -.: ?"
21 June 1948
:?tr.l. F. Willett
Assistant to Mr. Eberstadt
Committee on National Security Organization
Commission on Organization of the
Executive Branch of the Government
1626 K Street, N.W.
Washington 25, D. O.
Thank you very much for your kindness in
enclosing the rough draft of your notes on my.
discussion with the Committee last week. I am
returning herewith one'copy, as you requested,
with a few very minor changes. I hope this will
be satisfactory for your purpose.
Very sincerely yours,
R. H. Hillenkoetter
Rear Admiral, USN
Director of Central
Intelligence
D
Distribution:
Director
central Records - w/basic ltr & encl
Note for record: Rough draft forwarded to
DCI by letter of 18 June 48, signed by
Mr. Willett, unclassified. Confidential
classification assigned by DCI.
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FORM NO. 30.4
SEP 1947
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COMMISSION ON ORGANIZATION
OF THE
1626 K STREET NW...
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
Rear Admiral It. F!. Hillenkoetter
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington 25, D .C.
At the request of Mr. Eberstadt, I am enclosing two
copies of a rough draft of my notes on your discussion
with the Committee on the National Security Organization
of the Commission on Organization of the Executive
Branch of the Government held here last week.
Will you kindly return to me one of the enclosed copies,
noting thereon any changes that you may wish made.
Very truly yours,
E. F. Willett,
Assistant to Mr. Eberstadt
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June 18, 1948
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. (2145 P.M.) AdmU---*A-l Aillenkoettey - Director of the Central
Intelligence agency
Admiral Hillenkoetter opened his remarks by stating
'that the National Security Council is a sort of Board of Directors
for the Central Intelligence Agency.. He then discussed the organiza-
tional setup and operations of that agency, stating that its activities
are divided into the following four main brancheas
A. Collecting and disseminating information - the nature of
the activities of this branch is evident and its chief function
is to centralize work of this type.
B. Research and Evaluation - this branch takes the raw
intelligence and evaluates it.
C. Spmp&t Operations - the work of the -Steel Operations
Branch is broken down into four sections as follows:
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1. Foreign Document Translation - Seventy tons of German
documents and 30 tons of Japanese documents remain to be trans-
lated and appraiped. This heavy backlog of work tends to restrict
to some extent the attention that the division would otherwise
love to translation of current documents, papers, periodicals, etc.
3. Foreign Broadcast Monitoring - This division listens to
about two million words a day of foreign broadcasts, particularly
Russion. (In Russia due to vast distances and poor mail service
much routine government operational matter is handled by radio
and not in code.)
4. Espionage and Counter-Espionage.
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June 8
x'te rnoon Meeting
D. Personnel - Administration - Training
The CIA has the benefit of an Intelligence Advisory Committee
consisting of representatives of other government agencies such as State,
Army, Navy, Air, Atomic 4ft-,
In answer to a cauestion from Mr. 'Cole, Admiral Hillenkoetter
stated that about 75% of the output of the CIA consisted of information
coordinated by it from overt material furnished by outside groups and
ncies; that about 15% was covert material based upon espionage and
counter-espionage; that about 5% was deduction based upon the above material;
and that about 5% was not much more than guesswork. He --mated further that
there may be some duplication of effort but that it is definitely decrees
and that from the standpoint of national security duplication is far less
serious than having any gaps in coverage.
In answer to a question from Mr. MoCloy, Admiral Hillenkoetter stated
that in his opinion CIA has been working fairly well in view of the fact
that it is only ten months old. He feels some need of an enforcing authority
when questions arise in order to avoid the constant necessity of compromise,
'although he feels that troubles of this character are gradually being
eliminated. He said that at present only 1.7% of the personnel is military
and that the figure is still falling ultimately being expected to reach
about 1.2%.
In answer to a question from Mr. Middlebush, Admiral Hillenkoetter
stated that there was a regularly organniz4d training program for training
personnel in different categories and that the CIA takes the initt.ative in
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Afternoon Meeting 25X1
He stated that the personnel of the agency is still expanding and that
in his opinion it was not seriously handicapped in getting efficient
personnel through any unduly inadequate salary scale. (He mentioned
that many people liked to work for the agency almost regardless of
the pay involved.)
The admiral stated further that Mr. Donavan thinks the CIA
should report directly to the President although he himself thinks not,
stating that in his opinion the present setup works better from the
practical viewpoint and that there are definite advantages in going
through the iecretariee in the Security Council.
In response to a question from. Mr. Baldwin, the admiral
stated that in his opinion it made little difference whether the head
of the agency was military or civilian.
In answer to a question from Mr. McCloy, the admiral stated
that their function is to give out the facts and that others decide how
to use those facts. He mentiohed that they have a system of gathering
from other agencies which shows that the other agencies are
making increasing use of the CIA reports and are finding them increasingly
valuable.
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