HISTORY OF THE CIA CORNERSTONE BOX

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04506A000100050002-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 8, 1999
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: November 18, 1960
• Content Type: MF

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14124DRANDU11 FOR; Deputy Director/Support
SUBJECT History of the CIA Cornerstone Box
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Following the symbolic placing of the Cornerstone Box at the
Wing of the CIA Cornerstone by the President of the United States,
Dvight D. Eisenhower, on 3 November 1959, the box was removed from
its nitch and taken into custody until such time as the Cornerstone
was permanently emplaced. At that time, the Cornerstone Box contained
only that material which was listed in the program of the Ceremony,
minus the microfilm of the newspspere of 3 November, the tape recording
of the Cornerstone Ceremony, and the photographs of that occasion.
2. Despite the Directors joking remark to the President (recorded
on the tape) that the contents of the Box were "seeret", there were no
classified documents in the Cornerstone Pox. Prier to the cerelony,
careful consideration had been given to the documents which were to he
included in the Box. After consultation with the Deputy Directors and
the Inspector General, Me. Welter Pfortheimer, the Curator of the CIA
Historical Intelligence Collection, had. drawn up a list of proposed
materials for inclusion in the BOX, subject to the approval of Mr. Dulles,
Included on the list were a considerable number oZ classified documents,
largely in the field of National Estimates. It was finally determined
not to include any classified materiel in the Cornerstone Box at the
time of the Ceremony, and that the whole subject of classified contents
should be held in abeyance until it could be determined what degree
of eontroa the Security Office would have over the new building when
the box vus finally put into the Cornerstone. Late in September 1960,
the contractors advised that they were virtually at the point when
they would desire to lay the Cornerstone permanently. At that time,
the contents of the Cornerstone Box were reconsidered, and the DCI
nt a final determination that it should contain no classifiednaterial.
iht the request of the Office of the DIONe there was added to the e etents
of the Box those medals which are awarded for distinguished servi a
in the field of intelligence, namely: the National Security Ned&
the Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the Distinguldhailntellige
the Intelligente Star, and the Intelligence Medal of Merit; togetYer
with a description of these medals and the certificates which
eceempagy them when warded; and also a copy of the Certificate c'
Merit with Distinction and the Certificate of Merit. The complete
list of the cortents of the Cornerstone Box is appended as Tab A.
'Medea,
3. At this time, reconsideration was also given to the pro; e
preaervation of the contents of the Cornerstone Box and its ultie
reeling. Them bad been a general feeling that the copper box, f -Dished
by the arehitects? was not of the desired standard. It was rathe too
ems:U, for the tontento, and its copper was not sufficiently :etick .41
eithstand the racessary welding of the toe without seriousl hax ng
the elvers enclosed, On the other hand, it had to be of the lore t
ties to fit into the rAehe provided for it behind the Cornereeone
elate For the reagens, Me. H. Gates Lloyd, Assistant Deputy Di: Apr
Eeeeeort, made ciorangwvartas
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whose sides are stout an eighth of an inch thick. The box has been
constructed from thirty pons of copper. The magnetic tape recording
of the Cornerstone Ceremony and the formal opening of the contractors?
bids on the building has been placed in a steel box with a quarter inch
nteel plate on top .and botixml, and a 1/0 ineh steel plate on the sides.
Adescription of the Cornerstone ROX and its preparation, written by
the Bureau of Standards, is attached herewith as Tab B.
25X1A accompanied
25X1A9a went to the tional Burma of Standards
)].meed the material in the Cornerstone Box. The Box cover was
then welded into place by Bureau of Standards ?employees. This
proceso uas under the sopervision of George A. Ellinger, Chief of
the Corrosion Section, Ebtallurgy Division, National Bureau of
Standards: and Melvin Roasnoff of his staff. Pictures of the ceremony
Imre taken. The copper box vies then buffed by Mr. Ueda, also a
nut-nu:Employee. Inscribed on the top of the Box Is an instruction
uhich reeds as follows:
TCD
To Open:
Cut Carefully Neer Top
Do Not Use Torch
5. Ca 2 November, Colonel L. K. White, Deputy Director/Support,
accompanied by Me. Lloyd and W. 2forgheimer, inserted the Cornerstone
Eox into its nitch? and the Cornerstone vas then lo eyed. into place.
nny of the participants, which also included Ht. James A. Garrison,
Director of Logistics, Er. Chief of the Building
Planning Staff, and other members of their staff, as uell as
rannesentstives of the architects and contractors, threw lucky pennies
into the nitch with the Box. Photographs wore taken.
tTEAter Pfo e r
Onnatorrnistorical Intelligence
Collection
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25X1A9a
25X1A9a
25X1A9a
CIA INTRIINISE ONLY
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COMERS Cri? C9EnERSTOIRE Bat
Copy of Memorandum for President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Major
General William J. Donovan, Director of the Office of Strategic Services,
dated 18 November 1944, regarding the establishment of a pernanent
centralized intelligence service and copy of Memorandum from President
Roosevelt to General Donovan dated 5 April 1945, directing that
General Donovan discuss his Plan with the appropriate officials of the
Government.
Copy of President Harry S. Teuman's Rzetutive Letter of 22 January
1946, establishing the tional Intelligence Authority and the Central
Intelligence Group.
Statement of General (then Lieutenant General) Hoyt S. Vandenberg,
Director of Central Intelligence, before the Senate Committee oo, Armed
Services, on 29 April 1947, in support of the sections of the proposed
National Security Act of 1947 to establish the Central Intelligence
Agency.
AText and Explanation of Statutes and Executive Orders relating
apecifically to the Central Intelligence Agency, including Enabling
and Appropriations Acts for the construction of the new CIA Building.
Reproduction of the CIA seal and its official description.
"William J. Donovan and the National Security." A. speech by
Allen W. Dulles, Director of Central Intelligence, to the ]ie
County Bar Association, Buffalo, Nee York, 4 May 1959.
Aerial photographs of the area of the CIA Building site at the
time of the Cornerstone Ceremony.
Copy of the architect's drawing of the CIA Building as it will
appear when completed.
Invitation to the ceremony, copy of the Program, tape recording
of the proceedings, selected photographs of the ceremony, and copy of
pamphlet entitled "The Cornerstone Ceremony," containing the speeches
made on the occasion.
microfilm of Washington and northern Virginia and newspapers for
3 november 1959 (the date of the ceremony), and selected articles from
subsequent issues (4-6 Novedber) concerning the ceremony.
The Rational Security Medal and the three CIA Medals, the
Distinguished Intelligence Cross the Distinguished Intelligence Medal,
the Intelligence Star, and the Atelligence Medal of Merit; together
with a description of these medals end the certificates Which accompany
them when guarded; end also a copy of the Certificate of Merit with
Distinction and the Certificate of Merit.
CIA 1513151WIL USE CULT
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Method of Construction of Metal Boxes
Used to Contain These Articles
The steel box which contains the magnetic tape vas constructed
from AlSI weber 1020 steel. The plates for the sides, top and
bottom of the box and cover were cut to size and all edges ground.
The seams in the box and cover were joined by the electric are
veld method.
The outer container was fabricated from copper plates which
mere joined by Bella= melds (inert gas tungsten are method)...
The container was lined, with asbestoe paper (dried. at 1059C for
48 hours), the contents inserted in the box end the lid was welded
in place. Boring the operation of waling the lid, the container
was immersed in later pp to one inch from the top in order to
reduce the temperature inside the box.
Prior to sealing the copper box, the same operations were
performed on adammy box Mhieh contained similto articles. Before
opening the box to examine the contents, it was totally immersed in
meter to Check for leakage.
The box was made and sealed, at the National Bureau of Standards.
Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP78-04506A000100050002-0