TRANSFER OF DECLASSIFIED OSS RECORDS TO THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01370R000200210032-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 12, 2008
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: May 2, 1984
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2008/11/13: CIA-RDP90BOl370R000200210032-2 iJ
Executive Registry
[84W 1953
2 May 1984
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Executive Director
Executive Secretary
FROM: J. Kenneth McDonald
Chief, History Staff
SUBJECT: Transfer of Declassified OSS Records to the National
Archives
REFERENCE: Memo for DCI from Chief, History Staff, dtd 9 December
1983, Subj: Status of Declassified OSS Records
1. This is for your information, to report on the steps taken since
2 February 1984 when you approved the referenced memorandum's
recommendations for transferring CIA's declassified OSS records to the
National Archives.
2. Memorandum of Understanding. In response to Office of Information
Service concerns about the protection of personal privacy in releasing
these records, the General Counsel recommended that CIA and the National
Archives negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding, to detail the National
Archives' procedures for processing the OSS records before making them
available to the public. The National Archives has drafted a proposed
Memorandum of Understanding, and the Agency has provided certain revisions
for their consideration. We expect to agree upon and execute a final
Memorandum of Understanding soon.
3. Final Check and Transfer. On 16 April 1984 three CIA reviewers
began the final check of the approximately 198 cubic feet of OSS records
already at the National Archives. The Information Management Staff plans
to complete this final check by the end of May 1984, and to complete their
final check of the remaining 2800 cubic feet of OSS records by the end of
April 1985. As the final check is carried out over the next year, CIA will
transfer these records in increments to the National Archives.
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CONFIDENTIAL
4. Notification Abroad. As you know, the Directorate of Operations
is preparing a telegram to stations abroad explaining the release of these
declassified OSS records, so that they can inform their liaison
counterparts--especially those of our Western European wartime allies--of
this decision. The DO also proposes to ask you to inform the Secretary of
State of these records' forthcoming release, so that he may ask U.S.
ambassadors to report this to the foreign ministries of the countries
concerned.
5. Public Affairs. The Director of Public Affairs has met with his
opposite number at t e National Archives to consider how best to announce
the opening of these records'to the public. Once CIA completes its final
check in May, the National Archives may need as long as four months to
prepare the first batch of 198 cubic feet for opening to the public. Since
very large numbers of researchers will request access when these records
are opened, the National Archives does not want to announce the records'
transfer until they can set a firm release date for the first batch. The
Director of Public Affairs will consult further with the National Archives
and the interested parties at CIA after the National Archives begins
processing the first batch..
6. Selective Declassification Program. CIA has undertaken to
transfer a large and comprehensive collection of OSS records to the
National Archives over the next twelve months. This will be a major
historical resource, permitting for the first time documented studies of
the role of American intelligence in World War II. The transfer of our OSS
files will thus be both the first step and a long stride in fulfilling your
commitment to the review and release of historically significant records.
J. Kenneth McDonald
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CONFIDENTIAL
C/HS/DCI/JKMcD:nkl/2621 (2 May 1984)
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee
1 - DDCI
1 - ExDir
1 - ExSec
1 - D/PubAff
1 - DC/OLL
1 - OG
1 - DDA
1 - D/OIS/DDA
1 - C/IMS/D0
1 - C/HS
1 - HS Chrono
1 - HS Subject File (DCI Corr)
Approved For Release 2008/11/13: CIA-RDP90B01370R000200210032-2