PUEBLO - RADM LESLIE J. O BRIEN, OP NAV

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP71B00364R000300150030-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 3, 2002
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: January 23, 1969
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 06/09 : CIA-RDP71B00364R00113901511030-6-
'
NAVY HAS NO OBJECTION TO
DECLASSIFICATION AND RELEASE.
MMO!tM4DUM PtR THE R CORD
ry 1969
SUBJECT: PUE LO RADM Laslie J. O'Brien, OP NAV
menta made by the DDCI, the undersigned vf sited
Adm. O'Brien to discus. the Pueblo. Adm. O'Brien is the "honcho"
for the Navy on all Pueblo matters pertaining to Congress.
Z. O'Brien said he thought the court at inquiry would last
4 to 6 weeks. Crndr. Bucher's testimony originally planned to
last four days is obviously going to last longer than that. Additionally,
the court a inquiry plans to have certain additional crew members
appear (I believe he said IS).
3. At the completion of the court of inquiry there would be a
leek period during which the court's findinge would be
ed by the CNO and the Secretary of the Navy and the deter-
:mina on would be made as to -whether a court*, martial would be
nutde.
4. Ad. O'Briened that ha had an hour and half briefing
on the Pueblo incident covering the operational side which he had
prepared initially last spring and was in the process of updating,
based on the testimony a the Pueblo crew. I asked if we could have
-a aaitiy 411 this briefing and he said he thought it would be possible
.i*ttIh&d USed-ft to brief the Secretary of the Navy and the
fleeiretiiirry4if ritfinfifil.'.'He was loath to give it out until alter they
Mkt been biouglit 4+ to *plied-On the problem. He also showed me
a copy of the press release from the office of Senator Stephen M.
Young (Eo?Ohigi) which was' going to be issued today. This press
release blamed the whole Pueblo incident on CIA and dragged out all
the old CIA stories starting with the U..2. Bay of Pigs, etc. I informed
the 0/ DIXI and the 0/ Legislative Counsel of the forthcoming press
release.
NAVY review(s) cA13048alfor Release 2002/10/0 : Celt
25X1A
Approved For Release 2002/10/09: CIA-RDP71600364R000300150030-6
OLC 69-0060
22 January 1969
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Conversation with William Woodruff, of the Senate
Appropriations Committee staff, regarding the Pueblo
1. In a conversation with William Woodruff today, I sought to
clarify some comments which he had made to Mr. Maury and me yes-
terday regarding Senator Russell's deep interest in the Pueblo matter
and Woodruff's statement that Senator Russell would undoubtedly want
to talk with Mr. Helms about his role as DCI in matters of this sort.
2. Mr. Woodruff said that he has received no indication from
Senator Russell that he wants anything from the Director on this, however,
Woodruff assumes, since Senator Russell is deeply interested and concerned
about the Pueblo problem, he will at some time in the future want to discuss
this with the Director, not so much in terms of any A.gency responsibility
with the Pueblo but rather to have a better understanding of how operations
of this sort are handled generally. This feeling of Woodruff's is based
in part on Senator Russell's initial "sour" reaction to our letter covering
a withdrawal from the reserves regarding a very sensitive Agency project.
3. In summary, these expressions from Woodruff are his
speculation as to what Senator Russell will want rather than any reflection
through Woodruff of the Senator's own views. There is a clear under-
standing between Woodruff and myself that if Senator Russell desires
anything from the Director, in connection with the Pueblo or in that
matter on any other subject, Woodruff would let us know immediately.
Distribution:
- Subject
- Chrono
OLC:GLC:gs(23 January 1969)
Deputy Legislative Counsel
Approved For Release 2002/10/09 : CIA-RDP71600364R000300150030-6
Approved For Release 2002 09 : CIA-RDP71600364R000300150030-6
Journal - Office of Legislative Counsel Page 2
Wednesday - 22 January 1969
4. (Internal Use Only - CEA) Checked with Mr. Garner J. Cline,
Counsel, House Immigration and Nationality Subcommittee, on the three
private bills sponsored by the Agency. These bills have not yet been
printed but Cline will keep me informed when they are due to appear on
the agenda.
5. (Confidential - GLC) Judith Spahr, on the staff of Senator
Henry Jackson's (D. , Wash. ) Subcommittee on National Security and Inter-
national Operations, called and said Dorothy Fosdick would like us to
translate all of the pages of the Soviet Diplomatic Dictionary, which she
25X1A had previously forwarded to us for review. I told her we would be pleased
to do this an DDI, is attending to it.
25X1A
25X1
25X1A
6. (Unclassified - GLC) Miss Marihelen Horneman., secretary to
Senator Allen Ellender (D., La.), called to say that the Senator's schedule
was fairly light on Friday and she suggested the possibility of a 2:30 p. m.
meeting. I told Miss Horneman I would check on this and be back in touch
with her.
7. (Secret - GLC) Talked with Bill Woodruff, on the staff of the
Senate Appropriations Committee, regarding the extent of Senator Russell's
interest in talking with the Director about the Pueblo. Woodruff said that
the Senator had not given him any indication that he wanted anything from
the Director at this time. However, it is Woodruff's assumption that, at
some time in the future, the Chairman will want to talk with the Director
about this and the project involved in our withdrawal from reserve letter of
23 December 1968. (See Memorandum for the Record for details.)
I gave to Woodruff a Pravda commentary on
Senator Russell's referrence to Adam and Eve in a nuclear holocaust in the
secret Senate debate on the Sentinel program. This is the second such
Moscow press item that we have given to Woodruff on this.
I mentioned to Woodruff the nomination of as a
candidate for the Arthur Fleming Award. I called particular attention to
the fact that' 'mother's family are long time residents of the state
of Georgia. Woodruff appreciatd mv calling this to his altelztion.
1
CC:
0/DDCI
OPPB
25X1A
Ex/Dir-Compt
D/S&T
JOHN M. NIAUtti
Legislative Counsel
rgeMr Houston Mr. Goodwin
or Release 2002/10/09 .. CIA-RDP711300364R000300150030-6
STAT
RFC.RPT
25X1A
25X1A
25X1A
25X1A
Approvedtfpr
?
2002/10/09 : CIA-RtIn1200310R000300150030-6
,ECRET
Journal - Office of Legislative Counsel
Tuesday - 21 January 1969
Page 3
10. (Secret - GLC) Messrs. Maury and Cary met with Mr.
Bill Woodruff, of the Senate Appropriations Committee staff. Arrangements
were made for to provide Woodruff and Michaels with a briefing
tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. in Michaels' office. This is a follow-up to Woodruff's
and Michaels' meeting at the Agency in December on the budget.
The subject of the Pueblo came up in the course of our conversation.
Woodruff said that Senator Russell was obviously very interested in this and
would want to talk with the Director, at some time in the future, regarding
the role of the DCI in such matters. We advised Woodruff that the Director
was considering writing to Senator Russell inviting him to a luncheon at the
Agency and suggested this might be an appropriate time for the Director and
Senator Russell to discuss the Pueblo. Woodruff said he thought this was a
good suggestion and certainly worth trying.
I advised Woodruff that our Director of Personnel was still reviewing
the application ofi
told him that initial reaction was that, although
lwhich had been referred to usi lLy_Wcidruff. I
was 25X1A
obviously well qualified tor the work he was doing for Senator Hayden, his
background and experience had little to offer the Agency. In the absence of any
other considerations, we could only consider him for some type of adminis-
trative position at a level no higher than grade 12. Woodruff said this was
precisely what he wanted to know but it was agreed I would be in touch with
him again when lad had an opportunity to review the case further.
11. (Confidential - GLC) Met with Ed Braswell, who has been
officially appointed to the position of Chief of Staff of the Senate Armed Services
Committee, and Charles Kirbow, of the Committee staff, with regard to
Committee action on the appointment of Admiral Taylor to the rank of Vice
Admiral on the retired list. They expect the Committee to act on Admiral
Taylor's appointment and others at a Committee meeting this coming Thursday.
If the Committee does approve the nomination on Thursday, it will probably
go to the Senate floor for action on Friday.
Mr. Kirbow informed me that he is being considered for the position
of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Procurement. He also informed me
that Mr. Frank Sanders, of the House Appropriations Committee staff, is
also under consideration for that position.
Approved For Release 2002/10/09 : CIA-RDP71600364R000300150030-6
I