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: .0 3 0CT 1975

MEMORANDUM FOR: Inspector General

SUBJECT : Destruction of Drug and Toxin Related Files

:1. On your instructions, I have investigated the destruction of Agency records related to drugs and toxins. This investigation was conducted between 17-30 September 1975 and was limited to avoid interfering in any way with other ongoing investigationsof this matter, including that of the FBI.

2. I discussed this matter with the following people:

: Dr. Sayre Stevens, ADD/S&T

3. Summary Conclusions: The investigation focused on four areas:

a. Destruction of files related to MKULTRA and the continued existence of any such files or papers,

-- No existing drug-related MKULTRA material was located. Dr. Gottlieb appears to have authorized destruction of MKULTRA drug-related files and may have been directed to do so by Mr.

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-- MKULTRA files formerly held in Records Center may have been destroyed on 30 January 1973 rather than 3] January 1973. The Chief of Records Center protested destruction of those files on 2 February 1973.

-- The investigation also uncovered material related to MKULTRA in the minutes of the CIA Research Board for 1953-1962.

\- No satisfactory explanation has been found concerning some MKULTRA material retired to Archives,not recorded as havingbeen destroyed, and not yet located.

b. Destruction or continued existence of other files possibly related to drugs.

-- Three boxes of material formerly stored in Records Center were destroyed in January 1973 when the MKULTRA material was destroyed. One box of this material deals with environmental sampling for By and CW manufacturing activity. OTS is currently attempting to idantify the projects dealt with in the material in the other two boxes.

Some.material dealing with the testing of drugs on human volunteers has been reviewed by.OIG.

-- Approximately one safe drawer ful] of Dr. Gottlieb's papers was destroyed by his secretary at his orders in June l973, shortly before he retired. No detailed description of this material-is available.

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c. The existing MKMAOMI records and the question of whether records related to the Agency's involvement in toxin programs have been destroyed.

-- Two MKNAOMI files exist. They contain Agency documents covering the period 5 Hay 1952 to 18 February 1970, as well as reports originated by Camp Detrick during the period 1960-1969.

-- This'material does not present a detailed history of MKNAOMI activity. However, Dr. Stevens has determined that it was standard procedure to keep little or no record of this project's activities. He does not believe any papers were removed from these files.

.-- Dr. Stevens has also determined that there are no existing Army records on this project or on the Special Operations Division at.Fort Detrick.

-- Some MKNAOMI papers may have been included in Dr. Gottlieb's papers destroyed in June. 1973, but we have no evidence of this.

d. The system for retiring records to Records Center and Archives, records retrieval, and records destruction.

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4. MKULTRA: This investigation has turned up no existing drugrelated MKULTRA files.

a. OIG files contain a number of documents which refer to the destruction of MKULTRA files in 1973. Copies of these documents are attached at Tab A. In general, these documents indicate that the MKULTRA files were destroyed on- the instructions of. Dr. Sicney Gottlieb, then Chief of TSD, on 31 Janaury 1973. Both Branch-files and records retrieved from archives were destroyed.

b. A 17 January 1975 MOR by states, "Over my stated objections the MKULTRA files were destroyed by order of the DCI (Mr. Helms) shortly before his departure from office." In a 15 August 1975 MOR, Chief, OTS/BAB, Cescribes a discussion with Dr. Gottlieb "early in 1973" in which the latter said he had received a call from Mr. Helms who had instructed Dr. Gottlieb to destroy all files pertaining to drug research end associated activities.

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c. Records Center files contained a handwritten NOR dated 2 February 1973 with attachments by former Chief, Archives and Records Center (see Tab B). comaments on destruction notices for Job No. 68-746 (NKULTRA) and 6S-256 (seeaingly other drug related files). He records his belief that the files should not have been destroyed. He also notes that he checked with ]OTS/RMO, who agreed with him that the project files should have been retained. is also reported to have determined that Dr. Gottlieb authorized destruction of the files. The destruction notices attached to JMOR show that Job Nos. 68-255 and 68-746 were destroyed on 30 January 1973. (N.B.:3] January 1973 seens to be the commonly'accepted date in the documents under Tab A.)

d. Copies of the Chemical Branch/Biological Branch and Chief, OTS Records Retirement Files are attached at Tab C. The shelf lists for Job Nos. 74-75 and 62-1153 in the Chief, 0TS file list three files associated with MKULTRA:

Subproject H-Project MKULTRA - May 1956 through October 1975" Subproject AA - Project MKULTRA - May 1959 through Nay 1960" Subproject AC- Project MKULTRA - September 1959 through January 1960.

I recalled these files from Records Center and reviewed them. They concern jand have nothing to do with drugs or toxins. I briefed Dr. Stevens on them on 22 September. He noted that there is a considerable quantity of matèrial on thel

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Jaspects of MKULTRA. lone of the files related to

those aspects of the project have been destroyed.

e. OTS/RNO, reviewed the material contained in ten boxes recalled from Records Center by OTS because of their possible association with the drug program. 25 September memorandum to 0IG describing the contents of those boxes.is attached at Tab D. These boxes contained a considerable amount of material dealing with animal screening tests involving various drugs, but they contain no matèriàl dealing with tests involving humans or identified as connected with Project HKULTRA.

f. Paragraph 1-b of 25 September memorandum mentions an MKULTRA file and other mnaterial of possible interest which appear on a shelf list of the historical files of OTS/Missions and Programs Staff which had been transferred to Archives in. the only'deposit ever made to Archives by 0TS under File Nos. HO-22.and HO-146-148. 0n 29 September, \_and I reviewed the following

Archival material at Records Center:

-- Reviewed by

File No HO-22 - "TSD-Technical Growth 1952-61"

File No. HO-146 - "Research Board - Administrative"

File No. HO-148 -Contract File"

-- Reviewed by Mr.

File No, HO-147 - "Research Board."

found no material concerning MKULTRA drugs, or toxins in the files he reviewed. According.to the shelf list associated with

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these files, MKULTRA andmaterial had been retired to Archives in Box lo. 1, HO-22. The shelf lists bear no indication that the material in question was removed from Box 1 or destroyed. Therefore, Archives Technician, conducted a thorough search of Box l. No MKULTRA or material was found.

At my request, Jthen checked the record on access to Box 1 since its retirement to Archives.. The check revealed that boxes 1, 2, 5, 7, and 8 of this single 0TS deposit had been returned to. on 8 January 1975 (See Tab E). Irecalled handcarrying the boxes to then recalled passing them to the Missions and Programs Staff which had requested them. \_lspeculates that the boxes were probably returnad to Archives within a standard 30 day loan period because the Tab E form bears no indication that he had to remind to have them returned (Archives SOP).

11 October 1975 memorandum concerning this matter is also attached at Tab E. appears convinced that the missing items were connected with MKULTRA's aspects. Whether true or not, these items are still missing without explanation.

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g. My review of HO-147, "Research Board" revealed several documents which indicate that the CIA Research Board which existed from 1953 to 1962 received several briefings by Dr. Gottlieb and others on at least some aspects of the drug and toxin programs. Copies of those documents are attached at Tab F.

5. Other Drug Related Files

a. The shèlf list attached to Records Center Job No. 68-256 (referred to in subparagraph 4-c above) describes three boxés of files that were also destroyed in January 1973. These files were probably related to the drug program, but the projects with which they deal have not all been identified by OTS. Box 3 of this lot contained files related to Projects ] Dr. Stevens ha informed me that Jis preparing a description of these projects. They involved environmentàl sampling for BW and CW manufacturing activity. told me on 2 October 1975 that OTS "tribal memory" and financial files are now being put to work to identify as many as possible of the project files listed in Boxes 1 and 2.

b. On 24 June 1975, acting on orders of Mr. Duckett,

of the DD/S&T inspected approximately 35 boxes of OTS holdings at Records Center in search of material which might have some bearing on the drug-related investigation. (See 23 September 1975 NOR by. at Tab D.) Their search revealed six boxes of possible interest which were returned to Headquarters for review. These boxes were included in the 10 boxes reviewed by

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land described in his 25 September 1975 memorandum also

at Tab D. Three files from those boxes dealing with Project :1 were reviewed by 016, in July 1975.invəlved . testing of drugs on human volunteers by various institutional CIA contractors. A copy of [31 July 1975 HOR covering his reivew is attached at Tab G.

c. Approximately one safe drawer, full of the personal files of Dr. Sidney. Gottlieb was destroyed on Dr. Gottlieb's orders in June 1973, shortly before his retirement. The files were destroyed by At the time, had been Dr. Gottlieb's secretary for only six weeks, during three of which Dr. Gottlieb was in Europe. \_]was new to TSD and knew nothing about TSD activities, crypts, projects, etc. She remerbers destroying some technical journals and papers written by Dr. Gottlieb as well as files dealing with Sensitive personnel matters and sore SECRET SENSITIVE papers about which.she can recall nothing..

6. MKHAOMI:

a. On 23 September 1975, I discussed with Dr. Stevens his investigation of Project MKNAOMI. Dr. Stevens is convinced that no papers. were removed from the two extant MKNAOMI files.. He believes the gaps in the files are the result of a conscious policy on the part of those involved to keep very little paper on the project from its inception.. in 1952 to its demise in 1970. All of the people formerly conrected with the project to whom Dr. Stevens has spoken assert that the practice of keeping little or no record of the activity was standard MKAAOMI procedure.

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b. In his discussions with the Army, Dr. Stevens learned that the Army had no records on HKNAOMI or on the Special Operations Division, Fort Detrick. He surmises these records were destroyed . when the BW/CW materials were destroyed at the President's order.

c. Tab H contains a chronological list of Agency documents contained in the two MKNAOMI files. These documents cover the period 5 Nay 1952 to 18 February 1970. They do not represent adetailed. account of MKNAOMI activity over the years, but I believe the procedure described by Dr. Stevens and outlined in subparagraph 6-a above could at least partially account for the lack of such a detailed record. In addition to the Agency documents listed in Tab H, the MKNAOMI files contain a number of reports and papers which originated at Camp Detrick. These documents are variously dated within the. time-period 1960-1969.

d. One final consideration deserves mention in connection with the possible destruction of records related-to MKNAOMI. The destruction of one safe drawer full of Dr. Gottlieb's personal papers in June 1973 - described in subparagraph 5-c above -- could have included the des-- truction of some MKNAOMI records, given the sensitivity of this activity. However, we have no evidence this was the case.

7. Records Retirement System: The following information was briefed to me on 29 September by OTR/RMO, |Acting Chief of Records Center, and "Archives Technician. From the OTS standpoint, states that these procedures have been in force

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since 1967 when he became RiD. He can make no statement concerning how.
closely they were followed before that time.

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