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;" NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 

ryr;F' WASHINGTON, D.C. 

THE NRO STAFF 

1/w.....A 

-~~ ..J. .. ~# 

~~ 

1 March 1968 

MEMORANDUM FOR DRfJ FLAX 

VIA: General B~and Mr. Reber~~ 

~ 

.~ SUBJECT: Irving Air Chute Co. Inc./Security Incident 

You will recall my earlier memorandum to you (TAB-A) 

related to this subject. Of course, the Mission 4311 recovery failure of 28 January increased our concern with 

respect to the situation at this facility. Whereas both 

the USAF/OSI investigation and the SAFSP investigation into 

Mission 4311 failure causes are still in process, no conclusive evidence has been developed to date that the quality 

control problems being experienced at the Irving/Gardena 

facility are as a result of deliberate acts of sabotage. 

However, it is now clearly evident that although the activity 

conducted at the facility has a critical vulnerability to 

acts of sabotage, extremely little security protection was 

being effected. 

As a result of a coordinated review of the matter by all 

interested program offices, the following corrective steps 

were taken: 

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(1) A reexamination and revitalization of QC 

practices by the prime contractors. 

(2) Initiation by OSI of an investigation into 

the possibility of deliberate sabotage. This investigation is still in process. 

(3) A seeking of the cooperation of knowledgeable 

Irving management officials with a view toward correction 

of deficiencies. 

(4) Development of secure area at the Gardena 

facility to encompass all NRP related work. 

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(5) Institution of a personnel security screening 

process with the assistance of company management 

(despite the fact that there is no access to classified 

information) covering all Irving employees involved in 

NRP related work. 

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This if for your information. In the absence of any 

further significant developments, this will be my last report 

to you on this subject. 

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Approved for Release: 2019/05/21 C05108144 HA.NOl E VIA 

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J%i NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

THE NRO STAFF 

HANDLE VIA 

MEMORANDUM FOR 4 

VIA: General B~' 

January 16, 1968 

SUBJECT: Irving Air Chute Co. Inc./Security Incident 

A matter which originated as a routine vendor inspection 

of the Irving Air Chute Co. Inc. plant at Gardena, California, 

by LAC, has developed into a USAF/OSI investigation with indications of possible tampering with parachutes. The Gardena, 

California plant produces parachutes related to all articles 

produced at LAC "skunk works" including those involved with 

pilot personal equipment. There had been recently an extremely high rejection rate by LAC approaching almost 100%. 

An interim investigative report reflects possible evidence of tampering of such nature as to have resulted in 

major malfunctions had they been deployed. A very high 

percentage of the employees at the Gardena plant are foreign 

nationals, although it has not been established at this point 

that any of these individuals could have access to the particular building involved in "skunk work" production. Inasmuch 

as the Gardena plant also produces chutes for both the CORONA 

and GAMBIT projects, the users have been alerted to implement 

double-check Q.C. procedures, however, no irregularities were 

noted related to chutes associated with these activities. 

This is for your information only. 

of subsequent developments. 

I will advise you 

S F. '1~ M A 

As istant or Security 

NRO Staff 

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