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SE6fti!l'i' AMBLE - e.s. !HS ONLY 

SUBJECT NUMBER 

:eo 3.3(h)(2) 

PL 86c36/50 USC 3605 

USCIB: 13. 7/23 

Subject: 

Item 3 of the Agenda fortheFifteenth Meeting of 

USCIBEC, held on 28 May 1954. 

Exploitation of I I Plain Text 

( USCIB 13. 7 /16) .---,......----.....,........ 

The CHAIRMAN (Captain Taylor) info:l;'nled the members that this item is 

presented by the Intelligence Committee \.as one indicating rather prompt 

action on behalf of this Committee and the Board. He explained that the 

basic problem concems a request by Navy\representatives that LSIB 

a roval be so t for the assi ent of tactical and o erationa ,__ __ ....., 

'-----.....--------------_, to Category I without delay, an ur er, that LSIB authorit be obtained to • ermit \immediate assi ent o:f tactical 

espectively to Category I should it be desira e. 

f'elt that this step should be taken apart from the total problem of 

MR. POLYZOIDES stated that he "lil'Zl!CalDD:x¥iuacxkqq5}CJ!~l®~~~~l!lxt 

assigning materials to Category I. 

LT. COLONEL LONG said that he would be willing to approve the 

proposal in principle with the recommendation\that we not go to the British 

conceming it. 

The CHAIRMAN explained, in the absence of \the Intelligence Committee 

Chairman, that as yet there is no U.S.-U.K. agreement upon categories 

beyond the provisions of paragraph 11, Appendix\B; however_, he added that 

NSA has proposed lists of material to be included in the several categories 

and that these lists are now being.considered by\GCHQ. He pointed out that 

LSIB approval is required before the plain text in question can be 

officially considered Category I. 

CAPTAIN McCORMICK informed the members that all during the Korean 

war the material contained inl lhad been used in disguised form, 

classified CONFIDENTIAL, with LSIB approvaL He explained that the present 

Navy need for use of this information is largely for pre- and post-flight 

briefings under conditions which keep the information in CCMINT channels 

until used. He urged approval of the INTCOM proposa~ressing his 

opinion that there is a current operational need forl_____J, and that there 

is little or no risk to the COMINT effort in its use as proposed. 

The members discussed the subject of current operational need for 

this traffic. It was brought out that though the planes and pilots it 

would assist are not now in actual combat, it is foreseeable that a combat 

situation may arise at any time, and, in such an event, it would be 

completely impractical to wait for USCIB-LSIB approval to go ahead. 

USCIB: 13. 7 /23 - 7 -
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USCIB: 13.7/23 

SEGRET AMBLE 

CAPTAIN McCORMICK maintained that by approving the proposed action 

now, administrative delays at a future, possibly critical time could be 

avoidedo 

MR. POLYZOIDES stated his opinion that approval of the proposal 

would, in effect, usurp NSC and IAC prerogatives for decision and 

action - a move not within the competence of USCIBo 

MR. GODEL said that it is his understanding that the information in 

question is to be used only when certain U.S. Navy elements are involved 

in combat situa.tionso This being the case, he said he is prepared to 

vote that the day such an incident occurs the material may be used. 

The CHAIRl.f.AN pointed out that this action could be construed as a 

violation of the BRUSA Agreement, in that there ~s now no agreed list of 

Category I material in beingo 

The CHAim"1.AN and MRo PATTON reviewed the history of the Category 

listings, pointing out that the NSA-proposed list is now in GCHQ hands 

for consideration. The Chairman stated that while the British have had 

the proposed list for some tjme the fault is not entirely theirs in that 

certain delays were encountered in getting the. list on its way to GCHQ. 

CAPTAIN McCORMICK said that he could not foresee any U.K. objection 

to the instant proposal in view of their acceptance of the use of similar 

information during the Korean hostilities. 

The CHAIRMAN stated that it had been our intent to have categorization, and other aspects of new Appendix B, implemented by this time 

thereby obviating the necessity for actions such as those being considered; 

however, in view of unexpected delays in formalization of Appendix B 

arrangements, it is necessary to give individual attention to problems 

arising in the interimo He informed the members that every effort he 

considers reasonable has been made to speed up action on implementation, 

and added that he would be reluctant to prod the British further at this 

time. 

with regard to the specific problem of_ lit was brought 

In the ensuing discussion on the r~tur: ;ran appr:acb.to the U.K. 

out that the emergency provisions of the UK:r Agreemen may be adequate 

to cover the situation to the satisfaction of the Navy member. This 

possibility was considered at length and the members were/ultimately in 

agreement that, in the event of an emergency as described,..JlL.J.W:L..DAJI;~---, 

member there exists authorit to roceed with the use of 

inf ormat~on in disguised form in the manner outlined in USCJ:}3 

.....,,.1.,,..3""""'. 7""'/16, and described more fully in the foregoing discussi()n. It was 

PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

USCIB: 1307/23 SECRET 8

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EO 3.3(h)(2) 
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PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

SPiSR!'i! A!lmil!i T:T. S • E!E6 ON.b!" 

USCIB: 13. 7/23 

agreed, further, that this authority rests also with other Service members 

of the Board, and that exercise of this.authority is conditional upon 

prompt notification to USCIB of action/taken. 

The mem.bere then discussed possible means of expediting the official 

assignment o.fl Ito Category- I. It was agreed that this 

can best be accomplished by requesting that the Director, NSA attempt to 

have GCHQ action on assignments to Category I separated from the remainder 

of the categorization problem and handled as a matter of priority. 

DECISION: (28 May 1954) USCIBEC agreed not to accept the Intelligence 

Committee recoJJDD.endations contained in USCIB 13.7/16. Instead, USCIBEC 

agreed to recODDD.end to USCIB that: 

a. The existing emergency provisions of Appendix B, UKUSA, be 

considered adequate to cover the situation described, pending 

further LSIB-USCIB action to formalize categorization. 

b. The Director, NSA proceed as expeditiously as possible in an 

effort to reach agreement with GCHQ on the details of categorization and that, in so doing, he endeavor to have action 

with regard to Category I separated from the overall problem 

in order that this aspect may be formalized with the least 

practicable delay. 

This item to be dropped from the agenda. 

The meeting adjourned at 1600. 

USCIB: 13. 7/2'3 SECRET AMBlE 

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