REF ID:A6388~ 

-----------91assified until filled) ' CLASSI FIED/NOM·CLA.SSI Fl ED TRA.MSMI TT A.L and RECEIPT 

TO 

tt4ATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY 

Washington 25, D.C. 

Mr. William F. Friedman 

310 Second Street, s. E. 

Washington, D. c. 

-

.0E-:CRET 

SERIAL OR CONTROL NUMBER 

R/D 11-57 

DATE 

12 February 1957 

1, IT IS REQUESTED THAT RECEIPT FOR THIS MATERIAL BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY EXECUTING AND RETURNING THE 

BELOW RECEIPT, 

2, THIS LETTER MAY BE DOWNGRADED TO ___ u_n_c_la_s_s_i_f_i_ed _______ WHEN ENCLOSURES ARE REMOVED. 

INCLOSURES: 

2 cys of EXSAB 5-57 w/incl. 

' 

=51=GN=A=T=u=RE============-====Ueclassified and approved for release by NSA on 11-15-2013 

s. B. Cronise ursuant to E.O. 13526 
REF ID:A63883 

e ._ ~.:2.Rl:l1i e ·~~ 

1-~I 

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY 

WASHINGTON 25, D. C. 

Mr. William F. Friedman 

310 Second Avenue, s. E. 

Washington, D. c. 

Dear Mr. Friedman: 

SeriaJ.: EXSAB 5-57 

ll February 1957 

Inclosed herewith is the agenda for the meeting to be held 

7-8 March 1957 • AJ.so inclosed is a copy of the minutes of the 

last meeting. 

I hope that your schedule will permit you to join us f'or 

the meeting on these two da:ys. 

2 Incls: 

J.. Agenda 

2. Minutes 

Sincerely, 

S. KULLB.ACK 

Executive Secretary 

NSA Scientific Advisory Board 
REF ID : A63 B..§..3 

• 

D!'I01IAL 8ECUR1"r!' NJDCY 00.I&l'tll'IC ADVISOR! BOARD 

.AGEllDA 

7-8 MARCH 1957 

!he meeting• Will be held 1n Roca 17-117 at th• J(&T&l Security station begj nn1 ng at 0900. 

l,. Bniw u4 am>ronl ot Jtluute• ot 8-9 October 1956 meeting and 

ether Board buaine••. 

2. !he Qurreslt :rKDBAID st&tua PreHntation. 

3. Re)ort 'b;T the Ml.th .... tic• Pu.el. 

Jt.. OU'rent statu. ot SCRA.MJlLKR. 

5. Paul Aotiriti••· 

Mr. Hon.rd Darlov 

Dr. H. ! . Jng.trcm Dr. R. A. Leibler 

:Brig. Oen. W .M. Burgeas,USAP 

Dr. S. 8. Wilka 

Kr. A. Lnenaon 

Ccll11deration tor po••ible participation bJ' the llectronica 

PmM.l am 1'el.ecc:nnm1catiou Puel in MP8C't• ot LIGHDlllJ1 

collection requircen.t• and SCRAMBLER. 
REF ID:A63883 

1A::CHET • Dll'l'A!IVP: 

JQJllltlS OP ml llSA SOIUtltIC ADVISOR!' BO.ARD MU'fll<t 

plLD OB B OCi'OiiR 1§56 

l.. 1'he toll.oviDg were present at the meeting. 

a. '9!rd: Mmabers: 

Mr. J. o. Ma!'herson, Cbail'mBD. 

Dr. s. s. Cairn• 

Proteaaor J. w. l'orrester 

)fr. w. p. 'Friedman 

Jlr. A. w. Borton 

Dr. B. P. Robert80l1 

J)r. s. s. Wilks 

b. SSA Bxecutive Gro!Ji tor Board .Utaira: 

J)r. H. T. Bngatraa, Chai:man 

Dr. s. Irullback, Executive Secretary 

Dr. A. Binkov 

Captain J. S. Holtvick, USJf 

c. Jl!part!ent ot Defense Ob11erver: 

Jlr. M. Dean Post 

d. SSA ObMrvers: 

Lt. General. R. J. Canine, USA 

Major General. J. A. Semf'ord, USAF 

Mr. J. R. Re• 

Dr. R. A. Le1bler 

Mr. H. C. Barlow 

Mr. H. J. Stukey 

e. Recorder: 

Jlt•• Catherine JohnllOD 

t. Mr. B. P. Corvith aent the tolloving telegram to the Chairman, 

lfSASAB: "Last minute devel.opnent ha• made 1 t neceaaary :tor ae to remain 

in Bev Yerk on October 8 and 9. Sorr;,y I cannot be v1 th you but 'IJl:f 

&bHDce 1• unavoid&bl.e." 
2. 'l'b.e tir•t ••Ilion convened at 0900, 8 October 1956 in Dr. 

Bagatrm'• ottice at •ss. GeD.eral Canine opened the aeas1on vith a 

rmarit that th• meeting wu arranged on rather llhOrt notice tor the 

specitio prpoae ot uld.ng the Bo&1'd to con•ider a progna callecl 

nDlfAID am. vu occasioned b;y querie• a• to what the General could 

do about the so-c•lled high-level problem. it he were not l.1mited by 

JDQJ1ey1 people, etc. General. Can1ne reviewed the COHIJr.f activities 

during World War II and ccm;parecl thaa with the current situation. 

J'BBlm.AJIJ) conaist;1 ot the tol.l.ov1ng tin point prosr-. 

a. 9lat ve su;pport the British with & large electronic 

digital. cm.puter. 

b. That aince the probl.ema ot cr.YPtaDaJ.1'•1• are not 

mathematiea but are ot a ma.thmatioal. nature, ve llhould aee whether 

or not there has been maxiJlua 111>1>lication ot mathm.atioa and 

mathmat1cal talenton Ageney probl.eu. 

c. !'hat _. out aide organisation be obta:I ned to run a 

parallel ettort on a specific high·leTel ditticult probla. 

d. !'hat we undertake the research and developaent aiaed at 

ldlaaegaeycle ~ical :machine•• 

e. That we increase the ettort at the Agency by hiring more 

;people and increasing our c<m«>l•ent ot machine•, cmpiter• and data 

pattern•. 

'1'he tirst tour propoll&l.a vere agreed to in principle b7 the Secretary 

ot De:tenae. 'l'he l.aat ia •till under conaideration. General Canine 

pointed out that the A8fm.C'T needed the lld"dce of the 8cient1t1c M.viaoey 

Board on all ot the problem.a and their implementation with the exception 

ot the question ot a machine tor the British. 'l'hi• waa alreeicy' laid on 

and under progress. 

'l'he Cba1rman, Mr. Mal'herson, thanked General. Canine tor hi• 

caamenta and ccaaented that the Jk>&rd had been gl.YeD. a big uaigmumt 

tor the tvo-dq •••ion. 

3• As an it.. ot business, the minute• ot the last :meeting held 

15·17 J'ebruaq 1956 were accepted end lljppraved. 

4. !he Chai:rm.n reviewed the changes in the Board membership llince 

t.be la.at :meeting. All DlSl'bera vere present except Dr. :Balter, Mr. 

Corwith and. Dr. von Beumann, who is extremeq ill. Dr. Bngstrcm 

rel1.DQ.uiahed hi• :memberahip on the Bo&l'd in Tiev or hi• new poai tian 

u Director ot ReHa.rch and Developaent at :l&tional. Securit7 Ageney and 

Dr. A. a. Hill baa accepted an invitation to becaae a Dlelaber. 

sEdRET 
Mr. MePherllOD pointed out that he had been Chairan of the 

:Board tor RYeral Je&r• &Dd reccmnd ed the a;ppoiD:tment ot a 11UCces110r 

u Cba119D ot the Board. General. Canine thanked 11r. lt.:Pheraon for 

hi• :t&ithhl 11errtce aa Cbai:rman and nominated :Dr. BobertllOD who 

accepted the aaeigmunt u Chai:man o:t' the Boe.rd, the otfice to be 

u91.mled at the end of the preMDt M••ion. 

5. Purther details on the program. outlined b7 General C8n1ne 

were then preHJlted. 'bJ' Dr. Leibler &Dd Capta1n Holtvick. Act1ou 

alread7 underway were reviewed and a ccw ot the memorandum. vbich 

w.a preM11ted to the Secretaey ot Detenae was read. 

6. AJJ a turther brieting in the COMift area, Dr. SiDkOY reported 

on the reaults, coa.cl.uiona and reccmaendationa ot a ccmte:renoe hel4 in 

September between ISA &Dd OCHQ. 

Dr. 81Dltov then ccmaented brietq on the independent PARALLBL 

ettort. General. Blectric seemed to be an appropriate orpnimat1on to 

undertake this proJect, reaulting 1n pi.rt :trara Dr. Baker'• own interest 

in the problm. 'l'vo m.eetinga were held Vith reprementat1vea ot CJeneral 

Electric. Oeneral. 11.ectric eatiu.ted that thq ooul4 ult1Jlatel1' employ 

about 200 ;peopl.e on the proJect, consisting o:t approximteq 80 prote1111onal and the :rest aupport perllOmlel. 30 ot the proteaaional 

:persomiel vould be scientist• ot high pro:teallianal. abilit7. 

After lunch the amber• o:t' the Board. pursued the subject ot 

vh&t Ageney per110Dnel thought vould be required tor a grou;p to make a 

nbstant1al contribution in the iDdependent PARALLBL ettort. Q.Mtetiona 

as to tne ot ind.1Yidual. beat suited, aaJ.ary rangea, acientific maturity, 

and relative distribution u betveen proteasicmal and llUJ'.PC)rt per80mlel 

vere di•eusaed. AB a ba81• tor cam;pariacm the scale ot ettort preaentl.1' 

being deYOted Yi thin the Agency on acne ot these problema was rerlend. 

The Boa1'd al.so questioned the nature ot the reccmaendationa that the 

Ageney COUl.d -.ke vith respect to the proJecta, nch u al.l.oc&tion ot 

perllOmlel a• between anal;rat• and engineers. 

Captain Hol.tviclt camaentecl that Kr. Barlow vould probably be 

the KSA project otticer tor the PARALLBL »roJect. 

7. '1'he PABALLBL project havi.Dg been rather tho:rougbl1' diacuaaed 

and to be brought up in Ex:ecutiYe Session. later that af'ternoon,, the 

Bo&1'd :proceeded to hear Dr. Bngatl'Clll'• presentation on the question ot 

a npar cl.a•• ot cCllQUter• and. anal.1t1c eqμips.ent. He p>inted out that 

the Pl'OSNll will also 1.n.el.me within it & goal ot cc:a;plete autanation ot 

our proceaaing. It vu proposed that the entire task be uaigned to a 

pr1me contractor 1lh.o vill use sub-contractors as nece•aar.r. 

Dr. ll'orreater pointed out the need tor t1nd1 ng nev approach•• :tor n;per high-speed QPlication. :rurther di•cuaeion revol.Ted &rOUDd 
REF ID:A63883 ~ 

cC:CRET 

the quaatim aa to vhat part the exploitation ot current technique a 

to their llllit ahould plq 1n this progra.. 

IJ!b.e meeting vu receaaed at 151.5 and the I0&1"d nnt into 

Eueut1Te Session • 

... 

:dECRE1' 
MlllltlS OF TD SSA SCID'!D'IC ADVISOR! BOARD M&ft1IG 

BBLD 01 9 06.i!bm 1956 

l.. The tolloving vere preMJlt at the Meting. 

a. Board 11!11.bera: 

Mr. J. C. MaPh.erllOll1 CbailWllD 

Dr. s. s. Cai.me 

Pro:tea.or J. w. J'orreater 

Mr. w. ., • :rriedman 

Dr. A. a. Bill 

Mr. A. W. Borton 

Dr. B. P. Robertaon 

Dr. a. s. Wilks 

b. ISA Bxecut1 Te Gl"O\W tor Board .Attair• s 

Dr. B. ! . Bngatraa, Chail'IUU1 

Dr. a. IC.ullb&ck, Bxecutift Secretary 

Brig. Oeneral. w. M. Burge•a1 USAI' 

Dr. A. 81nltov 

Capta:tn J. a. Holtwick, us 

c. Deprt!!rlt ot Detcmse ObHrY•r 1 

Mr. M. Dean Poat 

Mr. R. v. Zander 

4. ISA Observer•: 

Lt. Oeneral. B. J. Canine, USA. 

Dr. R. A. Leibl.er 

Mr. o. H. Vergine 

Mr. A. H. LeYen80D 

Mr. T. R. J. Hollarott 

Mr. Dale Marston 

•· Recorder: 

JU•• Catherine Johnson 

5 

SECRET 
2. The second sea•ion convened. at 09001 9 October 19S6. Captain Holtwiolc presented. the assigned. cover 1WDlllU 

FREEHAND - the program aa a whole. 

LIGH'l'NIHG - the project on kilomega07cle computerm. 

PARALLEL - th• independent ettort. 

AMIGO - Support to GCHQ 

EFFIGY - Identities the apecitic oomputer provided OOHQ. 

ERUDITE - the ma.th.aa.tical eurnr. 

3. Dr. :Engstzrom 1ndioated that he had brieted Dr. Hill about aome 

ot the prft'ioua da7'• discueeiona. Hr. McPhe::rlOn c0lllll8Jlted that he telt. 

further di11ause1oms llhould be held on the t.w principal taaka, PARALLEL 

and LIGHTNING. He raiaed the question aa to whether a large amount ot 

:mnq ahould. be apent right now with the objective in mind ot trying to 

dnelop electronic equi);lll8nt in the ld.lomegaqole range. He ra111ed the 

point in view of the 0011111enta that oomplet.el.7 nn approach•• to computing techniques wQ'e probabl,y inYolnd and thought that po•G.~ th• at.a.rt 

•houl.d be with a aeries ot ditterent research project.a leading to 

aut.tiaient lmovled.ge to implsnent auah a plan. The aeoond question that 

Mr. McPhenon felt important tor turliher dillouaaion waa th• nature of 

the organisation !"or both the PARALLEL and LIGHTNING pi"Ojeota. '!'here 

wu 110me diaouaaion a1 to the maximum speed computltl" that oould be built 

with the current know-how without &.lJ1' large aoale denlopnent. It wa• 

point.eel out that the kilomegao;ycle propoaal va.a baaed. on acientitio 

ft'idence aiming at a goal just somewhat bqond what oould be olea.rl.T 

reached.. It wa• pointed out that the progftUD waa broad enough to inoluie 

automation and a plateau at a hundred megaqcle computer •hould. that be 

desirable. 

Dr. Engstrom pointed out that the technical capability ot the 

Agenc;r was currently at the 1aturation point and that in order to IOlT• 

t.he oomputer probl• with an enlarged. capabilit¥ it ••aned 1nd.1oated 

that outside agencies be brought into the probl•. 

Possible contractors aa between univeraitiea and other organi-

•ation• were diaousaed particul.ar:cy- a• to whether then were arrr organisationa with id•• in this direction which wuld lead to an interest in 

the program. Dr. Hill mentioned Ill! as a concern with a ltrong team in 

this tield. that might be rreer than the Lincoln Laboratories, which bad. 

been mentioned as a poaaibility. 

6 
REF ID:A63883 

SECRET e 

Dr. Forrester caiu.ented. that in the :first phase ot LIGHTllUU, tb&t 

is the aearoh for new idea.a / 1 t may be Just aa well to go to a nuaber 

o:r d.itterent univeraitiea rather than to one large organization. Mr. 

l"riedmn ccnmented that 1n view ot the nature or the problems under 

canaideration, the Boa.rd might de•ignate a special. sub-camnittee to at~ theee qu.eatians and cane up with a aolid body of taota and 

rec<'ll!IMmation.a tor the Board. Dr. Robertaon pointed out, hovever, 

that unfortunate~ at the preeent J\Ulcture, thinga had gone rather 

tar ad there vu &n urgent pinch to get matter• settled. He made 

the point that the 1'oard expreas 1 ta desires that they be conlUlted 

earlier, and proceed vith gi'Ying what advice they can at the pre8ent. 

J'urther discuaaion about the PAJW'..LEL em. LIGlf?RIIG proJeets 

1ndicated that they are est:tmat*1 a• f5 million a year "ror PARALLEL 

and $6 million a year tor LIGH'l'JIJJIG. Dr. Hill reported on the upeota 

ot the probl.eiu which might m.ake them a.ttra.ct1To to tcrr. 

J)r. Hill alBO gave the background ot the tormo.tion ot Lincoln 

Laboratories to aaaiat in th~ ed:m1nistrative :problelu that Jlight have 

to be so1ved. 

~e queation vs.a raised as to 'Whether a university partieular~ would 

reli-11 getting invo1ved in OCD.&thing very highly classified and Dr. ca:trna 

pointed out that ll)aee 111 very criticaJ. at Dost univ&re1t1ea. .Mr. 

M:Pheraon ccmaented that possibly the sponaorship by a grou;p o-r 

lUliveraitie• was called tor. 

In view ot the d1acuaa1ona in the Executive Session a.a to the 

nature ot an organization best suited tor the PARALLKL project, the 

question vaa raised aa to vhether there was eIJy Y8J in which the 

reaponaible people at General lll.eatric could be brought mt-to-date on 

the c01191dere.tion• by the Advisoey Board. 

Dr. Cairn• auggested that the ~ otter a re110l.ution to the · 

Director o-r the J&ency end Dr. Robert•on re-1 a dratt ot a proposed 

reaol.ution. 'l'he final revised re&01ut1on, 'Ulan1moua.ly adopted by the 

Board. i• the tolloving: 

"!'he Board agrees with BSA on the im;ports.ru!e ot the PARALL!L 

project, and. with the propo8&1 tor ite ilaediate 1.Dl,plmentation. 

"'!'he Board conaid•r• the i.JQlementation or the PARALLEL 

:proJect one which 1• ot suttio1ent ill;portance that ac1ent1fic 

9P011sorahip ot it should ba .ollaited throlJ8h the top level ot 

the lxecutive Department. 

"Had time &ll.OW9d., the Boa.xd YOU1d have welcaned the 

opportunity to explore poaeibl.e vaya and mean• ot aoat ettectiTit~ 

SEE:RET 
implementing the project, and regrets that urgency now precludes 

its tull consideration. The Board does recommend that NSA explore rapidly methods of initiating the project, in addition to the one 

now under advisement. 

"The Board reels that the head of the project and a tew ot 

the leading personnel should be scientists of the highest repute, 

so that their prestige would serve as an effective consideration 

in attracting a mnall group consisting or some of the most promising 

research talent of the country on a short-term basis. The conditions 

in qu~stion may be difficult to realize under industrial sponsorship. 

"While a new one-purpose group may be indicated for the project, 

the Board calls attention to organizations such as: Lincoln 

Laboratories, RAND, Institute of Defense Ana.lyses, Associated 

Universities, Inc., and industrial companies in addition to General 

Electric. 

"The Board, through its Members and Panels, expresses its 

eagerness to assist NSA in this matter in any wa:y consistent with 

the temporal urgency of the proposal." 

4. While copies of the resolution were being typed, a discussion 

was held on the question ot the next regular meeting of the Scientific 

Advisory Board. It was moved and carried that the date for the next. 

meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board would be 7-8 March 1957. 

;. The Board then took up the matter of its action with respect to 

LIGHTNING. 'Considerable discussion ensued about the place or automation 

in this program, the desirability- of pushing present techniques to their 

limit and the need for new ideas. As a result ot the discussion, the 

statement or a recommendation by- the Board was dratted and the tollowing 

resolution ubanim:>usl.y adopted. 

"The Board reconmends that the exploitation of technical developments as related to Project LIGHTNING be considered in tl«l separate tasks: 

11 (a) The design or a complete system for taking intercepted 

material through the processing and analytical sta.gea, and 

baaed on computer facilities operating in the 10 to 100 

megacycle range. This task is a major undertaking in 

advanced systems design development and it should be placed 

with an organization equipped to handle a conaiderable 

expansion ot the initial project. 

8 

SECfiET 
. . , 

"(b) 'l'he aearch :f"or ecnpletely nev teclmiques to puah 

data processing into an area that Seell.8 tm.reaehable b;y 

refinements or present techno.1.oQ. A J.000 megaaycl.o 

pulae rate or logical design im:protementa that J.ead to 

ol'der-o:f'-ms.gnitule efficiency inoree.se in equipnent 

utilization ie a typical. goal. !'his t.a.sk require• the 

developnent of' a technical. concept 1'hiah 1• nev am. can 

be best approached by sponsorship ot a number o't stulie• - into nev pbydeal pb.enanena in eeareh et a firm proposal 

tor rtrture exploitation." 

6. ..... J'riedman made a motion 11hich vu seconded end unam.moua~ 

adopt«\ tor a resolution expressing regret at the inability ot nr. 

TOO 1'emann to J;)e.rtic1pate in thie meeting at the Board. Gen•re.l Canine 

ccnfeylild this reeolution in a letter to Dr. von Keum.nn. 

7. In Yiew ot the tset that General Cenine h8d announced to the 

Board the pmiing termination ot his assignment as Director ot the 

llatiem.l. Security Agency and eince the Board is mi AdTisor,y !o8.l'd. to 

the DireQtor, the question was raised e.s to Yhether the members ot the 

Boa1'd ehould tender their resignations to pemit the nw Director to 

ex.pre•• hie choice ot members tor the Boe.rd. .A.:tter llQlle discussion the 

B:mcutiTe secretary vas instructed to inquire e.s to the pleesure ot 

General Cenine's suceeeaor in thl.s regaro. 'l'his WM done and the 

lfte!llbers O't the Board int'ormed that 1 t was the desire ot General. Samford 

that the :prel!!ent !oal"d continue :f.n thi& capacity. 

8. During the time that aopies ot the resolution were being 

}Jr.pared, Mr. Hollcro:tt presented current developnents on one ot the 

Agena,- problems. 

9• ~ral Cenine YU present during the latter portiona Of the 

session and pe.rtieipated in e. general. disewseion as to the needs tor 

aucce••rul COMDl'l' opera.tions. He indicated that the comment a ot the 

Board members vere most help:f'ul. to him !!lld particularly ~r a f'urther 

M•lion Yith the Secretary on thi• subjeat. M seems inevitable, the 

discwsaicm ended Y1 th the genere.l needs ot the .Agenc-r :peraonnel Yin 

and. a rniev ot the various :progrmu to reoruit and attract the right 

oollege graduates. Dr. Wilks ex;pressed an interest 1n the Agency 

"cruitment and peyohaneteric prosrem, and agreed to cane be.ck the 

tol.loring week to meet vi th the placement and psycllometeric people. 

(!hi• vu done. ) 

Gmaeral C&nine cJ.oaed the esllion vi th the ocmment "you ha.Te 

done a good dq' s work, I will •ign ;your TOUehera ... 

#?d/.-i~ a. :mLLBA.al 

Executive Seoretary 

l8A Scientific .AdYilK>r;y Bo&m 

SE<";RET-