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SEPTEMBER 26, Tii8'6 

VISIT TO NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY FORT MEADE, MARYLAND 

I'M DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TODAY, 

BY THE f/AY, I MENTIONED TO GENERAL ODOM AND 

BILL CASEY THE UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER 

PREDICTIONS FOR TODAY BUT THEY TOLD ME,' 

'><WEAR YOUR TRENCH COAT ANY~IAY,"' AND THEN 

WHEN I ASKED FOR DIRECTIONS TO THIS GREAT 

NEW BUILDING ALL THEY WOULD SAY rs/ 

"MR, PRESIDENT, LEAVE THE WHITE HOUSE, 

GO TO 17TH AND K AND WAIT FOR THE PHONE TO 

-~~.~~~~~~~~--j RING." 

I EVEN OFFERED TO BRING OVER SOME WHITE 

HOUSE CUFF LINKS AS SOUVENIRS FOR ALL OF YOU 

BUT I WAS TOLD YOU PREFER THE N,S,A, CUFF 

LINKS -- YOU CAN TUNE IN THE REDSKINS GAME, 

BUT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I DIDN'T COME HERE 

TODAY TO TELL A LOT OF "SPEAK INTO THE 

POTTED PLANT" JOKES, /f DO HAVE SOME FAIRLY 

HIGH-GRADE INTELLIGENCE THOUGH. 

- 2 -

WE'VE JUST LEARNED THAT FROM NOW ON K,G,B. 

AGENTS HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO DO ALL THEIR 

WORK IN GROUPS OF THREE's~ONE AGENT TO 

-TAKE NOTES AND WRITE THE REPORT,/THE OTHER 

TWO TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE INTELLECTUAL, 

IF I MAY BE SERIOUS, I DO HAVE ANOTHER 

STORY FOR YOU TODAY, ,rrr-GOES LIKE THIS, 

IN THE SPRING OF 1942, SHORTLY AFTER PEARL 

HARBOR/THE JAPANESE WERE PLANNING A 

DECISIVE NAVAL ENGAGEMENT THAT WOULD CRUSH 

AMERICAN POWER IN THE PACIFIC AND OPEN 

HAWAII AND OUR WEST COAST TO ATTACK. 

TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, THE JAPANESE ASSEMBLED 

THE MOST POWERFUL ARMADA IN HISTORY~ 

AGAINST THEIR CRUISERS, BATTLESHIPS, 

AND CARRIERS,,/THE UNITED STATES COULD 

ASSEMBLE REALLY ONLY THREE AIRCRAFT 

CARRIERS _,I- ONE OF WHICH WAS STILL BADLY 

DAMAGED FROM THE BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA, 
- 3 -

AWARE THAT THE JAPANESE WERE PREPARING 

FOR THIS DECISIVE BATTLE/THE COMMANDER OF 

THE PACIFIC FLEET~CHESTER NIMITZ) KNEW THE 

ODDS AGAINST HIM AND UNDERSTOOD THAT HIS 

ONLY CHANCE OF VICTORY LAY IN THE SKILL AND 

DARING OF HIS OUTNUMBERED SAILORS AND 

FLIERS~- AND IN HIS SUPERIOR INTELLIGENCE 

SERVICES. 

ALTHOUGH AWARE OF JAPANESE 

PREPARATIONS/THE AMERICANS DID NOT HAVE THE 

ANSl~EI\ TO THE ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION OF 

,----- WHERE THE JAPANESE f/OULD ATTACK. A YOUNG 

NAVAL OFFICER WHO HAD, WITH A SMALL GROUP OF 

CRYPTOGRAPHERS) BEEN MONITORING JAPANESE 

TRANSM I SS IO/IS, SUCCESSFULLY DEC! PHERED THE! R 

--

CODE, --------------· 

- 4 -

FROM HIS INTERCEPTS, COMMANDER JOSEPH 

(ROACH-FERT) KNEW THE TARGET OF THE PLANNED 

ATTACK WAS A PLACE THE JAPANESE WERE CALLING 

"A.F,"/AND IN HIS OWN MIND, HE FELT CERTAIN 

HE KNEW WHAT "A.F." WAS/AN ISLAND NOT FAR 

FROM HAWAII; IT WAS CALLED MIDWAY. 

BUT, AS ALWAYS, THERE WERE THOSE WHO 

DISMISSED HIMy1WHO SCOFFED AT THE NOTION 

THAT INTELLIGENCE BASED ON RADIO OR 

ELECTRONIC DATA COULD BE ACCURATE OR 

RELIABLE. FORTUNATELY, FOR AMERICA AND FOR 

FREEDOMj'ADMIRAL NIMITZ HAD NO SUCH DOUBTS. 

HE AUTHORIZED A MESSAGE SENT FROM MIDWAY,/ 

A MESSAGE THEY KNEW THAT THE JAPANESE COULD 

DECIPHER AND WOULD BE SURE TO TRANSMIT TO 

THEIR OWN INTELLIGENCE SERVICES. 
- 5 -

THE MESSAGE REPORTING WATER PROBLEMS AT 

MIDWAY WENT OUT/AND COMMANDER JOSEPH 

ROCHEFORT AND HIS DEDICATED CRYPTOGRAPHERS 

LISTENED AS THE JAPANESE INTELLIGENCE 

SERVICES REPORTED TO TOKYO NAVAL 

HEr,oouARTERS THAT "A. F." REPORTED A WATER 

SliOl~OMMANDER ROCHEFORT HAD HIS 

CONFIRMATION/ MIDWAY WAS THE TARGET. 

THE REST -- AS THE SAYING GOES )-

IS HISTORY. AND WHAT HISTORY IT WAS AND IS. 

BECAUSE OF THAT CRITICAL INTELLIGENCE/ 

NIMITZ PLACED HIS OUTNUMBERED CARRIERS ON 

THE JAPANESE FLANKJAND WITH SEVERAL 

DEVASTATING STRIKES NOT ONLY DEALT A BLOW 

THAT GUARANTEED NAVAL SUPERIORITY TO THE 

UNITED STATEyllUT MADE MIDWAY ONE OF THE 

MOST DRAMATIC AND DECISIVE NAVAL BATTLES IN 

ALL OF HISTORY. 

AND WHILE FEW AMERICANS KNOW THE STORY 

OF COMMANDER ROCHEFORT AND HIS COLLEAGUES, 

ALL OF US ARE IN THEIR DEBT. 

- 6 -

INDEED, !T's HARD TO THINK OF ANY GROUP THAT 

MADE A GREATER CONTRIBUTION TO VICTORY IN 

WORLD WAR I I, 

YOU OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY ARE 

LIKE THEM, PART OF A PROUD TRADITION/" 

A TRADITION WHICH IS, IN FACT, OLDER THAN 

THE NATION;' A TRADITION THAT HAS ITS 

BEGINNINGS WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE 

AMERICAN REVOLUTION. AND YOU, TOO, MAKE 

HISTORY QUIETLY -- SILENTLY~- AWARE THAT 

YOUR GREATEST MOMENTS, YOUR GREATEST 

VICTORIES, IF EVER KNOWN AT ALL/ WILL BE 

DIVULGED ONLY TO GENERATIONS MANY YEARS FROM 

NOW, 

..-- THIS DOES NOT DETER You/You HAVE 

CHOSEN THIS WORK BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT IN 

A WORLD WHERE THE DANGERS TO OUR NATION'S 

FREEDOM AND SECURITY ARE GRAVE AND GREAT..' 

YOU PROVIDE A VITAL LINE OF DEFENSE. 
- 7 -

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT SINCE WORLD WAR IL 

ACCURATE, "UP-TO-THE-MINUTE" INTELLIGENCE 

HAS SAVED LIVES;' AVERTED WAR,/ AND KEPT ALIVE 

THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM, YOU ALSO UNDERSTAND 

THAT THE LOSS OF OUR OWN SENSITIVE 

HWOl;MATION CAN UNDERMINE THE VERY ,-------j FOUNDATIONS OF OUR FREE SOCIETY. AND, 

YOU WORK TO MEET THESE TWIN CHALLENGES BY 

PROVIDING THE CRUCIAL INTELLIGENCE/AND 

SAFEGUARDING THE SECURITY OF OUR OWN 

COMMUNICATIONS P.ND ELECTRONIC NETWORKS, 

TODAY, YOUR WORK CONTINUES NOT ONLY 

TO PREVENT CONFLICT BUT TO FIGHT TERRORISM/ 

PROTECT OUR SECURITY FROM HOSTILE 

!NTELLI GEllCE THREATS/ GUARD THE MEN AND 

WOMEN OF OUR ARMED FORCES AROUND THE WORLD/ 

AND GENERALLY PROTECT THE VALUES THAT WE, 

OUR FRIENDS, AND OUR ALLIES HOLD DEAR. 

~llTHOUT THE PRODUCT OF YOUR PAINSTAKING 

AND DEDICATED EFFORTS,/'WE WOULD --(IN A 

DANGEROUS WORLD - BE BLIND AND DEAF. 

- 8 -

WITHOUT YOUR LONG HOURS OF SELFLESS DUTY~ 

OFTEN IN FAR AND FORGOTTEN CORNERS OF THE 

WORLD;1WE COULD NEITHER PROTECT AMERICA NOR 

ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM, WITHOUT YOUR 

SUCCESS IN GUARDING OUR VITAL 

COMMUNICATIONS;'INFORMATION,/AND TECHNOLOGY£" 

OUR ADVERSARIES WOULD ROB US OF THE SECRETS 

WE NEED TO BE STRONG AND SECURE. 

THE SIMPLE TRUTH IS~ WITHOUT YOU, 

I COULD NOT DO MY JOB,INOR COULD SECRETARY 

SHULTZ CONDUCT DIPLOMACY,/NOR COULD 

SECRETARY WEINBERGER, NOR ADMIRAL CROWE 

MUSTER THE FORCES THAT DEFEND US. 
.-

- 9 -

AND SO, WHILE YOU SERVE IN SI LEN CE/ 

WHILE YOUR SUCCESS MUST GO WITHOUT 

RECOGNITION/'OFTEN EVEN BY YOUR OWN 

FAMILIES/\IHILE YOU CANNOT SHARE WITH THEM, 

OR YOUR FELLOW AMERICANS,,ITHE PRIDE YOU FEEL 

IN PROTECTING AND GUARDING THEIR FUTURE/ 

LET ME TODAY, IN THIS PLACE, SPEAK FOR ALL 

OF THEM/' WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR WHAT 

YOU DO;'FOR THE SACRIFICES YOU MAKE./FOR 

YOUR SELFLESS COMMITMENT TO OUR COUNTRY/AND 

FOR THE LIMITATIONS ON YOUR PERSONAL FREEDOM 

WHICH YOU ACCEPT SO YOUR COUNTRYMEN CAN LIVE 

THEIR LIVES IN FREEDOM AND PEACE.( WE 

UNDERSTAND YOUR BURDEN, AND WE SALUTE YOU. 

YOU CARRY ON TflE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM/ 

YOU, TOO, ft.RE HEROES, AMERICA IS PROUD OF 

YOU. WE THANK YOU. 

- 10 -

OF COURSE, YOU CANNOT PERFORM YOUR WORK 

WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT 

OF DEFENSE_;'THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL 

INTELLIGENCE/ THE WHITE HOUSEf AND THE 

CONGRESS~TODAY ' WE ARE CELEBRATING AN 

EXAMPLE OF THAT SUPPORT,/ A NEW BUILDING 

COMPLEX,/THE MOST MODERN OF ITS KIND IN THE 

WORLD, (I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ALL/ -CAP WEINBERGER, BILL CASEY, BILL ODOM, 

AND THE MEMBERS OF THE INTELLIGENCE 

COMMITTEES OF THE CONGRESS/WHO COOPERATED 

SO EFFECTIVELY TO MAKE THIS BUILDING 

POSSIBLE . 

WHEN WE TOOK OFFICE 5-1/2 YEARS AGO, 

WE PROMISED TO MAKE AMERICA STRONG AGAIN~ 

TODAY, WE SEE A MONUMENT TO THAT REASSERTION 

OF AMERICAN STRENGTH AND SECURITY. 

AND YET WE ARE ALSO AWARE TODAY OF A 

GROWING THREAT TO THAT SECURITY. 
- 11 -

ESPECIALLY IN THE ESPIONAGE TRIALS OF THE 

LAST SEVERAL YEARS YOU HAVE GLIMPSED THE 

TERRIBLE DAMAGE ESPIONAGE DOES~ND AS 

EVENTS OF RECENT DAYS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED, 

THE INTELLIGENCE THREAT TO OUR COUNTRY 

REMAINS VERY REAL, OUR ADVERSARIES ARE 

EMPLOYING ALL THE MEANS WE ASSOCIATE WITH 

SPIES;' INCLUDING ELECTRONIC ESPIONAGE 

AGAINST SENSITIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND DATA 

BASES. 

OUR MOST SENSITIVE DEFENSE SECRETS AND 

MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY HAVE BEEN STOLEN/ 

GIVEN TO OUR ADVERSARIES OUT OF MISGUIDED 

MOTIVES OR ATTE~TS AT FINANCIAL GAIN)' SUCH 

LOSSES ELIMINATE THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE 

ON WHICH OUR DEFENSE RESTS. SIMILAR EFFORTS 

TO INFILTRATE LONG-TERM AGENTS INTO 

SENSITIVE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND 

AGENCIES ARE UNDERWAY, 

- 12 -

THOSE AROUND THE WORLD WHO WOULD SEEK 

TO STEAL OUR SECRETS AND TECHNOLOGY,!TO 

SUBVERT OUR VALUES AND INSTITUTIONS;' 

AND TO VIOLATE THE PRIVACY OF OUR 

COMMUNICATIONS MUST REALIZE THIS FACT/ 

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE 

THIS CONDUCT. 

ALREADY WE HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO 

DEMONSTRATE THAT WE WILL NOT ALLOW OUR 

ADVERSARIES TO ABUSE THE GREAT FREEDOMS OF 

THIS COUNTRY TO OUR DETRIMENT. THE RECENT 

FLURRY OF ESPIONAGE INDICTMENTS AND 

CONVICTIONS EXPRESSES OUR UNWILLINGNESS TO 

TOLERATE BETRAYAL OF THE SPECIAL TRUST GIVEN 

--- TO THOSE WHO GUARD THE NATION'S SECRETS 

SO, TOO, RECENT EFFORTS BY N.S.A, HAVE 

HELPED THE PRIVATE SECTOR MAKE IT PROFITABLE 

TO PROVIDE SECURE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND 

INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO BOTH GOVERNMENT AND 

INDUSTRY, 
- 13 -

BUT ON THE ISSUE OF ESPIONAGE, LET ME 

SAY AGAI~WE WILL ROOT OUT SPIES,/WE WILL 

PUNISH THEM SEVERELY .. f1lN THIS POINT, LET ME 

ASSURE You/ viE HAVE BROAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT 

IN THE CONGRESS AND THE OVERWHELMING BACKING 

OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND LET ME ADD 

NOR WILL WE TOLERATE THE IMPRISONMENT OF 

INNOCENT AMERICAN CITIZENS IN RETALIATION 

FOR PROTECTING OURSELVES FROM ESPIONAGE. 

SO TO YOU ALSO FALLS THE TASK OF BEING 

ESPECIALLY VIGILANT AGAINST THREATS FROM 

HOSTILE ESPIONAGE SERVICES/As WELL AS OTHER 

UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURES OF THE INFORMATION 

YOU HOLD IN SAFEKEEPING_:_,f PROFESSIONAL 

HONOR, THESE ARE YOUR CODE WORDS.j,...,Y""'o.,,.u ___ _ 

PROTECT TllE SECRETS AND HOLD THEM IN TRUST 

FOR YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS:_,!AND THERE CAN BE 

NO EXCUSE FOR BREAKING THAT TRUST. 

- 14 -

LET US REMEMBER THAT THOSE WHO WOULD TAKE IT 

ON THEMSELVES TO DECLASSIFY VITAL 

INFORMATION ENDANGER ALL OF OUR LIVES,/ 

OUR FREEDOM, AND OUR WAY OF LIFE. --·-

,..-------SO, YOU REMAIN THE GUARDIANS OF 

FREEDOM. LET NOTHING SWAY YOU IN THIS NOBLE 

ENDEAVOR/ NO MATTER HOW TRYING THE STRUGGLE/ 

HOW LITTLE THE REWARD, NOW THAT THE 

AMERICAN PEOPLE SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS 

AND REST EASIER BECAUSE OF YOUR DEVOTION TO 

COUNTRY. 

AS THE WORDS ON YOUR NEW BUILDING SAY 

(POINT TO NEW BUILDING): >;;IN GRATEFUL 

TRIBUTE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NATIONAL 

SECURITY AGENCY WHO HAVE DEVOTED THEIR LIVES 

TO THE SERVICE OF THEIR NATION,.VTHANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.