' ,, . , 

-1 

REF ID:A44449 

SECRET 

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY 

FQRT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND 

Serial: ' N 0445 

2 FEB 1961 

Director, Central Intelligence Agency 

2430 E Street, N. w. 

Washington 25, D. c. PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

EO .3 . 3 ( h) ( 2 ) 

· Dear Sir: 

Reference is made to NBA Mem.oI"andum for the Executive Secretary, 

USIB,- Serial N 1285, Subject: CLO~STER Project ~ted 31March196o 

(Inclosure to USIB-C-9.7/4, dated 6,April 1960.~ and USIB-M-91, 

paragraph 31 dated 12 April 196<>. ·•• : 

The National Security Agency has been constantly stri Ying to 

improve its capability to produce· COMiliT from plain language voice 

communications. One of our most valuable resources is CLOISTER an 

Funds have been 

.. 

It Will be necess: to complete a:r:·· ropriate background investigations for these I before they can be empl.oyed 

in the processing_ The one-time requirement to 

handle this number of nyS'stigations is beyond the Capflcity of our 

security investigative force to handle rapidly. It oc~urs to me, 

in seeking to avoid the aelay, that CIA might be especial.ly well 

equipped to handle investigatio.ns iJ?.tO the backgrounds of these 

particular individuals. Therefore, knowing you share the view of the 

ccmmmity on the urgent need for a solution to our linguists problem, 

Declassified and approved for release by 

NSA on 10-23-2013 pursuantto E.O. 

lftdftltB ftAt eeMBfl ellA:li!EB em.¥ .... 13_s_2_s ____________ _ 

SECRET 
REF ID:A44449 

SECRET • 

Serial: N 0445 

.1 should like to inquire whether CIA might assist in conducting the 

background investigations for these employees. The National Security 

Agency would, of course, expect to reimburse CIA for this service. 

Copy :turnished: 

CIA Liaison Office, NBA 

il\IRlI E VIA 98MElf.l' eMNlmtS OlfLX 

a. 

SE€RET 
e 

fHllCRBlf ~~, 

~----~ cc: wcr 

MR: 

Reading File 

OPS 

PROD-001 

PROD-03 (3) 

PROD-04 

AG-1 

SEC (3) 

GENS(5) 

COSA(3) 

S/ASST (1) 

SECRET • Ser:!.a.l: N 0lJ45 

86-36/50 USC 3605 

(h) (2) 

Background 

information and the status o e contained 

in reference "a" above. The interest of C.IA (Y!/D as well as OCI) in 

I / ttn particular is I"eflected 

in PROD-03M M/R to PROD-031 13 May 57 ii in PROD-04 (SFO) - Y!/D teletype 

exchanges of 12 Ma.y 60, and notably and most recently in a Memorandum 

for PRQD-05 from the CIA Senior Representative, NSA., dated 19 Dec 6o, I t mRI: 71fi::! ~ ~ ' 6o Of his ~. tention to\\hi··... re an I In reply to subsequent 

correspon-etice rom~ po n' e but that USIB · •. was requested to 

note the up-grading of' CLOISTER to the level of Category II on DIRNSA.'s 

assurance that the risk would be negligible; this assurance was based 

on the investigative program proposed by sro, namely': A valid and 

productive SEC-3 interview, a complete National Agency Check (NAC), 

and a background investigation initiated by SEC prior to granting access 

to the project. SEC is in a position to accomplish the interview and 

.,the NAC within a reasonable length o:f' time. However 1 due to overriding 

workloads resulting f'rom the Martin and Mitchell case SEC is b c~plete background invest! ations o:f' the 

The remB.ining · ,14 cases were on an average 50 percent completed. On 

15 December 1960, SEC undertook completion action on the 18 cases referred 

to above. · 

Because of CIA's interest inl land tha~ Agency's 

special qualifications :f'or conducting the type of investigative action 

involved, Mr. Corey, PROD-03 Special Projects Officer, and Mr. Hil.sbos, 

D/r:JI.R SEC 1 contacte~ I on 13 December 1960. On 

EO 3 . 3 ( h) ( 2 ) 

SE€RET 
REF ID:A44449 

• SECRE'F • 

'Eo 3. 3 (h) (2) 

Serial: N Q.445 

·!.D<!.:e"::"ie ~Nk.s rel!)lest, bUt suggested that the ~s&l t 

forwarded in wr1 ting to Mr. Dulles. indicated 

that they would add their canments to the letter before it was forwarded 

to Mr. Dulles for decision. In addition, Mr. GoldEer) Of GERS-~ on 8 December 196o sought and obtained assurance (ran_ _ ·. I 

ot the Special Intelligence Statf, OCI, that OOI .· fUJ1j' supp 

NSA's request from the operatiola1 sts.ndpoiilt a.pd "juld formally reiterate 

that office's great interest in_ _ This is reflected 

in the 19 Dec 6o memo _tor PROD-05 cited in the tirst paragraph above. 

Coordinated w1 th and concurred in by GENS-04 (Mr. Goldberg), am (Mr. Hilsbos) 1 

PROD-03 (Mr. Corry), COSA-302 (Mr. Vinson). 

~.;i::l:;JPR0~-03/521.6/2 Feb 61/ej 

!~J~ T. Lanman/S'F£-Ol/3195/2 Feb 61/eJ 

Added M/R: Rewritten in OPS in acoordance with instructions fraa the 

Deputy Director. {) . 

. ~~~aI!S/45o4s/2 Feb 61/~J • 

2 

SE€RE'F