• 

THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF 

MEMORANilJM FOR: 

WASHING'ION 25, D. C. 

General Bradley 

General Vandenberg 

General Collins 

Adrrd.ral Fechteler 

SM-194-5.3 

28 January 19 53 

Subject: Authority Over Military Communication 

Security (COMSEC) Matters 

Reference: SM-89-53 

Enclosures: A. Memo by the DirectDr, ©-E to 

Chairman, JCS, DCEM 572, dtd 

22 Jallllary 1953 

B. Memo by the Deputy Sec/Def for 

DirectDr, C-E, dtd 9 January 1953 

c. Memo by the Director, C-E for Sec/Def 

(DCEM 571) dtd 22 January 1953 

Enclosures "A", 11 B" and "C" are forwarded for inf onna ti on 

in connection with SM-89-53. 

(signed) 

LALOR 

, 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 01-31-2014 pursuantto E.O. 1352a 
• OF~@~~: A 7 2 213 (Cop. from a COPY) 

'fOP 8E6:RE'i' - SEet:JRffY IN¥9RM,'H0N 

ENCLOSURE II A" 

THE JOINT CIIlEFS OF STA!i'""'F 

Washington 25, D. c. 

Director, CommunicationsElectronics 

DCEM 572 

22 January 1953 

MEMORANDUM FOR '!HE CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF 

Subject: 

Reference: 

Enclosures: 

Authority Over Military Communication 

Security (COMSEC) Matters 

Director, Communications-Electronics 

Memorandum, DCEM 564, of 12 January 1953 

(A) Copy of Confidential Memorandum, dated 

9 January 1953, from Deputy for Psychological Policy to Assistant Secretary 

of Defense. 

(B) DCEM 571 to Secretary of Defense, dated 

22 January 1953, subject: Communication 

Security Matters. 

1. dince I forwarded the referenced memorandum to you, I have 

received the memorandum in Enclosure (A). It is a closely 

related subject and I am therefore forwarding it to you for 

information • 

• 

2. By Enclosure (B), I have nominated an assistant to participate in the preparation of the directi. ve as requested. In my 

capacity as Director,Communicati..on-El.ectronics, my actions in 

adVising the ~ecretary of Defense are normally limited to those 

tele-communications matters of a joint tj.ature, but which would 

normally not be appropriate for consideration by the Joint Chiefs 

of Staff.. Communication Security matters are the direct responsibility of the Military Departments and the implementation of 

Communication Security wi. thin a Department is directly dependent 

on the methods of operations of that Department. The missions 

of the Depariments dictate differences in methods of operation, 

which differences make it impracticable for any one representative 

to evaluate properly the Communication Security requirements of 

all Departments. I consider it essential, therefore, that the 

individual Departments furnish represent a ti. ves to assist in the 

preparation of the directives which establish policies and procedures wl th respect to Communication Security. 
• ~.f (.J~!;Qr.=;A 7 2 213 ~©if cj·~~~~\\~lj • 

'!OP SESRi:T 

3. In the referenced memorandum, I stressed the desirability 

or vesting authority over Communication Intelligence (COMINT) 

matters in the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Changes in control of 

Communica ti.on Security matters are now under consideration. The 

arguments'favoring Joint Chiefs of Staff control of Communication 

Security are even more cogent than those advanced in the 

reference for Communication Intelligence (COMINT). Communication 

Security is an integral part of military communications and 

separation of control of one from the other would create serious 

disadvantages in the conduct of military operations. It is also 

a part of over-all nd.li tary security and thus a. function of command. These factors are well illustrated in the present-day need 

for ultra-rapid, secure communications and communicationselectronics systems requiring cryptographic and associated noncryptographic electronic devices incorporated directly into 

transmission circuits. Moreover, Communication Security is offensive in respect to Cover and Deception Plans and defensive in 

respect to protection of our plans and operations from enemy 

intelligence. 

4. Considering the serious implications of these matters and 

their impact on all military operations, I strongly recommend 

that the Joint Chiefs of Staff take appropriate action to insure 

that authority over Communication Security matters affecting 

the Military Departments should continue to be exercised by the 

Joint Chiefs of Staff. As a preliminary step to such action, I 

recommend that each Department participate in the preparation 

of the directives which establish policies and procedures concerning Communication Security matters. 

5. In a special meeting held 22 January 1953, the Joint Communi~ati.ons-Electronics Committee unanimously concurred in the 

above recommendations. 

• 

'ffiP s:eeRE'f 

JOHN R. REJllIAN 

Rear Admiral, USN 

Director, Communicati.onsElectronics 

-2-
• 

ENCLOSURE 11B11 

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 

Washington 25, D. C. 

January 9, 19 53 

MEMORANDJM FOR THE filRECTOR, NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY 

THE DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS-ELECTRONICS 

SUBJECT: Communications Security ( COMSEC) Matters 

In an Executive Directi. ve of 24 October 1952 the Secretaries of State and Defense were designated as a Special Committee 

of the Mati.onal Security Council for COMSEC matters. Among other 

things, the Special Committee was directed to prepare and issue 

directives which would establish certain policies and procedures 

with respect to COMSEC. The Executive Secretary of the NSC has 

requested the Secretary of Defense to designate staff representatives to assist in the preparati.on of such directives. 

It is requested that you furnish me with the name of one 

official to be designated by the Secretary of Defense in the 

capacity of staff representative in this task. 

/s/ John Magruder 

Brig. Gen., USA (Ret) 

Deputy for Psychological. Policy 

-3- Enclosure "A" 
• ~ied from a COPY) 

l'OP S!Gft!! 

ENCLOSURE 11C11 

Director, CommunicationsElectronics 

DCEM 571 

22 January 19.53 

¥.iEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 

Subject: 

Reference: 

Communication Security (COMSEC) Matters 

OSD Memorandum to Director, CommunicationsElectronics, dated 9 January 1953, subject 

as ab:>ve, signed by Deputy for Psychological 

Policy to Assistant Secretary of Defense 

l. Referenced memorandum requested the name of one official to 

be designated by ybu to assist in preparing directives ~stablishing nat..i.onal policies and procedures with respect to Communication Security matters. 

2. I have designated Lieutenant Colonel George P • .Sampson, 

u • .s. Army. 

J. In conjunction with the above, I f'eel that Communication 

Security matters are the direct responsibility of the Military 

Departments. The implementation of Communication Security 

within a Depar1ment is directly dependent on the methods of 

operations of that Department. The missions of the Departments 

dictate differences in methods of operation, which differences 

make it impracticable for any one representative to evaluate 

properly the Communication Security requirements of all Departments. I consider it highly desirable, therefore, that the 

indiv:i.dual Departments furnish representatives to assist in the 

preparation of the directives which establish policies and procedures with respect to Communication Security. 

4. I have submitted S'J.Ch a recommendation to the Joint Chiefs 

of Staff. 

ts/. 

JOHN R. REDMAN 

Rear Admiral, USN 

Di rec tor, Comm.uni cationsElec tro nic s 

-4- Enclosure 11C11