REF ID:A43534 

eCONFIDENTltL 

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY 

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND 

-:o-:r:i.n~.; N-1'7 3.S"=A 

ll June l..g6l. 

THRU: General Graves B. E:rakine 

Assistant to the Secretary of Defense 

Special Operations 

SUBJEC'.r: \o.'illiam Hyter Covington; Missing Persons Investigation ~~:: 

I. Dackground 

William H. Covington was bOl"n l.O AprU 1933 at BowJ.ing Green,, 

Virginia. He was one of fiw children. Bis tather baa a history of 

drink1ng and arrests which led to a divorce fralll Covington' a mother 

in lg4.5. CoVington bu received no education beyand the high school. 

.lewl. He has been married since J&J:D.JA'ZY 1956. liis Vite, Jean steel.e 

CoYington1 is sewn years older than he. They have two children. 

Covington saw military duty from September l~ to Septeaber 1955 

1n the A:nBy Security Al!/.!nc7. His duty included assignment to Vint 

Hill. Fo.:nas Station, Warrenton,, Virgini.a. Upon completion of 11ili:tary 

service he applied f'or emplo)'lllellt at the Na'tional Sec:urity Apnc1 and 

vu employed etf'ective 10 January 1956. Baaed \QilOl1 nonderoge:tory 

background ilmlstigationa 1n 1952 and 1956, Covington was iasued FUU. 

Clearance on 19 No"Vellliber 1956. During bis service at HSA be baB 

served a.pproxim.tely tvo ;yMra in Japan and Korea and six montha in 

BerJ.in, Germu;y. He is considered to be pro:feaa1oll&l.l.y conpetent 

and pereonall.y l1keabl.e by co-workers and S\lpel'iors. He has an 

excellent work record with no evidence of lea"Ve abuae or preYioua misconduct of any sort,, domestical.ly or abroad. en l6 March 1961 Covington 

t'irst mde known to the Of'tice of Security SerYices 1nform.t.1on ind.1• 

eating a serious problem of personal indebte<IDeaa. This infoniat1on 

was rererred to tbe 01'fice ot Personnel. Sel"Yices, NSA, tor appropriate 

handl.ing. Before action co\lld be taken, bovewr, Covington entered on 

an extenaed period of sick J.eaw tor the purpose of having a belmr• 

rhoidectaizy". l>UriDg this period his v1te a.'l.ao gave birth to their 

second child. Covington did not return to duty unt.11. 31 *3 lS6l. Be 

worked for two dl\Ys and then requested additional sick leave tor 'the 

purpose of having a cyst removed from his neck. He was scheduled to 

return to duty on M:>ndq,, J\me 51 1961. On that date be not11'1ed hia 

office that because of ~sical. discomtort resulting from the remoV&l 

CONFIDENTIAL 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 10-08-2013 pursuantto E .0. 1352a 
REF ID:A43534 

c!JNFIDENTIAL9 

of the cyst trOlll hie neck be would not report tor work. De e•ld>arly 

notified his ottice on 1.l'\iesd.a1'1 June 6. l')Jr!Dg this puiod, his sick 

leaw having been exbausted.1 he vu granted annual le&w. 

en Wednead.11.Y, June ·r, m word vu received tram Covington. Bis 

eupe.riors again placed billl on annual leaw 1 u•m ng that he was still 

recuperating from tbe cyst operation. 

At 6 p.m. on Wednesdtl\}r, June 7, Covington's vite contacted a 

neighbor, alao employed at NSA1 and reporte4 that Cov1ngton had left 

lJ.ome at 9 a.m. on 'l\aeaJa\Y', June 6, ~ to f!P to work, and bad 

never returned. Thia employee, who did not \I01"k in the eme area as 

Covington, persona.Uy undertook a cea.rch ot restaurants and bars 1n 

the v1cin1 ty of Covington' e home on 'tbe e'V9D1nS ot J\ane 7. Bi• ef'tort.s 

met vith negati'Ve results. At 2 p.m. on Wecmeadtq, J\me 8, Covington 

having, not returned home or to his office, tbe ellllPJ.oyee notified 

Covington's supervisor ot the teJ.epham call recei'Nd the pl"e"l'1ou 

evening from Mrs. Covington. The superviBCr imediately notU'ied tbe 

otfic:e or Security Services. 

II. .Inwst:l.gative steps 1'aken to Locate Covington 

A close contact ha& been eetabl.iahed with Covington' s wife and 

8be bas been repeatedly interviewed tor all possible intorration Vbicb 

mi8llt throw 11sbt on her buaband' o vbereabo\lta. .Arranpmenta bave been 

made for imlledie.te DOt1fic&t1oa of this J.&enc.y abcNld a.b$ recei w any 

word fl"Olll her husband-. 

All of Cov1ngton' s relatives in the Continental tJnited Statea bave 

been located and contacted and have been requested to notify ISA immediately upon receipt ot tm:'J information concernins Covington or hie 

vherea.boUts. 

The ~~ederal. Bureau of Inwet1gation bas been apprised .of tlle 

situation and have pl.aced a atop notice in their indices to alert their 

personnel to any 1nf'ormat1on which might come to them through FBI 

sources. They haft also conducted u. re.check of their records and 

baw detcrm.:l.Ded tbat they have no intormat1on concerning Co1fington 

other than the fact that lle is an NSA employee. 

Im All Pointe Missing .Person General Al.arm l:3ul.letin bu been isalled 

througb the Maryland State Police, effecting a 13 eta.te Glert. '!'bro~ 

tbeae :f'aCUities a full description of Covington and his -wmtcle has 

been circulated. 

2 
REF ID:A43534 

e 

!._ .. ,,, .~-- . ' . • - •i ,.q 

have been 

Extensive 

completed 

iDten1en 

and an 

ot 

cont.1J:m1ng 

co-workers 

tor 

and 

intonation 

protnunna1 

CODCel'U1Dg 

~ 

Co'V1ngton' a interests aad act1 VS.ties -4 ~or Jcnovledp ot bia poaaibl.e 

vherHboUts. All peraaa&\ l'etennaea listed in ottici&l. to:rm on tile 

vit.h tbia Ageuq baw been contacted ad ~ to be alert tor 

intonation concerning ~. 

Extensive inwstip.tion bas been aoaducted and :I.a eonUnu1Dg to 

identify ad contaat &U PIJl"IOD8 outai4e ot EA ao ll1abt hne c:1 

lmowl.edge of Corincton or hi• poasilll.e Wbereebouta. 

lttorts are contin\d.ng to alert all public traDaportation 

tacil1tiea. A1rline• and bus tendnal.s baw been provided witb 

descriptive information and have been ~ated to DOUt',y this Apncy 

1-d1.atel3 allo\lld Cov:l.ngtoD attempt to parcbue tickets. Searcbes ot 

airllno ticket1.q records haw been and are beiD& condUcted 011 tbe 

poaa1bil1ty that Co'Vin8ton may e.1.read..Y haw left 'the .... 

Bocawse or infor-.tion indicating that CoY1ngton bu beccm 

a4d1cted to bone racing end 11 kDOVA to baw visited tbe Cbm'les Ton, 

West Virginia, rue 'Weck oa JVne 6, a faro-&w ...-ch U. be9 CtODdtlcted 

at tbat tl"&ck and in that 1'1e1n:lty. All police tacllities 1n Cbarlea ~, 

Bar,pera Pen71 and the StaW ot Weat V1rglnia, haw been alerted to be 

have 

on tbe 

been 

lookout 

made with 

tor Covin.s'M>a 

local police 

or hie 

u vell 

autc.>bUe. 

aa state 

8im1lar 

:Pol.1ce 

~ 

1D 1ibe v1c1n.1~y 

ot W1ncbester, Virsinia, vbere Covington'• aotMr em\ other relatiwa 

and t'ar8er aasoc1atea reside. 

A conUnuoua &Ur'ftillance or CoviDgton's residence ia be1ng 

mtntained. SVzw1llance 1• ai.eo contSmtlns on the knovn and poaaible 

haunts in vhicb Covington ms been previoUaly seem or ld.gbt poaaibl.7 

be seen. 

Morgues and hospitals bave been and are 'beiJlg checked on 'the 

pou1billV tbat Covington st bave bad ea. mishap. Hotels and .rt.el• 

1D the .tropoll.ten Wuh1ngton and BaJ.timore areaa are being checked tor 

evidena. ot reg;l.atration 4urin8 this period. 

W1tb the opening ot 'bUaineu on l2 J'Une 1961, the Passport D1vi•1on, 

llepartmnt ot state rill M checked tor evidence ot passport iasuance to 

CovinS'Oll and will. De requeated to not1fy NBA 1-diat.ely ot my &ttelV1t 

by CoY1Dgton to obtain a pu9p0rt. '1'be Cenral Intel J 'gence l.flm.cY 1 

vbS.ch h&e a.lread;y 'Hen DOUt'ied ot t.be aitu.t.ion, vW. be requested to 

render sq posa1'ble uaiateace ~their tacilitiea in -.1nta1n1D8 

an alert on Cov1Dstoll should he l.eaw the taited states. 

All reported aigbt!Dga o£ Cov1rJCt;on are being 1nwat:lgated praapUy 

end dewloped a.a poasi'ble. 

3 
REF ID:A43534 

III. Roeul\& to Da.te 

Covington bas not 1'9t. 'becm t~ lt bu bee l.a1'Md ~t, l&r@)ely 

becaae ~ a dewl.c>ping a4dict10ll 'to .-.i~ Co'fing\on baa be<:am eo d~ 1nde!:>ted t.bat his vite baa takm owr mraan 1Dt or their :N.wcea. 

Be bu ~ beeu JmovA to lMt ~ .-q troa home be.ton. !ban 

ia DO eddenca of arit&l 41aeord or ~tal acUY.l.t.)'. '.l'hen 1e 

no indioation ot 8111' subWraiw iAtc'H\• or OODDMUcma an. tlle part ~ 

Cori.Dgton. He bas, bon..u, UDknow to hi• vU'e, beoome qW.te 1n'10lwd 

with a lDv elewnt. ot ;people 1ncl~ a person. Ml.ieftd to be ~ 

iJl'tQJ.Wtd 1n a w.riet.y ot UIUl&'t'Or.Y act1TS:tiea. Co"f1Dgtatt frequen\a a. 

Lllllrel pool ball and a low ~ bat.el. vtiere the poorest "t1Jle' ot lf'd'liDi 

and race track de910teea caagrep.t.e. 

Cov1Dgton bu 'been seen in t.be Wub.ingtoa-Bal~ area atace 

he lett home. Se 1• known 'to have aiJtended the no.a in c.barl.ee '1'ovn 

on .1lme 6. Penoaa vbo mdo tho roun4a or Waahingtoa bars with Coviagtcm 

the ~ ot JUDD 6 md in the early SU"D1ng hoVa or JUne 7 b&w bed 

iAteni.eve<t. &I hu Mel1 ~ aeen. in a 1Nl.r' alM1 an ..u night 

re•\a'm'anto in the lalll'el, Maryland, area aa reoentl.1' ae J'w 8 or 9. A 

rep::arted eighti.Da ia Jltaltis>re 18 DOV 'being puraued .. 

Wham ~ lett bol!l1o be took wit.h bia only' \be clot.baa he vu 

vetal•illl( 8Dd the :t-.il.y cat'. Hi• vU'e believed b.1a to b&ve oaly $3.ex> 

1Jl eaah. She u ........ ~t be fail.ad to depoait $1,50.00 cub 1n the 

bank on Fridq, June 2, u be m4 pn;aiaed. en~ DJ.Gtt~, J\me 5, 

he enp.ged 1n a ~ bUJ.ard oontttn in Law:eJ., Ma.rJ.1.mtd, -' 9'l' 

baw loot considerable ~· OD. 'luaa&iv'1 J\1ae 6, be vcm $63.00 on 

1illo ~ dc>U1Ue at Olarlea Town, and :perhaps llOl'e• On ~ nisbt 

be boeated to t:riendo that be had ··hit it. big.·· Bia reaourcee are, 

bownV, lia1ted. 'He hflil 110 :9190l1ne cred.1t card but. ~ haw a 

<Jiaut l.l'ood IJWre Co\&nea)" C8rd1 vhich VOtlld enml.e h1a \o cuh chec:ka. 

Tbe tw leaJ.a pneen'Uy ed.ating Jo not 1nd1cate t.ba\ he bu lett tbia 

pa.rt ot tbs country. 

S\U.cidc 1• a posaibilit,y, \Jut no reporta ot da8,POll;.lent.r or 

f:Dijt.J.onal atresa are repazted. KiG doctor re,POrH h1m to 'be 1D 

excel.J.eDt boal:tJ:l cleqite recesrt rmrser:t• Be l:taa not added to hia 

l.li'e insurance, which ta llDden. Bia cand'uc\ tlma tar toll.ow• & 

pa.ttern or pleaaure eeekil:ta and oaca:pe tna re8JOD81bility. Fln&ci&l 

dt:apcrat.1.on, hoftwr, ucQll.t. cauee 1.'le~ ......... 

: - ·~ 
REF ID:A43534