JBC/AS-6 

Sen.al 2135 

. _, 

J0Th1T S:C'1RITY CONTROL 

.1asl-iin.:,c:rton, D. c. 

21 February 1947 

:.i:: ... Dn.ANDUU FOR: Socreto.ry, Joi"lt Chiefs of Staff 

liar and ?:avy Departll'l?nt Agencies 

(See Distribution) 

Subject: 

Rcfere11ces. 

TOP SCC~ET Control Procedure 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

AR 380-51 currart, i:ind Section VI, 1 ID Circulai No, ?, 

dated a JanUL' ry l9l. 7 

u .s ~l. !1eg., Article 76, cur.rent, an1 CNv Lc-t~Pr, Scricll 

No. 856016, Jl I.arch 1944 

Combined Security Classifications Agree~ent, CCS ,>10/4, 

21 Februar;; 194l. 

l. P.ESCISSION. JoJ.nt Security Cont1ol !..emorandum, Serial 2992, J.lc No. 

JSC/Cl5 dated 28 Febru.ary 1944, subject sai-.e as auovP, .:is resci."rled,, a 1d the 

£ollcn7ing substituted thPrefor. 

2. TOP SECRET CONTROL PROCEDURE. Measures necessary 'to ~a.f eg11arai all 

ma.tt.:!rs fallinc "\"J.thin the TOP SJXR~ ca.tegory arP contained ir1 the refere'1ces 

listea nbove. Certain of tl.ese mea&tu es, pJ 1...3 additional. precautionar~ ones 

relati"l(; to handlinz and transno..ssion of "'01- S::J:CRET matters c.1 o laic d .n"m 

herein, a~a vrill ~o refe!'l'ed to ~s TOP SECRLT Gontrol Proced~re. 

J. TOP SECRET CONTROL OFFICI:RS AND ClIANMl~LS. a. Directors or clu.efs of 

organiz.'.i.tions \'ho 1nit:rate, receive, or process TOP SECRET documents 'ill maintJ.in a system 1 or handlin:; such docuoents by t!le selection and np,ointment of 

TOP SECRET Control. Officers, definea as those officers of hi&hest integrity 

and proven discretion specifically designatea to 1epresent treir orgarization 

in the prvceasl.Ilg of TOP SECRl!.'T matters. Tne ~uties of a TOP SECRET Control 

Off:i.cc.r incl.1dc receiving, controlling distr1bu1..1on "Within tre orgimuation, 

accou~ting for and transmitting outside the orgam...zation, !!:1:J:. TOP SECFET 

documents. 

b. The l'leMs of processin.; TOP SE:R~T docwrr.ents through 1'0P SECRET 

Control Officers is referred to £13 the TOP s=cm::T Control Ch"1.nnel 

'4. JOINT SECURITY CON'J.'SOL, \TAR AND NA VY. DEPARTidf..::T.JT TOP S.L..oCRET CClrfi'ROL 

OFFICERS AND CHA~IJ':i.!:LS IN W'IASHIN"G'i'OIIT. a. Jo.mt Security Control_, the agency 

established by the Joint Chiefs of &taff' to safeguard the security o.f 'llUJ. tary 

information, r.as been author:>..zed by the Far and Navy Departments to e2 erc.ise 

over-all control of the transm.i.ssion of TOP SECRET matters bet .• teen tl-i<• Joint 

Chiefs of Sta.ff' Organization and the offices ct the \Var and .fav~r Dep.'\ t111ents 

in Washington. 

b. Tne control exercised ~,. Joint Security Control consists of the 

issuance of TOP SECH.ET Control Proced.n-e instructions anr.! the Ma.intc::i.i.nca of 

a consolidated roster of TOP S~RET Cont:L'Ol Officers of all ap,ropri3~C 

organizations lJl Uashington. 

c. F.a.ch organ1zat1011, agency or office in Vlasm.ngton \ hich -u:.nalea 

TOP SECRET docu'lnents wlJ l maintain an accurate current roster of its roP SEX;Rl!."'T 

Control Officers and !'urnish a copy of sal'"le to Joint Security Control. Joint 

Security Control nill maintain a current consolidated roster of TOP SECRET 

Control Off 1cers of these organizations, c1.nd ''ill furnish copies to e1ch 

organization for convenience a.rx:! aid in handling TOP SECRET documents. 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 11-05-2013 pursuant to E .0. 1352a 

RESTRICTED 
.. ,. ; 

5.. DETAILED PROCEDURE. a. wrkix and LnvelOPJ.l}G· A:l T11P gs.:::.!..T 

documents ••ill be enclosed in tuo sea.led €'nvelopes Hhen trar sr.:i 1.rteri b, - courier. 

The inner onvelopc l.ll be marked TOP SECR.eT and t~ addres:Jee speci ,icd by 

title, houever,, ~:here desirable for reasons or add.Ltional sccuritv, t' o JYmer 

envelope nay be addressed to a p.3.rticular individual. by name. The cuc;er 

envelope \rill be aal'.iresaed to the adJresseo by title. LTJ. oodition, i 1 every· 

case .. here such informtion is available, the address ,,J.11 D.lso ll,clu:ie -

"Attention: " ,.1th the '10.M.e of the l'ece1VJ.Ilg TOP SXRET C:>ntrol 

Officer ahmm. Alternate TOP SECRCT Ccntrol Officers may b€ ::i..naicr ~cl .Lll 

order to insure delivery. The ,,ord~ 11TOP SECRET" l'l.l.l not ~!'::iear on t;he outer 

cover. 

b. Transr:u.ssion. (1) TOP SECRET docu."le'lts n.11 oG transnu tted in 

t:.ccordance itn the prov:::..sior1s of' pa.r:i.gra1,h 2?, AR 380-5 

and Section VI, '1'D Circular 10. 7, 1947 or Article 76, 

U.S. :Javy :l.egulations,, or as perllll.tted in (2) or (:) b13larr 

{2) TOP SECRET documen-::s may be transmitted f:o'""'rr one TC•P S:::!:CP..LT 

Control Officer ctirectly to another. 

(3) "'rihenever practicaule, TOP S'E.CRET doc'l_J.ments m7 be i rr.nsmJ..tted 

oy direct contact bet' ee.. persoru1e] authorizeu ::i.cct .ss to ::n .. ch 

...nforra:ition, provided t~o }'.ll'oper r~p SBCR1"'T Contro: 0ffice~s 

arc appropr1a1i~J ~ 11otl..f.'1ed. 

c. ::fandling. ifuen tte r!ocument is :10t in use it , ill be k pt in a 

Duitable J:ii'e as pr~scnbed in rci'cri:.nced reb'Ulations. Whe1 not .clct iall;y be~ ng 

referred to, 1t fill be J...Cp"!; f~CO l' .)'\ Il Or ( lOSe<l .. nenever per,sonnel .re L)reSSt1t ,.ho are no;; anthoi~ized to see it. In ad.dit.t<•n 1io t~:ie 17'.resc:ibed s1:1c lrity •tiarkines, each docUl"..ent utll 1

1.."lve r c.Jver sheet ,,l:1c}. 1 ill be blank e:::rno :it !or tl.c 

phrase ''TOP SECRET" and the doc'll'!lent "r filr riurJoer. 

d. Distribution. .LJistrib'l.rnon of each docunent , .L.11 be co lf:i.ned to 

specl.i.'ic adtlresseE>s, their a.eputies, or to the !OP SECFET lontrol Officer. 

e. Persons lhving Access to TOP SI:CRET :latter. In the pro('ess1ng c- f 

TOP Sf..cRF': docl.!.lDbllts, certain of.f J.ccrs Q,r..d clerks 111 a he'\c...qu,1rter3 1J1U.St -:;ee 

and vor1-: • 1th thet'e docunmts. THIS GROUP :4UST OE KEP!' 'l'O A ..I -J:L<.iL.. • ... E. Tlll.St 

be indiv-:Ldu.aJ..ly .1arned r>bou"t aisclosing :JUch ratter to peri:ioru1el \,hos~ duJies 

do not require it.. Eoth nu.litary n.nd c!..vil1~'•1 personnel 111 t!ns grcup rau.Jt be 

specJ..i'icaJly selected and apt~roved.. The TOP BLCRJ::T Centro: Officer for e1c~ 

office haTldliI'l..g TOP SJ1CRET "'kl.tericJ. n.J..1 "'IB.im:;ain a re:istcr of inc..i. v:i.duals to 

\,horn such in1orma1..1on may oc releo.sed. 3.icn lnd:i.viauals ::ire not to be considered TOP SECRET Control Off1cer3, nor rGquired to be deri-nated dS s~ch. 

Only personnel '110 absolutelJ need vo possess , hole or po.r"':.J..J..1. kno\ l ede-e of 

the conte"l.ta of the docwnent • J.11 be pernu.ttea to see tl-e '"tecess~J portions 

, vlu.ch pertain to their part:i..cuJ .:ll' .Lnteresta. 

6. CLASSIFICATI01'1 OF ADi iINIS'ffi.ATIVE DE.:i'l\ILS. n.d.mini5trat1ve c. etails 

grcming out o:f '!OP SECP...c.T nnttE>r ,•ill be classified in accordance '' th tl.eir 

arm conter1ts uhen they· do not of the!D9elves reveal, in fact or b,r ir!.ference, 

information requiring TOP SECI' ....... T cJassif1cat1on. Such ndnun:.stratire ratters 

include 'T'Ovement orders for personnel, equip:r.i.ent, or '1-'lteriel .... hich ·"hen 

properly prepared, can be sent throu~h usual chcl.tinels in the approp iate cat€.-

gory of S:L.CRE'i', CONFIDLl1rIAL, lU.STRICTI:D or unclas:nfied. Su.ch coM1'lum.cc1.tions 

should be prepi .. 1.red so that thej. ao not disclos(' t 11e project.ed. opera ,:i.n, or 

project fer 1·;hich the p~rsonnel, t::•1ui.pmer.t, or ri'l.teriel i.s 111tend.£'i, nor conta.rn 

vital parts ?f the plan :proper, nor references to special eq1 apnent tne n.1.ture 

or "\.rich uould div-ul.E:e the pld.'1. er proJt.ct. It ia essential thai:. 1.Ll 'l'IG.twrs 

re la ti.lg to TOP SI:CRET l.Ilforma i:.ion be cY..a.n':Lnf'd prior to re lu.J.se fro 11 TOP S.l:.C:::u::r 

chanriel:J to insUl"e t.het tne1·e is no COl"lpI'CJnJ.se of 1 li'or1T1c1.t1on th.rot..~h con;rJC:"..r .... sori 

, .Lth other cornmunic~tions. 

- 2 -

RESTRICTED I 
• 

?. TOP SECRET .J0.1:JTROL PROCEDURE. JuTSIL~ OF '"AS'l'UNGTJU. Outsic4e ~·f 

~aslungton it ia s~bgested that these ir..structions be used as n guide or 

TOP SECRZT Control Procedure inasmuch ~s such procedure is a ~unction •nd 

responsibjJ.ity of thP indiviaual SeI'Vl.ces concerned. 

For Joint Security Control. 

DISTRmurron LIST 

Secretal"lp of' ii:ir 

Secretary of Navy 

JoJ nt Chief a of .:>tart 

Grief of Sta.ff, u.s Arnw 

Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Anrty Secretal"l, · t!.r Department ::'.f~neral utafi' 

il:1r Department Ge11eral St~ff :Ji visions 

lfar 1.lepartrent Speci...l !Jt 4ff L':i. ns::?..ons 

Comm...~rrlincr G~~oral, Arr.,,t ..zro~nd Borers 

Co:cmk•nding Gener'll, Ar"tr Air Forces 

Chief of Nd~ra.J. Oper~t1o'lS 

Chiefs of t: e 3ureaus of the .ifc-v-.r Lepartment 

?OP Si.CRET Control Uff:.cers 

$ecuri ty .'1-dvisor J Be-a.rd of the S ~n.te- f::lr-llnv'{ 

Coord~antincr Corm~ttee 

- 3 -

RESTRIC!ED,