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• ' . The Adjutant General's Office 

Washington 

AG 311.5 (9-l-42)MS-B-M 

smJECT: Crytographic Security and Safeguarding Military Information. 

TO: The Commanding Generals, 

Army Ground Forces; 

Army Air Forces; 

Services of Supply; 

All ~rmies; 

All Air Forces; 

All Corpe; 

All Service Commands; 

The Chiefs of All Services, 

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September 5, 1942, 

l. a. Analysis of radio and telegraph communications has revEaled 

in ~o.shion the immediate necesei ty for thorough understanC..ingi, 

on ~of all personnel, of what constitutes important in:f'ormE..tion, 

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and the exercising of the utmost diligence in safeguarding thiB informatioa • 

. ~· All personnel, who prepare or are responsible for the preparation or classification of' messages, will immediately acquaint 1,hemselvea with the provisions of AR 380-5, dated June 18, 1941, and ptLrticularly of paragraphs 8 and 9 of Section l for instructions as to c:.aseification, Paragraph 8-b of AR 380-5 contains examples of items elnasified 

as SECREJ.' and paragraph 9-b contains examples of i tame classified na 

CONFIDENTIAL. These lists are by no meeJl,s to be considered as all inclusive, and it shall be the duty of all persona concerned, where any 

doubt exists, to assign a sufficient claseifieation. Brevity in toxt 

and economy in transmission are provided by crytographing messages 

classified t:mSTRICTED, but from a military standpoint, tho RESTRIC'~ED 

classification is considered to provide little security, 

~· With reference to paragraph 9 .. b (7) of' AR 380-5, all o:~ders, 

re-ports, or instructions pertainiDB to uni ts or indi viduall!I who ar•:t in 

or enroute to staging areas or to overseas stations or on special !Ssignmente in the United States, or questions concerning them, and all .references to shipments of materiel whieh might disclose type, quanti~y, or 

eventual overaeas.deetinat1en, shall be classified as CO.NFIDENTIAL, or 

SEGRE.'T, whichever may be appropriate, Exception is made with resp·:1c t •to 

messages bearing oa the apprehension, surrender, or disposition of etragglert 

and deserters in the United States provided no indication is shown in the 

address, body, or signature of the message which might reveal the tndi .. 

vidual's organization and its location if tactically disposed; these meesageE 

will not be classified when so prepared, E;ception is also made i~ the easee 

of messages which relate to materiel shipments the destination of' #hich 

is :iitarked in the clear; which mess8.6es will.not be classified when transDeclassifi ed and approved for release by NSA on 09-18-2013 pursuantto E .0. 13522 UBS ~IS~ 

RE59TRIGTEEj> 
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mi tted by meal'.!.s other than radio... .ii th reference to paragraph 9-b ( 3), it ~ 

will be noted that strength repor.ts, ·de'sii;nations or units, movements 01' W 

troops, numbers of troops, dates or movemel'.!.t numbers when used together 

i'V"ith the nlU!les'o"f individuals or places constitute important information, 

and should be appropriately clasoified. 

2. It is foreseen that these instructi.on,s w~ll result in a considerable increase in the cry-ptographic work of. the J\.:i;ny.. In this conni3ction, it is directed that particulR.r attentlon' be given to the me!:1.ns of t;ransmission of oacb communication and that ordinary, air, 'ind re'gistered m'ill 

aervicos b<3 used whenever possible. Routint:. repo!:tB upon ·uhich irmnediat;e 

action is not nec.~ssary or com.'ll'lmicat:j.ons w}1.ich will not require attention 

until the following da.y, should be sent by Illa.ii when their transinissi.on by 

such rn.c•i.ns will not mnt"'rially del~~y da:j.ivery. Tnis is particul"l.rly applicable to communic<>.tions vri thin the Uni tod States. 

3. a. In order to clarify the position that each typa of comrnunicq,tion st:rvice holds in the Ar:ny Corrup.unic-ition System, thtt follo·ning rules 

are set forth as '\ guide for the pursonnel concerned. . I .. I '( .. ; '" 

b. The follo~ving ser,P,ces are unclassified whothor within or 

outside tht:i contlnental li:ni ts of thu Uni tod Gtates: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

Radio 

'i\"} h: phone 

T1::lo::gra.ph o.nd Cubfo (~1hen Qperat'3cl b.f othl::lr 

than 1military personn~l) 

c. Thu follo{dn.; sorvic::is aru cla.s.3lfiod as RESl'HlC1'ED wi thir\ 

the continental li:mi ts of the Uni tod States r.:.ml Outside the contin1:Jntal 

l.imi ts of the Uni ~od Si~>l.tes ·uher..: tht:i services aro undur tho control 01· 

sup·Jrvision of A!!!.<..ricnn .f.ilitn.ry pt1rsonn~l, <md ~lire facili.ti·.::.S are employed <:lXclusivt.::ly. If' :n,,ss~e;t.s nr~! cl~ssifiod 1;1.s RES1'Il!C1'ED, they m'ay 

bv trllnsmi ttod in tho clvR.r by onr: of the mo'l.ns listGd below: 

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·(l) 

'(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

T..:J....ityyu\'Tri t"'r Exch<ing,; Servi co 

Privatt.:: tJlutypewrit~r service 

(includine; both Govurnmont i:;.nd privately. 

owned f'ncilitit:is) ' 

F~usiJ11.ilu.sorvic~ (oxcluding tcluphonu 

coti.V"0r"S1.tions in rol.<1tlon to J'1J.csil!lila 

tr~nsr.li ssions) 

Tulugraph ~nd Ca.bl~ s~rvicvs (wh~n tr~ffic 

fuhctions ut l.lOth ·m<ls ~ru h11.ndL:d by J11.ili ta!·y 

pursonr..:~ 1..1xclusiv..:ly) · 

Tubphon~ ...(:1hrJn ..:quipp<Jd with a. scr<i.vbling; dtivicc 

cl ,ssffiod by thu Chief Sign~l Offic~r 

. .. · -: : as lillSTRICTED) . f ~ =! .. ~ i' ! 

SEC!~BT and COJJF'ID.l::lTTL\L m~ss i.gus m·l.y uu "tr1.nsmit\ud in th"' cl""ar through 

.th1:1s·.~ m ... ans provid~a. 3.ppropda:t;1.1ly cl~ssifiad scro.rn.plinG d1.:vic.:,s, tho dv-

·aign '1.nd thu compl Jtion· of •. tl,l"'. insta..i.11.tio:ri of wh~ch h•ti.i-'V bui:.n· approv..::d 

by tliu Chi.c:.if l:>igru.l Officdir~ ar>.:.i insti:.illud on dl fa.b'ili ti1..s used in transmi ttin5 th1..1su• SEC~T and c·J1rf.'.rn'...::n'!'I,U, mussa.gvs .. 

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d. Mesea8es __ olassified ae SECRNI' or CONFIDENTIAL, ·W'h8:tev1tr-their 

destinati~~' may~b~ t~anemitted by the ~o~~~- services provided they 

are orytographed in·~h~ appropriate .mantJ.6~~ J I t:, f ... 

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• cl)' ·· i;ietypewri tar Exchana~ s&rv:l:ce 

; (2) ·Private Teletypewriter···: · ·· 

~-1 .i ;•_ (3) l',e;t.e6raph and Cables 

•.:..I" ·~{4) ,,, . . · -r. · · · ~ Radio .. . :.J (5) ·Facai.miie' Service' · ' - - . ·~·. · ! I I"• ' .~r .. ,,, t.- •"' !.:- • 

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•·. .:. , , . · . i .. .. BJ'ivat~ tele;type~~~~r. ser'Vic~, teletypewriter exchange ser- .. - v~e~J telegDa:ph se:z-viqe, anq. the __ vSl-iou~ cable·aerv'ice:s have a definite 

privacy feature tnat is not ootairiable by radio propa,sation. Messages that 

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are transmitted by electrical commwiication servic~ will bear a normal 

'te1egraphic headins and si~ture as prescribed in paragra,ph 12,.AR.105-25. 

ixcept for the address aru3.:' s~gnature, all crytographed messages •transpdtted vi~ these services will follow the authorized messa£e form and will, 

the!efore( carry no referen~e i~ clear as on the' cryptographic system or 

classification of the message. · . · .- ' . .. ... : 

.:·~ ;. · 4. ~- ~he ~ryPtographic systems in use by~ ~~··~e~artment tc day are .. the result of many years of experience and careful study, and are considered ..... 'i .. , I -

'to be cryptographieally secure~ Their security cannot be ma.intaired, how~ 

·ever, if continued violations of cryptograp'b.ic principles are pern.i~ted in 

tlle'writiPs of classified messages. Those individuals who draft n~ssases 

will give' particular attention to paragraph 36 of AR 380-5. • ... I • 0 0 

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•. ' · ·E_, T~e i:-e:ply to a classified message will not .be classified lo'Wer 

than, the message to which the reply is made, but it may be higher if the 

.~ubJec~ ~tter in the reply warrants such an increase in classification. 

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. ,·;~! · · ,•. · .d •• ~·a· ~es~ages will b,e a~ ~oncise as poseib_le consistent w~.th clari t;y 

' ·. COlP.11lonl~·" used. c~:njunctions, prepoei,tions, qd articlee, sU;ch as '.'and, "for", 1 "'tiut"; "in", "on", etc., will be ~l'lminated whenever possible wi tltout con-

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.ttr)iaing the meaning -to be conveyed by the message • • •''""" • I ' 

!; ' ~ : . a. Stereotype~ phraseology will be avoided at all times It 

'must be kept in mind that a:ny standardized phraseology tends to bocom.e 

s~c~e?typed and 'the habitv,.a.l use of any particular words as beginnings and . Rlidinge must l>e avoided: ·The foliowing is a list of w9rds and ph»ases which I ... ... J -t;Jirough ~se, have become stereotyped, and must-not ee ~e~d at th~ beginning 

or end~ of classified messages: 

·' ACKNowLEnGE 

ADVANCE 

.ADVISE 

ARRIVE -' 

ATTENTION 

tUTE 

"CONFIRM 

DEPART 

ENEMY 

END 

llt'D OF MESSAGE 

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:PURSUANT 'I'O 

IN COMPLIAN~ WITH 

QUOTE 

TITLES !'COl«.fANDIN8-

GEltE:RAL, II ETI' • 

PLEASE 

BE CE I Pl' 

RECEIVED 

RECIMMEND 

REFER 

REFERENe! 

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·PERIOP --

F~G 

:B'dR 

1.ROM 

IN REPLY 

mm 

P.A:RAPlIRAs.E 

NUMBERs "1"; 

THIS .ME'SSAG:E 

1

_'2", ·ETC• 

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REPORT 

REQUE$T 

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YOURS , 

REQUESTED • 

SIGNED(INCLUDING NAME) 

STOP 

'Q.NQUCYI'E - l 

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. : e~ In the use of punctuation, do not habitually abbreviate. On 

the ot~er-ha.¢ .do not habitually spell it out. When abbreviated, "period" 

v1μ br WJ;"itten PD, "comma" OMA. The use of t~e word "stop" tc· mean period ~s not Oil;,CQur,aged because of the possibilities of confusion in the message 

~isipg fr~m.ita u~e. ~n general, the use of punctuation will be kept to 

a min~. Punctuation is the most stereotyped part·of any largllage. Ir ,,, , J "' • 

. ;- . f. Ab'b!eviations UQed wil,J. adhere to. AR 850-150, dated February 

~, 193~, with Chaoee No. 2, dated March 21, 1939, and War Depa1tment Cir-

·: cu.iar f5,9, dated .March 2, 1942. Abbreviations s~ch aa T/~ wiil be written 

~ slan~ O. AR 380-5 will be written as ~ three eight zero daEh five. ~pellipe out le~ter sounds-in the writing of abbreviations will not •rdi~ 

narily~be d,.one: Example: Y will be wri tte:a as Y, not .as WlE. When necessar to:c~ify certain abbreviations, use the official phenetic word list, parar 

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graph ~81, FM 24-5. . . - I ~ 

! §. Numbers will be written as cardinal numbers; Exam:i;le: W' -~ ·1270 will be written as one two seven zero; Juiy 17 will be wrjtten as 

'July one seven. . 

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h. Direct" quotations from classified :messages will.-nct included in-subsequent classified messages. Direct quo~ationa f1om.press 

releaere1 or other unclassified documents will_not be included in classified messages. ~efore including information from unclassified sources 

in a c~asairied message, or before disseminating information iroly;.ed in 

classified messages, the information will be paraphrased. All paraphrases 

Wlll bf made in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 38, AR 380-5. - I 

I · i, Literal and paraphrased versions of classified meEeages wil~ be snfeg"WU"d.ed with the same degree of security as ~he crJptographed 

versions. 

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'REF ID :A71851 

4. It 1s desired that the conoanding generals of so:rvico eom:ia.nils 

notify the cor.inanding officers of all posts, canps, and stations, including installations under the ~uri3dict1on of the Cof!lDanding General3 1 

Army Ground Forces, Arny Air Forces, and the Chiefs of Adrrl.m.strative !lnd 

Supply Sorv:i..cos, Services of Supply,. located within tho territorial lim.ts 

of their respective service conna.nds of tho above. 

By order of the Sccr8tary of War: 

•, 

OOP!E$' FURNfsHED: , The UJ¥ier Secretary of War; 

Secrcyury, General Sta.ff; 

Chief Statistics Branch, 

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wa:r Dopa.rtr.iont Gcnor.il Sto.:ff; 

Tho,Divisions of th8 W'JX Dopw.rtncnt --- / General Staff. 

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Majo;r Gener7 __ T,,. o Adj'l(ant Gener 

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