REF ID:A488572 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 11-06-2013 pursuant to E .0. 1352a 
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<'REF ' ID:A488572 ' .. ~ 

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BtJBJBo!a Review ot Signal ln'•lligence Aot1Y1t1ea in the 

Ph111pp1ne1, 19'' - 19-1 

Toi Deput7 Ohler, Jl111tar7 Intelligence Service 

Room 2B 800 ,· The Pentagon Wa1h1ngton 25, D. O. 

1. In accordance vith verbal request, the tollov1ng information ia tu:rni1hed regarding signal intelligence aet1v1t1ee 1n the Philippine• rrom 1934 through 19-li 

a. In the summer of 19'4 plane vere made to 

establish an intercept atation in the Ph111pp1ne1. Detail• 

can be supplied, it desired. In Bovember 1934, one lieutenant, one start sergeant, and one private vere ordered to 

the Ialand1 tor th1a purpose. (See Tab A.) . -

b. 'l'he lieutenant, Jlark Rhoada, Signal Corpe, the 

tirat graduate or the Signal Intelligence School, arrived 

in Jl&nil& in Januar7 1935. Although there vaa a deeire on 

the part ot the Signal Intelligence Service that Lieutenant 

Hhoada be aaaigned to intercept and eignal intelligence dut1ea, and deapite the deaire atated in the laat eentence 

ot paragraph 2 or Tab A, Lieutenant Bhoada vaa given various 

jobs other than signal intelligence. However, 1n llarch 1935 

he vaa able to obtain the private, Bovard w. Brown, mentione~ 

in pai-agraph l above, and r1v, other privates with no particu- ·. l&r qua~t1~t1on1-.b'1t,1'hO btap~.·to be::aurpl• at the tllle. 

'!'he Vh<>l• ·group moved tC? .~b&l,lo·_ Ieland. flle atatt sergeant, · Pau1·,z. B1r4,, vaa not ava·1lable~ · ·lfbree men. started trainillg 

aa ~ operator1, .and tvo aa CJ'7P~lf\io clerks. ·!'be one 

trained pi-1Y&\e f~Aiahe4 the interoept material tor· aub111a11on to Vaahing"ton, and the tvo clerk• oOlipiled data troa 

the retained oop1el~ot the meaaagea. _ 

c. Ao ti vi t1ea bad barel7 · gotten :·un,der va7, however, 

when Captain Rhoad• vaa taken:1111·hoap1ta11aed, and eventuall7 retired. Oaptain Korman L. --B&ldVill, Signal Corpe, vho 

vaa also qual1t1e4 to oarrJ-OJl. aipa.l 1nt•lligence·aot1v1tiea, arrived 1n the fhilippinea 1n September 19'-~ Hevaa put in 

charge ot radio oomaunication tao111t1ea·or the Pb111pp1ne Department. Prior to--an4· a~t«tr LieutenantJihoada.·tpure, intercept act1v1t1ea vere placed under Oapta1n'11A1~v1n'e 
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- REF ID:A488~ 

(SPSIS-3, 31 May 1945) 

auperv1a1on 1n addition to hie other duties, due to the 

shortage or officers, until hi• relief in 1937. Hence 

the vork during this period va8 carried on only sporadically. In 1936, Lieutenant w. Preston Corderman, the 

second graduate of the Signal Intelligence School, was 

sent to the Philippine Department. There vere no instructions issued to him or to the Philippine Department that 

indicated a desire that he be assigned to signal intelligence duties. He vas assigned to the 12th Signal Company 

and was shortly ms.de its commanding officer. He vae not 

assigned to any signal intelligence duties. 

d. Net unt11 1938 vae a renewed attempt made to 

revitalize the intercept station in the Philippines. Up 

to this time all the· personnel engaged in signal intelligence activities in the Philippines vere to be supplied 

from the existing quota and it iB not surpr;!ng that the 

work vaa given a~eondary consideration. The following ie 

extracted trom an undated report (see Tab B) round in the 

Signal Security Agency files: 

"In view or the paucity of results from the 

Philippine Department and because of the f'act that 

Capt. Cord9rman vas aeaigned co1111&nd or the Signal Compan7 rather than uaed tor intelligence vork, it 

vaa thought beat that Capt. Miller's arrival should 

be preceded by a definite directive. Thia directive 

stated that Capt. Killer should not be burdened with 

routine duties 1 should be assisted in intercept work 

and would need tvo NCO's and eight privates, one of 

the NCO•a to be of the tirat three grades. The 

directive further stated that the CSigO would provide equipment, and stated definitely the object or the 

intercept, the copying of Japanese military traffic." 

e. Captain Harrod G. Miller, Signal Corps, vas 

assigned to the Philippine Department 1n 1938. The War 

Department directive to the Commanding General, Philippine 

Department, dated 11 February 1938 1 is attached aa Tab c. 

The mission vas intercept only and the officer in charge 

vas to have no other duties. 

t. On l January 19)9 the 2d Signal Service Company 

was officially established. 

· g. Captain Joe 

Captain Miller in 1940. 

R. Sherr, Signal Corpe, relieved 

At the time the Chief Signal Officer 

2 

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- ... REF ID:A4885~ 

(SPSIS-.3.31 May 1945) 

requested 0-2 to aend a letter to the Commanding General, 

Philippine Department, renewing the directive aa given above in paragraph s. This vaa aent; a copy is shown in 

Tab D. 

h. A reviev of the division or reapona1b1lit1es 

between the.War Department and the Ph111ppine Department regarding signal 1ntell1@;enc,e act1v1t1ea 1a given in a 

radiogram dated 12 Jlarch 1941 from the Chief Signal Officer 

to the 8lgnal Officer, Philippine Department. (5ee Tab E.) 

This places the activ1t1ee of the Monitor Station exclusively under War Department control. 

1. Apparently there wae no change in th!A dl~ective 

through 1941. In answer to a query b7 radio from the 81gnal Officer, Philippine Department, the Ch1ef 51gnal O:t'f'icer 

replied on 2 September 1941 that Jlajor Sherr could be assigned additional duties provided they caused no interference with 

intercept duties. (See Tab F.) Note that the reference 

letter 1a the War Department directive mentioned in paragraph 7. 

j. The only indication that l&a.n1la vaa ever concerned with aolv1ng any of the intercepted material 1a shown 

in Tab 0 in wh1ch the Chief Signal Officer in a r&d1ogram 

dated 24 December !941 authorized Jlanila to inspect and take 

advantage of some apanese codes on the way from Singapore to 

the British Delegation in Manila. 

k. In view of the tact that the 2d Signal Service 

Company was not eatablished until l Januar7 1939 and that 

even after ita eatabliahment Captain Sherr was not carried 

as a member of the 2d Signal Service Compan7, the prescrip- tion of the duties and reapona1bil1t1ea of the various 

officers mentioned above were properl7 within the jurisdiction 

or the Department coDUll&nder and not the Signal Intelligence Service, War Department. 

7 Incla: 

Tabs A thru G 

(Signed and sent out l June 1945) 

w. PRBSTON CORDBRXAM 

Colonel, Signal Corpe 

Commanding 
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I 

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'WAR DEPARTMENT 

THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE 

WASHINGTON 

A.G.Jll.5(9-20-34)Pub. November 8, 1934. 

Intercept Station in the Philippine Department. 

Commanding General, 

Philippine Department, Mani la , P. I. 

1. With reference to paragraph 1, AG 311.5 (9-20-34)Pub., 

5eptemLer 22, 1934, Subject: Intercept Station 1n the Philippine 

Department, in which you were informed that add1t1onal intercept 

operato1•s would. be provided as soon as qual1f'1eci men bec011e available, it has now been determined that it vill be impractical to rurn1sh tro.ined inte1•ccpt radio operators as replacements for the Ph11- 1ppin~ Depurtruent. 

2. lat Lieutenant Jlark nhoad1, 81gnal Corps, who will sail 

for ttie Pl1111pp1ne Department on the transport lee ving Ifft• York 

December 14, 1934, and Start' Sergeant Peul E. Bird, Slgnal Corps, and Private Holr·a.rd i,.,·. Brown, Signal Corps, who aai led ro1· the 

Philippine Department on the transport that left New York O,:!tober 16, 

1934, lJL:.ve been apec1lil17 trained as signal intelligence speo1&11sta. 

They &N~ qualified to carry on the signal intelligence activities 

in your department, and to act as instructors tor the training of 

their replacements. It is therefore desired that you undertake 

the training of intercept radio operators in your department to 

the e.xLer.i.t nectissei.1·y to meet your replacement requirements for this 

type of speci&l!at. 

By ord~r of the Secretary of War: 

Joe N • r-~ l ton 

Adjutant Generel. 

COPY 

TAB A 

..,.,., 

A 
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• ~BBS~ 

BRIEF HISTORY OP PHILIPPINE DEPARTMENT INTERCEPT STATION 

A "Report of Activities on Radio Intercept Miaeton• by 

lst Lieut. Howard s. Paddock e.nd dated Spril 21, 1926 shows 

that 1ntere8t in intercept activity 1n the Philippines then 

exit>ted. Thla report also refers to work along the same line 

done. by then Lieut. Teague. 

No directive appears in the files \Ult11 a letter from the 

CS1g0 to 51g0 Philippine Depertment dltted August 12, 1930. 

'l'his letter vnrns of the imminent arr! val of one complete 

set of intercept equipment, des1ree that 1t be 1nst~lled and t~eted and that personnel be trained .for· its operation. Ko 

£1tatement of the numt.er of men required is glven, and it is 

stated that when report has been mad~ of the efficiency of 

the apparatue, peac~time duties may Le assigned. 

Apparently no further 1netr1.!ctlons "'ere issued and the 

operation of the station lapsed. for \•ie find in Memorandum 

from the CSigO to G-2 dated Jul7 2, 1934, the rollowtng pertinent matter: 

. "3. The Develo~ent of Eguipment. * * • • Some of 

this equipment w&a euppli~ the Philippine Department eeveral 

years ago and aeve1•al months ago additional equipment of .e 

much improved type Wlis ehipped to the Philippine DepArtment. 

4. b. The Tr·aining of Intercept Operators. • * • • 

After a study-or the matter, and upon the reconnendation of 

the Coll'lltlQ.nd1ng General of the Philippine Dopartment, the Slgn~l ~ehool undertook the development or a scheme for training intercept operators, and during th~ past eehool year hae 

trained several enlisted men under this scheme Yith the view 

to their employment in the Philippine Department (1n conform1t1 

with paat recommendations of the Department Commander tor such 

action). 

~. c. • • • • • • In conformity v1th this reepona1- b111ty, he (CS1g0) has proceeded v!th the training of personnel and the development of improved equipment with the v1ev of 

recommending at the appropriate time the installation or a 

station 1n the Philippines at a more eat1afacto17 location. 

The unaat1ataotor1 location or the present et~tion is such as 

to render 1t pract1call7 inoperative as such, therefore, in 

submitting his letter or June 19, 193~, it vas considered unneceaaar7 to refer to that station, (1.e., the one in Jlan!la)." 

The above waa part or the correspondence relating to the 

OSigO's request that an intercept station be aet up on Caballo 

Island. Bventuall7 the Department Commander vaa given authority 

to locate the station aa he d~sired. Then a letter rroa the 

q-. /1 ~- , .L ~ • - • 
REF ID:A48B5"2 

SECREJJ 

A.G. to the Comr.lt:o.nding Generai Philippine Department# dated 

Sept. 22, 1934, stated that Capt. Baldv1n, Lieut. Rhoada, 

Sgt. BiPd and Pvt. Brown were being sent && spec1dllr qualified 1nterc~pt personnel, that these au•t be considered a 

pe.rt of the e:x!eting perBonn•l quota for the Ph111pp1nea, that 

additional trained replacements within the quot& would btt sent 

later. The letter e.leo listed the 111pp&ratua sent 01• being 

eent and directed that intercepted meaaages be forvarded through 

G-2 for solution in the office C8ig0. 

A letter dated Nov. 8, 19.34 fl"'om the A.G. to th~ C.G. 

Ph111pp1ne Department states that in th6 future intercept 

operators for tha~ Departm~nt must ~e t~a1ned there. 

Sporadically thereafter, l!llD*ll I..>&. tuhes of traffic were 

forwarded. The total, in the opinion of Kr. Friadman, was 

negligible. 

On Sept. 16, 19..56, 11. directive was sent to the Commanding Oen~ral, Ph111pp1ne Department. Thia is too long to quote, but 

it assigned pr&ct1o~lly the s~me or e1milar duties as did the 

directives sttnt to the other Departments and to Corpe Ar·ea.s 

having intercept stations. 

In response to n rH-diogram from the C31g0 there ~- s the. 

tolloving radiogram dated February 2;, 1937; · 

"REF.AD FEERUA.RY TW!'.NTIETl! T\ri'O KEN INTERCEPT DUTY 

COlllA ONE MAN RETURNING US llA.RCH TRANSPORT 5TOP NO 

REPLACEMENT AVAILABLE STOP CNE RECEIVER COJIET PRO 

OLD STYLE AND ONE DICTAPHONE TELECORD RECORDER IN 

USE INTERCEPT WORK 

COMPTON" 

In view of the paucity of results from the Philippine 

Department and becauae ot the fact that Capt. Corderman va.s 

assigned command of the Signal Compan7 rather than used for 

intelligence vork, it was thought best that Capt. Xiller's 

arrival should be preceded by a definite directive. Thie 

d1recttve stated that Ca.pt. Miller should not be burdened 

wlth r~utlne duties, should be assisted in intercept work 

and would need two NCO'a and eight privates, one of the ICO's 

to bo of the first three grades. The di!'ective further 

stated that the CSigO would provide equipment, and stated 

der1n1tely the ohject of the intercept, the copying of Japanese 

military traffic. 
.. 

AO 320.2 (2-9-38) (•1sc.) CSO-B 

February 11, 1938. 

SUBJECT: Radio Intercept Activity in the Philippine Department. 

TO: The Commanding General, Philippine Department, Jlan1la., P. I. 

1. It is the desire or the War Department to obtain 

radio intercept of Japanese radio traffic, particularly of the 

Japanese Army ra.dio traffic. Captain Harrod G. Miller, Signal 

Corps who will arrive in your command about llay 11, 1938, is 

peculiarly fitted to organize and conduct such radio intercept 

activity. It is therefore desired that you place him upon such 

duty and do not burden him with routine duties, and that you provide the necessary personnel for the conduct of the radio 

intercept service. It is thought that the neaesaarr pe~aonnel 

would be approximately one noncommissioned officer (Si~l Corps) 

of the first three grades. one noncommlssloned officer (Signal 

Corps) of the fourth grade and eight radio operators. 

2. The Chief Signal Officer vill take steps to 1ssure 

that the radio interaept activity is appropriately equipped. for 

the work. 

By order of the Secretary or War: 

E. R. Householder 

Adjutant General • 

. · 

COPY 

'lAB c 
.. 

A.G. 320.2 (5-28--0)0-B 

Radio Intercept ActivitJ in the 

Pb111pp1ne tepartment. 

Commanding General, 

Philippine Department, Manila, Philippine Islands. 

1. Reference is made tc letter of February 11, 1938, 

from The Adjutant General to the Commanding General, 

Ph111Dpinc Department (File A.G. ;20.2 (2-9-38) (Kise.) 

CSO-n), SubJect: "Radio Intercept Actlv1ty in the Philippine Depnrtmcnt. 

2. Captain Joe R. 3herl", Sig.nul Corpe, has because 

of h1a qual1f1cat.ionfJ been selected and ussigned as a replacement f'or the offL:er referred to in the above mentioned 

letter. Captain She1•r will arrive in Jla.n1la on or about 

July 20, 1940. The importance of the work to be conducted 

by this officer renders it desirable that he be placed on 

no other duties th~ t would intei·fere therevi th. 

By.order of the Secretar7 of War; 

Adjutant General. 

'I'AB D 
~ . 

OCS1g0 OC8ig0 311.5-General 

/s/ S. B. Akin 

s. B. Akin, Colonel, Big. C. 

MARCH 12 1941 

SIGNALS PHILIPPINE DEPART.MDT JIANILA PI 

A~-Y LOCAL SIGNAL INTELLIGENCE llATTBRS APPBCTINO RBSPORSIBILITX.8 

OF DEPARTMENT COMMANDER AND REQUIRING COORDINATION WITH THE NAVY 

SHOULD BE HANDLED THROUGH THE LOCAL JOINT PLANNING COJUIITTEE 

PAREr•'l'EE3IS (,EE SEC'II N 3I:X CHAPTER EIGHT JOINT ACTION OP THE 

ARMY AND NAVY AS AMEN"DED BY CJL"-NGE JO!NT ACTION NUMBER TWO 

PARENTHESIS STOP THE ONLY PHILIPPINE DEPARTJllENT SIGNAL INTELLIGENCE 

ACTIVITIFS THAT COME DIRECTLY UNDER WAR DEPARTMENT ARE THE •ONITORDG 

ACTIVI'I·IES OF STATION NUMBER SIX STOP THE MONITORING DIRi:CTIVES 

OF THIS STATION HAVE BEEN AND ARF. CONTINUOUSLY COORDINATED BY 

THIS OFFICE \-..ITH DIRECTIVES ISSUED BY THE NAVY DEPARTMENT 'l'O THE 

NAVY'S CORRESPONDING ACTIVITIES STOP IT IS 'l'HEREJPORB DESIRED THAT 

NO C.HAHGE IN THESE DIRECTIVES BE ATTEMPTED LOCALLY STOP JmSPONSIBILITY FOR SIGNAL INTELLIGENCE ACTIVI'l'IBS PARB.NTHISIS INCLUDING 

DIRECTION PINDING PARENTHESIS OTHER THAN AS ABOVE MENTIONED DSTS 

ENTIRELY WITH THE LOCAL COllMANDERS STOP JN THE EVENT OP HOSTILITIES 

'THE WAR DEPARTMENT DIRECTIVES COVERING THE ACTIVITIES W KONITOBINO 

STATION NUMBER SIX llILL NOT UNLESS OTHERWISE SPBCIPICALLY ORDBRBD . BY THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER BE CHANGED STOP PERTIDN'l' I1'TELLIOEKCE 

RESULTING PRO• THE ACTIVITIES OP MONITORING STATION 1'UJIBBR SIX 

"WILL WHEN AVAILABLE BE SUPPLIED BY G-TWO OF THE WAR DBPAR'l'JIB.N'l' TO 

THE COJlllANDING GENKRAL PHILIPPINE DEPARTJlllfT STOP THIS IS IN REPLY 

TO YOUR Iil'r'J.'Ef{ OP PBBRUARY TBNTH 

llAUBORGD 

BECRElJ 
I 

OC51g0 

0081g0 }11.5 General 

/a/ R. W. Minckler 

R. W. •1nckler. Lt. Col., Sig C 

SBPTBllBD 2 19'1 

SIGNALS PHILIPPINE DEPARTXBNT MANILA P I 

SEE SECRET LETTER AG THREE TWEn'l'Y POINT TWO DA'l'ED IUY 'l'WD'l'Y 

NINE COMMA NINETEEN FORTY TO COMMANDING OENEfu\L PHILIPPINE 

DEPAR'l'MENT FROM THE ADJUTANT GENERAL REGARDING DU'l'Y OF MAJOR 

SHERR LETTER DOES NO'l' PROHIBIT OT.Hlm DUTIES IF ASSIGNMENT 

CAUSES NO INTERFEREKCE WI'l'R INTERCEPT DUTIBS STOP IJI' CHANOE IN 

LE'l"l'ER IS DESIRED SUGGEST 1'.E:COMMENDATIONS BE SUBMITTED THFOUGH 

COIMAND CIIANNEL3 TO UAR DEPARTMENT 

OLMSTEAD ACTIRO 

SENT No. 114 

September 2, 1941 TNP 

TAB F 
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OCSigO 0-3 

OCSigO 311.5 General 

R. w. Minckler, Lt. Ool., Sig c. 

SIGNALS PHILIPPINE DEPARTMENT llANILA P I 

CERTAIN MATERIAL IN COD'ECTION WITH JAPANESE CODES HAS BBEN 

FORWARDED FROM SINGAPORE TO BRITISH DELEGATION II MANILA STOf 

REQUF~:T YOU F'INt OUl' wBETRER ThIS MATERIAL WAS FORWARDED TO 

wAS.HIIiGTON AND 1~m.;~ O:l10P YOU _4.RE AUTHORIZED TO MAXE COPtt& 

AND 'l"Alili ADVANTAGE OF AUY 5UCH MA1'ERIAL IN TRANSIT 

OLMS'fEAL• 

COPY 

'l'AB G