REF ID:A71054 A ..,_. ... , .... 

Office or the Chief Signal Officer Action 1 SPSIS-3 

Chief, Ara7 Connunications Service, Room 41 25-, Pentagon. 

2 August l~ll-. 

Security Claa!1f1eation of SIGSA.LY SP5IS 311.5 

81gnal Security Br&nch 30 340 Code 8129, Ext. 215. 

1. At the present time all phases or the ~lGSALY e7atea are 

class1f1ed as Secret and the h&ndling of all papers--blueprinta, specifications, keying devicee, etc., ls on a Top Secret b&~is, in 

accordance with d1reot1ons tram Chief, Army Comaun.1cat1ona Service. 

2. 'fh• n01amal me~hod or ..:las~ifyiJ"111: eeeret oryptog.r~c s7ateaa 

is to uae a clasislf'ication or conf'idt-tntial ~or ·::~e e~cipaent ;'.Aivolved 

and a claaa1tication or secret for the keying elements. 

3. Specific SIGSALY clearance of' personnel alread.7 cryptograph- ically cleared is of a nol!.inal nature onl1~ in that it does not involve 

additional 1Dvestigat1on, but oper&tee mainly to restriot admittance to 

SIGSALY term.1.n&l rooms. 

-· 'l'he hnsio principles or the SIGSALY e7stem (the Vocoder) have 

been published in var1ous·tecbn.1cal journal• and have been aubaitted 

ror patenting although at the present time all ot these pa.tents are 

being withheld !'rom issue under Public Lav #77. 

5. The development ot il/GSQ-2 1• proceeding rapidl7 &nd it is 

expected tb&t unite will be available tor field te•t• 1D Jlarch or 1~5. 

Thia equ1JW1•nt 111 a condenaed version eabod.J'ing ao•t or the principlea 

ot the 5IOSALY system vitb the exception or the SIOBUS &nd the SIGGRUV 

equipment. Owing to ite poaaible ve'Z"T wide diatribut1on the Alf/oSQ-2 

,.qu1PJ19nt can only. vith the exception or the ke71.ng elements. be 

o1&aa1t1ed aa confidential. 

:~~ : 6. a. 'l'b.e present elassification 1.spoaea a burden on SSA per- ~aonnel engaged in vork on or in connection with th.1.a a7atea ae strict , '6dherance to eeeurity regulations precludes diaoloaure to one who ~1 be concerned v1th the e7at .. 1n a general va1. or onl7 on aoae 

ti.nor problems, but who bas not been specitically cleared tor knowledge 

-t--· qt thie s7ute• al though carr)"i.ng a general clearance tor crwtographic 

:j- vork. ~ 

~ b. This burden 1• also 1.Jlpo11ed on SM personnel engaged in 

'.-:,.'the development Of il/oSQ-2 Vho &re prevented troa d18CWIB1ng the 

equipment with all interested personnel ovins to the lack or clear&ncea. 

Thia burden will become extreme vb.en the All/GSQ-2 equipment reaches the 

service test atagea. 

!Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 06-02-2014 pursuant to E.O. 1352§ 

\ 

I' 
~ID:A71054 6. 

. 

e. It vould be olearlJ' undes1Nble to cl.Mr all personnel engaged 1D All/osct-2 development &Del aerv1c• teats tor SIOSALY. 

d. il/Gt;Q-2 vhe.n 1aaue4 11'111 be cl&as1f"1ed aa conf1dellt1&1 

in aooordano• v1th ourr•t pz-acUa• 1n the caae of other ol&aa1t1ed 

9f1111Jm1Dt• of •11111.ar nature. Ke71ng elwnta perta:lntng theret.o vill, 

hOVeYer, be olaaa1t1e4 aa aeor•'· 

7. The tolloving reoom1ndat1oaa are intended to at'teot. the 

pbJ•1c&l 8'u1.iaent and 1ta bandling, onl.J', &nd do not attect the •J'Btea'• wae and 1t1 personnel. 

8. It. 1• rec~d 'bats 

a. The ZI03AJ.Y eqptpment b~ cl.:lsaJfl.ed as 5E-eret. ~he fiIOBtJS, 

SIGGRUV, a..,.91,\ all ke:r tables vt.J.ch are now el&saif'1ed a.a .~eeret would ~1n eeoret. 

b. 'l'he pi-east atri-~t ob•erft.Dco ot adld.tta.nc• •o t...S..ml 

l'OOll8 be continued on a ltat bas:!.~. (Thl:: J.s narmal Cl91J>tOgr•phlc ~o,lae.) The liat vtll not neoesaar11J reflect tlw total ~um'Jer or 

1t9eple poaseaa111& knowledge ot the a73t .. , bUt v1ll 1A01ude onl7 tt.oae 

urtng aco••• to a part.1oul&P t9rllinal l"OC!m. 

c. Plane for 1.nstall&tion of term1nala and their location• 

be ela1a1t1ed as Secret unl••• the knowledge ot a\IOh looat1mia 1nolud.e 

Jcnovledge ot troop •••tnt• et.a •• or other •t.taa vh1oh voul.d require tbat the teJlld.Dal locat1ona be held aa !op Seoret. · 

d. 'the 3108i\LY directOr'J be continued aa a aecret document 

and tlat the people auth.or1se4 to uee the a7st.ea be reatriated •• per the preaent arrang~t. 

•· 'l'he opepa b• oont1.Du8d •• a aecret d.e•:lo• and. 1D.f'01'9tion 

theNOf' be baadled 1n tbe nonal -.nn•r tor secret 1D.tormt1on. 

t. The Recorder• (RC-250-Tl) (uaed tor production ot ~IGGHUV) 

be claaa1t1ed •• aeoret and all intor.aation thereof be bandled 1D a 

n_....l secret •nner. 

9. Ir the reccmmend&tiona ot p&l"&p&pb. 8 are approved. it 1• 

recoml8Dded that the SSA be directed to take the necea1&191 aot1on to 

1.Dtona all concerned. 

\i'. PreatQll Corderman. 

Colonel, 81gD&l Corpa, Ch1et, Sipal 8ecur1tJ' BNDab, 

SPSIS-1, Cod8 8129, Bzt. 211 
SUBJEO!a Security ClasaitioatiOD ot SIGSALY. 

1. At the present time all phases ot the BIGSALY systElll 

are classif'ied as ~oret a.nd the handling of' all papers - blueprints -

speoiticationa - keying devices etc., is on a ~op#-.jecret basis, 

in accordance with directions from Chief, Anq C<mmmioations Service. 

2. The normal method of classifying secret Ql))'ptographio / 

systems is to use a cla~itioation of confidential for the 

oquipnent imrolved and a olu.oitioation ot secret for the~ ~'*::C: 

1:19e'i 4'e eaaipae1 bite meBli:gfi 

3. Speoif'ic SIGSALY clearance of personnel a.lread1" 

cryptographically cleared is of a ncminal nature only, in that 

it does not involve additional investigation, but operates ma:iily 

to restrict admittance to SIGSALY terminal rooms. 

4. The basic principles ot the SIGSALY system {the Vocod.8r) 

have been published in various technical journals and have been 

submitted for patenting although at the present time all of these 

patents are being withheld tram issue under Public Law #'17. 

5. The developnent of AH/GSQ-2 is proceeding rapidly and 

it is expected that uni ts will be available for field tests in 

Jlarch of 1945. This equipment is a condensed version emboeying 
REF ID:A71054 -

most ot the principles of the SIGSALY system with the 

exception of the SIGBUS and the SIGGRUV equipnent. Owing 

to its possible very wide distribution the AN/GSQ-2 ,,. t a ..e.4\~'1>1../v~ ' 

oan only, with the exception ot the keying elements, be 

classified as coni'idential. 

6~jl'· The present classification imposes & burden on 

SSA personnel engaged in work on or in connection with this 

system as strict adb.eranoe to security regulatiOna precludes 

disclosures to one who may be concerned with the system in a 

general way, or only on some minor problems, but who has not 

been specif'ica.lly cleared for knowledge of this system. 

although carrying a general clearance tor cryptographic work. 

/bf· Thia burden is also imposed on SSA personnel 

engaged in the develo~nt ot AN/GSQ-2 who are prnented from 

discussing the ;;,~~~~th all interested personnel owing to 

the lack or clearances. This burden will become extreme when 

the AN/GSQ-2 equipment reaches the service test stages, ~· · 

' 

r 
REF ID:A71054 

7. The 

physical equipnent and its handling. only. and do not at.feet 

the system. use and its personnel. 

a. It is rec_~n4,ed thats .L '+{~~\~: ... ~ ~.<r. 

Y&.J. The eqdipmillt be classified as o~ -~• I""'.:. " 

bno 1 twww az a 

9 7 , 

I -

)if. The present strict observance of aanittanoe f c-v~ P."' 't "~ .. f .::;:-- . ~ j 

to terminal - rooms be continued on a 

list ba&is:i:f fl.h<;:~'l,yi .1....., ,8°,,t.~~· u Ir~~ 

will not necessarily reflect the total n\Dllber or people 

possessing knowledge of the system. but will include only 

those ha.Ying aocess to a particular terminal room. 

,,(o}.' Plans tor installations ot terminals and their 

- ~ ... , 

locations be classified as C41ttidbnt:i«it<~anieas ~he. lal:ewl•d&e• 

* su.cb·· 1ooati0ll8 istiude knowledge of troop movements eto. • 

or other matters~~ would require that the terminal 

locations be held as ... ecret. 

" /if. The SIGSALY directory be continued as a secret 

doc\Dllent and that the people authorized to use the system be 

restricted as per the present arrangement. 
·REF ID:A71054 

,..(er. The opeps be continued as a aeoret device and 

- information thereof be handled in the normal JD&lUler £or 

secret information. 

;{t(. The Recorders (RC-260-Tl) (used tor production . - ot SIGGRUV) be classified as seoret and all inf'ormation thereof 

be handled in a normal secret manner. 

9. If the recommendati~ot paragraph 8 are approved/ 

it is recommended that the SSA be directed to ta.lee the 

necessary action to inform all oonoerned. 
.. 

.1\ 

Mr-. P. W. Bl7e 

Bell ~elepbon.e Laborator1ea 

463 Veat Street 

Rev York 14. Rev York 

Dear Mr. Bl7er 

11 Much 1948 

In :respon.ae to JOlJl'I telephone e0Dvei-aat1on with Mr. 

J'riedman on 9 March 191f8 • theH 1• enclosed herev1 t1l a 

bJt1ef repoz-t Ngucl1Dg the SIGSALY tel'lliml•. Vblcb D8j 

be or aaaietance to J"0\1 1n prepar1Dg 1ou recomend&t1one 

baaed upon 7our v1a1t on 5 March. 

We •ball be glad to t17 to answer ADJ fUJltber queationa tbat •7 occur to rou and ~o supply Vbatever ad41t1oaal 

data 1ou •7 need 1n oonneot1o.n v1th tbe preparation of your l"8"P01'ii • 

1 Incl 

Report on. SIGS&LY 

T81'111!Jala 

HAROLD G. BADS 

Colon.el. B1gn&l Corps 

Chiet • A'ftlJ' Seou:r1 tJ Agenc7 

.._~',/ ·-. 
e -HifF..f.¥:0~#0~ ' ' ' ' 

.. 

DATA 01f SXOSALY 'l'EBMINALS 

Terminal 

?fo. Location 

l London 

2 Pent;&gon 

3• Alg1er1 

5 

6 

1 

8 

g 

10 

11 

Br1abane 

Mall11& 

Honolulu 

Lett U.S. about 

lfar 4'f.. Bot 

inatall•d in 

Prankturt unt11 .7 45 

Pentagon 

Par1a 

Bev OU1aea. 

Manila 

'Pok:Jo 

Guam 

oaklancl 

Approx1•te Date• in 

Actual Uae 

About Jul 43 - )l Oct 45 

About Jul 43 • 1 Aug 46 

About Jul 43 - 19 Sep 44 

15 Jun 44 - 5 Jan Ji.5 

2 pa. ) mon. 

'JP•· 

1 "P• 2 mon. 

1 Jul 45 .. about 1 Jul 46 1 JI'• 6 mon. 

15 Jun 44 - &bout l Avg IU5 2 11'•· 2 mon. 

1 Jun -5 - about 1 Aug 46 l JJ1. 1 mon. 

About Jul ,.4 - 1 Aug 46 2 yrs. 

25 Oot 44 - 10 Deo 45 1 yr. 1 mon. 

About 15 Jlov 44 - (Thia terminal vaa 

About 2 Jan 45 - 1n•talled on a co•un1 .. About 1 Oct 45 - a&t1one barge.) 

About 15 Apr 45 - 1 Jr'. 4 mon. 

About Oct -4 • )l Oct 45 l ~-

(This tel'llinal vaa later ab1pped to !olqo. but wae aot 

1natalle4 due to lack ot peraomiel.) 

12 Berlin About l Jun 45 - 1 Jr. l mon. 

(8tore4 1D tvev Oumberl.aad unt11 17 Apr 45.) 

9Tbia terminal nov atored at Kev Cumberland Depot