- "'.~ REF-iliBllJJ-P1 W.D.,A..G.O. • , • Form. No. 0115 • • • 13 October 1943 

,,..· f HEADQUARTERS, AR~ERO'iCE FORCES 

MEMO ROUTING SLIP 

To· the·following in order indicated: 

Chief, Arnr:r Oomm<mications Service. 

(Name or title) {Organization) (Buildhlg 

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and room) 

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For necessary action. Summary Sheet 

transmitting reply to the ASF will be prepared 

for signature in the Executive Office and submi tted so as to reach this office not later than 

l'OON, 8 MAY, 1944. -- ~-...... 

(Namo) 

By order or the Chiet 

, Signal Ottioera. 

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, . ----~---------------- D. D. Mills, 

Major, SPSEO-l, 

stant Executive, .,..~i;y;s;..-......,,.E-'- r. 96213. 

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6 Mq 

CDs to) 

{TelephoJJo) 

(BnJld!ng and room) 

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REF ID:A67261 

th• llonorable, 

the s~e~etal"il' o~ Btate. 

VaehiJlgton,, t>. o. 

~ lbt. 8ec:Peto.r:r: 

leoe1pt 1• acknovled.ged ot J'C71.lr letter ot 11&.7 • 1 191'1J,, 

¥1th reference to a nr.- 'Q. S. ~ Cl'J'Ptograph1c device known 

•• Convorte~ M-,25. 

........ -lli~ ~jc.iifment f'inde thnt it oan -1.!e tho above ... .-nt1one4 eq\l1Jr:1Cnt aTiL1lable to the Department at Btate 1n 

•\lfrto1ent q'U&J:lt1t1ea to acet the Dctpal"~nt•a noeda~ but 

inallllUCh a... quan.tit7 production ia cm.l.7 1n 1tP initial pbase• the .ntire lot ot 1000 devices anc! acconpoley'ing 2000 roto~ 

·stt• requested 1n your lette~ cannot be supplied illaediatel7 

ta & •1nglft ahJ:pnmit. 

r\1117 l"ea.ll1:1ng the \\rb"ftnc;r at this Mttel'1 the Ch!et 11~ Ott~eer vs.a di.rooted to giwe firet pr1or1t7 to the 

ated.11 of the DepnPtment ot State 1n tho Var l>eplrtMnt 1 a 4iatJ"1bution ot this nn tQU!pient,, an4 aubject to oonttngenote• 

nov untore•eer. b7 hill, he ~s established the tollovtng \9Sltat1ve auppl7 aehedulo tor- the .. chtn•• to be t'urnlehod 

t.be Jle~tment or State: 

1000 

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- 1 "" • ~ REF "ID: A67 2:6i: ~< ·- . 

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.JEORET 

Jleputtcent ot 3tate oanoened 1n tho •tt.v &n4 '° •••l•\ th• 1zi ~he prep&Nt1on ot all auba141•Z"¥ 6ocUM11t• w 

ataial necea1e.r1_tcr tho pz-oper -.plotaeut. Q4 proteotion ot tbe Ol"J]>top&,::abio •Pl_. b&ae4 upon Ude -.ohlu. 

At ao. e&l'lJ date the Chief 81an&l Ottioer will be able 

\e tnablait det&lled da.t& in z-ep.rd to the p:poour-nt of the 

hll1 •l•ctri-1, prbat1rc llOdela ot th1• •ohln•. 'file 'War 

hpar-ent w111 \beD bo gl.44 to t\lrn1all tM Del*J'tmbit ~ 

lti&te with the neooe~ DUmbel" ot •eh1.nes ot Ulla t."Jpe,, UIUler a •1Jttl.l&r arr&nge%'lent &e t?&e pxtesent.. 

linoare17 .-u._. '(--\ ..... - d- ' 

l j ... _iCURRED IN BY 

t _,-• 'J: Initials ~ 

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s .t1~t - -SEBHET 
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1 C/S,ASF 

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SUMUARY 

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REF ID:A67261 L - --

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SPSAC 

_, · --Cai. w.P. Corderman 

8 Ma;r 1944 

i :._ l. Let~r dated 4 May 191.&4 from. Secretary ot State to Secretary or War, request that 

1000 Converters M-J2S and 2000 rotor sets be made available to meet Department's 

requirements for a high-grade yet Bimple cryptographic machine. 

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2. The equipir.ent desired by the Depart!lent or State would be suitable tor the purpose 

aM can be made available. 

3. Attached letter £or signature of Secretal"7 or War sets forth a proposed suppl.T 

schedule according to llhioh the desired equipment can be furnished. 

COORDINATION 

4. Above rec011JJTendation has been coordinated with Special Branch, G-2 (Colonel Carter 

w. Clarke). 

2 Incls. 

1._ Ltr S~o. State, 4 Jfay 44 

2. Ltr £or sig Sea. of !ar 

APPROVED FOR THE COlDl.A?.:DING OEKERAL, ASF: 

H. c. Inglea, 

Kajor General, 

Chief Signal Officer. 
I ..... ·.REF .. rn :A67261 ADDRESS DF'FICIAL CDMMUNJCATJDNS TO 

THE SECRETARY OF STATE 

WASHINGTON, D. c. 

My dear :nu-. Secretary: 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

WASHINGTON 

Uay 4, 1944. 

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To attein greater security and speed in crypto- graphic comzr.unication the Departruent of state desires 

to acquire nore cryptographic machines and to extend 

their use to all offices in the field. 

A representative of this Departuent has recently had several informal conferences with officers cf the 

Signal Security Agency of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, U.S.A., with the result that there appears to 

be a possibility that a cryptographic rc..achine recently developed by the Army and known as Ccnverter N.-325 could 

be made available tc the Department of State in sufficient 

quantities to meet the Department's requirements for a 

high-grade yat simple cryptcgraphic machine fer its 

world-wide communications. 

The prccurement of these devices would enable this 

Department to carry out one of the important recolll.I!lendaticns in the report, dated Januury 22, 1944, of the 

!Jo.rumi ttee appointed by the 001 . ..J.t.anding Officer, Signal Security ~\t;ency, in response to the State Department 

request of November 23, 1943, that a resurvey be naae 

of-the cryptographic systems employed by this Depart~ent. 

If the ·:1ar Depart11ent could explore tile fcre:soing 

possibility and brine:; about its fullfillaent, the :Jef•artL.Lent of State would be most appreciati v~ of the e.ssist.9...11ce 

thus rendered in the steps bein~ taken to prctect its 

vital co.m.Hunications. 

The Honorable 

Henry L. Stil!lson, 

Secretary of War. 

Should 

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" REF. ID :A67261 i .l.1 

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Should the War Department find its w~y clear to 

making this machine available, assurance is given that 

the Department of State will follow such security regu- lations f cr the protection of this machine as the War 

Jepartment will adopt within its own service. 

It is understood that the Converter M-325, which 

is a manually-operated device, can be made to intercommunicate with a fully electrical oodel new under 

developuent so as to produce a printed record at high 

speed. The Department of St&te is also interested in 

this ty}e of machine and woqld require approximately 

80 of them. 

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However, the iml!lediate needs of the Departhlent of 

State can be met by providing each office in the .Aruerican 

Foreign Service at the earliest possible date with at 

least two of the manually-operated Converters ~-325 and 

it is estimated tn~t 1000 machines will be re~uired fer 

this purpose. It is also desired ths.t each machine be 

accompanied by two sets or rotors, nakin3 2000 sets 

required to equip the 1000 mac31nes. In~uiry is raade as to 

how soon the stated number of machines and rotor sdts 

could be furnished • 

.Arran5ements have been made in this De9a.rt:w.ent to 

effect the transfer of funds or otherwise compensate the ;·:ar Department for the equipment desired. 

Sincerely yours, 

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DRAFT 

To attain greater security and speed 1n cr)'Ptographic 

communication the Department ot State desires to acqUire more 

cryptographic machines and to extend the!~ use to all offices 

in the tield. 

A representative or this Department has recentlJ bad 

several informal conferences with officers of the Signal 

Security Agency of the Office ot the Chief Signal Officer, 

U.S.A., with the result that there appears to be a poss1b111ty 

that a cryptographic machine r~centl~ developed by the ArJ!11 and 

known as Converter M-325 could be made available to the 

Department or State 1n sutt1c1ent quantities to meet the 

Department• s r~quirementa. ror a h1gh .. grade 1et simple cryp.to .. 

graphic me.chine for 1ts world .. wide oOllllllllllications. 

The procurement of these devices would enable this 

Department to carrr out one of the important recommendations 

1n the report, dated January 22 1 1944, of the Committee 

appointed by the Commanding Officer, Signal Security Agency, 

1n response to the State Department request of November 23, 

1943, that a reaur~ey be made of the cryptographic systems 

employed by this Department. 

It the War Depa~tment could exPlore the foregoing possibility and bring about its tulltillment; the Department or 

State would be most appreciative of the assistance thus 

rendered 1n the stepe being taken to protect its vital com~ 

munieat1ona. 

Should the War Department tind 1 ts way clear to making · 

this :maobine availablel assurance is given tb&t the Department 

ot State v111 tollov such security regulations tor the protection 

ot this machine as the War Department v1ll adopt within 1tsovn 

service. 

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.....i.,-~.-· , · ·Dedassified by NSA/CSS 

. DetNtv Associate Oiteaor for Policy aod RecoNs °" ~111J_1~_cby. lf~111 .·~ 
REF IDr:'A6'7 ~ . .,... 

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1'- 1• und6:r!ltoo4- that· 'he Converter M-325,. Vlld:eh is . ', ··\.-o , I. l -- --~ - - ·· . - ~ ~ a...,, I ·. ~~ I\ 

a manually•ope~ate4 device•, .aan be aad9A tully ~tr~o ae to . . - ~~ l'\l\\'. 

produce a printed :i;tecord at high epee:td. ·fi•*••llp:t. *1e DEt- l.<.\l.t.foi" tk,. 

partm~nt or St~~~1:f(•1n~~~~s~in~~ L~P.~~,~~-:1 a_b:h,,~c....-.~- e"o oR~. /'\ · . 'l-Ot thee~t1c machine• Wttt.D thQ~Ji•.co~. 

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However, the immediate needs of the Department of State 

can be met b7 providing each oftice 1n the American Foreign 

Service &t.the earliest possible date with at least two ot the 

manually-operated Converters M-325 and it is estimated that 

1000 machines will be required tor this purpose •. It is also 

desired that each machine be accompanied by two sets of rotors~ 

making 2000 sets required to equip the 1000 ms.chines. Inquiry 

1s made bow soon the stated number of machines and rotor sets 

be .furnished. 

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Arrangements have been ma.de 1n this Department to effect 

the tra.nerer or funds or otlierv1ee compensate the War Department tor the equipment d•e1red. 

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. e . · REF ~D:A6726. 

C.OOR<t>1tJ~o rJ_ 

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