INFORMATION RE HERBERT L. NORTHRUP
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
From: STEVENS, M
Document date: 7/6/61
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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104-10114-10167

sent to army

716/61

File

H. Stevens

SRS/OS

NORTHRUP, Herbert Lee, JI.

# 48923

.

According to what appear to be partial reports of Interrogation

which the CIA Security Office received In connection with Subjects

defection to East Germany on 6 July 1960. He defected to escape

an alcoholic mother and heavy debts. Subject, an Airman Second

Class, assigned as an analyst with the German unit of the 6900th

Security Wing ASS, defected to East Germany on 6 July 1960 taking

with him two suitcases and a brief case. He left his West German

apartment at 1800 hours with the intention of defecting (baving"

earlier in the day left a note for his mother stating that he was

going to East Germany for good) and disappeared into the Bast

German controlled subway. He returned to his apartment at 0015

hours in the early morning of 7 July 1960 without luggage and was

placed under arrest.

During interview by military authorities on 1l-12 July 1960,

NORIERUP said that he took with him, when he defected, official

document containing top secret Information In order to establish

his bona fides and turned bimself in at the defectors reception

center in Bast Berlin. According to Subject he spoke there with

two officials who told him to sleep there that night and return in

the morning for further discussions. He was deeply disturbed, be

said at the lack of Interest shown in him and began to realize the

seriousness of his actions. After Inlling around he finally returned

to his apartment in hest Berlin to turn himself 1n. He claimed to

have defected in a fit of despondency caused by long standing Irus

tration. He stated that he lirst considered defecting In November

or December 1959 because he bellered he had no future In the service

and felt that he had to get away from his mother wbo had become a

confirmed alcoholic.

It would appear, however, that Subjects long time interest in

the U.s.S.R. may have played a part in his defection. He has admitted

to & sympathetic interest in the Soviet Union dating back to his

high school days when he frequented the office of the Soviet American

Friendship Society In Miami and did volunteer work for them. This

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Interest in the U.S. S.h. continued bile he was a student at the

University of Miami (October 1948 - January 1951) and during this

time be subscribed to various Sovlet publications (Pravda, Soviet

Russia Today, New Times, Culture and life) through the Four Con-

tinents Book Company, and was active in the Soviet Friendaalp

Society on the campus. During 1949 he made a trip to the Bovlet

Embassy 1n an attempt, he said, to obtain Infornation and Ilterature

and he participated in Wallace's campaign for President, attending

meetings and distributing literature.

15-20

NORTHRUP's interest in the USSR continued during his overseas

CIA employment 1a Frankfurt, Germany from January 1952 to July 1956

turing which time he made three mauthorized trips to East Germany;

and during his current Alr Force assignment In West Germany through-

out the course of which he has said he made 30 to 50 visits to East

Germany "to enjoy the culture." He has been described as an ego-

tistical pseudointellectual who 18 Intcrested In the cultural-aspects

of the Soviet Union, had read all of Corll1e Lemonts writinge, and

subscribed to MASSES and MAINSTREAN. At the time of Subject's defec

tion, & member of the ci Staff recalled that HoRtiRU" frequently

(two or three times a week) visited the Victor Kankin Book Store In

Washington where he was known and frequently conversed with Its

manager.

There Is considerable question regarding Viotor Kankin

and varlous relatives of big.

Subject was born on Y July 1930 at Mani, Flaride of native

born parents. He attended bigh school in Miami and from 1948 to

1951 attended the University of Miami at Coral Gables, Morida

majoring in Russian language. In 1948 he received & medal for

proficiency in Spanish and fram October 1948 to January 1949 wes

on a "Rattner Nemorial Scholarship to study Hebrew" at this Valver-

sity.

NORIERUP was employed by CIA Irom 1951 to 1958 when he resigned

for personal reasons which he has subsequently said involved a fear

that his latent homosexual tendencies would be discovered. He joined

the Air Force and In June 1959 was sent to Berlin.

NOPERUP wes security approved for CLA ta lay 1951 an aa

ntelligence assistant GS-5 OPC/EE, Munich, Germany, having previousl

entered on duty in the provisionel pool.

As af 28 July 1951 be wa

•. GS-5 translator In the Operations franch FID/USSR Branch, Faeb

1520

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for Frankfurt on or about 23 January 1952, was 1a Washington on

and reported to hashington PCS following 56 days home leave at

Fort Arthur, leras.

(He had lived In Fort Arthur, Texas for the

period December 1941 - 1947, but otherwise his entire life appears

to have been spent in Florida. In Novenber 1956 MORTARUP was

assigned to LiP/c stall, Special Investigationa Unit, Frojecte

Section, Washington, D. Co, as an Intelligence officer GS-11. He

resigned for personal seasons on 16 May 1958. OSI reviewed his

CIA File on 30 September 1958.

In February 1959 his file was

favorably revleved with reference to his being considered for

participation in the CIA CIvilian Standby Reserve Program. In

July 1960 CIA was alerted regarding his defection.

F Stevens

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31ES

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