From: military-radio-guy Full-Name: Dennis R Starks To: military radio collectors#2 Fcc: Sent Date: Sat, 27 Dec 1997 06:08:25 Subject: Military Collector Group Post, Dec.27/97 Message-ID: <19971227.060727.12007.1.military-radio-guy@juno.com> X-Status: Forwarded X-Mailer: Juno 1.38 Military Collector Group Post, Dec.27/97 Index: TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE PACIFIC; PART V, BY LTC WILLIAM L. HOWARD MOTOROLA/CIA FIELD RADIOS; from Pete McCollum MISSION ACCOMPLISHED; SSTR-1 Found for the Surviving Members of It's R & D Team HUMOR; ********************************************** TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE PACIFIC; PART V, BY LTC WILLIAM L. HOWARD subordinate commanders or staffs to prevent competitive duplications. To expedite the conduct of these investigations, G-2, GHQ, was authorized to correspond directly with the heads of the various interested agencies previously mentioned or their representatives on technical details, and direct correspondnece between plenary representatives and the heads of the agencies they represented was authorized. To protect Intelligence material and records available in only limited numbers against exploitation by a single research agency and to make these items accessible to other Intelligence agencies, their removal had to be cleared through the occupation force commander. The principle of reciprocal exchange of reports applying to all field technical agencies, all reports of Technical Intelligence relating to investigations in Japan and Korea were cleared through the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, GHQ, prior to their being dispatched to locations outside the area. The War Department Intelligence Target Section (WDIT) was established under the provisions of General Orders No. 9, 2 October 1945 and General Orders No.15, 9 November 1945, to exercise coordinating control and supervision over the exploitation of military and civilian intelligence targets of interdepartmental and international concern in Japan and Korea. Col Walter S. Wood, appointed chief of WDIT, coordinated, supervised and established policy for the activities of the technical civilian and military subsections of WDIT and their relations with all other agencies. Operating under Col Wood, was the Technical Intelligence Section, headed by Lt Col David S. Tait, which was responsible for Technical Intelligence of all descriptions in the Pacific Theater. This section coordinated the activities of the Chiefs of Services of AFPAC, the U.S. Special Technical Missions, the Foreigh Technical Missions; made arrangements concerning the exploitation of targets of Technical Intelligence interest; and saw that proper technical personnel were assigned to complete the reports. Operating within the Technical Intelligence Section were: U.S. Army Technical Intelligence Center (5250th Technical Intelligence Co.); Collection and Reports Sub-Section, which coordinated the reports submitted with War and Navy Department Intelligence targets; Translator & Interpreter Service (2,000 personnel), charged with the translation and publication of all Japanese documents and with the furnishing of translator and interpreter personnel; Washington Document Center (ADVON) which selected and shipped all Japanese documents to the United States; and War Department Intelligence Collection Committee (ADVON), created by the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, which advised the Theater concerning the transmittal to Washington of Intelligence information. Included in the U.S. and Foreign Technical Missions coordinated under the Technical intelligence Section were the following agencies: Naval Technical Mission to Japan, Economic and Scientific Section, British Staff Section, United States Strategic Bomb Survey, Japanese Antiaircraft and Seacoast Artillery Research Board, Air Technical Intelligence Group (Far Eastern Air Forces), British Amphibious Mission, U.S. Naval Shipping Control Authority for Japanese Merchant Marine and Austrailian Scientific Mission. Temporary passes from the Office of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Military Intelligence Section, were issued to authorized personnel in accordance with provisions of General Order No. 9 to permit the bearer to enter any restricted area in Japan or Korea south of 38 degress north latitude for purposes of Technical Intelligence. Agencies furnished weekly a list of targets to be visited, notifying WDIT at least 48 hours in advance so that the local commander of the area and Translator and Interpreter Service could be notified. All requests on the Japanese Government were funneled through WDIT. Upon completion of target investigation, report was submitted to WDIT. Technical Intelligence Instruction No.1 Lt. Col. Tait, when he was assigned at GHQ, AFPAC, in Manila, had strongly favored coordination of Technical Intelligence when Col Sauve and Lt Col Manley had first proposed it in writing in May 1945. As Coordinator of Technical Intelligence under Col. Wood at Tokyo, Lt. Col. Tait drew up Technical Intelligence Instruction No. 1, General Headquarters. Military Intelligence Section, General Staff, dated 20 November 1945, that laid the foundation for the coordination of all Technical Intelligence activities relative to the occupation of Japan. Under this directive, the following prevailed: The United States Army Technical Intelligence center served as headquarters for the 5250th Technical Intelligence Compnay. As field units of the 5250th completed their work with armies, corps and divisions, they were recalled to the Center for re-assignment under G-2. Special investigators temporarily attached to chiefs of services and other agencies could also be assigned to the organization for administartion while in the theater. Chiefs of services and other intelligence agencies prepared plans for the exploitation of military intelligence targets in their designated fields and filed these plans with G-2 for coordination with other agencies at least 48 hours in advance of execution. The plans listed the names of personnel involved, stated the transportation and equipment required, and presented a brief outline of contemplated procedure. To assist in the investigations, additional qualified personnel, as well as transporation and equipment, could be requested from the 5250th through G-2 Operations on WDIT Form No.1. Photographers from the Photograph Laboratory that had been extablished at the Technical Intelligence Depot in Manila and re-established at the Technical Intelligence Center in Tokyo, could also be requested to accompany investigators on field trips. G-2 assumed responsibility for notifying other interested agencies; arranged with the occupation forces the details of billeting and transportation; notified, through its Japanese Liaison Section, the Japanese authorities involved; and, when desired, arranged for preliminary interviews with Japanese officials that often materially expedited the investigations. All interested agencies maintained a close liaison with G-2 and were held responsible for becoming familiar with the records and reports of Intelligence investigation maintained in the Technical Intelligence Subsection of WDIT so that unnecessary duplication of effort could be avoided. Documents necessary to complete investigations were evacuated through TIS to the Washington Document Center (Advance) Library at the Technical Intelligence Center. Samples of new or modified material or equipment which was to be evacuated were handled as follows. When practicable, the investigator personaly evacuated the item to the Technical Intelligence Center. If this were not adviseable, he made arrangements with Division G-2 for packing and shipping the equipment, and notified the Technical Intelligence Center that it had been sent. If shipment were delayed, he notified the Division G-2, who was responsible for safegaurding it until such time as the appropriate agency could arrange shipment to the Technical Intelligence Center, where further study of the material could be made at one of the analysis laboratories. If shipment were inadvisable, the investigator completed such study and photographs as were necessary and arranged with the Division G-2 for the security of the item. In all cases, final disposition was requested from the War Department and effected by Technical Intelligence Center personnel. Upon completion of the investigation, it was necessary that a report be submitted. To insure its adequacy, the Chief of Service specifically indicated in his orders to the investigating personnel the questions he desired answered. The report was mimeographed and distributed by the Technical Intelligence Center. These reports were eventually transmitted to research and development organizations in America as there was no longer any pressing intelligence need for them. For the most part, Japanese material, while well made at times, used obsolete technology and proved of little value to research and development organizations by comparison to German equipment. By 1946, the U.S. had begun a drawdown of the military and the technical intelligence personnel were also eliminated. The O.S.S. was disbanded and in-effect, the U.S. had no centralized intelligence gathering organization. A small technical intelligence element was retained at Aberdeen Proving Ground but their work was directed toward cataloguing captured material and preparing technical reports on Soviet weapons. They had no mission to train U.S. troops for future conflicts. The Korean War 1950-1954 In June 1950, North Korean troops corssed the border into South Korea. The immediate U.S. response was the dispatch of Task Force Smith. Equipped with the obsolete 2.36" rocket launcher, these troops found out it was no match for the Soviet supplied T34/85 tanks, a fact that technical intelligence had reported in the latter stages of WW II. In haste the new 3.5" rocket launcher, developed after U.S. technical intelligence had analyzed the captured German 8.8 cm rocket launcher, was deployed and began stopping the Soviet made tanks. A small Ordnance T.I. team was deployed to Korea and returned with a captured T34/85 tank. This was put on display in Washington, D.C. and then sent to Detroit for a more detailed analysis. Other Ordnance Technical Intelligence teams were deployed to Korea and were supervised by an Ordnance Technical Intelligence Control team, commanded by Captain Rudi Nottrodt. Captured material was sent to the technical intelligence center in Japan for further shipment back to the U.S. as required. These teams and other technical service teams remained in Korea until the mid 1950's when they were returned to the states and demobilized. Three detachments were kept operational, the 528th at Aberdeen, the 507th at the Detroit Tank Arsenal and the 283rd at the Missile Command in Alabama. Despite having access to large numbers of Soviet designed weapons, these teams did nothing in the way of training U.S. troops for future conflicts. The Vietnam Era 1965 - 1972 In the early stages of the Vietnam conflict, technical intelligence was neglected or handled as an extra duty by someone whose primary interest was elsewhere. Not until 1965, when Gen James McChristian became the MACV J2 did the intelligence organizations in Vietnam began to take shape. In 1962 the Defense Intelligence Agency ahd been established to provide intelligence to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the military services. In 1963 the Foreign Science and Technology center was established with the mission to monitor foreign scientific trends that related to weapons development and to analyze such fielded technology that came into their possession. With the establishment of these two organizations battlefield technical intellience had a receptive audience in Washington which aided greatly in getting Technical Intelligence established in Vietnam. Taking a page from the experience of WWII, a Combined Material Exploitation Center was established in Saigon and five field teams were established. Two teams were sent into the field and three operated from the CMEC in Saigon. D Co/519th M.I. Bn was the basic organization, supplemented by Technical Intelligence Detachments from each technical service. A contingent from the South Vietnamese Army complete the CMEC. The Vietnam era was the first time that large numbers of the new family of Soviet developed small arms fell into U.S. hands. Large quantities of SKS rifles, AK 47 assualt rifles, RPD light machine guns, RPG-2 and RPG-7 anti tank rockets, 106mm, 122mm and 160mm rockets, 82mm and 120mm mortars were but a few of the many new Soviet developed systems that came to the attention of the U.S. intelligence and R & D establishments. By 1972 all the technical intelligence assets had been withdrawn from Vietnam as the war was scaled down and the collection emphasis was shifting to heavier combat weapons captured in the mid east. The significant aspect of the Vietnam era was that it was the culmination of WWII Technical Intelligence. The U. S. M 60 light machine gun was based upon the MG 34, MG 42 and FG 42, the Soviet AK 47 was based upon the MP44, the RPG 2 and RPG 7 were based upon the WW II Panzerfaust anti tank grenades. Almost every item of U.S. and Soviet/Chinese equipment had its origins in WWII weapons and equipment recovered some twenty years earlier. In the post Vietnam era, despite an initial draw down of technical intelligence assets, the unit was reorganized and relocated to Aberdeen Proving Ground. In the wake of several mid-east wars, the National Training Center (NTC) was established at Fort Irwin, CA., complete with two battalions of opposing forces equipped with Soviet designed weapons. Technical intelligence classes were conducted both at Aberdeen Proving Ground and at the NTC. Mobile displays of Soviet developed weapons and equipment were placed on display at varius CONUS installations in the late 1970's and through the 1980's. In 1988 a large complex at Aberdeen Proving Ground was dedicated and now houses the Foreign Material Intelligence Battalion, a permanent part of the U.S. Army. It has recovered many items from places such as Grenada, Panama and most recently Desert Storm. Finally, the Army had learned from the lessons of WW II. THE WILLIAM L. HOWARD ORDNANCE TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE MUSEUM e-mail wlhoward@gte.net Telephone AC 813 585-7756 *********************************************** MOTOROLA/CIA FIELD RADIOS; from Pete McCollum FORWARD, Ever since Pete's excellent interview with ex-CIA instructor Bob Olsen, myself and others have been prodding him for more. The following is from his father who was also a CIA instructor. A couple years ago when Pete mentioned his fathers use of the old Motorola "Dragies Talkies" in training, it began a personal quest for me to learn more of tactical radios that might have been used by the CIA, especially as we already know of most of their logistic, and strategic communications. Of the two radios described here, the first set completely eludes me as to what it was, even with my extensive knowledge of early commercial equipment (that is my business). The radios it could most likely have been derived from became available too late to have been the one used here. It could however have been, and sounds very much like the GE Voice Command. This was a very small set even by todays standards, and the first solid state radio of it's type. It featured 1 watt RF output, two channel capacity, used thumb wheel controls, and most important, had provisions for use of external audio accessories and control. The later would not be included in most radios for many years to come, even in radios twice it's size. The possibility is good enough that this was the radio used, I plan to dig one out of my junk box, clean it up, and put it on display. I'll also send a picture to Pete to see if a visual confirmation can be made. True, Motorola claims credit for the introduction of the first solid state hand held(HT-200) in the mid 1960's, this, as with many other Motorola claims, is bull shit. The second radio is the common Motorola, VHF Highband Dragie that was also adopted by the military as the PRC-61, and in a slightly different configuration by the Coast Guard as the PRC-59. It had a tube type transmitter capable of one watt RF output, and an optional two channel capacity. The receiver in earlier models was highbred, with a tube in the front end, and the rest being solid state. Later model examples have a 100% solid state receiver with operation from 6 volts. Numerous options were available including battery type and size, power supplies and sources, carry or mounting equipment and configurations, etc. Two basic outwardly different physical variants exist, the first uses an internal loud speaker, and external mic, as with that used by Pete's dad, and on the PRC-61. The second, as used on the PRC-59, uses a handset, and has a different stile carry handle, with no built in loud speaker. Oh how I love it when we learn more about these neat old radios, and how they were used. Oh how I hate it when this new knowledge just prompts more questions! Dennis Starks; MILITARY RADIO COLLECTOR/HISTORIAN military-radio-guy@juno.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My parents are visiting this week, so I quizzed my Dad about radio- related stuff: The equipment was used by the CIA's OTR (Office of Training) in the Washington D.C. and northern Virginia area. OTR had facilities in that area that were separate from Langley - they were basically all covert sites. In about 1962 or 1963, they had a small portable radio set as follows: (some of the details are a little fuzzy - Dad was not a commo guy) - A small transceiver, about the size of a pack of cigarettes, with two thumbwheel controls on top - volume and squelch. - Battery pack was separate - worn on the belt. - Mic was worn under the shirt, with a cord around the neck. - PTT button was in your hand, with a cord running up the sleeve. - Hearing-aid style earphone. - Short range - 1/4 mile or less. - Probably made by Motorola. Definitely not military, probably not GE. - Used generally by people on foot (not in cars). In about 1963 or 1964, OTR evaluated and accepted a Motorola Handie- Talkie. The one that I have, which Dad recognized, is an H23-11 hi-band with NU105C2 transmitter. There's a handle on top, and the mic mounts in a fixture at one end of the top, while volume and squelch controls are on the other end next to the SO-239 connector. The mic is about the size and shape of an RS-38, but made of metal. Inside are submini tubes, and a few early transistors. Mine has two channels, selected by a toggle switch, but Dad thought that maybe theirs was single channel. He didn't know if they used hi-band or lo-band, but he thinks the antenna was about 18" long. These HT's were used mostly in cars during training exercises, etc. Range could be up to several miles, but there were problems when they got in the shadow of a building, etc. They had a "base station" at a permanent OTR site (in Rosslyn, for example). When the HT's were out of range of each other, then they would relay messages through the base station (not a repeater, a manual voice relay). They used "government frequencies" that were separate from the ones used by the FBI. Some of the training sessions involved running movie films for the trainees. This required the trainees to use headphones, so that people out in the hallway wouldn't hear things. Plugging in several headsets to the same projector resulted in poor audio, and no individual control over the volume. So, in about 1971 or 72 (I was in about 8th grade then), Dad asked me if I could build some kind of headphone amplifier that could be used by 4 people (at that time, I didn't know where he really worked). I built a prototype using two transistors with 4 output jacks and a volume control for each. The first unit was apparently successful, as Dad later asked me to build 3 more units. Later, OTR got a bunch more units, but they were commercially made. I still have my original pencil-drawn schematic, so I plan to build another one for nostalgia's sake... Not radio-related, but a couple of memories that Dad related last night: Part of Dad's job with OTR was that he was manager of several Agency safehouses that were used as training sites for recruited agents (recruits could not be taken to any of the permanent sites). Dad managed up to 11 safehouses. Most were rented apartments that were used for 6 months or less. One time there was a racial demonstration planned for a certain location, and the FBI asked CIA if they had a safehouse nearby that they could "borrow" for the weekend. The Agency did indeed have an apartment that overlooked the area, but it was against Agency policy to let *anyone* else in. But, Dad told his boss that the safehouse was scheduled to be terminated in a couple of months anyway, so they could just shut it down early. This required approval at the highest levels - the Director of Central Intelligence signed off on it. Dad removed all the Agency stuff, then called the Agency Security guys to come and sweep it for bugs, then they invited the FBI guys to set up. Two guys showed up with suitcases full of radio and surveillance gear. Another time, there was an OTR staff guy called "Pinky" that had come to town for a training operation. In this case, he was spending the night in a safehouse, and other personnel would be arriving the next day. When Bob (the trainer) arrived in the morning, he found Pinky dead on the floor, an apparent heart attack. Bob did *not* put the "OK" signal in the window, thus indicating to the trainee that it was *not* safe to come inside. Bob called Dad, who then called OTR Security, who then called Agency Security. Two security guys came over with a body bag, and one them threw Pinky over his shoulder and carried him down to the parking garage... No coroners, no death reports, etc. Pete mccollum@ssdevo.ENET.dec.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------- On the CIA's web page, I found a list of declassified articles from "Studies in Intelligence". The journal used to be all classified, and available only internal to CIA. Now, they are making certain new articles available on the Web, and they have declassified about 770 articles from past issues. Copies can be ordered from the National Archives for 25 cents a page. I plan to order at least a couple. Searching the list for radio-related stuff, this is what I found!: Adversary Agent Radios : Fauth, James J. : Winter 1966 Agent Radio Operations During World War II : Georgia, Scudder : Winter 1959 U.S. Hunt for Axis Agent Radios, The : Sterling, George E. : Spring 1960 Non-Electronic Agent Communications : D'Echauffour, Gabriel M. : Fall 1969 Yo-Yo Story: An Electronics Analysis Case History, The : Ahern, Charles R. : : Winter 1961 Communications Intelligence and Tsarist Russia : Hammant, Thomas R. : Summer 1978 Early Development of Communications Intelligence, The : Flicke, Wilhelm F. : Winter 1959 Reminiscences of a Communications Agent : Expatriate : Fall 1958 Anatomy of PRM-8 : Goodman, Allen E. : Winter 1977 I have the complete list in text format if anyone would like me to e-mail a copy. Pete ***************************************************** MISSION ACCOMPLISHED; SSTR-1 Found for the Surviving Members of It's R & D Team You all may remember that a few months ago we learned that many of those persons involved in the development of the SSTR-1 were still around. A quest was then started to locate and acquire a specimen of their work to present to them. Headed by Jim Karlow, son of one of these men, with aid whenever possible by a couple members of this group. I'm now most delighted to be able to forward to you all the following message from Jim. Dennis ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Denis - Many thanks for you help on acquiring the SSTR1 !!!! I now have shipped the package, including the receiver, transmitter and power supply along with the accessories papers and manuals to my father for Christmas. I look forward to his reactions and will let you know what he says. To complete the story, your posting was picked up by Bill Howard who put me in touch with Gary Cain who had a set he was willing to part with. Gary was also a great help. He not only had the radio but he found most of the accessories and most importantly operating sheets and manuals describing how to use, field modifications and internal circuitry. The radio arrived at my place last week. On inspection all parts looked great. I added a Discovery Channel videotape of one of his interviews, a box, a card and wrapping paper and off it went. I look forward to hearing from him on the 26th !!!!! All the best ! Jim Karlow ***************************************************** HUMOR; YOU!!! OUT OF THE GENE POOL!!! LICENSE TO STEAL Two Kentucky men tried to pull the front off a cash machine by running a chain from the machine to the bumper of their pickup truck. Instead of pulling the front panel off the machine, though, they pulled the bumper off the truck. They panicked and fled, leaving the chain still attached to the machine, their bumper still attached to the chain, and their license plate still attached to the bumper. IN THE BAG A "tourist," supposedly on a golf holiday, stood in line at the customs counter. While making idle chatter, the customs official thought it odd that the golfer didn't know what a handicap was. The officer then asked the tourist to demonstrate his swing. He did - backwards. A substantial amount of narcotics was found in the golf bag. MADE FOR TV Guns For Hire, an Arizona company specializing in staged gunfights for Western movies, got a call from a 47-year-old woman who wanted to have her husband shot. She was sentenced to four years in jail. DO YOU ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS? A Texan convicted of robbery worked out a deal to pay $9600 in damages rather than serve a two-year prison sentence. For payment, he provided the court a forged check. He got his prison term back, plus eight more years. YOU MEAN ME? A pair of Michigan robbers entered a record shop nervously waving revolvers. The first one shouted, "Nobody move!" When his partner moved, the startled first bandit shot him. DEADHEADS A man in Orange County Municipal Court had been ticketed for driving alone in the carpool lane. He claimed that the four frozen cadavers in the mortuary van he was driving should be counted. The judged ruled that passengers must be alive to qualify. THIS WOULD BE ME The judge called the case of People vs. Steven Lewon Crook. The bailiff opened the door to the holding cell and called, "Crook, come forward." Five of the prisoners entered the courtroom. LEARN YOUR LESSON When asked for her occupation, a woman charged with a traffic violation said she was a schoolteacher. The judge rose from the bench. "Madam, I have waited years for a schoolteacher to appear before this court," he smiled with delight. "Now sit down at that table and write 'I will not pass through a red light' five hundred times." AHH, THAT'S BETTER! A judge in Louisville decided a jury went "a little bit too far" in recommending a sentence of 5,005 years for a man who was convicted of five robberies and a kidnapping. The judge reduced the sentence to 1,001 years. OOPS! I BLEW THAT ONE! A lawyer defending a man accused of burglary tried this creative defense: "My client merely inserted his arm into the window and removed a few trifling articles. His arm is not himself, and I fail to see how you can punish the whole individual for an offense committed by his limb." "Well put," the judge replied. "Using your logic, I sentence the defendant's arm to one year's imprisonment. He can accompany it or not, as he chooses." The defendant smiled. With his lawyer's assistance he detached his artificial limb, laid it on the bench, and walked out. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: FW: Revenge from the little people... (fwd) There was this little guy sitting in a bar, drinking his beer, minding his own business when all of a sudden this great big dude comes in and --WHACK!!--knocks him off the bar stool and onto the floor. The big dude says, "That was a karate chop from Korea." The little guy thinks "GEEZ," but he gets back up on the stool and starts drinking again when all of a sudden --WHACK-- the big dude knocks him down AGAIN and says, "That was a judo chop from Japan." So the little guy has had enough of this... He gets up, brushes himself off and quietly leaves. The little guy is gone for an hour or so when he returned. Without saying a word, he walks up behind the big dude and --WHAM!!!"-- knocks the big dude off his stool, knocking him out cold!!! The little guy looks at the bartender and says, "When he comes to, tell him that's a crowbar from Sears." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONFESSION: An elderly man goes into confession and says to the priest, "Father, I'm 80 years old, married, have four kids and 11 grandchildren, and last night I had an affair. I made love to two 18 year old girls. Both of them. Twice." The priest said: "Well, my son, when was the last time you were in confession?" "Never Father, I'm Jewish." "So then, why are you telling me?" "I'm telling everybody." When finished reading use browser back button or go to http://www.prc68.com/MCGP/MCGP.html