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    "localId": "269703126",
    "label": "Publication, Office of Naval Intelligence Review",
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    "id": "269703126",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Publication, Office of Naval Intelligence Review",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/269703126",
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{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/269703126",
    "naId": 269703126,
    "levelOfDescription": "item",
    "productionDates": [
        {
            "logicalDate": "1946-06-01",
            "month": 6,
            "year": 1946
        }
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{
    "seq": 21,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602191/750315/750315-27-021.jpg",
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    "ocrText": "ONI Review\nThe Navy's Cable and Radio Censors\nAnother development that proved of immense\nforeign embassies, frequently appeared to have no\nOur Government had well-established means of\ninformation immediately furnished Navy and War\nproper conceptions of security. As an instance in\nassisting our boys to escape from enemy territory\nShipping Administration.\nhelp in merchant ship movement was a system\nworked out between Censorship and the Maritime\npoint, on one occasion such a representative sent\nwhen they were cut off or shot down behind enemy\nThe Office of Naval Intelligence wrote the chief\nan en clair message from North Africa to the War\nlines. A young aviator who failed to return from\ncable censor on December 2, 1943:\nCommission whereby daily movements in the\nRefugee Board in which he discussed the estab-\na mission over enemy territory might well be on\nCaribbean could be reported and discussed over the\n\"Your attention is invited to the consider-\nradio-telephone. Strange as it may seem the\nlishment of refugee camps in North Africa. He\nhis way back to our lines. His family and friends\nable amount of intelligence obtained through\nsystem was amply secure and of course it greatly\nsaid the idea was impracticable because military\nwere concerned. In their desperation they would\ncopies of so-called shipping messages.\npersonnel was being moved out of the area and it\nattempt anything they felt might determine his\nexpedited ship movements in this area.\nIn contrast to this system used by Maritime Com-\nwould be impossible to obtain guards for such\nwhereabouts-whether dead or alive. These\n\"In addition to the routine ship position\nactions were the result of emotional distress and\nmessages, much information is gleaned from\nmission personnel are the radio-telephone calls be-\ncamps.\nwell-intentioned. The intervention of a distressed\ncargo messages which frequently disclose ship\ntween individuals. Not only do shipping firms and\nThe messages of UNRRA through our Depart-\nfather, if he were allowed to make his own in-\nmovements. Bunkering reports not only con-\nbusiness concerns use the over-seas telephone, but\nment of State contained information that could\nquiries, could prove a sentence of death to the son\nfirm ship movements but permit a check to\nfrequently Cabinet and high-ranking executive\nprove harmful to our interests if placed in the\nconcerned. Further, it could involve, and perhaps\ndetermine whether ships take excess supplies.\nofficials, top-flight Army and Navy officers, find it\nwrong hands. This organization wanted full Gov-\nernment privileges of communication-they de-\nresult in the death of those whose duty it was to\nPassenger reports, individual requests for res-\nexpedient to resort to this method of communica-\nsired a private code and did not wish to furnish\nafford assistance. Censorship had to guard the\nervations both aboard ship and at destination,\ntion. High-ranking foreign emissaries and diplo-\ncommunication channels and see that no such\nand sundry messages giving anticipated sail-\nmatic officials use the telephone generously. Many\ncensorship with copies. This request was refused\nof the calls from such persons involve highly im-\non the grounds that it was not such a Government\nerrors were committed. Censorship was not fully\nings are also helpful.\nagency as was entitled to this privilege.\napprised of the system being employed, nor was it\n\"Perhaps the censors in various stations do\nportant and delicate questions. The question of\nfurnished a list of those engaged in this dangerous\nnot realize just how beneficial their work really\nsecurity constantly confronts the telephone censor.\nThe Department of State sent a great many\nwork of rescue. It did not want this information.\nis. The seemingly unimportant and uninter-\nA serious breach might unexpectedly occur at any\nmessages for other Government agencies and de-\nIt was sufficient, without further information, for\nesting message will often tie in with some\nmoment of a conversation. Instances involving\npartments, as well as private business concerns and\nthe agency concerned to say to the head of the\nother bit of information to form a significant\nserious questions of security appeared in telephone\nindividuals. Department codes were used in send-\nCensoring Department that it was important that\npicture. The consideration of your censors\nconversation between high-ranking service person-\ning many of these messages. The Department was\nno messages leave the country in any manner in-\nin apprehending and .forwarding pertinent\nnel. The providing of these individuals with code\nhighly cooperative with Censorship. Such outgo-\nvolving certain persons. In such cases, the in-\nmessages and the close cooperation of your\nidentifications did not materially lessen the hazard.\ning messages were submitted to Censorship before\nformation did not leave. On other occasions, it\nentire section in furnishing us information is\nOfficials would be guilty of indiscretions over the\nbeing paraphrased and encoded. The procedure\nwould be desired that certain identified messages\nhighly appreciated.\"\ntelephone, blurting out statements they probably\nwas reversed on incoming messages. Censorship\nbe released and expedited. The requested action\nThe censorship of ship-to-shore communications\nwould never have put in writing. On one occa-\nhad to be alert in seeing that related private mes-\nwas taken.\nproved an important aid to Navy in reporting ships\nsion, for example, a ranking staff officer turned\nsages did not go through that would compromise\nfrom the telephone to ask someone in his office,\nState communications. However, Censorship had\nSecurity was involved in every message. The\nin distress. Immediately distress calls came in and\nno control over incoming communications until\ninnocent expression about weather; the well-inten-\nlocation and identification of the ship was made,\n\"What is my code name?\" A moment later he\nthey reached the United States. Feeling that\ntioned attempt to \"open code\" exchanges between\nthe information was rushed by teletype to the ap-\nturned back to the telephone and repeated his code\nservicemente and their families; the business com-\npropriate authorities for action. Frequently this\nidentification, thereby, as the cable censor was\nquestions of high security were involved and that,\nmunication involving materials, shipments, financ-\ninformation would be the first received. This sec-\nquick to realize, providing the Germans, at least\nperhaps, some State codes were compromised, Cen-\nsorship sought a conference with the Department\ning; messages designed to aid the movements of\ntion was also valuable in aiding the policing of\ntemporarily, with the code name of one of our\nwhich was attended by representatives of various\nrefugees and displaced persons; activities of pres-\nradio silence.\nmost important staff officers.\nGovernment departments and agencies that used\nsure and resistance groups; exiled governments\nCable censorship maintained a close control over\nOur diplomatic representatives also afforded the\nState facilities. The question was thoroughly dis-\nand officials and citizens of the same; indirect or\nthe communications of interned or detained enemy\ntelephone censor his moments of anxiety. The\nHistory of the Office of Censorship states:\ncussed. State effected, with the help of Navy, a\ncover communications, third parties and enemy\naliens and those identified as having connections\nagents; the whole field of international communi-\nwith them. Such communications were directed\n\"The censors' patience was well tested at\nreorganization of their communications branch and\ntightened up the spots that threatened security.\ncations constantly taxed the alertness of the censor\nto the attention of interested authorities for their\ntimes. One United States diplomat was con-\nand called for sound judgment and intelligent\nevaluation and attention.\nsistently unpleasant; with all the facilities of\nThere were instances when Government mes-\ncode and the diplomatic pouch at his disposal\nsages were filed en clair that contained information\ncomprehension of security questions.\nRefugee communications were a potential source\nclearly involving security. While Censorship did\nShipping messages afforded Navy one of its\nof enemy communication and required great care\nhe insisted on airing what should have been\nnot place a veto upon Government communica-\nmost valuable sources of information in the early\nin censoring. These communications were cen-\nnational secrets on the telephone, and was\nnasty when interrupted.\"\ntions, it did attempt to police them for security\ndays of World War II, when overseas reporting\ntralized for censorship action. Visa applications\npurposes. In such cases the department concerned\nhad not been fully organized. This information\nwere checked against censorship files and back\nOther diplomats, however, were courteous and\nwould be contacted and the suggestion made that\nparticularly related to the use and movement of\ntraffic. This afforded important information for\ncooperative.\nthe message be sent in a more secure way. In-\nAllied merchant ships as well as those of neutral\nuse in considering applications. Passenger lists\nThere were instances of serious indiscretions on\nvariably this suggestion was accepted and in several\ncountries. All messages disclosing information of\nwere likewise checked and pertinent information\nthe part of sundry officials and Government repre-\ninstances appreciation was expressed that Censor-\nthis character were rushed by teletype from dis-\nforwarded for use of boarding parties. Move-\nsentatives. Representatives of the War Refugee\nBoard, with diplomatic status, and attached to our\nship had caught a mistake in time to correct it.\ntrict stations to the chief cable censor and the\nments of displaced persons and dissident groups\nConfidential\nConfidential\n39\n38"
}