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14-Q0000 104-10105-10120] 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F_ KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
'UNCLASSIFIED INTERNAL CONFIdENTIAL SECRET
USE ONLY
JUTING AND RECORD SHEJT
ASUnNTG
SUBJECT: (Optional) Ezzxozcund Uzo
@@ Nal @ordue?
FROM:
0AY
EXTENSION NO:
Robert R. Kierce
Chief DATE
Special Security_Unit DDQ 1015 14 Jue_1936
TO: (OfRcor [ dosignation; Ioom number , ara DATE
building) OFFICER'S COMMENTS (Numbor 6och COmmon} to show 6om whom
INITALS 6 whom- Drow lino across column oftot &och]commonl )
RECEIVED FORWARDED
C/ EAB / SSD
3
5
PRIORITY
8
Rorm No:
Dec 5 160
Brevtound
10.
12_
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14_
15_
FORM 610 Use]PRevious IMTERMAL
3-62 EDITIONS SECRET CONFIdENTIAL
USE ONLY
UNCLASSIFIED
@nl
YEZENSE 1993
paberar FOB
HPTROVEds @EXhe4
HSICZICAL
CiA
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CONFIDENTIAL
1 4 JUN 1976
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief , External Activities Branch , SSD
SUBJECT Manus cript by David. Phillips
1. The following passages are a compilation of
observations made by the SSU: regarding Mr Phillips'
manus cript_ The comments are by no means a total list
of reservations conce rning the submitted chapters but
those noted from the perspective of the SSU .
2 _ In . general the undersigned felt somewhat enlight-
ened but rather uncomfortable in reading the submitted
manus cript. This uneasy feeling appears to be based upon
two impressions Throughout the text there is an obvious
effort on the part of Mr _ Phillips to "set the record straight"
with regard to events , techniques and activities involving the
CIA_ Regrettably , as is often the case when one attempts
to clarify and present the real facts there is a possibility
of further compounding
a confused and ambiguous circumstance.
Because of the various ramifications of the activities of the
Agency the SSU gained the feeling that more was lost rather
than won in Mr _ Phillips efforts The second disarming im-
pression is that because an individual has proved to be an
effective and successful CIA operations officer, there is no
clear-cut assurance that he can achieve the same success as an
author_ The SSU was continually pained by Mr . Phillips efforts
to employ certain techniques often seen in spy fictions The
problem with author Phillips is that he is not writing fiction
and has been identified a5 a former CIA employee with over
25 years in intelligence service Although Mr . Phillips
labored to introduce some humor into his manuscript, some of
his anecdotes appear to be in bad taste_
3. The following comments are codified ta complement
those parts of the manus cript reviewed in this reading.
Epilogue
Page 6 : Although Mr Phillips makes a considerable effort
to conceal the true identity of "Abe" there is a question
as to fact that two cables were sent from Head -
quarters
rbetbeckfha
to in 1973 and if this manus cript is the
Proper vehicle to surface such information_
ifprwT CL
ax_Ckelle
'RV 'LCONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
Page 13: Mr _ Colby is quoted the author indicating
certain information revealing complications between
Mr . Colby and Dr _ Kissinger _ In addition to breaching
personal confidences the author contradicts what he had
indicated earlier to be an intent to permit Mr _ Colby to
speak for himself.
Page 14-18 : Mr _ Phillips again refers to "Abe" and
his evaluations of the various congressional select committees
investigating the CIA In effect these comments are suggestive
of Agency judgments and evaluation regarding the conduct and
success of the investigative efforts as well as other person-
alities critical of the Agency _
Chapter 3
Page' 5 : Have the circumstances regarding Mr _ Wisner' s
death ever been surfaced with such particulars as provided
in this text?
Page 14: The information regarding the "laundering of
money" as set forth in the first Paragraphs of this page
serves as a_ confirmation of official involvement in such
activities This should be deleted.
Page 21: There is a serious question raised regarding
the author connecting Ernest Hemmingway and the Havana Chief
of Station implying the prospect of a professional as well as
personal affiliation_
Page 48: If it is in fact correct has it ever been
officiaily acknowledged that a U.S . citizen, a businessman
in Havana implied by the author as being
a CIA agent was
executed? Note : This chapter is replete with
a profusion
of illustrations of tradecraft and operational activities
too numerous to set forth
Chapter 5
Page 1: Mr _ Phillips in his writing provides
a
historical chronology of senior assignments within the Agency
with particular reference to the LA or WH Division _ This is
illustrated on this page in his reference to Colonel
"regaining leadership 0f the WH Division" Anyone interested
in noting the organizational hierarchy and personalities
in the WH or LA Division during the period of Mr Phillips'
tenure with the Agency would be aided considerab ly on page 2
and further as the author proceeds to identify Mr _ Winston
Scott a5 the Chief of Station Mexico.
2
CONFIDENTIAL
by
King
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Page 3: Although it has been: publicly surfaced that
Mr _ William F Buckley had worked for CIA in the past,
the author on this page now ties him in with Howard Hunt
and Mexico City and further as an American contract agent_
The best interests of the Agency_ are not served nor for that
matter the interests of Mr Buckley and Mr Hunt are not
served such revelations
Page 4-6 : The SSU believes it is totally unwise to
have the mission and organization of the Mexico City Station
outlined as explicitly as contained in thes e pages
Page 5-6 : The above observation is further. complicated
by the author' s remarks regarding operations levied against
the Cuban Embassy in Mexico.
Page 8 : The SSU further challenges_ the information set
forth on this page regarding the biographic details of
Mr _ Winston Scott' s assignments in Cuba, @London, Eur Division
and Mexico City. 15-)
Page 15: The undersigned does not believe the content
of the information set forth regarding the Agency' s procedures
associated with the purchasing of scotch liquor_ He is implying
things which may perhaps have been unique to that station but
certainly has not been a worldwide practice_ Mr Phillips'
anecdote about the prospects 0f the Agency printing counterfeit
tax stamps and the details involved in such_planning even
though perhaps pres ented in jest would not be viewed as such
in the eyes of many individuals in the United States today .
Page 16 : Because Philip Agee has revealed the secret of
the camera operation in his book,is it necessary for Mr _ Phillips
to repeat and in effect collaborate what a diseffected employee
of the Agency is purporting? From a friendly alumnus of the
Agency this serves as a verification of Agee ' s statements and
provides a violation of sources and methods of this organization_
Page 18-19 : Pursuing the aspect of sources and methods
the SSU questions the author' s anecdote regarding the identif-
ication and employment techniques of the material "why me"
It would seem that in 50 far as any chemical or technical
devices of this nature used by the Organization should not be
surfaced in a book such as this_
3
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Page 25-27 : The specifics associated with the Cuban
Missle Crisis of 1962 involving former Director John McCone
and others are subject to strong question as to whether they
should be included in this text Again what is provided
by Mr _ Phillips in this manus cript is drawn from such personal
experiences realized in his Agency duties
33-35: The SSU takes exception to the information
presented regarding "walk-ins based upon the same rationale
as contained above It also flirts with the concerns of
sources and methods of this Agency
Page 46 -48 : Al1 remarks conce rning technical operations
such as hidden microphones quick plants
3
etc are out of
order particularly with reference
to the
deveiopmenc
of a
microphohe in the armchair This again violates the Agency ' s
concern regarding sources and methods
Page 55-61: Considerable inside information is provided
regarding Lee Harvey Oswald and his activities in Mexico
The SSU defers to LA Division
9
SE Division and 0S regarding
the advisability of inclusions of this material in this
manus cript_
Chapter_ 7
Page 26 : Although there is a legal basis for the serving
of alcoholic beverages in the DCI dining room , is it appropriate
to include such "tidbits" providing the news media with grist
to conjure up stories of senior CIA executives making critical
decisions following
an alcbholic luncheon This implication
is synonymous with the prob lem of beer being available to the
Secret Service when they are on assignment with the President.
Page 31: Throughout the manuscript the author in his
narration confirms the fact that CIA has stations located around
the world and in his writing procedes to verify the location of
these stations _ The comments relating to where he was ass igned
and where others in the Agency have been or are assigned_ not
only relates to the South America area but on this page the
author confirms the fact that there was a CIA station in
(2-3(Brazzaviile;)
Other than in the change in name there is no
effort made to dispel the prospect that the station continues _
Page 42-44 : Although it is a most timely subject,
information regarding any U.S. Government effort to assassinate
Castro is highly explosive_ Mr _ Phillips is reporting information
which he has privy to as a direct result 0f his Agency exper-
iences _ These should not be contained in this book.
'|ju CONFIDENTIAL
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Page 44 : Although (Camp
8Yary/has
unfortunately been
identified as a CIA facility is it necessary for the author
to reinforce media articles regarding this establishment by
spelling out the cover background. and other "chapter and
verse" items regarding this facility. I believe comments
regarding firearms training, counterterrorism training should
be avoided.
Chapter 8
Page 7 : The author' s remarks concerning CIA support
to the Elbrick kidnapping again is a violation of sources
and methods and should be deleted.
Pages 13-21: It is understandable but regrettable that
the author continues to single out sensitive issues i.e
assassination and in this instance CIA involvement in
Chiie__
The information contained in these pages are volatile and
should not be included in such a commercial venture
such information is liable for quotations out of context
warping or
reinforcing the involvement that the Agency did
have in the political activities of Chile_
Page 25 : For the first time the SSU was made aware of
the daughter of a CIA officer who was stripped naked and held
with a knife at her throat by political assassins . If this
is in fact a true statement I question the value of such an
inclusion in this text
particularly
in light of the terrorism
problems that this Agency and other elements of the U.S_
Government are experiencing around the world.
Page 27 : Th e statement the author makes with regard to
promotion to GS-17 is not correct.
Page 31: I believe that Office of Communications should
be consulted on the entire section felating
to communications
communications personnel and the Office of Communications
howevef, the SSU raises the question con
cerning the inclusion
Of teletype decoding speeds
on this particular page .
Chapter_ 10
Note : Chapter 10 continues in the same vein as a11 of the
other chapters_ It further reinforces the earlier remarks that
the more one tries to explain and clarify a point the more
confus it becomes _ The remarks contained in pages 23 and
24 regarding Chile are illustrative of this _
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4 . In summary , the SSU joins those who feel that this
book would better have been left unwritten It is a text
replete with names details operational information and
close personal vileged inforation based upon the author' s
assignments which has been rendered into a commercial version
of Mr _ Phillips affiliation with this agency for over 25
Years_ This manus cript reinforces the difficulty of au retired
operations officer to. deve lop a non- fiction text which is
attractive to the public but does not contain information
regarding intelligence personalities
)
organization and sources
and methods _
QasRK
Robert R. Kierce
Chief
Special Security Unit, DDO
CONFIDENTIAL
pri-