Foreign Relations of the United States, 1945–1950, Emergence of the Intelligence Establishment

227. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Hillenkoetter to the Intelligence Advisory Board⁰

Washington, October 10, 1947.

SUBJECT

• The Successor to the Intelligence Advisory Board

1. The Director of Central Intelligence has received inquiries from two members of the former Intelligence Advisory Board requesting clarification of his memorandum of 18 September 1947¹ as it pertains to the Intelligence Advisory Committee. With the thought that there may be uncertainty in the minds of other members of the former Intelligence Advisory Board, the following clarification is being given general distribution.

2. The National Intelligence Authority and the Central Intelligence Group ceased to exist, under the provisions of Section 102 (f) of the National Security Act of 1947, when the Director of Central Intelligence first appointed under Section 102 (a) of that Act took office on 20 September 1947. It is the opinion of this Agency that as of 20 September 1947 the provisions of the President’s letter of 22 January 1946 lapsed and were superseded by those of the National Security Act of 1947. No specific mention of an Intelligence Advisory Board or Committee is included in the National Security Act of 1947.

3. The Director of Central Intelligence desires to continue to have available to him for advice and guidance a body similar to the former Intelligence Advisory Board. The members of the former Board having concurred in that desire, the Director is undertaking to establish a similar body. Positive action must be taken to accomplish this for the reasons set forth in paragraph 2 above.

4. An advisory board, having functions similar to those exercised under paragraph 7 of the President’s letter, can be established under Section 303 (a) of the National Security Act of 1947. This Section authorizes the Director of Central Intelligence to appoint such advisory committees as he may deem necessary to carry out the functions of the agency.

5. Accordingly, the Director of Central Intelligence has submitted a memorandum² to the National Security Council informing it of his desire to create an Intelligence Advisory Committee under the authority granted him by Section 303 (a) of the National Security Act of 1947, to be composed of intelligence representatives of the several departments and requesting the departmental heads who are members of the National Security Council to designate their representatives and authorize their participation.

6. The action of the National Security Council in continuing in full force and effect all directives of the National Intelligence Authority was for the sole purpose of providing for the continued functioning of the Central Intelligence Agency as successor to the Central Intelligence Group.

7. Papers are being prepared for submission to the Intelligence Advisory Committee for its first meeting, setting forth in further detail the proposals contained in paragraphs 6 and 11 of the memorandum of the Director of Central Intelligence, dated 18 September 1947 on the subject “Interdepartmental Coordinating and Planning.”

R.H. Hillenkoetter

Rear Admiral, USN

0. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Records of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research: Lot 62 D 42, IAC. Confidential. Addressed to Armstrong, Chamberlin, Inglis, McDonald, and Gingrich.
1. Document 221.
2. See footnote 1, Document 226.