From: Stanton Friedman <fsphys.nul>
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 2004 18:08:37 -0300
Fwd Date: Tue, 05 Oct 2004 08:33:29 -0400
Subject: Re: Authenticity Meters Added To MJ-12 Documents -


>From: Robert Gates <RGates8254.nul>
>To: ufoupdates.nul
>Date: Mon, 4 Oct 2004 02:59:11 EDT
>Subject: Re: Authenticity Meters Added To MJ-12 Documents

>>From: Kyle King <kyleking.nul>
>>To: <ufoupdates.nul>
>>Date: Sun, 3 Oct 2004 20:17:53 -0500
>>Subject: Re: Authenticity Meters Added To MJ-12 Documents

>>>From: Bruce Maccabee <brumac.nul>
>>>To: <ufoupdates.nul>
>>>Date: Sat, 2 Oct 2004 22:48:34 -0400
>>>Subject: Re: Authenticity Meters Added To MJ-12 Documents

>><snip>

>>>It is my understanding that the "examiners" did not number and
>>>record the documents. Their job was to deterine what could be
>>>declassified and what has to be withdrawn (there are numerous
>>>pink withdrawal sheets). The numbering and recording had already
>>>been done by the Air Force before the release. (Stan can correct
>>>me on this if I am wrong.) Note that the tabulation of documents
>>>received by the archives listed every document that the AF
>>>released in this particular record group. However, the reference
>>>to any given document was not descriptive: it might say #
>>>1234567 or something like that. Not very helpful. Hence it was
>>>necessary to actually view each document in a 100% search in
>>>order to determine the content of the documents.

<snip>

>>The semantics of what is an examiner is irrelevant to the point.
>>Someone was tasked with numbering the documents in order for
>>them to be archived. In that process, this document was missed,
>>or it was placed into the box later, after the numbering.

>Having been to the archives myself, I would make the observation
>that not always are documents numbered or indexed. I have seen
>many file boxes with a number of files with only withdrawal
>sheets in them, meaning you could compress all the file folders
>to half or more the size of the box... meaning very loose
>filing. I have seen others that were packed to the gills and
>were almost difficult to remove folders.

<snip>

>Having seen archive boxes I could see how it could get missed.
>As to the authenticity of said document I think Stan has
>provided clear evidence that it appears to be real. Was it
>planted? Did somebody in the AF crew deposit it there? We will
>never really know, no matter how much debate happens on this
>subject.


Right on Robert. Kyle, I gather that you don't have any idea how
the system works, so let me repeat some information that has
been published. I have in front of me a 52 page "Preliminary
Inventory of  the Records of Headquarters United States Air
Force (Record Group 341)". It was compiled in 1963 by The
National Archives. The volume of records is 9787 cubic feet.
(There have been additions since). A total of  480 entries are
listed ranging in size from one inch to 2342 feet.

  The CT memo was found in Box 189 of Entry 267 "Correspondence
and Other Documents Relating to Intelligence Activities Overseas
and in the Continental United States. 1945-54" 42 ft. Entry 268
is "Air Intelligence Reports With Supporting Documents Submitted
by Air Attaches and United States and Foreign Government
Intelligence   Agencies. 1942-53." 659 Ft.

At the Presidential Libraries there tend to be Finder's Aids
which list down to file folder titles making searching far
easier.I seem to recall 11 Aids for the NSC alone.at the
Eisenhower Library

The paper work came in in bulk. In general TOP SECRET Material
was somewhat segregated from Lower classification material.The
Archives staff broke it down into Archive Boxes (Low Acid, flip
top, etc. ) There was no detailed inventory. You want to know
what is there, you have to look at it all. in the subheading.
Obviously an inch thick entry is easier to deal with than one
that is 650 Ft.There is no index.

The declassifiers have a  Classification guide prepared by each
separate group. They have to  go through every document. If a
document must be kept classified, they remove it and put a
Withdrawal sheet in its place. At the Ike sometimes a box may
just have 3 withdrawal sheets each listing 10 or more documents
with very cryptic information such as 2pages, memo, TS, James
Lay to Robert Cutler, July 16, 1954 (See page E8 of my Final
Report on Operation Majestic 12). One requests mandatory
classification review. Typical response time several years ago
was running 2 years. This is the item that proves that James Lay
was taking care of things for Cutler as he had been instructed
to. Nobody had a copy of this item until I got mine, years after
discovery of the CTM.

I should also note yet once again that not all TOP SECRET
documents have TS Register numbers despite the false claims of a
number of people to the contrary. Some are in my Final
ReportAlso recall that Box 189 was first handled by
declassification guys(after sitting around since 1963) about 2
weeks after the death of the last surviving MJ-12 member, Jerome
Hunsaker, in September 1984 and handled again just before being
served to Jaime and Bill in July, 1985. I had discovered during
a trip to Washington, DC, in March of 1985,in conversation with
Archivist Ed Reese, that entry 267 was being classification
reviewed and also that the Senator Russell sighting, thanks to
Bob Todd, had been declassified. I kept checking and was finally
informed in June that they had finished with entry 267. Efforts
much latter to obtain the names of the reservists doing the
declassification were unsuccessful. Remember that the cryptic
messages mentioned Reese and Box 189.

Of course one must also note that Phil Klass paid me $1000. for
proving him wrong about the Pica Typeface by providing more than
10 NSC documents using the same type face, that the GAO did find
documents with the unusual security marking TOP SECRET
RESTRICTED, that the slant red pencil mark through TSR has
special significance, that Lay met with Ike on the date of the
CTM etc etc etc.

Stan Friedman