Pearl Harbor: The Seeds and Fruits of Infamy - Ludwig von Mises ...

Administration Directed Supplementary Investigations 603
Clarke: Do you know whether or not the Chief of the Counter
Intelligence Group, Col. Bissell, had at his disposal all of
the information and intelligence which was available to the
Intelligence Group?
Smith: I have a vague recollection that some point was brought
up either shortly before Pearl Harbor or possibly afterward
that some sources of Counter Intelligence data were in existence
but not being exploited to the maximum. I think I can
state as a certainty that the Counter Intelligence Branch did
not receive the pouch containing the full Magic material. I do,
however, have a vague recollection that the Far Eastern Branch
had some contacts with the Counter Intelligence Branch on
activities of Japanese agents in this country. 105
Brigadier Colonel John T. Bissell, named by Sadtler and
Spalding as having destroyed documents, was then questioned: 106
Gibson: Gen. Spalding has testifi ed that, among other things
you told him that certain messages had been received, these
messages pertaining to Pearl Harbor and were in the fi les of
G-2 and that you deemed it most necessary to destroy them.
Did you ever make such a statement?
Bissell: No I did not. . . .
Gibson: To your knowledge, while you were connected with
G-2 were ever any records pertaining to Pearl Harbor or anything
else destroyed?
Bissell: Not as far as I know.
Gibson: And once a message was okayed and sent it was
kept?
105 Ibid., pp. 98–99.
106 Ibid., pp. 99–102.