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Naval Intelligence History Project Update

Dudley W. Knox (pictured here) requested transfer to the retired list of the U.S. Navy, seeking to broaden U.S. Navy efforts to engage the American public in understanding the influence of sea power upon history. During the 1920s and 1930s, Knox helped organize historical research and preservation efforts within the Navy Department. In this role, he also remained heavily involved with the Office of Naval Intelligence. Fusing historical research with efforts to meet contemporary challenges, Knox served as a trusted personal adviser to President Franklin. D. Roosevelt.” (Source: CIMSEC)

The 2032 Naval Intelligence History project (NHP) has been making good progress this spring. All 22 chapters have volunteer researchers and writers who have started work on their share of the history.  Many of the researchers and writers are longtime naval intelligence officers and a few are also professors at the Naval War College and the Joint Forces Staff College.         

Following the signing of the twin Memoranda of Agreement (NIP & ONI and ONI & NHHC) in October 2024, the Box Review Team (BRT) of Nels Litsinger, Bob Allen, Dr. Dave Rosenberg and Lynn Wright reviewed all the stored history boxes at ONI and are beginning to process documents for declassification requests. CDR Chris Nelson is helping our new Knowledge Manager, Madelyn Heaston (a Liberty University graduate student) manage the shared drive, which is rapidly being filled with the personal stashes of unclassified or declassified intelligence and cryptologic history (approximately 70 GB so far). It will be an eye watering resource for the entire NHP team and will be available for the NIP membership in the future.

The next steps this summer will be to continue identifying documents for declassification at ONI and getting into the approximately 3000 boxes held at NARA (National Archives) Suitland. George Fedoroff will join the BRT this summer to help identify key documents for declassification requests and serve as a resource for the researchers and writers.     

If you have any questions, please send us a note at nip.project.2032@gmail.com.