HyperWar: MAGIC: Intelligence War in the Pacific Theater of Operations, WWII

MAGIC
The Intelligence War

Key to Abbreviations
SRH - Special Research History SRMA - Discrete Records of Historical Cryptologic Import: U.S. Army SRMD - Discrete Records of Historical Cryptologic Import: Joint Server and/or U.S. Government Cryptologic Agencies. SRMN - Discrete Records of Historical Cryptologic Import: U.S. Navy. A complete collection of unpublished cryptologic documents is located in the records of the National Security Agency (RG-457) at the Textual Reference Branch, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park MD 207400-6001. Contact NARA for copies.

Key to Abbreviations

SRH - Special Research History
SRMA - Discrete Records of Historical Cryptologic Import: U.S. Army
SRMD - Discrete Records of Historical Cryptologic Import: Joint Server and/or U.S. Government Cryptologic Agencies.
SRMN - Discrete Records of Historical Cryptologic Import: U.S. Navy.

A complete collection of unpublished cryptologic documents is located in the records of the National Security Agency (RG-457) at the Textual Reference Branch, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park MD 207400-6001.
Contact NARA for copies.

General Accounts

Safford, Laurance F., "A Brief History of Communications Intelligence in the United States" [SRH-149, 25 pp.]
Friedman, William F., "A Brief History of the Signals Intelligence Service", [SRH-029, 19 pp.] [June 29, 1942]
Friedman, William T., "Expansion of the Signal Intelligence Service from 1930-7 December 1941" [SRH-134, 29 pp.]
U.S. Army Signals Intelligence in World War II: A Documentary History
Presidential Memorandum on Communications Intelligence Activities [SRH-271, 9 pp.]
MAGIC Reports for the Attention of the President, 1943-1944 [SRH-111, 33 pp.]
U.S. Army COMINT Policy: Pearl Harbor to Summer 1942 [SRH-269, 6 pp.]
Army-Navy-FBI COMINT Agreements of 1942 [SRH-270, 5 pp.]
"Historical Review of OP-20-G" [SRH-152, 13 pp.] [17 February 1944]
"U.S. Navy Communication Intelligence Organization, Liaison and Collaboration, 1941-1945" [SRH-197, 44 pp.]
"OP-2-G File on Army-Navy Collaboration, 1931-1945" [SRH-200, Part I, 18 July 1931-31 May 1944, 345 pp.; Part 2, 9 June-11 August 1945, 294 pp.]
"Centralized Control of U.S. Army Signal Intelligence Activities" [SRH-169, 73 pp.] [1945]
"Centralized Control of U.S. Army Signal Intelligence Activities, 30 January 1939-16 April 1945" [SRH-276, 162 pp.]
Handling of ULTRA Within the Military Intelligence Service (MIS), 1941-1943 [SRH-146, 9 pp.] [29 January 1946]
Use of (CX/MSS ULTRA) by the United States War Department. (1943-1945) [SRH-005, 86 pp.]
"Origin, Functions and Problems of the Special Branch, MIS" [SRH-116, 56 pp.] [15 April 1943]
"History of the Special Branch, MIS, War Department, 1942-1944" [SRH-035, 64 pp.]
"History of Special Branch, MIS, June 1944-September 1945" [SRH-117, 12 pp.]
"History of the Intelligence Group, Military Intelligence Service, WDGS Scientific Branch" [SRH-130, 81 pp.]
"History of the Intelligence Group, Military Intelligence Service, WDGS Military Branch" [SRH-131, Part I, 29 pp.; Part II, 226 pp.; Part III, 205 pp.; Part IV, 151 pp.; Part V, 144 pp.; Part VI, 161 pp.] [October 1945]
"History of Military Intelligence Service, WDGS, Reports Unit" [SRH-062, 116 pp.]
"History of the Special Distribution Branch, Military Intelligence Service, WDGS", Part 3, Section 7. [SRH-132, 7 pp.] [January 1946]
"History, Signal Intelligence Division (ETO), June 1942-July 1945" [SRH-357, 235 pp.]
"The Role of Radio Intelligence in the American-Japanese Naval War" [SRH-012; Vol. I Aug. 1941-Jun. 1942, 338 pp.; Vol. II, Jun. 4, 1942-Jul. 16, 1942, 420 pp.; Accretion to Vol. II, 283 pp.; Vol. III, Solomon Islands Campaign, Jul 1. 1942-Aug. 9, 1942, 665 pp.; Vol. IV, Part 1, Solomon Islands Campaign, Aug. 9 1942-Aug. 14, 1942, 383 pp.; Vol. IV, Part 2, Solomon Islands Campaign, Aug. 14, 1942-Aug. 25, 1942, 442 pp.]
"The Role of Communications Intelligence in Submarine Warfare In the Pacific" [SRH-011; Vol. I, Jan. 1943, 198 pp; Vol. II, Feb. 1943, 202 pp.; Vol. III, Mar. 1943, 263 pp; Vol. IV, Apr.-May 1943, 172 pp.; Vol. V, Jun. 1943, 390 pp.,; Vol. VI, Jul. 1943, 362 pp.; Vol. VII, Aug.-Sep. 1943, 444 pp.; Vol. VIII, Oct. 1943, 309 pp.]
Radio Intelligence in World War II, Tactical Operations in the Pacific Ocean Areas, December, 1942 [SRH-136, 715 pp.]
Radio Intelligence in World War II Tactical Operations in the Pacific Ocean Area, February 1943 [SRH-144; Part I, 331 pp.; Part II, 315 pp.]
OP-20-G Radio Intelligence in WWII, Tactical Operations in the Pacific Ocean Areas (Appendix only), March 1943 [SRH-287, 447 pp.]
OP-20-G Radio Intelligence in WWII, Tactical Operations in the Pacific Ocean Areas April 1943 [SRH-288, 518 pp.]
Use and Dissemination of ULTRA in the Southwest Pacific Area, 1943-1945 [SRH-127, 196 pp.]
Reports by U.S. Army Ultra Representatives with Field Commands in the Southwest Pacific, Pacific Ocean and China Burma India Theaters of Operations, 1944-1945 [SRH-032, 89 pp.]
General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area, Military Intelligence Section, General Staff, Special Intelligence Bulletins [SRH-203; Part 1, No. 1-209, 2 May 1943-30 November 1943, 350 pp.; Part 2, No. 210-329, 1 December 1943-31 March 1944, 354 pp.; Part 3, No. 330-390, 1 April 1944-31 May 1944, 187 pp.].
General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area, Military Intelligence Section, G-2, ULTRA Intelligence Bulletins Part 4, No. 391-510, 1 June-30 September 1944, 467 pp.; Part 5, No. 511-599, 1 October-28 December 1944, 427 pp.].
Part 6, GHQ, SWPA, Military Intelligence Section, G-2, ULTRA Intelligence Summaries. No. 1-137, 15 April-29 August 1945, 575 pp.]
Marshall Letter to MacArthur on the Use of ULTRA Intelligence, May 23 1944 and Related Correspondence [SRH-034, 20 pp.]
Radio Intelligence in WWII, Tactical Operations in the Pacific Ocean Areas, January 1943 [SRH-036, 693 pp.]
Notes on the Japanese Theatre Coordination Section, Signal Security Agency, 16 Nov. 1943-25 Feb. 1944 [SRH-060, 111 pp.]

Joint Intelligence Center Pacific Ocean Areas (JICPOA)

Narrative Combat Intelligence Center, Joint Intelligence Center, Pacific Ocean Area [SRH-020, 22 pp.] [8 Nov. 1945]
War Plans Section Comments on Communication Intelligence Summaries, Joint Intelligence Center Pacific Ocean Area (JICPOA), 21 June-2 December 1942 [SRMD-002, 160 pp.]
United States Navy File of SIGTOT Messages From JICPOA Estimates Section to CINCPAC Advanced Headquarters, March-August 1945 [SRMD-005, 519 pp.]
United States Navy File of SIGTOT Messages CINCPAC Advanced Headquarters to JICPOA, Estimates Section, March-August 1945 [SRMD-006, 285 pp.]
JICPOA, Summary of ULTRA Traffic [SRMD-007; Part I, 11 September-31 December 1944,, 332 pp.; Part II, 1 January-31 March 1945, 240 pp.; Part III, 1 April-30 June 194, 254 pp.; Part IV, 1 July-31 August 1945, 145 pp.]
JICPOA, Analysis of Enemy Shipping, Mining and Mine Countermeasures, 15 February-17 August 1945 [SRMD-008, 262 pp.]
JICPOA/F-22 File of Administrative Letters/Correspondence, January 1942-September 1945 [SRMD-009, 449 pp.] Joint Intelligence Center Pacific Ocean Area (JICPOA), Estimate of Enemy Distribution and Intentions [SRMD-010; Part I, April 1943-July 1944, 338 pp.; Part II, August 1944-August 1945, 300 pp.]
JICPOA, Estimate of Japanese Army and Navy Fighter Deployment, 8 Aug 1944-23 April 1945 [SRMD-011, 272 pp.] JICPOA, Enemy Combat Ship Losses, 1 January 1944-1 August 1945 [SRMD-012, 233 pp.]
JICPOA, Japanese Merchant Ship Losses, December 1941-April 1944 [SRMD-013, 112 pp.]
JICPOA, Various Reports and Memoranda on Mining, April 1944-January 1945 [SRMD-014, 53 pp.]
JICPOA, Weekly Location Report, (Japanese Fleet, Air Forces, Ground Forces), July 1942-August 1945 [SRMD-016; Part 1, July-October 1942, 273 pp.; Part 2, November-December 1942, 303 pp.; Part 3, January-March 1943, 446 pp.; Part 4, April-June 1943, 502 pp.; Part 5, July-September 1943, 516 pp.; Part 6, October-December 1943, 569 pp.; Part 7, January-February 1944, 420 pp.; Part 8, March-April 1944, 406 pp.; Part 9, May-June 1944, 403 pp.; Part 10, July-August 1944, 499 pp.; Part 11, September-October 1944, 521 pp.; Part 12, November-December 1944, 491 pp.; Part 13, January-February 1945, 493 pp.; Part 14, March-April 1945, 516 pp.; Part 15, May-June 1945, 531 pp.; Part 16, July-August 1945, 554 pp.]

Pearl Harbor Attack

Pearl Harbor Revisited: United States Navy Communications Intelligence, 1924-1941, by Frederick D. Parker [NSA: CH-E32-94-01]
Certain Aspects of MAGIC in the Cryptological Background of the Various Official Investigations Into the Attack on Pearl Harbor [NSA: SRH-125]
Statement Regarding Winds Message by Captain L.F. Safford, U.S. Navy, Before the Joint Committee on the Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack
Signal Intelligence Disclosures in the Pearl Harbor Investigations [SRH-154, 48 pp.] [1 July 1947]
Comment on Marshall-Dewey Exchange Concerning Pearl Harbor, September 1944 [SRH-043, 15 pp.]
Collection of Papers Related to the "Winds Execute" Message, U.S. Navy, 1945 [SRH-210, 60 pp.] [December 1945]
Interview with Mr. Ralph T. Briggs 13 January 1977, concerning "Winds" message [SRH-051, 18 pp.]
Interrogation of Japanese Concerning Possible Broadcast of the "Winds Execute" Messages, October-November 1945 [SRH-177, 16 pp.]
Study of Pearl Harbor Hearings, Military Intelligence Service, War Department, General Staff, 1947 [SRH-128, 39 pp.]
U.S. Army Investigations into the Handling of Certain Communications Prior to the Attack on Pearl Harbor, 1944-1945 [SRH-115, 387 pp.]
Incidental Exhibits, re: Pearl Harbor Investigation, (MIS WDGS) [SRH-118, 421 pp.] [August 1944]
United States Navy, Director of Naval Communications, Memoranda on the Congressional Investigations of the Attack on Pearl Harbor [SRH-233, 46 pp.] [December 1946]
Pre-Pearl Harbor Japanese Naval Dispatches. [September-4 December 1941] [SRH-406, 186 pp.]
Messages from Various Posts to Tokyo on U.S. Fleet Movements, 1940-1941 [SRH-414, 51 pp.]
Haruna Messages From Various Japanese Offices Abroad Signaling Destruction of Codes, December 1941 [SRH-415, 24 pp.]

Battle of the Coral Sea

A Priceless Advantage: U.S. Navy Communications Intelligence and the Battles of Coral Sea, Midway, and the Aleutians, by Frederick D. Parker [NSA: Center for Cryptologic History]

The Battle of Midway

A Priceless Advantage: U.S. Navy Communications Intelligence and the Battles of Coral Sea, Midway, and the Aleutians, by Frederick D. Parker [NSA: Center for Cryptologic History]
The Role of COMINT in the Battle of Midway, by Henry F. Schorreck [SRH-230]
OP-20-G, File of Memoranda and Reports Relating to the Battle of Midway (May 20 1942 to 30 June 1943) [SRMN-005, 270 pp.]

Okinawa

Analysis of Japanese Air Operations During Okinawa Campaign [SRH-257, 330 pp.] [October 1945]
Effects of B-29 Operations In Support of the Okinawa Campaign, 18 March-22 June 1945 [SRH-054, 16 pp.]

Ending the War

The Problem of the Prolongation of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact, 12 February 1945 [SRH-069, 37 pp.]
Abrogation of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Act, 23 April 1945 [SRH-071, 18 pp.]
MAGIC Diplomatic Extracts, July 1945 [SRH-040, 80 pp.]
Japan's Surrender Manoeuvers, 29 August 1945 [SRH-090, 46 pp.]
Surrender on the Air [SRMA-015, 35 pp.] [19 August 1945]
Japan (Reaction to Defeat and Current Problems), 28 September 1945 [SRH-092, 28 pp.]

Submarine Operations

OP-20-G Radio Intelligence in WWII, Submarine Operations in the Pacific Ocean Areas, November 1943 [SRH-284, 540 pp.]
OP-20-G Radio Intelligence in WWII, Submarine Operations in the Pacific Ocean Areas, December 1943 [SRH-285, 147 pp.]
OP-20-G Radio Intelligence in WWII, Submarine Operations in the Pacific Ocean Areas, January-February 1944 (in part) [SRH-286, 247 pp.]

Japan

Preliminary Report to Pacific Order of Battle Conference, 15 August 1945 [SRH-056, 224 pp.]
Japanese Operations:
- Japanese Surface and Air Operations, 1 January 1942-31 January 1942 [SRH-063, 47 pp.]
- Japanese Surface and Air Operations, 1 February 1942-31 March 1942 [SRH-065, 56 pp.]
- Japanese Submarine Operations, 23 January 1942 to 25 March 1942 [SRH-064, 33 pp.]
Proceedings of the Pacific Order of Battle Conference, 3-19 July 1944 [SRH-097, 133 pp.]
Report of Pacific Order of Battle Conference (Ground Forces), 15-18 August 1945 [SRH-098, 366 pp.]
Japanese Order of Battle Bulletins, Military Intelligence Service [SRH-129, 172 pp.] [March-June 1944]
OCSigO Signal Security Agency, Japanese Order of Battle, First Edition, (15 March 1944) [SRH-173; Part I, 341 pp.; Part II, 428 pp.]
OCSigO Signal Security Agency, Japanese Order of Battle, Second Edition, (31 March 1945 [SRH-174; Part I, 405 pp.; Part II 443 pp.]
OCSigO Signal Security Agency, Japanese Order of Battle, Fourth Edition, (10 October 1944) [SRH-181; Part I, 273 pp.; Part II, 292 pp.; Part III, 323 pp.; Part IV, 223 pp.; Part V, 233 pp.]
OCSigO Signal Security Agency, Japanese Order of Battle, Fifth Edition, (12 January 1945) [SRH-176; Part I, 361 pp.; Part II, 358 pp.; Part III, 315 pp.; Part IV, 316 pp.]
OCSigO Signal Security Agency, Japanese Army Order of Battle Information, 5 October 1943-31 May 1944 [SRH-172; Part I, 5 October-7 December 1943, 410 pp.; Part II, 8 December 1943-25 January 1944, 385 pp.; Part III, 26 January-25 March 1944, 386 pp.; Part IV, 27 March-31 May 1944, 377 pp.]
Signal Security Agency, Japanese Order of Battle, 26 May 1944-31 March 1945 [SRH-175; Part I, 26 May-17 November 1944, 471 pp.; Part II, 18 November 1944-31 March 1945, 473 pp.]
OCSigO Signal Security Agency, Location of Japanese Military Installations, 14 December 1944 [SRH-183, 31 pp.]
Japanese Naval Forces:
- Japanese Ship List "Know Your Enemy", 18 December 1944 [SRH-121, 45 pp.]
- List of Named Japanese Ships [SRH-410, 71 pp.] [WWII--after 3 July 1943]
- A List of Japanese Merchant Ships, First Edition -- July 1944, and First Supplement -- August 1944, OP-20-G [SRH-204, 600 pp.]
- Japanese Army Shipping Organization, 1 March 1945, Military Intelligence Service, War Department [SRH-199, 122 pp.]
- Location of Principal Combat Ships (Japanese), 22 September-29 December 1944 OP-20-G [SRH-202, 17 pp.]
- Estimated Unit Locations of Japanese Navy and Army Air Forces as of 20 July 1945, United States Fleet [SRH-055, 44 pp.]
- Compilation of Intelligence Data, Japanese Submarine Forces (U.S. Navy/British Admiralty Letter), 9 February 1945 [SRH-080, 3 pp.]
- Enemy Combat Ship Losses, 1 August 1945 [SRH-104, 15 pp.]
- A List of Japanese Merchant Ships Second Edition, PSIS 100-1, 1 February 1945 [SRH-158; Part I, Abe M. to Kyu-Urakaze M., 330 pp.; Part II, Lai Hsing to Zyno M. 283 pp.]
- COMINCH, Combat Intelligence Division, File on Hospital Ships, January 12, 1943-April 30, 1945 [SRH-323; Part I, General File, January 12, 1943-April 30, 1945, 192 pp.; Part II, Submarine Patrol Reports Related to Hospital Ships, 305 pp.; Part III, File on Misuse of Hospital Ships by the Japanese Navy, 143 pp.]
- CNO, Pacific Intelligence Section, Allied Claims and Enemy Confirmation of Damage to Japanese Ships (January 1943-September 1945 [SRH-184; [Part I, January-September 1943, 298 pp.; Part II, October-December 1943, 317 pp.; Part III, January-February 1944, 205 pp.; Part IV, March-May 1944, 287 pp.; Part V, June-July 1944, 220 pp.; Part VI, August-October 1944, 464 pp.; Part VII, November-December 1944, 261 pp.; Part VIII, January-February 1945, 202 pp.; Part IX, March-April 1945, 348 pp.; Part X, May-August 1945, 324 pp.]
- Status of Japanese Naval Vessels as of November 1945, CINCPAC/CINCPOA [SRH-265, 96 pp.]
Japanese Air Forces:
- Japanese Army Air Forces Order-of-Battle, 1945 [SRH-258, 361 pp.]
- OP-20-G File of Reports on Japanese Naval Air Order of Battle (World War II) [SRH-259, 101 pp.] [June 1944]
- Special Report by: Joint Army-Navy Committee on the Japanese Air Forces, Estimate of Japanese Air Situation as of 23 June 1945, United States Fleet [SRH-053, 6 pp.]
- Estimated Japanese Aircraft Locations, 15 July 1943-9 August 1945, United States Fleet [SRH-052, 398 pp.]
- Suicide Attack Squadron Organization, July 1945 [SRH-103, 23 pp.]
Japaanee Ground Forces:
- War Department (MID) Military Intelligence Service, Japanese Ground Forces Order of Battle Bulletins [SRH-195; Part I, 7 April-2 June 1945, 405 pp.; Part II, 9 June-11 August 1945, 394 pp.]

Additional Resources

Counter Intelligence Corps History in World War II, Textbook, 1946
A Counterintelligence Reader, Vol. II: Counterintelligence in World War II

Return to HyperWar: Pacific Theater of Operations

Return to HyperWar: World War II on the World Wide Web

Last updated: 14 February 2008

Compiled and formatted by Patrick Clancey

MAGIC The Intelligence War

MAGIC
The Intelligence War