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FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
65-58451-1 Ltr. from Dir to AG 3-11-49
In connection with the Bureau's investigation of Soviet Espionage in the U.S. It has been determined that Martin J. Summerfield, a reported member of the CP [Communist Party], is employed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories, Calif. Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, Calif. He is known to have associated, in the past, with known CP members. His position at the Calif. Tech. Jet Propulsion Laboratories is a most important one. In this position, he has access to top secret military information.
Ser 5 Los Angeles Rept. 5-16-49; Made by [Redacted] Captioned: Martin J. Summerfield, Espionage — R LA File #: 65-4852
Subj. employed as Section Chief in Charge of Rockets and Materials, Jet Propulsion Lab., Calif. Inst. of Tech. Subj. through previous investigation found to be a close associate of [Redacted], known CP member. [Redacted] admitted CP member of the Professional Section of Los Angeles County CP, declared on 3-13-49 that Summerfield attended meetings of this section of the Party with him during 1938-39 but believes Summerfield later dropped out of the Party. No documentary evidence of subjects membership available. No apparent association between subj. and Sidney Weinbaum at the present time. Summerfield left Los Angeles April 9, 1949 for Princeton, NJ. On 9-1-49, he is to be granted a 3 yr. leave of absence from the JPL to go to Princeton, NJ to work under [Redacted] on National Research Council. Project compiling material on all specific info. in the field of jet propulsion. No evidence of esp. activities on part of subj. developed.
Ser 35 LA rept; made by [Redacted] dated 5-2-50
[Redacted] of Pomona, Calif. admits past membership in Professional Unit #122 of CP in Pasadena 1938-1939. States that Summerfield was present at many meetings of this unit during this period and unquestionably knew the Communist character of these meetings. On 1-11-50 John W. Parsons [Jack Parsons],1200 Esplandade St. Redondo Beach, Calif, Physics Dept. of Electronics and Guided Missiles, Hughes Aircraft Co., Culver City, Calif, was interviewed and stated that in 1938 he, [Redacted], Martin Summerfield, and [Redacted] were all engaged in the original rocket research conducted on the Cal Tech Campus. As a result of thus [illegible] scientific association he said, they also mixed socially. It was at one of these social gatherings in 1938 Parsons said that [Redacted] introduced Sidney Weinbaum to the group at his home.
Parsons added that at this time, 1938, Weinbaum strongly advocated the principles of Communism and passed out CP literature at these meetings. Parsons stated that he took an opposite view to that expressed by Weinbaum and as such a breach developed and he did not actually become affiliated with any Communist group.
Parsons stated, however, that he is positive that the subj. definitely knew of the existence of a Communist group on the Caltech campus and likewise that Sidney Weinbaum and [Redacted] definitely expressed pro-Communist beliefs.
It will be recalled that it has been previously [illegible] in this case that at the time [Redacted] was interviewed by agents of this office that he steadfastly maintained that he knew no one whom he even suspected of being a Communist, that he knew of no Communist activity in Pasadena and the Caltech campus and, likewise, that he had never attended any meeting that was Communistic in character.
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