FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Form No. 1

File No.: 65-5131

This Case Originated At: Los Angeles.

Report Made At: Los Angeles.

Date When Made: 1/20/51.

Period For Which Made: 1/3, 8, 9/51.

Report Made By: [Redacted]   BAJ.

Title: JOHN WHITESIDE PARSONS aka Jack Parsons.

Character of Case: ESPIONAGE — IS.

SYNOPSIS OF FACTS:

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, advises present active classification of reports in possession of subject at termination of employment Hughes Aircraft as follows: 3 confidential, 1 restricted, 3 unclassified. Jet Laboratory advises possibility exists all reports could be downgraded to unclassified by Air Forces.

DETAILS:

[Redacted], Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, advised by letter December 29, 1950 that the classification of the seven reports of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the possession of PARSONS at the termination of his employment at Hughes Aircraft are, in the present active sense, as follows:

1. Unclassified.

Air Corps Jet Propulsion Research, GALCIT Project No. 1, Progress Report No. 13 for the AAF MATERIEL CENTER AIRCRAFT LABORATORY: IGNITION STUDIES ON RESTRICTED BURNING SOLID PROPELLANT JET MOTORS, W.E. Johnson, Copy No. 21, classified CONFIDENTIAL, California Institute of Technology, December 28, 1943.

2. Confidential.

Air Corps Jet Propulsion Research Project, GALCIT Project No. 1, Operating Manual No. 1: OPERATING MANUAL FOR THE SOLID PROPELLANT JET UNIT NO. 208, Copy No. 24, Classified CONFIDENTIAL, California Institute of Technology, November 1, 1942.

3. Unclassified.

Air Corps Jet Propulsion Research Project, GALCIT Project No. 1, Progress Report No. 15 for the AAF MATERIAL CENTER, AIRCRAFT LABORATORY: SOME PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF VACUUM MIXED ASPHALT-BASED SOLID PROPELLANTS. E.W. Hough, J. Green and B.H. Sage Copy No. 25, classified CONFIDENTIAL, California Institute of Technology, March 25, 1944.

4. Restricted.

Air Corps Jet Propulsion Research Project, GALCIT Project No. 1, Progress Report No. 15; THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ASPHALT-BASED SOLID PROPELLANT, J.W. Parsons, M.M. Mills, Copy No. 33, classified CONFIDENTIAL, California Institute of Technology, October 16, 1942.

5. Unclassified.

Air Corps Jet Propulsion Research Project, GALCIT Project No. 1, Progress Report No. 12 for the AAF MATERIEL CENTER, AIRCRAFT LABORATORY: PROGRESS REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANUFACTURING FACILITIES FOR PERCHLORATE CHEMICALS, Joseph C. Schumacher, Chief Engineer, Western Electrochemical Co., Copy No. 22, classified CONFIDENTIAL, California Institute of Technology, November 15, 1943.

6. Confidential.

Air Corps Jet Propulsion Research Project, GALCIT Project No. 1, Progress Report No. 9: RESULTS OF FLIGHT TESTS OF THE ERCOUPE AIRPLANT WITH AUXILIARY JET PROPULSION SUPPLIED BY SOLID PROPELLANT JET UNITS, F.J. Malina and J.W. Parsons, Copy No. 42, classified CONFIDENTIAL, California Institute of Technology, September 2, 1941.

7. Confidential.

Air Corps Jet Propulsion Research Project, GALCIT Project No. 1, Progress Report No. 1: REPORT ON THE TESTS OF THE AEROJET XAS-1000 TYPE JET UNITS, M.M. Mills and W.E. Johnson, Copy No. 16, classified CONFIDENTIAL, California Institute of Technology, July 20, 1943.

It is noted that these classification are different, in some cases, than those previously furnished by [Redacted].

[Redacted] advised that in reviewing these reports, it is the considered opinion of the Laboratory that all this material could be downgraded to unclassified. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has no authority to downgrade these documents, however, this authority being vested only in the U.S. Air Forces inasmuch as the research which led to their publication was sponsored by the Air Forces. [Redacted] stated that Items 3, 4, 5 and 6 above were according to their records, delivered to the Aerojet Engineering Corporation for specific use of engineers at that agency. It has been previously reported that PARSONS was formerly employed by Aerojet.

[Redacted], Air Provost Marshal's Office, Los Angeles Air Force Field Procurement Office, 155 West Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, advised on January 9, 1951 that a review of the reports in question by the Air Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.

P E N D I N G

ADMINISTRATIVE PAGE

     For the information of the Cincinnati Office, Hughes Aircraft revealed on December 15, 1950 that subject was in possession of the above listed seven reports from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the time of his termination of employment at Hughes. These documents were turned over to the Los Angeles Office on December 18, 1950.

LEADS:

CINCINNATI OFFICE:

At Dayton, Ohio: Will, through the Air Provost Marshal's Office, Air Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, ascertain of the present classification of the seven reports of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, in question as furnished by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are correct and the name of the individual who can testify as to their classification.

LOS ANGELES OFFICE:

At Los Angeles, California: Will take such further prosecutive action as is directed by the Bureau.

REFERENCE: Report of SA [Redacted], dated January 3, 1951 at Los Angeles.

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