Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency
Encyclopedia
The Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA) was the organization directly responsible for Operation Paperclip
, an OSS
program for capturing and taking Nazi German scientists to the United States at the end of the Second World War
. The JIOA was established in 1945, as a subcommittee of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
of the United States Armed Forces
. The JIOA comprised one representative from each member agency of the JIC, and an operational staff of military intelligence
officers from each military service.
The duties of the JIOA included: administrating the Operation Paperclip policies, compiling dossiers (more than 1,500) about Nazi and foreign scientists, engineers, and technicians, and being the liaison to British Intelligence
officers executing a like scientific intelligence project. It also collected, declassified, and distributed reports about German scientific, technical, and industrial intelligence, and the reports of the Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee (CIOS). Moreover, when the CIOS was disbanded, the JIOA assumed much of its work.
The Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency was disbanded in 1962, after seventeen years of service; most of its Nazi scientist dossiers were transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA). Among the Paperclip dossiers were those of Magnus von Braun
(JIOA dossier RG 330, INSCOM dossier C3001437), Georg Rickhey
, Arthur Rudolph
, and Walter Schreiber
. Yet, the Magnus von Braun dossier is unavailable to the public, because it was excluded from the JIOA documents transferred to the NARA, to wit: “Not included among the dossiers is one for rocket scientist
Wernher von Braun
. It was never transferred to NARA”.
Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip was the Office of Strategic Services program used to recruit the scientists of Nazi Germany for employment by the United States in the aftermath of World War II...
, an OSS
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
program for capturing and taking Nazi German scientists to the United States at the end of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The JIOA was established in 1945, as a subcommittee of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
of the United States Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. The JIOA comprised one representative from each member agency of the JIC, and an operational staff of military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
officers from each military service.
The duties of the JIOA included: administrating the Operation Paperclip policies, compiling dossiers (more than 1,500) about Nazi and foreign scientists, engineers, and technicians, and being the liaison to British Intelligence
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
officers executing a like scientific intelligence project. It also collected, declassified, and distributed reports about German scientific, technical, and industrial intelligence, and the reports of the Combined Intelligence Objectives Subcommittee (CIOS). Moreover, when the CIOS was disbanded, the JIOA assumed much of its work.
The Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency was disbanded in 1962, after seventeen years of service; most of its Nazi scientist dossiers were transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
(NARA). Among the Paperclip dossiers were those of Magnus von Braun
Magnus von Braun
Magnus "Mac" Freiherr von Braun was a German chemical engineer, Luftwaffe aviator, and rocket scientist at Peenemünde, the Mittelwerk, and after emigrating to the United States via Operation Paperclip, at Fort Bliss...
(JIOA dossier RG 330, INSCOM dossier C3001437), Georg Rickhey
Georg Rickhey
Georg Johannes Rickhey was a German engineer and the general director of Mittelwerk GmbH in Dora-Mittelbau.Rickhey, a doctor of engineering, joined the Nazi Party in October 1931 as member number 664,050...
, Arthur Rudolph
Arthur Rudolph
Arthur Louis Hugo Rudolph was a German rocket engineer and member of the Nazi party who played a key role in the development of the V-2 rocket. After World War II he was brought to the United States, subsequently becoming a pioneer of the United States space program. He worked for the U.S...
, and Walter Schreiber
Walter Schreiber
Dr Walter Paul Emil Schreiber was a German military officer and brigadier-general of the Medical Service of the Wehrmacht....
. Yet, the Magnus von Braun dossier is unavailable to the public, because it was excluded from the JIOA documents transferred to the NARA, to wit: “Not included among the dossiers is one for rocket scientist
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
Wernher von Braun
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
. It was never transferred to NARA”.