Admiral Lowrance was awarded the Navy Cross "For extraordinary heroism as commanding officer during a highly successful and aggressive submarine patrol which resulted in the sinking of 11,958 tons of enemy shipping and severe damaging of 10,100 tons" the citation states that the "courage and fearless leadership displayed by him served to steady and inspire the crew on its first war patrol." During he next four patrols, the KINGFISH was credited with the destruction of thousands of tons of enemy shipping and Admiral Lowrance was awarded the Silver Star and Gold Stars in lieu of two additional similar awards. One of the awards stated "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of a United States submarine during an aggressive and successful war patrol in enemy controlled waters. Taking full advantage of every favorable attack opportunity, (he) succeeded in sinking an important amount of Japanese shipping." During this patrol the KINGFISH was so severely damaged that her commanding officer ordered secret and confidential codes burned and all other such material demolished to prevent its falling into enemy hands should she be forced to the surface. After fourteen hours of severe punishment, she emerged and successfully cleared the area, with her attackers only a few thousand yards off." Detached from the KINGFISH in March 1944, he assumed command of the submarine SEADOG upon her commissioning at Portsmouth, New Hampshire in June 1944. Later that year he took the SEADOG to join Submarine Division TWENTY-SIX in the Pacific. After successfully completing two war patrols he was awarded the Bronze Star and cited for "distinguished service as Commanding Officer of the SEADOG during the first war patrol of that vessel from September to November 1944" during this time sinking more than 11,000 tons of enemy shipping. During the period that he was commanding officer of the KINGFISH and SEADOG, he destroyed more than 56 thousand tons of enemy shipping. After being detached from the SEADOG early in 1945, he commanded Submarine Division ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE during the last months of the war. For this period of service Admiral Lowrance was awarded a second Bronze Star Medal. The citation states in part "his outstanding administrative ability and thorough knowledge of submarine warfare resulted in many contributions to the training and overhaul of submarines in his division. These submarines conducted many successful war patrols in enemy waters which culminated in a large amount of enemy shipping being sunk and damaged." He had brief command of Submarine Division SEVENTY-TWO early in 1946 after which he reported to the Bureau of Naval Personnel. In July 1949, he was assigned duty as Reserve Coordinator of the Staff of Commander Submarine Force Atlantic Fleet, and a year later, was designated Commander Submarine Squadron EIGHT. Admiral Lowrance served as Plans Officer on the Staff of Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet from 1951 to 1953, and was under instruction at the National War College from August 1953 to June 1954. A month later he assumed command of the attack transport USS ROCKBRIDGE. In August 1955, he assumed command of the cruiser USS MACON. He was ordered to duty in Washington in September 1956 where he served in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence for Security and later as Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence. Rear Admiral Lowrance was assigned duty as Commander Cruiser Division THREE in December 1958 and in December 1959 assumed command of the Training Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet. In June 1960 he was ordered to duty as Assistant Director of Naval Operations (Intelligence) and Director of Naval Intelligence, Navy Department. In addition to the Navy Cross, the Silver Medal with two Gold Stars, and Bronze Star Medal with Gold Star and Combat "V," Rear Admiral Lowrance has the American Defense Service Medal; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, with one silver star and two bronze stars (seven engagements); the American Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal. His official address is Catawba, North Carolina. He is married to the former Claire Dowden of San Francisco, California. They have a son, Lieutenant (junior grade) Douglas L. Lowrance, U.S. Navy, (Naval Academy Class of 1957). DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS WASHINGTON, D.C. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF COMMANDER HENRY T. HARDENBURG, 148319/USNR COMDR HARDENBURG was born 18 May 1914 at Chautauqua, New York. He was graduated from the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York in 1939 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology. COMDR HARDENBURG has the following dependents: Anita HARDENBURG, wife; Pamela HARDENBURG, daughter (born 17 March 1948) and Nancy HARDENBURG, daughter (born 28 September 1955). COMDR HARDENBURG entered the Navy as an enlisted man in May of 1941 and was commissioned an Ensign on 18 May 1942. His present rank dates from 1 July 1954. COMDR HARDENBURG holds the Navy Commendation Ribbon. The following is a transcript of his duty assignments: May 1941-March 1943__ Office of Naval Intelligence, Washington, D.C. Mar 1943-Feb 1944_____. Feb 1944-Aug 1946_____. August 1946_. Sept 1950-Sept 1953____ Sept 1953-May 1954----. May 1954-Dec 1956---- Intelligence Duties North Africa Intelligence Duties, Central Europe and United Kingdom. Released to inactive duty Recalled to active duty Office of Naval Intelligence, Washington, D.C. Naval Commander Naval Forces, Germany Representative Dec 1956-Oct 1957------ Assistant Naval Attache & Assistant Naval Attache for Oct 1957-Oct 1960------ Assistant District Intelligence Officer for Reserve, Oct 1960-Present----- Senator STENNIS. Gentlemen, if you will please stand, you will be sworn. Do you, and each of you, solemnly swear that your testimony here before this subcommittee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Admiral LOWRANCE. I do. Commander HARDENBURG. I do. LOWRANCE STATEMENT Senator STENNIS. Admiral, I believe you have a prepared state ment. Do you wish to read it? TESTIMONY OF REAR ADM. VERNON L. LOWRANCE, DIRECTOR OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. NAVY; AND COMDR. H. T. HARDENBURG, COUNTERINTELLIGENCE BRANCH, OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. NAVY Admiral LowRANCE. Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, I am Vernon L. Lowrance, rear admiral, U.S. Navy, and I am the Director of Naval Intelligence. It is a privilege to appear before this committee, and I hope that my appearance may contribute something to this important inquiry. CHAIRMAN'S EXPLANATION OF APPOINTMENT Senator STENNIS. Admiral, excuse me. Gentlemen, I have an appointment at 12:30 that I am compelled to meet on an important matter concerning our work here. I am going to ask you to excuse me, Admiral. My absence certainly does not indicate any attitude toward your testimony or that of the commander, either. We customarily run until 1 o'clock. The subcommittee will continue, of course, in my absence. I have already read your statement and will be back, I think, in time to hear most of your examination. If you will excuse me now, gentlemen, I will retire. If that is agreeable with the committee, we will recess until the customary time, 2:30. At that time we will resume the testimony of the gentleman now on the witness stand, and then continue by calling the other witnesses in order, if we can. We will follow the policy hereafter of not only reading the names of the witnesses into the record, but handing out a written list. Senator THURMOND. Thank you very much. Senator STENNIS. I will be back certainly at 2:30. LOWRANCE STATEMENT (RESUMED) Admiral LowRANCE. It is my understanding that the subcommittee is interested in the role played by naval intelligence in helping to neutralize the power thrusts of the international Communists in the field of espionage, sabotage, and subversion. Naval intelligence is responsible for warning appropriate authorities of actual or potential threats to Navy personnel from subversion, to Navy information from espionage, and to Navy material from sabotage. Navy Counterintelligence also provides a wide range of consultative services to those elements of the Department of Defense that are responsible for training service personnel in the principles of liberty, justice, and human rights to which our Nation is dedicated, and providing them with information about the history, aims, methods, and techniques of communism. These include assistance to information and educational program officers in the review of materials prepared on various aspects of international Communist espionage, sabotage, and subversion, as well as in the preparation of critiques on proposed training programs and advice about sources of training materials and speakers. Programs: During the past 16 years, consultative service and technical advice have been offered to the following: 8 (a) DOD Armed Forces information and education programs: (b) Bureau of Naval Personnel with respect to programs covering (1) recruit training; (2) information and education programs carried out in all commands with 50 or more personnel; (3) leadership programs based on SECNAV General Order No. 21 of May 1958; (4) items of interest to library services responsible for stocking ship and station libraries. (c) Naval Intelligence programs through (1) lectures at the U.S. Naval Intelligence School; (2) lectures at the Naval Attaché Indoctrination courses; courses; (5) courses for inactive Naval Intelligence Reserve personnel. (d) Consultative assistance to BuPers regarding officer training programs (1) at the U.S. Naval Academy; (2) for Naval Reserve officers as a whole; (3) at officer schools such as the— a. Naval War College; b. Armed Forces Staff College; c. Marine Corps Schools. (e) Counterintelligence briefings for such special groups as(1) MSTS reservists; (2) Office of Naval Material reservists; (3) Marine Corps reservists; (4) Mobile Construction Battalion reservists. In addition to the above, Navy Counterintelligence provides defensive briefings to all crews of Fleet ballistic missile submarines, to individuals with relatives living in Soviet-bloc countries on whom "hostage" pressure may be exerted and to travellers who plan to visit areas where attempts to compromise them might be anticipated. As early as 1945, Naval Intelligence joined with other members of the Intelligence community in the enormous job of identifying, analyzing, and assessing the worldwide_Communist organizations devoted to subversion and espionage. Even in the early days of that postwar period, it became apparent that in the "Battle for Men's Minds," the Communists had created a new instrumentality for making war, that is, which has been used to carry on the cold war of subversion. Manifested through national and international elements of a centrally directed, monolithic organization, the strategy of the cold war of ideas has been to appeal to all segments of free societies. Using the fear of war and the instruments for making war as well as the universal desire for peace, the Communists have sought to confuse and throw the free world off balance through major programs of agitation and propaganda, to destroy the confidence of free peoples in their leaders, their institutions, and their ideals, and eventually to destroy the fabric of free society. While using the psychological pleasure and pain stimuli against the target populations in the world areas to be subverted, the Communists seek to insure their success through espionage. Consequently, the identification of the individuals and organizations on a worldwide basis who are carrying out subversion and espionage as well as the situations, trends, tactics, techniques, and strategy becomes a formidable task. Since the cold war of subversion is essentially a war of ideas, Naval Intelligence has always considered that knowledge of the ethical, moral, social, and political bases of our free Western heritage is also essential to an understanding of the conflict between freedom and totalitarianism. Accordingly, it has supported, within the limits of its mission and capabilities, the Navy Leadership program, the Navy Information program, and the various schools, seminars, and communications media. However, because of diversification in a free society with respect to the backgrounds, experience, opinions, and ideas of individuals, what may appear to be communistic subversion to one may appear to be perfectly normal to another. The Communists have taken advantage of our freedom of thought in forming front organizations and in entrapping the unwary into participating in activities supporting the Communist movement. Accordingly, it is very difficult to evaluate the extent to which a particular individual may be involved in subversive activities or to characterize an organization or activity in terms of the shade of "grey" it may represent between the absolutes of "black and white." Nevertheless, Naval Intelligence makes available to appropriate command authority all its data concerning inimical or suspected inimical activities in which individuals or organizations may be involved in order to control the quality of the educational and training material prepared for, by, or presented to Navy personnel in the form of seminars, books, and magazines, films, manuscripts, and speeches. Naval Intelligence does not attempt to censor all of this material, nor does it have the capability of doing so. However, it does perform this service throughout the Naval Establishment on a regular basis in accordance with its mission to warn of subversive threats as well as upon command request. Naval Intelligence considers it essential for the body politic to be informed about the subject of international communism. Most of our material in this field is classified. To declassify it would disclose sources and methods to our detriment. Hence, our help in this field is somewhat limited. However, we have consistently referred inquiries for source material from the public to the congressional committees who have produced outstanding documentation on this subject. The reports of the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee covering various aspects of international communism are bought in volume by Naval Intelligence as they become available and are distributed to the field offices of Naval Intelligence throughout the world. This practice has obtained for more than 20 years. Mr. Chairman, that concludes my statement. I would like to make, with your permission, an oral statement. Senator THURMOND. Yes, sir; go right ahead. Admiral LOWRANCE. As a result of preparing myself to appear before this committee, and taking a continuing hard look at the way my organization operates, I have found various places where we can do better and make more efficient use of our Intelligence resources and assets in this field that we are discussing today, and I intend to take them. |