Jack Ruby Had a Security Clearance!

[Chris Newton]

Larry,

In the link you posted on the history of TI's radar development there's this nugget concerning 1961:

The concept was the basis of winning a $750,000 U.S. Army contract to develop a radar system to automatically guide a drone aircraft.

http://www.ti.com/corp/docs/company/history/timeline/defense/1950/docs/58-terrain.htm

[Larry Hancock]

There is actually a good deal more background on that, apparently TI first submitted the technology for the Army contract and a good deal of work was done under that, from what I see that dates back to as early as 1958 and its possible that the low level water Gulf flights might have been done for that development, the Army apparently never fielded the missile but TI marketed the tech for a bunch of other contracts and it was used in the F-111 and the Navy A-7. The F-111 was

already under development in the 62-63 time frame. Anyway, TI was marketing it for a number of purposes to the military and some government agencies - which explains the flights out of DC and over the Appalachians.

I've looked extensively into DARPA history and also the history of the Air Force Big Safari program which used custom tech to modify a number of aircraft for special projects - including work on one off, special use aircraft and helicopters for the CIA - but I have not found anything that fits into this.

[Larry Hancock]

If it was indeed Ruby as Jack remembers I suspect its more likely that it was a joy ride....but doesn't Jack say the flight was out of the East Coast and not Dallas, which was one of the reasons he was so surprised to see him? At one time I thought maybe somebody was sneaking Jack on to the flight to make him comfortable with some sort of covert mission but I could never figure out what that might be given the date. Such a flight would have little to do with getting weapons into Cuba but if there was some particular individual that would only go in or out in Jack's company it might make sense....question is who...

[Chris Newton]

Some more background on Joe Truhill

Headline is "Escapees From Brazilian Jail Tell Of Fabulous Diamond Quest" 10/31/66

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2512&dat=19661031&id=JC5IAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dgANAAAAIBAJ&pg=742,8456440&hl=en

more detailed account of the above:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19661101&id=n_kgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cHMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3522,48447&hl=en

Edited September 29, 2016 by Chris Newton

[Guest Rob Caprio]

Maybe the purpose of the flight was to get Jack Ruby with the right people to update them on his work. Sales & marketing could be the cover for the flight, but perhaps the real reason was something else.

Richard Case Nagell said that he was taken to hospitals to update his superiors.

Just a thought.

[Chris Newton]

Sales & marketing could be the cover for the flight, but perhaps the real reason was something else.

Rob, I think Mel Barney, who reported this should reveal some more detail as to what kind of people took these flights, who sponsored them and what they generally did during the flights.

“On September 1, 1961 (see flight test log in Appendix, Flights 144 and 145) Ticknor was the TI Engineer on Flt. 144 and on Flt 145 Barney was the TI Engineer…To fly on these demonstration flights, the observer had to have a U.S. Security Clearance and a ‘Need to Know.’ Jack Ruby had these clearances and I recognized Jack Ruby on Flight 145. I do not know when or how he obtained these clearances which were usually controlled by the FBI or CIA.”

http://jfkcountercoup2.blogspot.com/2013/01/jack-rubys-security-clearance.html

It seems weird to me that the plane is leased to TI and then set up as a flying lab and access control is performed by "FBI or CIA". I'd have assumed that would be the role of TI's internal security coordinated with their customers, either the Army or the Air Force.

[Larry Hancock]

Chris, I had the same problem. I can see test/development flights done under Army contract having some sort of security clearance for observers but I'd think would

come from the Army security folks or from TI itself who obviously had to comply with government security regs as a contractor.

On the other hand, a plane with generic equipment that would be used for marketing and sales flights would be a bit different. TI might still have to comply with

some security regs but it seems to me then the passenger list would just be vetted by TI to make sure the folks are real government customers with the

appropriate clearance that goes with their jobs.

[Chris Newton]

A couple of observations about the posted B26 Flight Record. No conclusions yet - Nothing scientific.

I created this zoomed view to compare the listings and noted the following:

1. Assuming that the individuals who only listed by last name are crew.

2. Ruby is the only non-crewman on entire list with 2 flights

2. Crewman "Cornell" only flies the two flights with Ruby

3. Crewman "Cornell" listed twice on flight #144 (only "mistake" of this sort on document).

4. alignment of typed rows seems a little "off"

5. Flight #145 - the "61" is faded but the "61" above and below are not.

Edited September 30, 2016 by Chris Newton