PHOTOGRAPHY IN INTELLIGENCE

a task force steals out into the unknown its mission exacting and secret is all part of a much larger story its success depending upon some shrewd conclusions some calculated and evaluated inferences based on the best of information as the battle pattern develops fleet units planes ships and undersea craft join in the uncompromising task a move to [ __ ] the enemy and destroy his means of resistance in cockpits chart rooms and the Conn the array of designated targets reveals the missions real significance and in locating these targets the camera and photographic interpretation have played an important part operations intelligence demands facts facts and more facts about the enemy depending heavily upon information secured by photographs searching for secrets of the enemy's defense and his total war effort photographic interpreters he is - the Navy worked continuously as though on a production line to get at the facts these highly trained officers whose sharp eyes correlate what they see with a wide range of specialized knowledge look for items as small as one one thousandth of a foot in length a machine gun emplacement on the average reconnaissance photograph is often less than one one thousandth of a foot in length sometimes the smallest of strange-looking objects might have a very special significance the p.i skill has turned many an innocent-looking shadow on a maze of photographic detail into a high-priority target very dependable spies are these aerial cameras which furnish the Spade work from which large-scale operational planning will evolve complete and continuous photo coverage therefore must precede and to become an integral part of every operational campaign aerial photography as a means of spying is swift delivering exposures to processing laboratories in forward areas so they may be quickly examined and interpreted for combat units aerial photography also gathers a wide variety of interrelated information on one sortie freezing many facts of enemy defensive and offensive dispositions in single shots facts revealed on this section of an enemy airfield show the hangars the generators the maintenance shop area AAA batteries heavy and light even a decoy plane and some camouflaged ones reconnaissance and photo interpretation of enemy airfields can now deduce the effective enemy strength to such a degree of accuracy that each pilot going in on the mission is assigned his special target good aerial photographs also provide references for increasing the accuracy of older maps Coast lines will be corrected and more accurate topographic data added glaring discrepancies in older maps frequently show up when compared with photo mosaics and amid the pressure of battle this uncompromising photograph aided by sharp interpretation suddenly revealed a nearly completed enemy airstrip neatly but not too completely tucked under the natural cover of palm trees photo reconnaissance can operate around the clock with the aid of the flash bomb pictorial intelligence is carried into the night each of these 50 pound bombs packs an equivalent of 6 million candlepower of light dropping to the desired level it explodes and the glare of light automatically trips the camera shudder night reconnaissance may spot enemy searchlights or AAA batteries from their muzzle flares or cleverly planted decoy fires devised to lure bombers to dummy targets flash photographs will obtain intelligence on enemy night activity such as this picture reveals the fairing of troops in barges concealed along the shore accurate topographic knowledge of the enemy's territory is an essential preliminary to all types of military operations strategic areas must be photographed by systematic mapping procedures flying straight courses at shooting overlapping pictures vertically to the earth surface the map makers obtain photographs which are later laid together in a master mosaic oblique pictures when taken simultaneously with verticals are also used in map construction however when taken as single shots they provide facts on enemy installations strong points and necessary landmarks for an invasion besides mapping requirements photography must assist in solving the enemy's economy actually his power to make war evidence when obtained will be fitted together via intelligence and used to establish other facts in effect it will represent a growing picture of a jigsaw puzzle the picture of the enemy war effort shipping activities when regularly checked by photo reconnaissance will reveal the number and types of ships in port any new arrivals and possible significance most likely cargos and probable destinations the nature and condition of port facilities or phage drydock age and repair status periscope photographs from submarines added a new source of intelligence on shipping namely the disposition of enemy task forces and definite identification of submarine kills rail systems a part of the enemy's lifelines naturally are an item of high priority in attack periodic reconnaissance will disclose the condition and locations of choke points junctions bridges tunnels round houses and repair facilities probable industry served types of products transported in regions of the country accommodated damage and rate of repair then come the enemy's industrial targets producers of his sinews of war some riddles which must be solved here are the kinds of products manufactured how much is produced which are the important structures of the plant and the type of construction the connections of this industry with others in the region what is the flow of the product from start to finish when most of these questions are answered the weapons experts then recommend types of bombs and operation staffs designate the number of planes for the assault damage assessment and repair studies follow close on the heels of a strike and further reconnaissance is required to assess the need of renewed attacks cities large 1 represent another angle of the enemy's industrial economy and intelligence of urban damage presents facts about living conditions of the workers their communication systems water supply light and power services it establishes important information about the enemy's production potential H hour minus 2 and then fibia stopper a chanel draws a deep breath significant to every unit involved in an amphibious mission is the vast amount of graphic material which must be procured interpreted and distributed to those involved [Music] not a man among the thousands who will shell those shores and storm the beaches has ever set foot on that soil yet all who are to have a part in that complicated action will know the terrain almost as well as if they'd trailed an organized cooks tour of the place down in CIC gunnery mosaics with gridded references approach maps and the defense maps assist the gunfire support ships to work their way in and silence the defense batteries [Music] on the chart boards of our planes are the air spot mosaics which locate the land Falls and designate the targets in the combat jackets of infantry platoon leaders toxins and navigators are the reliable beach landing charts details taken directly from most recent photographs depict graphically underwater obstructions the beach gradient a shoreline panoramas basic landmarks the depth of water in landing areas the inland exits for troops and types of vegetation grassy areas orchards or wooded sections adequate for troop cover and for the beach master who must control the traffic and supplies as well as in troops who select supply dumps and keeps troops moving speedily and safely inland for him those facts on the landing chart are in measurably vital terrain models made of rubber proved a very effective briefing tool for all units from the lowliest GI to the uppermost planning staffs they were light and portable well adapted to amphibious needs but best of all they showed the third dimension depth with surprising clarity constant and at times ingenious use was made of rubber terrain models as for instance when on the eve of a historic invasion they were informally substituted for the real thing in a panoramic study of the enemy coastline models such as these are built directly from photo mosaics a method which registers the Manute details of a coastline contour levels and elevations are also derived by photogrammetric methods [Music] and finally the whole terrain its soil rocks and vegetation and water are tended to correspond to authentic color photographs a diversity of photographic assignments in planning and executing an offensive movement might be clarified by observing its function and that of photographic interpretation in an amphibious operation here are assignments of the early planning stages [Music] these aids now function in further planning and for ultimate combat assistance [Music] as the operation proceeds reconnaissance is still essential furnishing intelligence through which all forces ashore and afloat can coordinate their efforts [Music] for thought for the requirements of photographic reconnaissance in an Operations plan is essential to the success of the fundamental mission since the off plan is the master blueprint for a carefully integrated series of operations such a plan will detail the necessary photographic coverage required for intelligent and effective operation of all units in the mission thus far only the combat uses of photography have been cited but there remain other important assignments which arise as part of the long-range problems of security temporary government of mandated territories will require new surveys of land areas and resources intelligence to implement a more permanent and peaceful economy large unsurveyed areas will be mapped and old maps will be revised multiple cameras actually three cameras or more operating in unison will be employed so great is their coverage that 26,000 square miles can be photographed in the short space of three hours pictures in unit multiples all obliques and verticals taken at the same interval are laid together and spotted by photogrammetric methods thus making a mathematically precise mosaic map new industrial and geologic surveys will also require additional reconnaissance far-flung mining resources in oil and metals are now investigated by new devices ingeniously coupled with photographic mapping instruments the airborne magnetometer synchronized with mapping cameras determined speedily and quite cheaply the locations of certain minerals a veritable aerial divining rod for detecting resources then to the ends of the earth our polar regions will be fields for widespread photographic surveys in the south polar continent the exact locations of its elusive land masses shorelines and contours will be the objects of increasing survey while in the north with new and speedier air travel across the Arctic opening intercontinental transportation there will be further need of mapping and exploration photographic reconnaissance has given widespread proof of its value as an agent for providing effective intelligence the airborne camera and interpretation techniques must keep well abreast of threats to peace photography and photographic interpretation will then be resourceful in peace or in war as our first line of defence [Music]