Security Memo: de Silva to Oppenheimer

- March 9, 1944

MEMORANDUM FOR J. R. OPPENHEIMER:

  1. With regard to the present and future security situations pertaining to Omega Building, the following points are scheduled to be placed into effect prior to 1 April 1944 in the absence of an earlier date being set by you or Mr. Bacher:
    1. The road below Omega Building will be mined and destroyed to render it impassable by any type of vehicle.
    2. The fence will be completed.
    3. The gate down the Canyon from the entrance gate will be locked and the keys will be held in the Guard House at the entrance to the Omega inclosure [sic]. It is not contemplated that anyone but the sentries on duty will have access to these keys, and it is not contemplated that the gate shall be opened except in case of emergency.
    4. The searchlight on top of the Guard Tower will be placed in working condition.
    5. A .30 caliber tripod-mount machine gun will be placed in the searchlight tower, where it will command a field of fire covering Omega Building and the road leading down the Canyon. A sentry will be on duty in the tower at all times, and, during the hours of darkness, will sweep the Omega Area with the searchlight.
    6. A second sentry will be on duty in the Guard House immediately below the tower, and will be armed with a Thompson sub-machine gun, caliber .45.
    7. A third sentry will be on duty, during the hours of darkness, at the main entrance to Omega Building, and will be armed with a Service pistol.
    8. A transmitter and receiver will be installed in the Guard House and tied into the MP radio net.
    9. Efforts will be made to secure a device to parallel the telephone lines down the Canyon wall to Omega, in order to detect any tampering with the telephone lines.
  2. Request your advice if additional security measures are desired by you or Mr. Bacher.

Peer de Silva,
Major, Corps of Engineers
Area Intelligence Officer

Cc - Mr. Bacher
Lt. Col. Ashbridge
Capt. Hughey