Captain Joseph Finnegan Project Manuscripts: Interview Excerpt and Note on Amelia Earhart

Ae oe Annex Two to Tape #7 Tape #8 MS Tape #9 MS Volume #10 1 UNCLASSIFIED 14 SECRET HVCCO 30 SECRET HVCCO 71 SECRET HvCco Japanese CV losses at MIDWAY Operational use of COMINT in Pacific, particularly YAMAMOTO, Saipan/Tinian, and other events China Clipper, Earhart, Peking, MIDWAY, organiza- tion at FRUPAC, crypto- logic training prior to WIT All other information, some not prepared by CAPT FINNEGAN and some not classified Released pursuant to ODNI memo, dated 1 October 2025, ES 2025-01253: “DECLASSIFICATION OF US GOVERNMENT RECORDS RELATED TO THE DISAPPERANCE OF AMELIA EARHART” and E.O. 13526, Paragraph 3.1(d) it would be today, and very possible, I think that that was the final conclusion. I am sure that a search of the records some place will show the official conclusion as to how she was lost. I would merely guess that it was probably due to operational failure. A: But was there suspicion that the Japanese were at fault? F: ‘There was indeed, because there was a fairly prominent Chinese on board. He could be loosely described as a prosperous "chop suey king" in this country and had a large amount of cash that he was bringing to China to help them in their resistaace to Japanese aggression. Giving rise to some speculation that there could have been sabotage of Japanese origin. A: Do you recall any similar suspicions regarding Amelia Earharts plane? That is, were there suspicions at that time that the Japanese’..? F: No, merely wild opinions that she had been taken care of somewhere or other by the Japanese, at Saipan probably. A: Do you recall, when you were at Pearl Harbor during world War IT, whether these rumors still persisted? F; They've never died. A: Do you recall any intelligence at Cavite regarding Amelia? F: Absolutely nothing. Although the event took place shortly prior to my arrival at Cavite, I am virtually certain I would have learned whether or not there had been any COMINT about it. Holtwick agrees, and he was there at the time of her disappearance, that there was none. A: In 1937 was the Cavite Unit reading traffic between the Japanese officials in the Mandates and Tokyo? Released pursuant to ODNI memo, dated 1 October 2025, ES 2025-01253: “DECLASSIFICATION OF US GOVERNMENT RECORDS RELATED TO THE DISAPPERANCE OF AMELIA EARHART” and E.O. 13526, Paragraph 3.1(d) F: A little. They ignored the termszsof the mandate and simply treated them as parts of the Japanese Empire to be exploited to their heart's content. We were reading some traffic between Tokyo and the Mandates, But the name Earhart never came up. A: Is it likely that Pearl Harbor Unit was also reading some of this traffic? F: More than likely. A: Coming to another subject. Did the U. S. have a COMINT Facility in Peiping, in the late 30s? F: In 1937 I was assigned as interpreter’ to the Naval Attache (Captain Bemis) and the Assistant Naval Attache for Air (then Lieutenant Commander Ofstie). A: What time was this? What year? F: This was the summer of 37. On one trip Captain Bemis took Oftsie and myself to Kuve. We left him there and Ofstie and I went on to Korea to inspect two Japanese Naval Facilities over there. One was the Minor Naval Base of Chinkai and a neighboring Air Station. After we had com- pleted our inspection duties in Korea, Ofstie had further authorization and ordersto proceed to Chefoo, it then being the summer and they had a few Navy Seaplanes based on the JASON, an old collier that had been converted into a seaplane tender. He went over there because one of the terms of agreement before he went to Tokyo, was that he was to be given opportunities to get his required flight hours in his log to qualify him for additional pay, as a Naval aviator. My orders for this trip included about 10 days leave to visit Manchuria and China. I had always wanted Released pursuant to ODNI memo, dated 1 October 2025, ES 2025-01253: “DECLASSIFICATION OF US GOVERNMENT RECORDS RELATED TO THE DISAPPERANCE OF AMELIA EARHART” and E.O. 13526, Paragraph 3.1(d) 4. Amelia Earhart Note 5. Strategic vs Tactical Planning Remarks 6. Realism and National Security "7, ABF and Yamamoto 8. Doolittle Raid Item F. LANGUAGE OFFICER HISTORY IN TOKYO WITH BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL APPENDER. Nog atts ched i * r Released pursuant to ODNI memo, dated 1 October 2025, ES 2025-01253: “DECLASSIFICATION OF US GOVERNMENT RECORDS RELATED TO THE DISAPPERANCE OF AMELIA EARHART” and E.O. 13526, Paragraph 3.1 (d) AMELIA EARHART NOTE The fate of Amelia, like the background of "The Flying Dutchman" has ‘been and will always and recurrently generate "Sunday Supplement" typeof sensational articles. The same old ground gets raked over and over with nothing new coming to light. One wonders where the 22 tons of Japanese yecords removed from Saipan are buried. Most of them were never microfilmed and possibly were never aven scanned by competent personnel. On a purely weight basis alone estimates have been made that with average and practical facilities available that it would take sbout 150 years to translate then. Above mentioned solely because of tha recurrent nature of the topic. Periodically NHD and other government agencies have been and will continue to be harassed by researchers and writers who are seeking to profit by resurrection of the atory. I have been assured, and have some peraonal knowledge that there is not in existence any information bearing on this subject in material to which NHD may not have current access te: Released pursuant to ODNI memo, dated 1 October 2025, ES 2025-01253: “DECLASSIFICATION OF US GOVERNMENT RECORDS RELATED TO THE DISAPPERANCE OF AMELIA EARHART” and E.O. 13526, Paragraph 3.1(d)