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2015Z 08 June 1967 transmitted message text from
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe to
U.S. Commander-in-Chief, Europe

P 082015Z JUN 67
FM CINCUSNAVEUR
TO USCINCEUR
INFO COMSIXTHFLT
CTF SIX ZERO
BT
C O N F I D E N T I A L
NEWS STORIES SUGGESTING CENSORSHIP IN SIXTHFLT (U)
A. SECDEF DEF 7280 DTG 071957Z JUN 1967 (PASEP)
B. USCINCEUR ECAP 09041 DTG 072340Z JUN 1967 (PASEP)
C. CINCUSNAVEUR 051506Z JUN 1967 (PASEP)
1. REF A INDICATES THAT REPORTS HAVE REACHED DOD
THAT SOME FORM OF CENSORSHIP IS BEING IMPOSED ON
REPORTERS EMBARKED IN SIXTHFLT SHIPS.
2. REF B REQUESTS INFORMATION TO CLARIFY AND
NEUTRALIZE SUGGESTIONS OF ALLEGED CENSORSHIP.
3. REF C PROVIDED PUBLIC AFFAIRS GUIDANCE TO
OFFICIAL NAVY SPOKESMEN IN RESPONDING TO PRESS
QUERIES CONCERNING CONDITIONS OF READINESS OR ALERT
WITHIN SIXTH FLEET.
4. ON 5 JUNE DURING NORMAL MOVEMENT ABOUT THE
SHIP NEWSMEN EMBARKED IN AMERICA OBTAINED INFOR-
MATION WHICH WAS CLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL. SOME OF
THIS WAS INCLUDED IN ORIGINAL DRAFTS OF THEIR COPY
AND THEY WERE REQUESTED TO EDIT THEIR COPY PRIOR
TO FILING. COMCARDIV FOUR, EXERCISING HIS RESPON-
SIBILITY FOR SECURITY AT THE SOURCE, DELAYED TRANS-
MISSION OF THE COPY UNTIL COMSIXTHFLT PAO ARRIVED
BY HELO TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE. THE COPY, AFTER MINOR
CHANGES, WHICH WERE AGREED TO BY THE CORRESPON-
DENTS, WAS THEN TRANSMITTED.
5. THE NEWSMEN ABOARD AMERICA WERE THEN DEBRIEFED.
THEY WERE INFORMED:
   (A) THEIR COPY WOULD CONTINUE TO BE TRANSMITTED
ASHORE VIA NAVY COMMUNICATIONS.
   (B) COPY WHICH CONTAINED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
WHICH CORRESPONDENT CHOSE NOT TO DELETE WOULD
BE ASSIGNED A SECURITY CLASSIFICATION AND FORWARDED
UNEDITED VIA NAVY CIRCUITS TO APPROPRIATE HIGHER AUTHORITY.
   (C) NEWSMEN WHOSE COPY WAS BEING PROCESSED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN PARA
5B ABOVE COULD USE NAVY COMMUNICATIONS TO INFORM
THEIR EMPLOYER THAT A STORY HAD BEEN FILED IN SUCH A MANNER.
6. RESPONSE TO THE REBRIEF INCLUDING THE PROCEDURES
OUTLINED ABOVE WAS FAVORABLE BUT SHEEHAN OF NEW YORK
TIMES AND HORTON OF AP COMPLAINED ABOUT DELAY IN FILING.
7. REPORTS INDICATE THAT SHEEHAN AND HORTON
HAVE CONSISTENTLY FELT THAT ANY SUGGESTED CHANGE
IN TEXT FOR THE SAKE OF ACCURACY IS TANTAMOUNT TO
CENSORSHIP. AS A RESULT SOME OF THEIR COPY AS
TRANSMITTED HAS CONTAINED INACCURACIES.
8. THE CONTENT OF NEWSMENS COPY TRANSMITTED BY
SIXTHFLT SHIPS, INCLUDING HORTON'S STORY OF 6 JUNE
DISCREDIT ANY INFERENCE OR ALLEGATIONS OF NEWS CENSORSHIP.
GP-4
BT

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