[ARC5] How Secret Was the ZB/YG System? Not much!

[Mike Hanz]

Interestingly enough, my copy of "Final Instruction Book for AN/ARR-1 
and Navy Model ZB-3 Aircraft radio Homing Adapter Equipment" is 
serialized, marked CONFIDENTIAL, and has a red cover.  The contract date 
is 29 March 1941.....

WA5CAB at cs.com wrote:

>Actually, that isn't totally correct.  Or at least in the stated sense.  The 
>names of the security classifications were changed.  The term "Restricted" was 
>changed to "Confidential".  "Confidential" was changed to "Secret".  And so 
>on up the chain.  Unclassified was added to the bottom of the food chain.  And 
>terms like UNCLAS EFTO and UNCLAS NOFORN came into use.  The declassification 
>process was/is independent of the nomenclature changes.  
>
>In a message dated 3/30/2007 6:31:47 PM Central Standard Time, 
>kk5f at earthlink.net writes: 
>
>>The ZB/YG system was never SECRET...not even close...not even when WWII was 
>>in progress.
>>
>>In the WWII-era, levels of classification in the US Armed Forces ranged from 
>>RESTRICTED to CONFIDENTIAL to SECRET to TOP SECRET.  The classification of 
>>the equipment manuals is an indication of how secret the equipment is.  Before 
>>and even in the midst of WWII, the classification of the ZB-*, AN/ARR-1, and 
>>AN/ARR-2 equipment manuals was only RESTRICTED.  That is a very low level of 
>>classification...even the SCR-*-183 and RU/GF were RESTRICTED.  The homing 
>>decode cards for the ZB/YG system were often at the next higher classification 
>>of CONFIDENTIAL, but only when filled in.  
>>
>>Manuals for WWII USN IFF systems like the AN/APX-1, -2, and -8 were 
>>CONFIDENTIAL, with red covers on the manuals.  
>>
>>After WWII the RESTRICTED classification was eliminated in the US.  Manuals 
>>for the ZB/YG homing system were completely declassified.
>>
>>
>
>Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
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