I DECLASSIFIED - AmhoritYAlell L A June 3 3 was Ey dear Kenning I am returning harawith Ens material gnu sent Ea Admiral W1 113 On Confirming my'talavhone canversatien Admiral Ellissn states that Er Johnaton'a account of his canvaraaticn with the Admiral is auhstantially carrect but not camplata Ybu will recall that in his first statement to Admiral Eillsan which yEu heard Er Johnston maintainad that ha had naithar seen ner capied any paper You will appreciate that WE are very anxious Ea- avnid repaatad emthEiE EEVEn Eheugh the star hag once been pub lished on Eha actual Exiatenca of the precisa in ormation which was quota tharEin Further discusaicn of existence of thia detailed list prior to June End is con idared undEEirablg and it unuld be preferable that Er Jehnaton a atary as a whole be ant published I believe the statement in next Es last paragraph on paga 6 of the encloaure shculd prove guffiaiant If hcwavar ynu canaidar it essential EhaE Er Jnhnaton render suah a public Encount in juatica he himself I have made Eartain suggaationa modification Er his EtaEEmEnt which do not I beliave easentialxy affEct hiE paaition clarity I hava re capied page 8 with the correctiana affactivag Thanking yum Ear rafarring Ehia matter E0 us and truatiag yau may 336 your way clear E0 Edopt my'auggeation of Emitting Erv Jahnstan s statamant halieva ma Vary Sincerexy T 3 Eilkinsan Rsar Admiral U 8 Navy Diractor of Naval Intelligense Er Ar hur Kenning CEICEGQ TREBUEE 81$ Albae Building Waahinv Eton D C 5 law DECLASSIFIED Authority i I I was using the typewriter to clean up my stories and an waving soma aid yapers fram my d k saw a piece af papar with ligh blua lines an which sameona had writtan the names or Japamaa warahipa and lis ed transports at catera under varioua headings I copia lthe names off tha 113% al haugh I was familiar with every 'warship fram James Fighting Ships This publicatien hag baen my'bibla ainme the outbreak of war bacause 0f tha graat impartanca naviaa and conaaquently I am fani1%ar with practically every eapital ship aircraft carrier and aruisar liatad th r in I Abaut that tima the marine ardarly came in t0 infarm ma that Ccmmander Seligman desired mm to pack quickly'and rapwr ta'him on the piar This I did hurriedly aha left the yaper fram whimh I acpiad tha-list f ahips an tha daak where I first faund it myrdesk That nijht 1 axamiaa tha copy'again and typed out a memo to send to my editar just-in cage same neww brake to indicate an attack'by some such farce Naturally I figured thsre wag a aansorahip cara of p blication of nch news I managed ta sacura an a plane rum L03 Angalas to Chicago and buying a paper before laaving laarned that an attack had baan mada on Dutch Harbor This aampared with facta made available fram communiquea iasuad by Admiral Nimita tailing 9f a big battla baing faught near idwny'w latar of ainkings of aircraft carriers damag ta battleships atc I realized that the Ships an tha list rafarred tn aatimatas of the fbrcas nGW'baing uaad by the Japs based-payhapa on submarina observatians Several releases official samiefficial and newspaper Speculation Said had axpacted an attack Th6 f rcea at Eidwny and Butch Harbcr were on the alert having bean warned savaral The fact that sur Navy fbrce ware at saa and in the t9 inhercapt the enemy wag pro f bath ts ma and for that matter far the apaneae also that WE had prior warning of their in anticna Here I pointad Gut to tha Admiral that wa cauld mat have gent out ahips from where they were weeka previuualy'to whare th y intercepted the enemy unleas we staamed faat and to a dafinita position I inai ted that tha anamy'wQuld cartainly not balieve they wara thera by omincidanca cuq LBCC o I 5 DECLASSHHED - AuthorityMM - NAVY DEPARTMENT washington D C August 11 l9h2 I certify that this and attached papers attested with my initials are photostatic copies made under my'direction of documents given to me for the purpose of such photostating by'Rear Admiral T S Wilkinson USN then Director of Naval Intelligence on June 12 l9h2 at about M F Van Deren Coke Ensign USNR I certify that the original from which these papers were photostated was given to me by Vice_Admiral Russell Willson USN at about h 00 P M June 12 l9h2 with the information that it had been very recently re- ceived from the signer Mr Arthur Henning I returned-the original to t Mr Kenning by'messenger the following morning June 13 l9h2 Rear Admiral USN DECLASSIFIED Authority 7 il rilrlt1113 WASHINGTON BUREAU 315 Albee Building V 4 I 1 I You win rind herein Johnston's account or his th' you 9 look '7 I wondered 1 you would A it over and see if it agrees with your recollection Sincerely DECLASSIEIED - - Authority Tribune Chicagn Hold for release Add Handing dead tocome _7 mM ming- mammals at opporttmitymhibh heireque t'ad 'c appear in his cum dafense e'denie s the' 3115th and gives i DECLA-SSIFIED e EA orld War aviator member of ickenbeekez s squadron LI II on familier with information useful to the enemyfg I The thought thet Stanley Johnston would offer inf ome I - I_Iftion to lhe'u'ribune for publication which would be of use to the -I nation enemies ie Just as outrageous I II Johnston who joined the Australian army e1 the age of 14% in the World we who was through the battle of Britein as Ian I I observer for The Tribune who sided Guy Murchie Tribune correspon dent when he and Johnston fell four stories he a Nazi bomb shattered Ia building in hover would Sooner out off his right em then give 1 information te ehemy - II If Recently we Ihev learned that Johnston has been cited bravery under fire in the recent battle of the Core1 sea - Vice- illson has informed us thet the Johnston recent citation I- Ietetes that Johnston laboredxfor days-to keep upeethe morale ofI the-1 fighting- with him in the ICorelI He is also cited we ere II I Ui ni ormed for siding in the rescue of tenfar a dozen men who were I I Ihi neer drowning I 1 I 1 Soon after the battle of Britain Johnston who was at IIthet time an Australien ciuzeh came to the United States an his 3 I way to Anetrelie While here he employment with The Tribuneei that time his name wee submitted to both the naval and military I intelligence by the Tribune Both the sedivisions checked his record abIIroIad and safe him 8 clean record About thi time Johnston receivIIedI- his-final papers as fa United states Citizen The Tribune had every I reason to believe thet helwas a men of fine cherect r epre rience to the cause of the united nations and eti 11 so believes Ill Arm che1r strategists and even ordinArIy cit izens I_ As was DECLA-SSIFIED Authority 1 men and officers of his ship in the battle of ether-Coreilhse gem-ea much infohnst ione After the battle the officers with whom he wAs and more reCently the make up of the Jap which penetrated the northern Pecifie attacked At Dutbh Harbor And leter were so - soundly defeated west or Midway Island closely associAted three of whom bunked with him - often IIdIis- ah j cussed the mAke-np er the enemy forces both in the corel see battle I It is true 111 hAt the mAke-up of me Jep navy its fire power 1 speed etcH hes been And is being discussed everywhere Among naval the case in the World War end as is the cese in All were seilers' ' men and officers th the information concerning the probable names and organizetion of the hp fleet which was engaged off I shipboard did It was es Is result of suICh' with heavy printed elong'wi-th'Admirel Nimitz's'ennouncenen't of the great aAmeriCean vistory in this see fight This is how Ihe'l ribune got the storysoldiers And Airmen think continually of the forces Opposing themI and discuss nossibilities of attack and methods of outwitting endI out A fighting the 311931 - T111818 and his coniredes on- Midway Island ceme into the hands of The Tribune The story was After his thrilling experience in the bettle of the Coral Fee Johnston arrived in west coast port on June 2nd verify date _ II A witness detailed story of 8I see battle which has been told in life-II saving that under navy regul etions to which he was subject as 3 I Correspondent-I _ his stories would news to be trensmitted to the heavy depertment in Washington thru navy channels He would neither He called his paper declered he had the nest fascinating eye-'- time i'hen asked for details he meticulously refused to give any DECLASSIFIED Authority indicate the losses of the enemy nor Wouid he state whether the United States navy had Suffered lessee in the carol see battle nor WOuld he mention the names of ships on either side Which partici- pated in the bottle He was told to proceed to Chicago at once - Once in Chicago he Went to Work Writing the story of the I 1 Coral sea battle in great detail one by one these stor1es Were deposited With the navy department in Washington chief Capta1n Lovett or the navy press relations said the stories Wouid undoubtedly prove a great hoosttc navy morale 7 Beoause the Tribune Was fortunate enough to be the oniy neWspaper to have a correspondent W1 th a naval unit in this battle it Was decided to turn JohnstOn's stories over to all inporant press services so that they might receive the Widest pessible publicity In doing this the Tribune voluntarily relinquished a great newspaper scoop that an eye- witne an account of the bravery the American navy might reach practically every newspop er reader in the United States - I As Johnston wrote his stories in Chi cage he see battle of On Saturday night June 6th came Admiral N1mitz' victory announcement Midway was being fought When Johnston learned of the great g-ctmy he hurried to the desk or the Tribune managing editor - When I arrived in San Diego I wrote you a letter Which I never mailed because I was too busy and did not realize its importance 1d presenting the letter of value now that the victory is won until thi momentJohnston continued 13 1 the best information I have been able to obtain concerning the ship s we have been fighting west or MidWay It shows the tremendous enemy - forces we have 1icked DECLASSIFIED Authority managing editor read the letter - It supplemented the 'facts as disclosed by Adm1ra1 Nimitz and as Johnston se1d en Ihgncad the grestneSs of the American victory Johnston Who had J refused to di s close any detail of the battle of theCoral sea on the telephone presented this information concerning the enemy ships 1 I for publication as a contribution to The Tribune Is rephrt of the I great victory 111 reporting thi 3 information given him by his 7 4 I comrades in the battle of the coral set Johnston believed and still believes that he was aiding the American one so II The Tribune printed it The next mo rning - Sunday The Tribune 7' was notified that the IBureau of Censorship had cited it for viola ting the censorship code I Arthur Sears Henning head of the- Washington bureau of The Tribune made the following reply I In the story in question The Tribune believed it was conforming 7 i to the censorship code in every respect for these reasons The location VIof the enIeIny ships given in the story was no Imo're precise than tint contained in Admiral NimIitzI' conuniques The story loceted the Japanese werships in the vicinity of Dutch Harbor and Midway Island I where they had previously been located by navy communiques The I ViIStory identifies the Warships making up the JapaneSe attecking forces I I A There is nothing in the censorship reguloti ons forbidding the pub-1 2 ff licaticn of the identity of enemy shins wherever engaged The story contains no statement of the location movements 9nd identity A of the U S ships not cent ained in previously published navy com After due consideration he was told by the censor in that 7 his reply was adequate and that the bureau has no fuIrthe ' quarrel 1 with the Tribune in this h werded informstion and Isent Johnston to Washington by airplene 1 N'believed to be the facts concerning the Jsp-nsvy In so deing'it 1of censorshis requesting newspapers hereafter to imputeI no advance navy thus 11n1 effect admitting E st the concerning publication of the story 1 The 1Tr1bune immedistely fer-- 1 11with orders to tell his ent1re Story dete1l by d9t911 1 Th11s1he1 d1d1 111t VicIe- Admiral Willson Gh1ef_0f stafprf Admirel Kine commender 101 111311181 navystory t1ogether 1th the mpnner of1the1r presentation proved 1 Johnston's information came Ifro secre decument belonging to the1 1 nevye1 denied he ever possessed or had seen any such Secret document He sdmitted that from ten to twelve officers of the ship on which he returned to the United States had discussed shoulder with th ese officers had perticipsted in the discussion -the information he geve- The Tribune in the moment cf the Midway Iv1c_tory was not secret but common talk anong navel off111cers not only hisIbost1but throughout the naval service s ervice end it still so believes we DECLASIISIFIED Authority cThe out a supplementary ruleI _j gpi anW16dgeIof the disposition of enemy ships to the United Sts1tes 1 regulations he been insufficient to pre vent such publication a 1 Meanwhile the navy department hed complained to The Tribune Admirsl Willson inSisted that _certe-1n ststemen1t1s in The TTibune_ enemy ships in his cabin made notes of them on his desk sn thet 11 he Who hed juSt been thru 8 five- -dey battle -f1ghting shoulder to and s1so msde notes -of the probable enemy ships He ma intei1ned 111 11n the story in question The Tribune gave its readers what it 1be lieved thst1it was performing 1e patriotic sIct and a journslistic DECLASSIFIED Authority 191 mm Witm To Admiral Willson on June 9 new Johnston his account of the Umh m1ch he came into 11mm possession of the information MW 1 Japanese forces He set down the account in the following statement A1 11 am today I called at the Navy Offi co and saw Admiral A -- Willson and gave him the following explanation 01' how the list of Japanese ships came first into my possession - and the circumstances under which I handed the memo to Mr Loy Maloney Managing Editor of the Tribune After being rescued in the Coral Sea by other warships whon the - Lex went down I was taken together with the other survivors to the island of Tongatabu where we 2 750 - were transferred to two mall transports for passage to the United States -- Naturally these ships were overcrowded and officers were - crowded into the insufficient accomodation- - Occupied a bed in a section which was also occupied by an officer while Connander Seliman occupied a seperate cabin which had fomrly been portion of this suite - in this cabin the Com mender dept and directed the adnini stration of the many duties connected with Lexington affairs a 1 1513 1431-- 3f 1 Because of the overcrowded conditions in all Other cabins 7 and in consequence of their need to be continually in contact with the executive officer my section of the room was always crowded with - senior officers - heads of departments squadron oomanders 7 either waiting to discuss affairs with the Exec or to hand in reports 4 114 Ari- nun us A There was a large table in this cabin and two small desks In the absence of sufficient yeomen aboard the senior officers fre- Iqu ently worked at either this table or one of the desks t I had a large map of the Pacific ocean pinned to the bulkhead above a small desk which stood at the foot of my bed These gentle- men often congregated in front of this map - discussed the various - phases of our recent battles possible Japanese mves - and hoped as for eventual moves by the United States forces 1 11 During the lost two days at see there was a lot of serious 1 discussion between all officers about the impending Japanese invasion attempt in the North Pacif ias sphere It was natural that I would hear tie discusSions 1 7 Ala during the last week aboard Commander W Terry was con- 1 fined to his bed suffering a particularly severe attack of hives All of the doctors and Terry's friends visited him several times 1 i daily and this added considerably to the men who were in the cabin 1 1 Another factor which added to the numbers was the fact that there was no coffee mess on the ship We secured two big vacuum flasks and IE kept them filled with coffee which was served to senior officers 'morning afternoon - and again after dinner be allowed to go ashore until next morning owing to the late hour I The evening we arrived at San Diego I did not expect we would is of arrival r DECLASISIFIED 1 Authority 1 was using the typewriter to clean up my stories and on moving 1 some old papers from my desk saw a piece of paper w1th light blue lines on which someone had written the names of Japanese warships and listed transports etcetera under headings of Striking force - - Occulatien fo ree'1' and support forcen I The large number of ships and their group1ng suggested to me that this evidently referred to something big' I noticed that 1 someone had scratched out several names and written in other names as if trying to straighten out errors 1 - I copied the name off the list - although 1 was fem11iar with - every warship with the exception of 5 ships all of whose names began with C These I assumed were new building which had not yet found their way into Jane's Fighting Ships 1 This publication has been my bible since the outbreak of war because 'of the great importance 1 of world novice and consequently I am fumiliar with practically every capital ship - aircraft carrier and cruiser listed therein 1 About that time the marine orderly came in to 11fo'rm me that Commander Sel igman desired me to pack quickly and report to him on the pier This I did hurriedly and left the paper from which I copied the list of ships on the desk where I first found it my dash That night I examined the copy again and typed out a memo to sendI to my editor Just in case some news broke to indicate an attack by such a force Naturally I figured there was a censorship here which took care of publication of such news I managed to secure accommodation on a plane from Los Angeles to Chicago and buying a paper before leaving learned that an att ck had been made on Dutch Harbor lhis information when compared with facts made available from communiques issued by Admiral Nimitz telling of - a big battle being fought near Midway later of sinkings of aircraft carriers damage to battleships etc I realized that the ships on the list referred to the forces now being used by the Japs Several releases official semioffieial and newspaper specu- 1 lation said We had expected an attack - The forces at Midway and Dutch harbor were on tie alert having been warned several days previously 1 The fact that our navy forces were at sea and in the right 1 place to intercept the enemy was proof both to me and for that matter for the Japanese also - that we had prior warning of their intentions out ships fromr' are they were two weeks previously to where they intercepted the nemy unless we steamed fa st and to a defini t'e - position - J- insisted that the enemy would certainly not believe they were there by coincidence - This I considered rather removed the implication that the pub- lication of the news would be the sole source of information the Japs would have to draw from to get the inference that we by some means were able to see their hand I I Here I poiaed out to the admiral that we could not have sent LAuthoriw m A 7 further explained that I retained the memo in my pocket acme days after arrival in Chicago JJuring the night of rday 13th J saw the grand comunique which set out the list of ships sunk or seriously damaged and suggesting that remnants of the Jap fleet were trying to escape I went ctly to Mr Maloney who was very busy getting out a late ion of- the ribune and told1 him that this was wonderful news - so because of the powerful fo rose and high expectations Leyed by the enemy and their high expectations of invading occupation of some of our territory I showed Mr Meloney the name I had written and suggested that 5 list was undoubtedly the enemy formations employed 7 The reports of fighting which had taken place and complete sence of mention of any further enemy movements around Dutch rbor showed clearly enough that their early very light attack on at area was a faint delit'ered with the hope of misleading as as their real intent-ion A 1 Mr Maloney said he wanted about of a column on story ture1ly I presumed the article would have to go thru swearship when leaving the building - I worked locked in a room separated rem everyone with a special guard to prevent myone entering be- was I was working on the stories dealing with the Coral Sea battle dish was secret until passed by the Navy censors in Wamingmn- - picked up a Tribune and read the article on the front page I did mention to someone that the piece had been put thru the ensors rapidly - was told that we did not have to pass articles tooling with enomy armed forces thru censorship That is all I heard of this matter until told at 9pm Sunday night to take the first available plane to Washington and try to get there by 9 am to meet Admiral King I managed to get aboard a plane which left Chic ago at 10 30 - the airline held it back until I could get to the airfield Because I could not get a flight from New York I had to take a train and arrived here at about 10 30 - taxied direct to the office and told to 9 immediately to the Navy office where I met Mr Kenning in the Press Relations office and we were taken straight to the Adnirals mother a The first realization had that something was brewing was Him informed by Admiral Willson I Naturally I imediately realized that this matter might get some of the men with when I had recently been associated with nto trouble and naturally had a definite desire not to do this had seen these men in battle and have a great admiration both their efficiency and high courage Today I In 1 had opportunity to think over the situation and Frlized that the times we are living in were different to norml ace time living and that the only right thing to do was to assist navy in every way - that is why I have called here now to plain this matteryon k Authority further explained that I retained the name in my pocket some days after arrival in Chicago During the night of uqd'ay 15th I saw the grand communique which set out the 1 ong list of ships sunk or seriously damaged and suggesting that the remnants of the Tap fleet were trying to escape I went directly to Mr Mal-oney who was very busy getting out a late edition of the lribune and told him that this was wonderful news more so because of the powerful forces and high expectations - i employed by the enemy ' and their high expectations of invading and occupation of some of our territOry I I showed Mr Meloney the name I had written and suggested that this list was undoubtedly the enemy formations employedyw I t The reports of fighting which had taken place and complete absence of mention of any further enemy movements around Dutch HarbOr showed clearly enough that their early very light attack on that area was a faint delivered with the hepe of misleading as as to their real intention Mr Maloney said he wanted about 75% of a column on this story naturally I presumed the article would have to go thru cmsorship but when leaving the building -- I worked locked in a room separated from everyone with a special guard to prevent anyone entering be- - - 1- cause I was working on the stories dealing with the Coral Sea battle which was secret until passed by the Navy censors in Washi ngton-_- I picked up a Tribune and read the article on the front page did mention to someone that the piece had been put thru the censors rapidly - was told that we did net have to pass articles dealing with enemy armed forces thru censorship That is all I heard of this matter until told at 9pm Sunday night to take the first available plane to Washington and try to get there by 9 am to meet Admiral King - I managed to get aboard a plane which left Chic ago at 10 39 - the airline held it back until I could get to the airfield Because I could net get a ight from New York Iha'd to take strain and arrived here at about 10 30 - taxied direct to the office and told to immediately to the Navy office where I met Mr Henning in the Press Relations office and we were taken straight to the Admiral's rooms The first realization I had that something was brewing was when informed by Adn'xiral Willson I Naturally I imediately realized that this matter might get some of the men with whom I had recently been associa ted with into trouble and naturally had a definite desire not to do this I had seen these men in battle and have a great admiration both for their efficiency and high courage Today I ha had opportunity to think over the situation and I ealized that the times we are living in were different to norml eace time living and that the only right ning to do was to assist 7 he navy in every way - that is why I have called here now Ito rplain this matter a 47 La - 1 71 I DECLASSIEIED Authority MM UNITED STATES FLEET Q HEADQUARTERS as THE 0mm IN CHIEF NAVY DEPARTMENT D C June ll 194 2 MEMORANDUM FOR MR BIDILE Stanley Johnston was in the status of an authorized correspondent returning from the Coral Sea area in the U S Navy transport Barret The despatch in question was dated 31 May and was received on board that ship that date a 7 Johnston when first questioned insisted that he had put together the substance of his article from general conversatiOn on board the am He' later stated that he had found-the text as written by him in his article on a sheet of plain paper on a desk which he used jointly with some of the senior officers with whom he was quartered He states that he wrete the substance of the article on Saturday last and turned it carer to his managing editor He claims that the headlines and the statement that the information was obtained in' l shington was not his work He admitted that it was not true I 7 Mr Johnston has retumed to Chicago but is holding himself in readiness to return to air RUSSELL Wit LLSON Chief of Staff Viv 9 w w H3                     National Security Archive    Suite 701  Gelman Library  The George Washington University    2130 H Street  NW  Washington  D C  20037    Phone  202 994‐7000  Fax  202 994‐7005  nsarchiv@gwu edu