History of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) Updated: 19 Jul 2008
Source: Compiled from the Dedication Ceremony booklet, National Maritime
Intelligence Center, dated 20 October 1993.
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General Order Number 292
Navy Department, Washington D.C.
23 March 1882
An "Office of Intelligence" is hereby established in the Bureau of Navigation for the
purpose of collecting and recording such naval information as may be useful to the
Department in time of War, as well as in peace.
To facilitate this work, the Department Library will be combined with the "Office
of Intelligence" and placed under the direction of the Chief of the Bureau of
Navigation.
Commanding and all other Officers are directed to avail themselves of all opportunities
which may arise to collect and forward to the "Office of Intelligence" professional
matter likely to servce the object of review.
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Since 1882, the Office of Naval Intelligence has provided the intelligence weapons and
personnel to sustain the preeminence of United States seapower. The basic mission has
remained the same as that posed to ONI's founder, Lieutenant Theodorus B. M. Mason, by
the then-Secretary of the Navy, to collect and record "such information as may be useful
in time of war as well as in peace."
Until World War I, when it took on vastly expanded duties in the field of counter-
intelligence, ONI was primarily a collector, collator, and disseminator of all kinds of
information about foreign intentions and Naval-related capabilities. Immediately after
World War II, ONI became responsible for what is now known as "operational intelligence."
Counter-intelligence continued to be a major ONI function until the establishment of a
separate Naval Investigative Service in 1976. With the formation of the Defense
Intelligence Agency in 1962, much of ONI's responsibility for politico-military
intelligence was transferred to the new, joint-service agency. Operational intelligence
and scientific and technical intelligence continued to grow in importance and scope
within ONI as the threat posed by the Soviet Union continued to expand during the Cold
War era.
Since its inception in 1882, ONI has had many organizational structures and missions.
The past thirty or so years have seen the intelligence missions of ONI become more
established and widely recognized.
The Office of Naval Intelligence was born on 23 March 1882, the brainchild of Lieutenant
Theodorus B. M. Mason. At that time, the U.S. Navy was in danger of becoming a force in
name only. Because advancements in Naval science and technology were not officially
encouraged, the U.S. Navy could not compete with those of Europe, where research into
ship design, construction techniques, propulsion, and weapons resulted in the development
of new concepts that were then applied in support of their navies. In the United States,
any information collected on foreign developments accumulated in the respective Navy
Bureaus, with little or no coordination between them. Conflicting theories and views
abounded; a consensus of opinion was impossible. To correct that situation, Secretary
of the Navy William Hunt created an advisory board to establish uniform positions for
the Navy and its Bureau Chiefs.
LT Mason was an accomplished linguist with an inquisitive mind, and was widely respected
within the Navy. He had travelled throughout Europe observing and recording developments,
and he knew what information was available and how to get it. He believed the Navy
should assign Naval attaches to embassies and legations throughout the world to collect
intelligence on advances in Naval science. He also recommended that a section be created
in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy to assemble, correlate, and distribute reports
on the intelligence gathered.
Secretary Hunt eventually heard and agreed with most of LT Mason's recommendations, and
consequently issued General Order Number 292, and the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI)
was born. With LT Mason at the helm as "Chief Intelligence Officer" as part of the Navy's
Bureau of Navigation, located in a small space in the State, War and Navy Building (now
known as the Executive Office Building). There was a rudimentary collection and processing
system, sound guidance, and enthusiastic leadership, but no formal funding or experienced
staff, just junior officers and "borrowed" clerical support.
In the beginning, the office had difficulty gaining access to foreign information held
by other Navy Bureaus; but Secretary Hunt's successor, William Chandler, facilitated
access by directing the Bureau Chiefs to share their records and information with each
other "without formality." Eventually, the other Bureaus began to recognize the office's
value and even used its information in justifying funds needed for Navy expansion and
modernization.
In addition to reports from Naval officers abroad, the office used foreign publications
and technical literature procured by the Navy Department Library, which was also part of
the Bureau of Navigation. The Navy Hydrography Branch Offices also augmented the office's
files by providing charts, sailing directions, light lists, and other information solicited
from commanding officers of Naval vessels and masters of merchant ships.
In September 1885, the Naval War College was founded in Newport, Rhode Island. The Naval
War College used much of what the office produced as background information for its courses
and to give realism to its classroom work on strategic and tactical problems.
In addition to working with the War College, the office assumed the Navy's war planning
function. That seemed logical at the time, since it was the focal point for information
about foreign forces. Later, the office shared responsibility for planning with the
newly established General Board of the Navy. The arrangement lasted until 1915, when
the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) was established and a separate division
was created to engage in war planning.
On 21 October 1889, the Navy Department Library and War Records Office, headed by Professor
James Soley, transferred to the Office of the Secretary of the Navy. Professor Soley had
always been a strong supporter of the Naval War College, but Commodore Francis Ramsey,
new Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, had been against its establishment. Naval
intelligence was caught in the middle of their opposing views; the conflict was resolved
in 1890 when ONI, along with its Naval attaches, were transferred to the Office
of the Secretary of the Navy and placed under the Assistant Secretary, as originally
recommended by LT Mason.
By January 1893, the office was maintaining records on the navies of Argentina, Austria,
Brazil, Chile, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy,
Japan, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, and Turkey. At the outbreak of the Cuban
Revolution (1895), much of its effort shifted to accumulating information on the Spanish
Navy and coastal defenses. When Theodore Roosevelt became the Assistant Secretary of the
Navy in 1897, he quickly let it be known that he was going to work closely with ONI
personnel. He believed Chief Intelligence Officers should provide advice and assistance
to Department heads, as would Admiralty Board members in England's Royal Navy.
Following the February 1898 sinking of the USS Maine, ONI's Naval attaches in Europe
and commercial agents in Washington became involved in negotiations to purchase ships
and munitions. On 25 April, Congress declared war on Spain, and the next day the office
transferred back to the Bureau of Navigation, which directed the operations of the fleet.
At the same time, the Naval War Board was established to advise the Secretary of the Navy
about the Navy Department's strategic policy. ONI provided information from thier files
about the Spanish fleet and the defense forces of Cuba, Peurto Rico, and the Philippines.
By July, 1898, the ONI staff had been reducted from approximately 12 active duty officers
to a retired Captain, a retired Ensigh, and the usual contingent of borrowed assistants.
This meant that ONI could only handle urgent war-related requests for information.
Routine processing and filing for future use was impossible.
That same year, the office was officially recognized by Congress, when it appropriated
funds to hire five clerks, a translator, an assistant draftsman, and a laborer.
Nevertheless, retention of qualified military and civilian personnel remained a problem.
Prior to 1899, foreign representatives could get virtually any information they wanted
directly from any Naval officer or activity; American attaches did not know what had been
released by Washington. Consequently, the Secretary of the Navy directed that ONI act as
the agency furnishing all official information to attaches or foreign officials. This
increased the workload, but put U.S. Navy attaches in a much better position to negotiate
for necessary information.
In 1903, after 20 years at the State, War and Navy Building, ONI moved to the Mills
Building at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street. During this period, the
"Instructions in Regard to Intelligence Duty" were modified to require the collection and
classification of information on all subjects connected with war, or which could affect
Naval actions or plans; and the office was asked to assist in preparing detailed
contingency plans for afloat and shore operations. In addition to providing intelligence,
the office also began translating foreign documents for the Secretary of the Navy and
Bureaus of the Navy Department.
The Navy underwent a major reorganization in 1909. Four aides were established to advise
the Secretary of the Navy and the heads of the Navy's administrative divisions: Personnel,
Material, Inspections, and Operations of the Fleet (the senior division). The Chief
Intelligence Officer, Captain Charles E. Vreeland, became the "Aide for Operations," and
in 1910, the title of his successor, Captain Templin M. Potts, was changed to "Director
of Naval Intelligence" (DNI).
Just before the outhreak of World War I, ONI relocated to the Navy Building on New
York Avenue. During World War I, the office collected technical information to help
improve fleet capabilities rather than information of an operational nature. When the
post of Chief of Naval Operations (COO) was created in 1915, the office became the
Division of Naval Intelligence, and the Naval Intelligence Service was reorganized to
facilitate obtaining, processing, and filing all possible information from all available
foreign sources. War planning responsibilities were transferred to another division,
but Naval intelligence continued to provide intelligence to planners as required.
Captain Roger Welles, Jr., the head of the Division of Naval Intelligence in 1917 and
throughout the remainder of the war, was later promoted to Rear Admiral while in office,
the first flag officer to fill the post of DNI. During World War I, a major responsibility
was added to the roster of tasks that ultimately came to make up 90 percent of the
office's efforts: security. Working through the growing network of Naval District
Intelligence Offices and primarily using Naval Reserve personnel, Naval Intelligence
took responsibility for all aspects of security, from war materials plant protection,
to security checks on Navy personnel, censorship, and ferreting out spies and saboteurs.
Ships arriving from foreign countries were inspected, investigations were made of anyone
deemed suspicious, and shipyards and munitions factories were supervised and advised on
security procedures. The many personnel involved in these activities returned to their
civilian pursuits after the war, but the Naval District Intelligence Offices retained
their counter-intelligence functions and served as the nucleus from which a similar
counter-intelligence effort grew during World War II. By the time the Armistice was
signed in 1918, there were 306 Naval Reservists and 18 civil service employees in Naval
Intelligence.
After the war, activities were reduced but policies did not change. The office produced
reports that reflected world conditions, summarized the needs of the Naval Intelligence
Service, and continued to provide valuable intelligence. It also became involved in the
exploitation of Japanese communications. However, there was a lack of organization,
funds, and personnel during the 1920s, that made it almost impossible to meet the Navy's
intelligence requirements.
By the late 1920s, the office was providing intelligence to several executive departments
and Navy Department bureaus. It published classified information for Navy use, provided
liaison with foreign officers, performed public relations duties for the entire Navy,
and still collected, classified, and filed old records. It also worked with the Army's
Military Intelligence Division and other executive departments, to obtain useful
information about foreign governments (social, political, economic, industrial
conditions, etc.). This information was used by the President and Congress when
considering appropriation bills and by American delegates to the many international
conferences on Naval arms limitations.
>From the outset, there had been a recurring argument from some in the military community
who believed that the evaluation of information was not an "intelligence" function.
However, in 1929, the CNO's Statement of Functions made it clear that the office's
primary duty was to collect, evaluate, and disseminate intelligence. This codified a
critical concept: information must be evaluated before it becomes intelligence.
The years preceding World War II were filled with change. Funding dwindled while the
workload increased; there were always questions about whether the value of information
obtained by Navy attaches warranted the cost of maintaining offices in the countries
to which they were posted. Lack of personnel remained a major problem.
In 1939, Rear Admiral Walter Anderson became the DNI. Anticipating the outbreak of
war in Europe, he established a section to keep track of the world's merchant shipping
routes, a strategic information center to gather and furnish information on request,
and a secret intelligence section to handle confidential agents. He also initiated
training of officers for censorship duties. The Foreign Intelligence Branch was divided
into sections that covered the British Empire; the Near and Far East; Western, Central,
and Eastern Europe; the Balkans; Latin America; and Enemy Trade. In 1941, the Branch was
expanded by three sections: Special Intelligence, Statistical, and Strategic Information;
Enemy Trade was renamed Foreign Trade.
There were four different DNIs in the year prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Rear
Admiral Anderson left for a battleship command. Captain Jules James, Acting DNI, was
replaced by Captain Alan Kirk, who later took a command at sea. Rear Admiral Theodore
Wilkinson assumed the post in October, and was still DNI on 7 December 1941. He had
never before served in an intelligence billet.
The DNI and the Director of Communications disagreed over who should control dissemination
of communications-derived intelligence; the transcript of the Japanese Navy operational
code was broken by the Office of Naval Communications, but the translation work was done
by intelligence linguists. The conflict was resolved in the DNI's favor.
The attempts to turn Naval Intelligence into a mere collection agency had serious
consequences that were not acknowledged by the CNO's War Plans Division in 1941. A
significant gap in the Navy's readiness existed, because there was no organization devoted
solely to collecting, correlating, and evaluating all available intelligence. Those who
wondered who was to blame for Japan's success, did not seem to recognize that Japan had
successfully covered its preparation and movement of forces positioning for the attack
on Pearl Harbor. The U.S. high command could not believe that Japan would attack Pearl
Harbor; therefore, all intelligence reports were evaluated accordingly.
While facing increasing intelligence requirements, the office experienced another major
reorganization in March 1943, and the Assistant DNI's title was changed to Deputy Director.
A new organization, the North American Desk, was created to oversee intelligence collection
within the entire United States. This tapped valuable information on foreign countries,
and the office initiated a list of sources in each Naval District. The Operational
Intelligence Section was created but only existed for a few months, because most senior
officers felt that no organization should devote itself to producing intelligence for
one type of customer.
Submarines played a major role during World War I, and during World War II, their
importance became even more obvious to both sides. The Navy's first wartime periscope
photo reconnaissance mission was conducted by the USS Nautilus (SS-168) in September
1943, prior to U.S. forces landing on Tarawa. Submarines also supported coast watchers
and guerrilla forces in the Philippines, providing personnel, equipment, and other
supplies as needed. ONI-produced radio propaganda broadcasts, intended to undermine
enemy morale, were aimed primarily at German submarine crews and proved effective.
The invasion of Europe and the capture of more islands in the Pacific resulted in an
increase in the volume and quality of documentary intelligence. Intelligence teams went
ashore with initial landing parties to gather documents and equipment of intelligence
value. A vast amount of information was returned to the United States for evaluation,
and ONI took over the Washington Document Center, a central agency for handling
captured Japanese documents.
In January 1944, ONI assumed control of the Photographic Interpretation Center from the
Deputy CNO's Air Intelligence Group. February, 1945 saw the creation of the Naval
Photographic Intelligence Center (NPIC). The Photographic Interpretation Center conducted
technical research, interpretation research, and industrial studies, and produced graphic
presentations and terrain models. The needs of the fleet were determined through
consultations with operating units, and information was disseminated in the form which
most nearly conformed to fleet unit requirements.
Immediately after the war, the CNO was reorganized; and the DNI was titled Chief of Naval
Intelligence, heading the Office of Naval Intelligence.
Although Naval intelligence had existed since 1882, a delineation of its duties or
relation to the rest of the Navy had never been part of the Navy Regulations. This
oversight was remedied in 1946, and new provisions were implemented. The CNO recommended
the integration of intelligence activities of the Marine Corps and Navy Department to
include all aspects of Naval intelligence, especially the development of plans and
doctrine for amphibious operational intelligence, assignment and intelligence training of
regular Marine Corps officers, and procurement and training of Marine Corps Reserve
officers as intelligence specialists.
In August 1946, ONI was shifted to the Operations Division of OPNAV and absorbed
the Operations Chartroom, which became the Operations Intelligence Branch. ONI then
became formally involved in operational intelligence. At the same time, part of ONI's
organization, the Office of Naval Records and Library, was removed, combined with the
Office of Naval History, and placed under the Deputy CNO for Administration. ONI also
formed a joint committee with the Coast Guard to review intelligence relations between
the respective services.
Immediately following World War II, the Navy's operating forces were drastically reduced,
but the need for intelligence expanded as a result of pressures brought on by the Cold
War. In 1947, the restricted line (Special Duty Intelligence) personnel designator
"163X" was created to provide career opportunities for World War II Naval Reserve
intelligence personnel with significant expertise. In 1948, a selection board was
also convened to select regular officers from unrestricted line officer applicants
to be designated "1630."
The National Security Act of 1947 required unification of military services and provided
for greater coordination between intelligence activities of the various armed forces.
Air Force intelligence studies often conflicted with the Navy's, strengthening their
claim that ONI's organization was inadequately and improperly staffed to process air
intelligence. In response, the Navy provided ONI with more aviators.
To standardize titles within the Intelligence Community, the heads of Army and Air
Force Intelligence Divisions and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) were designated
"Directors". the Chief of Naval Intelligence again became the DNI in November 1948.
The circumstances surrounding the outbreak of hostilities in Korea in 1950 were similar
to those at Pearl Harbor in that, although the North Koreans' capabilities and ultimate
intentions were recognized, the timing of their invasion was not well anticipated. The
outbreak of hostilities in Korea dramatically increased ONI's workload, resulting in
authorization of new billets and the recall of Naval Reserve intelligence officers.
ONI quickly responded to the expanded need for aerial reconnaissance, and air
intelligence officers and photo interpreters were quickly integrated into the operations
of Naval forces in and around Korea. At the same time, airborne electronics intelligence
aircraft formed the nucleus of what became known as Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadrons
(VQs) and later operated widely throughout the Cold War.
In the early 1950's, a period of drastic organizational change, ONI began using
automation, initially to compile information on merchant ship characteristics, and
later for a variety of tasks. In 1954, as part of another major CNO reorganization,
ONI was placed under the Vice CNO. This move put Naval Intelligence on the same
organizational level as counterparts in the Army and Air Force.
Decentralization continued when the Basic and Technical Intelligence Branch was broken
up and the Naval Scientific and Technical Intelligence Center (NAVSTIC) was set up at
the Naval Observatory in 1960.
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was created in October 1961 to improve the
effectiveness and responsiveness of Department of Defense intelligence products and
activities. The joint Army/Navy/Air Force effort in air intelligence (in existence
since World War II) was transferred almost completely to DIA.
Until 1963, it had been Navy policy to fill the DNI billet with an unrestricted line
officer. Rear Admiral Rufus Taylor was the first Intelligence Specialist to hold the
position of DNI. And NPIC was redesignated as the Naval Reconnaissance and Technical
Support Center (NRTSC).
When conflicting information about the Vietnam situation was received from the Military
Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), and from Navy attaches in Saigon, Secretary of
Defense McNamara disestablished the Navy attache organization in Vietnam. In December
1964, Secretary McNamara issued a directive establishing the Defense Attache System
as an organizational function of DIA. All Naval Attaches and Assistant Naval Attaches
accredited to foreign governments and "other DOD personnel assigned to attache posts"
became part of the Defense Attache System. The DNI was designated as the Navy's point
of contact for Defense Attache matters.
Another reorganization began in July, 1967 with the establishment of the Naval
Intelligence Command (NAVINTCOM). The DNI became Commander, Naval Intelligence Command
but retained the title of Assistant Chief of Naval Operations (Intelligence). In 1969,
some of the major elements, the Naval Investigative Service Headquarters, portions
of the Naval Scientific and Technical Intelligence Center (NAVSTIC), and the Naval
Intelligence Processing System Spport Activity (NIPSSA), began moving from the
Pentagon and the Naval Security Station on Nebraska Avenue to the Hoffman Building
in Alexandria, Virginia. The move was completed in October, 1969. That same year,
Task Force 168 was established within NAVINTCOM to meet the increasing need for more
responsive fleet intelligence support. Task Force 168 evolved into the worldwide
collection arm of Naval Intelligence.
Since the early 1970's, ONI has focused on increasing capability and eliminating
redundancy by consolidating commands. This effort culminated with the move into the
National Maritime Intelligence Center (NMIC) at Suitland. In June, 1970, the Naval
Intelligence Processing System Support Activity (NIPSSA) moved to Suitland to be
joined in July, 1970 by the Naval Ocean Surveillance Information Center (NOSIC), a
division of the Navy Field Operational Intelligence Office (NFOIO). In another effort
to consolidate, NAVSTIC had earlier moved from the Naval Observatory and merged with
NRTSC (already at Suitland) to form the Naval Intelligence Support Center (NISC).
Suitland quickly became the hub of Naval Intelligence.
In the early 1970's, the Navy Foreigh Material Exploitatin Program (NEMEP), part of
NISC, maintained a warehouse and museum at the old 16-inch gun acid and dipping
facility on the Washington Navy Yard. In 1976, under DNI direction to develop a
coherent Navy program, the Navy Foreign Materiel Exploitation Program (NFMEP) was
reorganized into the Navy Foreign Materiel Program (NFMP). NFMP moved from the
Washington Navy Yard to Cheseapeake Beach between 1976 and 1977.
Until 1977, the Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI) was also dual-hatted as
Commander, Naval Intelligence Command (COMNAVINTCOM). In September of 1977,
the two offices became separate flag officer assignments. COMNAVINTCOM also took
up the assignment of Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence. In 1979, NAVINTCOM was
relocated to Suitland, Maryland from the Hoffman Building. Also in 1979, the Naval
Investigative Service (NIS), which had been under the ONI umbrella, became a separate
second-echelon command and in 1981, also moved to Suitland. Subsequently, in 1986,
NIS mvoed to the Washington Navy Yard. Its director retained the title of Deputy
Director of Naval Intelligence for Security, while the DNI retained policy guidance
responsibilities.
Relocation of all the third-echelon activites to Suitland was completed on 16 May 1981
when the NFOIO Intelligence Analysis Division was moved from Friendship Annex, near
Baltimore-Washngton International (BWI) Airport, to rejoin with its other division,
NOSIC. In 1983, NFOIO was redesignated the Navy Operational Intelligence Center (NOIC).
The computer technology explosion in the preceding decade led ONI's NIPSSA to undergo
a reorganization in late 1987, to apply more effectively the new technology to
Intelligence support. NIPSSA became the Naval Intelligence Automation Center (NIACEN),
to better reflect its broadened missions and functions. NISC, the Navy's organization
with the primary mission of scientific and technical intelligence analysis, was
redesignated the Naval Technical Intelligence Center (NTIC) in 1988.
As of 1989, the Naval Intelligence Command (NIC), under the command of the Chief of
Naval Operations, directed and managed the activities of Naval Intelligence to ensure
the fulfillment of the intelligence requirements and responsibilities of the Department
of the Navy. The Naval Intelligence Support Center processed, analyzed, produced, and
disseminated scientific and technical intelligence on foreign Naval systems, in order
to support national and Navy strategic plans, research and development, objectives,
and programs. The Naval Intelligence Processing System Support Activity planned,
sponsored, developd, and managed automated Naval intelligence, information processing,
and communications systems. The Navy Operational Intelligence Center (NAVOPINTCEN),
under the Commander, Naval Intelligence Command, produced finished operational
intelligence, including indications and warning, ocean surveillance information, and
in-depth analyses of adversary strategy, doctrine, tactics, and readiness in response
to the requirements of the JCS, Department of the Navy, Defense Intelligence Agency,
and joint commands, and provided timely dissemination of such intelligence to support
planning and execution of military and Naval operations. Naval Intelligence Operations
Group/Task Force 168 (CTF 168) provided intelligence collection support to the fleet
through forward area support teams (FASTs), exercised collection management for Naval
Intelligence, operated the Navy's Human Intelligence (HUMINT) collection program,
and performed such other functions and tasks as were directed by higher authority.
The Persian Gulf War of 1990-91, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, again
demonstrated ONI's ability to respond to crises immediately with relevant data and
analysis. Over 400 Naval Intelligence Reservists were called to active duty to
augment staff in Washington and the Middle East.
Facing both budget reductions and the benefits to be derived from combining
scientific and technical intelligence disciplines with operational intelligence
efforts, ONI began consolidating assets in October, 1991. This first consolidation
move combined NAVOPINTCEN, NAVTECHINTCEN, CTF 168 and part of NIACEN into one
production-oriented organization designated the Naval Maritime Intelligence Center
(NAVMARINTCEN) or NAVMIC. The remaining elements of NIACEN became the Naval
Intelligence Activity (NAVINTACT). This consolidation rejoined the analytical,
operational, collection, and ADP sections of the organization. The role of NIACEN
was more clearly defined to be support oriented, including ongoing preparations
for the new ONI building. Some changes were made to COMNAVINTCOM Headquarters
activities. A significant reduction was made in management and support overhead
without sacrificing production support and analysis.
The final consolidation and restructuring took place on 1 January 1993 when the
final configuration of ONI was established, combining NAVMARINTCEN, NAVINTACT,
and the second-echelon headquarters of COMNAVINTCOM, into the unified, and
streamlined Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI). Redundancy of functions and
competing missions were eliminated from Naval Intelligence. This consolidation
required the total combination of all assets in Suitland, as well as some of those
previously held by the Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI) staff in the Pentagon.
The COMNAVINTCOM Headquarters organization, and the two components commands,
NAVMARINTCEN and NAVINTACT, were decommissioned. What resulted is a totally
streamlined organization with a chain of command that extends directly from the
DNI down to the individual analysts and support individuals, with minimal layers
of management in between.
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Office of Naval Intelligence 23 Mar 1882 1915
Subordinate to the Bureau of Navigation 23 Mar 1882 1890
State, War and Navy Building, Washington DC 23 Mar 1882 1903
Transferred to the Office of Secretary of the Navy 1890 26 Apr 1898
Transferred to the Bureau of Navigation 26 Apr 1898 Aug 1946
Relocated to the Mills Building 1903 1915
(Pennsylvania Ave & 17th St) Washington DC
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ONI's Chief Intelligence Officer became the
Secretary of the Navy's "Aid for Operations". 1909 1910
The Title was changed to "Director of Naval Intelligence" 1910 1945
Relocated to the Navy Building on New York Avenue 1915 1918
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Division of Naval Intelligence 1915 1945
Relocated (temporarily) to Corcoran Court, on 1918 1918
New York Avenue, Washington DC
Relocated to the new Navy Building on 1918
Constitution Avenue, Washington DC
Assistant DNI's title changed to Deputy Director Mar 1943
Assumed control of the Photographic Interpreetation Jan 1944
Center from the Deputy CNO's Air Intelligence Group
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Naval Photographic Intelligence Center (NPIC) Feb 1945 1963
Washington DC established.
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Office of Naval Intelligence 1945 Jul 1967
Director of Naval Intelligence became: 1945 Jul 1967
Chief of Navl Intelligence
Transferred to the Operations Division of OPNAV Aug 1946
Operations Chartroom became the Operations Aug 1946
Intelligence Branch
Office of Naval Record and Library transferred Aug 1946
to the Deputy CNO for Administration
===================================================================================
Naval Scientific and Technical Intelligence Center 1960 Jul 1970
(NAVSTIC) established, at the Naval Observatory, 1960 Oct 1969
Washington DC
===================================================================================
Naval Photographic Intelligence Center (NPIC)
redesignated as the:
Naval Reconnaissance and Technical Support Center 1963 Jul 1970
(NRTSC) established, Washington DC
===================================================================================
Naval Intelligence Command (NAVINTCOM) Washington DC Jul 1967 Jan 1993
DNI dual-hatted as Commander, Naval Intelligence
Command (COMNAVINTCOM), but retained the title
Assistant Chief of Naval Operations (Intelligence)
Located at the Hoffman Building, Alexandria, VA. Jul 1967 1979
===================================================================================
Naval Scientific and Technical Intelligence Center
(NAVSTIC) transferred from the Naval Observatory Oct 1969 Jul 1970
to the Hoffman Building in Alexandria, VA.
Naval Intelligence Processing System Support Activity 1987
(NIPSSA) moved from the Pentagon to the Hoffman Oct 1969 Jun 1970
Building in Alexandria, VA.
Naval Investigative Service (NIS) Headquarters moved Oct 1969 1981
from Nebraska Avenue to the Hoffman Building in
Alexandria, VA.
===================================================================================
Naval Intelligence Operations Group/Task Force 168 1969 30 Sep 1991
(CTF 168) established at the Hoffman Building.
===================================================================================
Naval Intelligence Processing System Support Activity Jun 1970
(NIPSSA) moved from the Hoffman Building to
Suitland, MD
===================================================================================
Naval Ocean Surveillance Information Center (NOSIC)
a Division of Navy Field Operational Intelligence
Office (NFOIO), moved from Friendship Annex,
in Ft. Meade, MD to Suitland, MD. Jul 1970 1983
Naval Scientific and Technical Intelligence Center
(NAVSTIC) and the
Naval Reconnaissance and Technical Support Center
(NRTSC) merged to become the:
Naval Intelligence Support Center (NISC), Suitland, MD Jul 1970 1988
===================================================================================
Naval Investigative Service (NIS) separated from 1976
Naval Intelligence Command, and established as a
separate command.
===================================================================================
DNI / Commander, Naval Intelligence Command Sep 1977
(COMNAVINTCOM) offices became separate assignments.
COMNAVINTCOM assigned as Deputy Director of
Naval Intelligence
===================================================================================
COMNAVINTCOM and CTF 168 relocated from the Hoffman 1979
Bulding in Alexandria, VA to Suitland, MD
===================================================================================
Naval Investigative Service (NIS) HQ divested. 1979
Naval Investigative Service (NIS) Headquarters moved 1981 1986
from the Hoffman Building to Suitland, MD. The NIS
Director retained the title Deputy Director of
Naval Intelligence for Security.
Naval Investigative Service (NIS) Headquarters moved 1986
from Suitland, MD to the Washington Navy Yard.
===================================================================================
Navy Field Operational Intelligence Office (NFOIO) May 1981
Intelligence Analysis Division moved from
Friendship Annex, in Ft. Meade, MD to Suitland, MD.
===================================================================================
Navy Field Operational Intelligence Office (NFOIO)
and
Naval Ocean Surveillance Information Center (NOSIC)
merged to become:
Navy Operational Intelligence Center (NAVOPINTCEN) 1983 30 Sep 1991
(NOIC) Suitland, MD.
===================================================================================
Naval Intelligence Processing System Support Activity
(NIPSSA), Suitland, MD redesignated as the:
Naval Intelligence Automation Center (NIACEN) 1987 30 Sep 1991
Suitland, MD.
===================================================================================
Naval Intelligence Support Center (NISC), Suitland, MD
redesignated as the:
Naval Technical Intelligence Center (NAVTECHINTCEN) 1988 30 Sep 1991
(NTIC), Suitland, MD
===================================================================================
Naval Intelligence Operations Group/Task Force 168
(CTF 168), Suitland, MD and
Navy Operational Intelligence Center (NAVOPINTCEN)
(NOIC), Suitland, MD and
Naval Technical Intelligence Center (NAVTECHINTCEN)
(NTIC), Suitland, MD and a part of NIACEN, Suitland, MD
merged to form the:
Naval Maritime Intelligence Center (NAVMARINTCEN) 01 Oct 1991 31 Dec 1992
(NAVMIC), Suitland, MD.
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Naval Intelligence Automation Center (NIACEN)
Suitland, MD redesignated as the:
Naval Intelligence Activity (NAVINTACT), Suitland, MD 01 Oct 1991 31 Dec 1992
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Naval Maritime Intelligence Center (NAVMARINTCEN),
Suitland, MD and
Naval Intelligence Activity (NACVINTACT), Suitland, MD
and
Naval Intelligence Command (NAVINTCOM), Suitland, MD
merged to form the:
Office of Naval Intelligence, Washington DC 01 Jan 1993
at the National Maritime Intelligence Center (NMIC),
Suitland, MD.
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The new National Maritime Intelligence Center (NMIC) 20 Oct 1993
at Suitland, MD was dedicated.
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Compiled by: Michael R. "MO" Morris, CTOCS, USN, Retired
CTO SeaDogs WebSite Manager, CTO SeaDogs DataBase Manager, CTO SeaDogs Historian
Waldorf, Maryland
E-Mail: CTOCS_MO@hotmail.com
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Visit the CTO SeaDogs Community WebSite at: http://groups.msn.com/CTOSeaDogs
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