Memorandum to Mr. Tolson
June 4, 1952
On the morning of August 30, 1947, Rhodes delivered the negatives to the Phoenix Office at which time they were accepted with the understanding they were being given to Mr. Fugate, a representative of the Army Air Force Intelligence, United States Army, and that there was little, if any, chance of his getting the negatives back. Mr. Rhodes turned the negatives over to the FBI with the full understanding they were being given to the Air Force and he would not get them back. (62-83894-80, page 4)
On April 17, 1950, Mr. Rhodes advised the Phoenix Office that True Magazine would like to secure the photographs which he had made available to Air Force Intelligence. At that time Rhodes was referred to OSI, Fourth Air Force Base, San Francisco, California, since they had been made available to this agency by the Phoenix Office on August 30, 1947.
By letter dated June 8, 1949, the Phoenix Office advised the Bureau that on the previous date Mr. Lynn C. Aldrich, OSI representative, Phoenix, Arizona, called the Phoenix Office stating he had been requested by his superiors in San Francisco to obtain detailed information concerning the negatives since Rhodes had requested their return. Aldrich pointed out that Fugate's recollection on the matter was "hazy." OSI requested and was given with Bureau approval a memorandum setting out essentially the information related above concerning this matter.
ACTION TAKEN:
Mr. Blumenthal was advised by Wick that the FBI did not have in its possession the negatives referred to by Mr. Rhodes and in fact Rhodes knew full well the FBI turned them over to Air Force Intelligence representatives, Fourth Air Force, Hamilton Field, California, on August 30, 1947, with the understanding he might never have them returned.
Blumenthal was advised the FBI did not investigate this matter, did not investigate Rhodes, and had no interest whatsoever in the matter other than to accompany the representative from Hamilton Field while interviewing Rhodes. Blumenthal was told that for these reasons, of course, we had no information concerning the reliability of Rhodes.
Blumenthal was most appreciative for receiving this information and said he would contact the office of Special Investigations of the Air Force for what assistance they might be to him. He said also he would straighten out Rhodes, informing him the FBI only as a courtesy to the Air Force representatives received the negatives from him and transmitted them.
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Note: The handwritten annotations on the left margin ("6/11/52 - Lt. Col. Edward, 021 advised") and the handwritten checkmark and "V" at the bottom right are not transcribed as they are not part of the typed document content. The redacted blacked-out regions are represented as [redacted] per instructions. The page number "- 2 -" is included as it appears at the bottom center.