ATTACHMENT 4:


                                                  DNA1.950425.003
ACHRE Request 032995-A, Request for Clarification of March 28 DNA
Response

We have just received a response, date stamped March 28, to
certain questions contained in the ACHRE request 022295-B.

Question 1.:  The questions asked whether Jaycor/DNA has the
names of individuals involved in the bomb test related
experiments identified by the committee.  The response (at
Document DNA-1, 950322.003) states that the "NTPR database is not
organized by the projects listed."

As we read this response, DNA/Jaycor, therefore, has no practical
means to identify the particular individuals who participated in
the "experiments" or "projects" identified in ACHRE's request. 
Please let us know if our understanding is incorrect.

Answer 1.  Your understanding is correct.

Question 2.:  The March 28 response also responds to a continued
request for information regarding "Missing records relating to
Veterans Claims re Bomb Test Radiation Exposure." the response
state (Item II) in part:

"DNA is not aware of any such 'secret' records and our extensive
research...has failed to disclose any such records."

As prior requests in this matter have noted, the existence of
secret records is expressly indicated by documents provided by
DNA and the VA. Does DNA have any information which might show
that the secret records referred to in these documents did not,
in fact exist?  (for example, does DNA have information that
might show that the secret records referred to in the VA's 1959
Exceptional Service award to Dr. Lyon did not exist).  If so, we
would request any such information.  In the absence of further
information, we take it that DNA's response is a statement that
DNA does not currently know the nature of the secret records
which are referred to in documents which have been referenced in
this chain of requests.

Answer 2.  DNA has reviewed the references cited by the ACHRE
staff as expressly indicating the existence of secret record but
does not reach the same conclusion.  In fact, neither the letter
from the Chief of the AFSWP to the VA Administrator (submitted as
HRE #0672) nor the VA's award nomination for Dr. Lyons mentions
keeping records "in anticipation of potential liability claims by
soldiers exposed at atomic tests."

     The requirement proposed for elimination in the DNA
submission HRE #0672 (8 Aug 52) was for "detailed statistical
records" "to protect the government's interest" should veterans
claim "exposure to nuclear radiation during an atomic war
(emphasis added)."  Since there was never an atomic war, no
records of any kind were ever created.

APPENDIX B TO ATTACHMENT 1

     Regarding the VA award nomination for Dr. Lyons, the
"records of a classified nature...from the Armed Forces Special
Weapons Project which were essential to proper evaluation of
claims of radiation injury brought against VA by former members
of the Armed Forces engaged in the Manhattan project" were not
part of a double-bookkeeping effort.

     Please not the files were used (past tense) in "proper
evaluation" of claims based on "radiation injury" to military
scientists and technicians assigned to the Manhattan Project -
not at atomic weapons tests.  The records were classified because
they (sic) "embodies or refers to other technical information
classified secret or higher," as noted in the report of a
September 1947 AEC "classification board" meeting.

     That is, the exposure records contained classification
information describing the source term for the exposure
(materials, processes, procedures, or criticality accidents). 
When separated from the source term description, the exposure
became unclassified and were entered into personnel records.

     Based on the above, DNA concludes there are no secret
records of the nature presumed by the ACHRE staff and finds it
quite logical that our extensive search has failed to locate any
such records.

APPENDIX B TO ATTACHMENT 1