The Sinatra Files (18 page)

The Security Division has been requested to prepare a memorandum for the Director concerning information appearing in our files with respect to Sinatra.

    
Handwritten notation by Tolson:
We want nothing to do with him. C.

    
Handwritten notation by Hoover:
I agree. H.

    
Sinatra had entertained troops overseas at the end of World War II. In 1954, his career rejuvenated by his Oscar-winning turn in
From Here to Eternity,
he offered to go to Korea to do so again. The army, however, wasn’t interested, as this exchange of memos shows. The first is an army document that ended up in the FBI’s files; the others track the FBI’s involvement in the matter
.

17 September 1954

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD:

SUBJECT: Clearance of Mr. Frank Sinatra to accompany an entertainment group to the Far East during the Xmas Holiday period.

    1. In response to a request made by Mr. Frank Sinatra for an appointment to discuss the matter of his clearance for a Xmas
Holiday entertainment tour to the Far East, a meeting was arranged in the office of The Adjutant General at 1300 hours, 16 September 1954. Participants were:

2. General Klein opened the discussion with remarks to the effect that all present were aware of the purpose of Mr. Sinatra’s visit. He then asked General Kastner to outline the basis upon which Mr. Sinatra’s request for clearance was denied.

3. General Kastner explained that over a period of years many items had appeared in the public press, including The Daily Worker and kindred publications, which reflected adversely on Mr. Sinatra, and which to a considerable degree identified the latter with the communist line. He pointed out that as a result, serious question existed as to Mr. Sinatra’s sympathies with respect to communism, communists, and fellow travelers. He stated that particularly in view of recent events and actions hinging on the matter of subversives, the Army could not grant clearance to any individual about whom the slightest doubt existed.

4. Mr. Sinatra stated that he hated and despised everything that pertained to communism; that he had never been a member of a communist inspired organization, nor had he ever made contribution to such organizations. He attributed the unfavorable press items to irresponsible individuals who preyed on those in “entertainment.” He said that he considered these writings so absurd that he had not even undertaken to refute them. He related that he had responded to a reporter’s question regarding his attitude toward communism with the remark: “I am just as communistic as the Pope.” He said that the reporter informed him that such a quote was not printable. He emphasized the point that he was most eager to provide entertainment for service personnel in the Far East; that he had
specified Far East because he thought our largest forces were located there, but that he was willing to perform anyplace else including the continental United States; that a pressing moving picture engagement had precluded him from making a similar tour some two years ago. He stated that he would carry matters to the Attorney General in order to clear his name, and that he would engage counsel to represent him. (General Kastner had previously indicated to Mr. Sinatra that it was his privilege as a civilian to take his case to the Attorney General and had made suggestion regarding the desirability of counsel.)

5. General Mudgett advised Mr. Sinatra that from an entirely impersonal point of view, the Army, circumstances being as they are, could not at this time risk granting him a clearance. He digressed to congratulate Mr. Sinatra on his fine performance in “From Here to Eternity.” Generals Klein and Kastner expressed similar sentiments. General Klein also expressed appreciation for Mr. Sinatra’s generous offer to provide entertainment for our troops overseas.

6. After Mr. Sinatra’s departure, those remaining agreed that in similar cases arising in the future, requests for appointments should be refused unless there exist compelling reasons to the contrary; that in any instance where an appointment is granted, The Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, The Chief of Information, and The Adjutant General, or their representatives, should meet jointly with the individual concerned; further, that the place of meeting should be other than in the office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2.

JEROME DOYLE, former Agent and presently a member of the firm of Cahill, Gordon, Zachry and Reindel, NYC, today provided the following data which Mr. Doyle received from HENRY JAFFE, attorney for Frank Sinatra:

Frank Sinatra allegedly was being booked to go to Korea this Christmas as part of a USO entertainment group, consisting of various show people, and to the surprise of Sinatra and Henry Jaffe the Army denied clearance to Sinatra. Allegedly Sinatra and/or Jaffe went to Washington to talk to the Army to determine just why clearance was denied to Sinatra, and allegedly the Army advised that it had information from the FBI which prompted the Army to deny clearance to Sinatra. This information allegedly was that Lee Mortimer in a newspaper column stated that Sinatra was a Communist. This is the information which allegedly came from the Bureau’s files. The Generals in question are: Major General John A. Klein, Adjutant General; Major General John C. Mudgett, Chief of Information; and Major General A. G. Trudeau, Chief of Intelligence.

Mr. Doyle stated he was advising this office so the above information could be furnished to the Bureau since he believes Jaffe will be writing to the Bureau regarding this matter.

    
Handwritten notation by Hoover:
Nail this down promptly. H.

Reference is made to a letter from the SAC, New York, dated October 18, 1954, in the above-captioned matter in which the Bureau was advised by Jerome Doyle, former Bureau Agent, concerning information he had received from Henry Jaffe, attorney for Frank Sinatra. Allegedly, Sinatra and/or Jaffe went to Washington to talk to the Army to determine why clearance was denied to Sinatra, who had been booked to go to Korea for Christmas as part of a USO entertainment group, and allegedly the Army advised that it had information from the FBI which prompted the Army to deny clearance to Sinatra. This information referred to allegedly was that Lee Mortimer in a newspaper column stated that Sinatra was a Communist; that this information allegedly came from Bureau files.

The Director noted “Nail this down promptly. H.”

Colonel W. A. Perry, Chief of Security, G-2, furnished Liaison Agent
a copy of a memorandum prepared by Colonel Marnane, Executive Officer to the Adjutant General, concerning the conference which Sinatra had with the Army in the Office of the Adjutant General on September 16, 1954, and for which Colonel Marnane prepared the minutes. In essence, this memorandum advises that, pursuant to a request by Frank Sinatra to be advised why he had been denied clearance, an appointment had been made for him to appear in the office of Major General John A. Klein, the Adjutant General, on September 16, 1954. Present besides the Adjutant General were Major General John C. Mudgett, Chief of Information; and former Brigadier General Alfred Kastner, formerly Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2. At the outset of the conference, General Klein asked General Kastner to outline for Mr. Sinatra the basis upon which Mr. Sinatra’s request for clearance had
been denied. General Kastner explained that over a period of years many items had appeared in the public press, including the “Daily Worker,” and kindred publications, which reflected adversely on Mr. Sinatra and which, to a considerable degree, identified Sinatra with the Communist Party line and, as a result, is serious evidence as to Mr. Sinatra’s sympathies with respect to Communism, Communists, and fellow travelers.

General Klein advised Sinatra that, in view of such evidence, the Army could not grant clearance to any individual about whom the slightest doubt existed.

Sinatra then went on to state that he hated Communism, had never been a member of a Communist organization, had no contact with Communists or Communist organizations, and the irresponsible accusations made against him had been so absurd that he had not refuted them. He went on to relate that he was eager to provide entertainment for the troops anywhere in the Far East, Europe or the Continental United States. He further stated that he would carry this matter to the Attorney General in order to clear his name, and he would engage counsel to represent him.

General Mudgett then informed Sinatra that, from an entirely impersonal point of view, circumstances being as they were, the Army could not risk at this time giving a clearance to Sinatra.

Colonel Marnane advised
that he was at the conference and prepared the minutes of same. He stated that the officers mentioned above were present also, General Kastner representing G-2 for General Arthur G. Trudeau. He advised that General Kastner, other than the statements attributed to General Klein and General Mudgett, carried the entire conversation for the Army. General Kastner restricted his comments concerning Sinatra’s Communist connections in their entirety to newspaper clippings, and at no time did he ever mention files of the FBI or any other organization. As a matter of fact, Colonel Marnane stated that the G-2 file prepared for this conference merely consisted of newspaper clippings, and it was agreed that if Sinatra pressed G-2 for the source
of their information, General Kastner was going to present the file to Sinatra so that he could read it.

Colonel Marnane advised that the name Jaffe is unknown to him but advised that Sinatra was accompanied to General Klein’s office by an individual, whose name he could not recall, who was introduced to him as an agent of some sort. This individual remained in the outer office during the conference.

Bureau files reflect that in answer to a name check request from the U. S. Air Force (OSI) a summary of information concerning Sinatra was furnished to that Agency on January 22, 1952, and a Photostat of the summary was furnished G-2 on February 19, 1952. This summary advised that no investigation had been conducted concerning Sinatra. However, information from public sources and reliable informants concerning his affiliation with numerous Communist front groups, as well as association with known criminals and hoodlums, was furnished. Information was also furnished from a confidential informant
(described as reliable) that in December, 1945
advised him that Frank Sinatra, the well-known radio and movie star, was then a member of the Communist Party. The informant stated he was told that Sinatra formerly held membership in the American Youth for Democracy (cited by the Attorney General) in New Jersey but had recently been admitted to the New York branch of the Communist Party.