— Michael Christopher Carroll
February 2005
Source Notes
Athough Plum Island has been on my mind as long as I can remember, I began working on this book in 1997. It is based upon many hours of in-person and telephone interviews, and extensive research at local and national libraries, historical societies, local government archives, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Archives. For a time, the USDA granted me access to Plum Island. After six visits to the island, the department denied me further access, citing national security concerns in the wake of September 11, 2001.
Part of the material presented in the book is based upon documentation obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Although the USDA evaded the letter — and most certainly the spirit — of the law by failing to produce any meaningful information about Plum Island after I filed a two-page detailed FOIA request with that agency in early 2002, other government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational and Safety Health Administration, the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, and even the Department of Defense were all very cooperative and sent me reams of material that proved important to the book.
For the interested reader, a compilation of selected primary and secondary source material that I found useful follows, roughly in chronological order, followed by a listing of books, newspapers, and periodicals consulted.
"Parchment Deed of Plumm [sic] Island-Gull Island: Samuel Willis [sic] of Hartford, Conn. to Joseph Dudley of Roxbury, Mass., June 7, 1688." New London, Connecticut, Historical Society.
Correspondence from Captain Charles Paget, H.M.S. Superb, anchored off Plum Island, New York, to Joseph Terry, Justice of the Peace, Oyster Ponds, 4 August 1812. Oyster Ponds Historical Society.
History of the Beebe Family (circa 1850). Oyster Ponds Historical Society.
"The Early History of Plum Island," Republican Watchman, 26 April 1884.
"Plum Island: Something About It — Why There is No Hotel," The Day, 23 November 1889.
"A Trip to Plum Island," The Sun, Sunday, 2 November (circa 1890).
Deed "Hewitt to United States of America—150 acres, February 2 1897," Book 456, Page 31, Suffolk County Records, Riverhead, New York.
"Plum Island Fifty Years Ago," Essex, Connecticut: 3 September 1908 (unpublished manuscript).
Fair Value Appraisal Report: Fort Terry, Plum Island, Town of Southold, County of Suffolk, State of New York. National Archives and Records Administration, New York Regional Branch (circa 1945).
Correspondence from Maurice S. Shahan, Director, Plum Island Animal Disease Laboratory, to Dr. C. N. Dale, regarding early Plum Island history, 11 September 1953.
Abram S. Hewitt, former mayor of New York City, entry in The Dictionary of American National Biography. Cambridge: Oxford University Press, 2000.
60 Minutes. 30 July 2000. "Lord of the Manor: Gardiner's Island." CBS News transcripts. USDA Internet website, <www.usda.gov>.
Newsday history series "Long Island: Our Story," <www.lihistory.com>. PREFACE
"Pakistan Detains Nuclear Scientists in Probe Over Taliban Links," Bloomberg News, 24 October 2001.
"U.S. Worries about Pakistan Nuclear Arms," Washington Post, 4 November 2001.
"Fighting Terror: A Disenchanted Researcher's Bin Laden Tie," Boston
Globe, 16 December 2001. "A Nation Challenged: Nuclear Secrets," New York Times, 17 December 2001.
"Al Qaeda Runs for the Hills," Newsweek, 17 December 2001. "Pakistan to Forgo Charges Against 2 Nuclear Scientists; Ties to Bin Laden Suspected," Washington Post, 30 January 2002.
"Pakistani Scientist Who Met Bin Laden Failed Polygraphs, Renewing Suspicions," Washington Post, 3 March 2002.
"Interrogation of General Gerhard Rose, Vice-President of the Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Chief Consultant in Tropical Medicine to the German Air Force," Combined Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee, 25–26 June 1945.
Memorandum "Families of Detainees of dustbin," G. W. Staenpfli, 1 July 1945.
"Interrogation of Kurt Blome," E.W.B. Gill, Major, 1 July 1945. "Preliminary Interrogation Report (PIR) No. 1: Prisoner Dr. Blome, Kurt," Headquarters, U.S. Forces, European Theater, Interrogation Center, 2 July 1945.
Memorandum "Interrogation of Dr. Blome, Kurt," from Howard Hansen, Colonel, Executive, Headquarters, U.S. Group C–C, Public Health and Welfare Division to Interrogation Center, HQ USFET, 12 July 1945.
"Interrogation of Blome, Director of German B.W. Activities," Headquarters, United States Forces, European Theater, Alsos Mission, 30 July 1945.
Memorandum "Commandant dustbin," from Lieutenant Colonel G. S. to Major Wilson, 1 August 1945.
Memorandum "The Current Movement of German Scientists into Russian Territory," from the Field Information Agency, Office of the Director of Intelligence, Office of Military Government for Germany (U.S.) to William S. Culbertson, 17 October 1945.
"Miscellaneous Interviews on Medical Practice and Research in Germany," Combined Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee, 22 October 1945.
"Aviation Medicine, General Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Chemical Warfare," Hans G. Schlumberger, Combined Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee, 12 December 1945.
Memorandum "German Specialists in the United States — Procedure for clearance of," from J. M. Horan, Commander, USNR for the Director, Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency, 15 May 1946.
Memorandum for Information "Exploitation of German and Austrian Scientists and Important Technicians," Bosquet N. Wev, Captain, USN, Director, Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency, 3 July 1946.
Final statement of Defendant Blome, and "Description of the official functions of the reichsarztekammer," Kurt Blome, Nuremberg Doctors' Trial, 1947.
Memorandum "Conditions in the Russian Zone: Project 113/30," from Bruno Deussing, Headquarters, Sub-region Darmstadt, Counter Intelligence Corps Region III, to the Officer in Charge, 25 January 1947.
"Interview of German Scientist, German Research on Biological Warfare," Office of the Chief of Chemical Corps, HQ EUCOM, 10 November 1947.
Memorandum "German Specialist, Dr. Erich Traub: Request for services of," from Chief of Naval Operations to Director, Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency, 2 February 1949.
Memorandum "Professional Status of Former Paperclip Specialists Following Their Immigration," H. E. Michelet, Lt. Colonel, GSC, Acting Chief, Administrative and Liaison Group, 6 March 1950.
Memorandum from Charles M. McPherson, EUCOM Special Projects Team, Office of the Land Commissioner for Hesse, to Major Barrick, Intelligence Division, EUCOM, Project paperclip, 27 March 1951; 27 November 1951.
Memorandum for the Governing Committee Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency, "Procurement of paperclip Scientists," 4 February 1949.
File A-7183623 Re: Eric Traub, Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Department of Justice, 23 February 1951.
Memorandum "Repatriation of paperclip Scientist, Eric Traub, and Dependents," from Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency to Major Lewis W. Saxby, Chief, Collection and Dissemination Division, Intelligence, Department of the Army, circa 1951.
"African Swine Fever," Plum Island Animal Disease Laboratory Project Abstract, 22 February 1978.
"Ticks of Veterinary Importance," Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA, Agriculture Handbook No. 485, circa 1980.