Letter to the Commanding General, Third United States Army from the Defense Counsel.
Courts-martial and courts of inquiry--United States
Defense information, Classified
Intermediate-range ballistic missiles
Jupiter missile
Leaks (Disclosure of information)
Huntsville (Ala.)
Madison County (Ala.)
This letter from the Defense Counsel requests a continuance of the trial of Colonel John C. Nickerson due to the counsel still waiting on a response to their request for top secret clearance for access to pertinent information for the trial and the delay of the release of the pre-trial investigation to the civilian defense counsel. A letter from John Nickerson follows, detailing how without top secret clearance, he is unable to provide his civilian counsel with "essential components of the real issues in my defense without divulging information that is now classified." Multiple copies are included.
Bell, Robert K.
Cole, Lewis G.
Jenkins, Ray H.
Nickerson, John C.
Zimmer, Charles R.
University of Alabama in Huntsville Archives, Special Collections, and Digital Initiatives, Huntsville, Alabama
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Correspondence
Text
Letter to William Nichols from William G. Barry.
Sylacauga (Ala.)
Talladega County (Ala.)
This letter requests William Nichols to be present at the trial as a defense witness and a written statement from Nichols to detail what his testimony would be. The letter includes questions for Nichols to answer in the written statement.
Barry, William G.
Witness list as submitted to the Comannding General, Third United States Army.
In this letter, the Defense Counsel provides a list of witnesses for the defense in the case of John Nickerson.
Letter to William G. Barry from the Defense Counsel.
This letter requests a pre-trial conference be held on the 26th or 27th of April, 1957.
Letter to William G. Barry from Charles R. Zimmer.
Zimmer writes to Lt. Colonel Willaim G. Barry with the stipulations that will not be accepted in the case of Colonel John C. Nickerson.
Memorandum for Ray H. Jenkins and Robert K. Bell
Washington (D.C.)
This memo details an upcoming trip to Washington and the scheduled appointments with various senators and military officials in regard to the Nickerson case. The memo states that it would be preferred is all charges and specifications dropped and consider a reinvestigation and punishment. It includes other information regarding the case.
Memorandums
Statements of Mrs. Nickerson and Dr. Wernher von Braun.
These voluntary statements were made in the office of Robert K. Bell. The first by Mrs. John C. Nickerson and the second by Dr. Wernher von Braun.
Nickerson, Carol
Von Braun, Wernher.
Transcriptions (documents)
Memorandum for Robert K. Bell from Charles R. Zimmer.
This memo was written about a conversation earlier that day. Zimmer tells Bell that after discussing with Lieutenant Cole, they agree that Colonel Nickerson should not be tried on any other charges than the first ten specification to Charge I.
Letter and drafts of letter to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence from Robert K. Bell.
These drafts of the letter and final letter to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence requesting highly classified information to be made available to the Court in order to "insure a proper defense" in the Nickerson case. These documents also include a letter from Bell to Ray H. Jenkins asking him to read the draft of the letter before Bell sends it and also asks about traveling to Washington the following week.
Phone message to Robert K. Bell from Walter Harper.
In this transcript of the phone message to Bell from Walter Harper of Reynolds Metals, Bell is informed that Mr. Hunt will be arriving the following day and will try to land at the air strip at Redstone Arsenal. This information was asked to be passed on to Colonel Nickerson.
Harper, Walter
Letter to James A. Pickering from John "Jack" Nickerson.
Atlanta (Ga.)
Nickerson thanks Pickering for the letters of support sent to his defense counsel. He also discusses ballistic surface-to-surface missiles and "scientific progress". He ends by requesting a deposition as Pickering will be in Europe in May, when the trial is scheduled to happen.
Nickerson, John C., Jr.
The Defense Counsel writes to the Commanding General, Third United States Army requesting "top secret clearance for all members of the General Court Martial, the Court Reporter, and the Civilian Counsel n the case of Colonel John C. Nickerson, Jr."
Letter to Robert K. Bell from Edward M. Almond.
Anniston (Ala.)
Calhoun County (Ala.)
Almond writes in reponse to Bell's February 18 letter regarding Medaris and other information of the Nickerson case.
Almond, Edward M.
Letter to Robert K. Bell from C. F. Cordes.
Cordes writes in response to the defense counsel's request to the Commanding General, Third United States Army, of the trials dates May 13-17, 1957. He confirms that the trials dates have been postponed to the 15th in accordance with their request.
Cordes, C. F.
Letter to Robert K. Bell from Ray H. Jenkins.
Knoxville (Tenn.)
Jenkins writes in response to Bell's March 22 letter, addressing the various information that was included in Bell's letter and his ability to visit Huntsville for nine days to help prepare for the trial.
Letter to the Commanding General, Third Army.
In this letter, it is requested that May 13-17, 1957 be set as the dates of the Nickerson trial. It then details the reasons for these specific dates.
Letter to Ray H. Jenkins from Robert K. Bell.
Bell thanks Jenkins for joining the defense of Nickerson and writes that he included newspaper clippings and other informative information about the case.
Letter to General Matthew B. Ridgway from Lt. Colonel Charles R. Zimmer.
Pittsburgh (Pa.)
These documents include the draft of the letter and the final letter. Zimmer writes to Ridgway regarding his testimony and its importance in the Nickerson trial. Zimmer also asks for Ridgway's opinion on the "necessity of an Army commander exercising immediate and direct control" over defense weapons.
Phone conversation between Robert K. Bell and General Shinkle
The transcript details a conversation regarding the necessity of military counsel being present during the conference with Colonel Bengston, Captain Ledford, and Colonel Nickerson and under whose orders was the military counsel under.