Arthur H. McCollum

Arthur H. McCollum born 4 August 1898 Nagasaki, Japan died 1 April 1976 Arlington, Virginia

American Naval Officer retired 1951 as Rear Admiral and consultant after WW II to the Central Intelligence Group and Central Intelligence Agency

He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1923. He was then sent by the Navy for 3 years of study in Japan. He served on a wide variety of ships with the US Navy but is most noted for his work in intelligence. He was fleet intelligence officer on the staff of Commander in Chief U. S. Fleet (1936-1938). In October 1940 as a Lt. Commander he authored what is called the McCollum memo outlining his assessment of German and Japanese threats to U.S. security. From Nov. 1942 to May 1945 he held 3 titles simultaneously director of Allied Naval Intelligence, Southwest Pacific; assistant chief of staff for Intelligence, Seventh Fleet; and commanding officer of the Seventh Fleet Intelligence Center. He retired in 1951 from the US Navy. He was recalled to active duty with the CIA and retired again in 1953.