What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a declassified United States Air Force record concerning the 1980 Commander‑in‑Chief Pacific Command History. It was originally classified Top Secret, prepared by the Command History Division of the Pacific Command headquarters in Hawaii, and it has been made public through The Black Vault archive. The document was released to the public via The Black Vault website. The file appears in the online collection under the title “US Intelligence on China CI02203,” with a release date noted as September seventeenth, nineteen eighty‑one. The declassification authority is the Commander‑in‑Chief Pacific, who authorized the removal of the enclosures and the unclassification of the text. No FOIA case number is listed in the archive entry. The document reads as follows. —S SSO TARAS COMMANDER IN CHIEF PACIFIC COMMAND HISTORY VOLUME I, 1980. Prepared by the Command History Division, Office of the Joint Secretary, Headquarters CINCPAC, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, nine six eight six one. Unclassified. To: Distribution List. Subject: CINCPAC Command History 1980; promulgation of enclosures (2) Volume I, CINCPAC Command History 1980 (2) Volume II, CINCPAC Command History 1980. The CINCPAC Command History is promulgated in response to the direction of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This document contains information affecting the security of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title eighteen, United States Code, Sections seven ninety‑three and seven ninety‑four. Transmission or revelation of its contents in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law. The classified material contained within this document is to be treated with the utmost discretion. Under no circumstances shall possession thereof be transferred, or the information contained therein be imparted, to personnel other than those whose duties specifically require knowledge thereof. The security classification indicated for each page of this document is according to the highest classification of any paragraph thereon. In those instances when the reverse side of a page is intentionally left blank, this is so indicated on the preceding page. All titles, headings, and captions in this history are unclassified. Individual entries in the table of contents and index are also unclassified; both the table of contents and the index, however, are classified Secret in accordance with CINCPACINST 5510.10C of one September nineteen seventy‑nine, paragraph two‑two‑one, because collectively they reveal the scope of CINCPAC interest and activity and reveal interrelationships that require classification protection. This document will be transported, stowed, safeguarded, and accounted for in accordance with the instructions contained in the effective edition of the security regulations for handling classified matter of the military service of the holder. Reproduction of Top Secret portions of the CINCPAC Command History 1980 is prohibited except with the permission of the…

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

United States Air Force Record Concerning The 1980

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a declassified United States Air Force record concerning the 1980 Commander‑in‑Chief Pacific Command History. It was originally classified Top Secret, prepared by the Command History Division of the Pacific Command headquarters in Hawaii, and it has been made public through The Black Vault archive.

Date: AUG 3 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was United States Air Force Record Concerning The 1980 about?: This is a declassified United States Air Force record concerning the 1980 Commander‑in‑Chief Pacific Command History. It was originally classified Top Secret, prepared by the Command History Division of the Pacific Command headquarters in Hawaii, and it has been made public through The Black Vault archive.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

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United States Air Force Record Concerning The 1980

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