Chester V. Clifton (#8.3)

A Register of His White House Files, 1961-1963
In the John F. Kennedy Library
National Archives and Records Administration

Administrative Information
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
Series Description


Administrative Information

Abstract
White House Staff Files 1961-1963
The Presidential Papers of John F. Kennedy.
General, United States Army. Military Aide to the President (1961-1963). Correspondence and memorandums relating to President Kennedy's foreign trips.

Access
Open. 

Usage Restrictions
According to the letter of transfer 1965, copyright of these materials has been assigned to the United States.  Documents in this collection that were prepared by officials of the United States as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Users of these materials are advised to determine the copyright status of any document from which they wish to publish.

Copyright
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excesses of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. The copyright law extends its protection to unpublished works from the moment of creation in a tangible form. Direct your questions concerning copyright to the reference staff.

Provenance
These files of Chester V. Clifton, Military Aide to the President (1961-1963), were donated to the Kennedy Library in 1965 as part of the papers of John F. Kennedy.

Extent
2430 pages (1 linear feet, 4 linear inches ; 1.5 cubic feet)

Withdrawn Items
Thirty-six (36) documents have been removed.
Selected folders contain withdrawal sheets where documents containing national security classified information were removed from this collection.  Selected folders contain withdrawal sheets where documents, in accordance with the donor’s deed of gift, were removed from the collection. These include documents that may be used to injure or harass any living person.  All withdrawn documents have been placed under seal and upon request the Kennedy Library will review any material which has been closed for a period of not less than 2 years for the purpose of opening items which no longer require restrictions. Researchers should consult the reference staff to obtain the appropriate form(s).

Date Opened
1973

Processed by
Joseph A. Orlando, Jr.

Encoded by
Ronald E. Whealan

Revisions
Electronic version of the finding aid prepared August 2001, by Ronald E. Whealan
Electronic version of the finding aid updated November 2005, by James M. Roth

Related Collections
Chester Clifton Miscellaneous Accession (Acc. 1993-029), John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
National Security Files, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
President's Office Files, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
White House Central Subject File, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
Godfrey McHugh White House Staff File, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
  

White House Staff Files of Chester V. Clifton (1913-1991)

Biographical Note

Collection Overview
The Presidential papers of John F. Kennedy consist of several major bodies of research material. The White House Central Subject File is the principal White House file. The White House Name File contains copies of most incoming correspondence arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent and is cross-referenced to the Subject File. The Chronological File contains copies of documents prepared for the President's signature and is also cross-referenced to the Subject File. The Social File contains the records of the White House Social Office and includes the correspondence of the First Lady. The President's Office File contains the papers maintained by the President's personal secretary for his use. The National Security File contains the records of the staff of the special assistant to the President for national security affairs.

In addition, in what were called in the White House "storage" or "overflow" files are found various miscellaneous materials and the records of the offices of most members of the President's staff. The files described in this finding aid constitute one of the series of White House staff files included in the Presidential papers of John F. Kennedy.

The White House Staff File of  Major General Chester V. Clifton document his service as Military Aide to the President and as Defense Liaison Officer.  The period of service covers January 1961 to November 1963.  Nearly one third of Clifton's file contains information on White House ceremonies attended by military personnel. The Military Aide had the responsibility for organizing such events. The remainder of the file includes materials relating to an Air Force proposal for a practice weapons range in North Carolina (Clifton served on a fact-finding panel), requests for photographs of the President and his family, and documents relating to the Army physical fitness program.

Researchers may find it useful to consult the "Staff Memoranda" series in the President's Office Files as well as the White House Central Subject File under "Clifton" for additional material. Also, the White House staff file of Air Force Aide Godfrey McHugh may be helpful. Clifton's responsibility for providing daily intelligence briefings for the President is not documented in this file. Researchers interested in this aspect of his job will want to consult the National Security Files: Chester V. Clifton file.  Researchers may also want to look at a miscellaneous accession of Chester Clifton Papers (Acc. 1993-029). This contains correspondence and memoranda, mostly about President Kennedy's trip to Germany and Ireland in June 1963. This material was donated to the Kennedy Library by General Clifton in 1993.

Collection   Description

Series 1. Subject File, 1961-1963.
2430 pages.
Arrangement:   alphabetical by subject.

The White House Staff File of  Major General Chester V. Clifton contains information on White House ceremonies attended by military personnel, materials relating to an Air Force proposal for a practice weapons range in North Carolina, requests for photographs of the President and his family, and documents relating to the Army physical fitness program.