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These Korean War era photographs belong to Gene A. Stone. Lieutenant Stone was in the Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC), first assigned to the 308th CIC Detachment at 8th Army Headquarters in Seoul, Korea. Three weeks after arriving in Seoul, he was assigned to the 181st CIC Detachment, 1st Marine Division for 14 months.

The Counter Intelligence Corps in that era was a Top Secret all volunteer military organization whose mission was to provide operational expertise for the Military establishment in combating treason, sedition, espionage, sabotage and numerous other subversive activities. Acceptance into the CIC was governed by a number of requirements that included attaining age 22, college education, extra high score on Armed Forces Qualification Test (120 out of 140), physically fit and no police record of any kind. It also required each candidate to complete a strenuous Heavy Weapons Infantry Course. CIC training in Baltimore, Maryland included developing interrogation skills, report writing, recognizing certain criminal types and many other subjects, including martial arts training.

In Korea the most active subversive activities were espionage and sabotage. Infiltrating Chinese personnel were constantly attempting to filter through the various US Army, US Marine, Republic of Korea and 14 other United Nation Division front lines. One of the photos taken is of suspected Chinese infiltrators being lead to Stone’s interrogation tent. CIC personnel acted as advisers and instructors to the Marines on how to look for and identify potential infiltrators. Lt. Stone took these photos at various activities while traveling around in Korea, never while his unit was under fire. Stone’s unit, the 181st CIC Detachment, also participated in the Armistice Prisoner Exchanges at Panmunjom.