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Sabotage Fears After Lafayette Fire
- The destruction of the USS Lafayette (formerly SS Normandy) in 1942 sparked fears of sabotage and domestic espionage on US soil.
- The Navy viewed dockworkers as a likely vulnerability because many were immigrants and part of a tight, distrustful waterfront culture.
NIVS: Civilian Skillset For Naval Intelligence
- The Office of Naval Intelligence built a volunteer reserve (NIVS) of civilians with specialized skills to boost intelligence capabilities.
- By 1940 the unit grew from 500 to nearly 3,000 and began being called to active duty.
Captain McFall Meets A Brick Wall
- Captain Roscoe McFall doubted the FBI's 'blowtorch spark' explanation for the Normandy fire and pushed for investigation.
- He mobilized plainclothes naval operatives who met a brick wall of silence from dockworkers.