12 May:Cambodian Khmer Rouge gunboats seize American merchant
ship USSMayaguezand imprison its crew.15 May:U.S. marines free
the Mayaguez.6 June:Rockefeller Commission issues its report.1976 Intelligence Oversight Board (IOB) established to oversee legality
and propriety of U.S. intelligence operations. DCI George H. W. Bush au-
thorizes the development of space-based imaging satellite systems code-
named INDIGO, later renamed LACROSSE. 18 February:President
Ford issues Executive Order (EO) 11905, reorganizing the U.S. intelli-
gence community, enhancing the position of the director of central intelli-
gence, and establishing the Operations Advisory Group to review and ap-
prove covert actions.19 May: Senate establishes Senate Select Committee
on Intelligence (SSCI). June:Team A–Team B exercise authorized.1977 14 July:House of Representatives establishes the House Per-
manent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). October:“Hal-
loween Massacre” at CIA; DCI Stansfield Turner fires over 800 opera-
tions officers.1978 10 June:U.S. government launches CHALET (later VORTEX)
signals intelligence satellite.1979 DCI Stansfield Turner establishes National Intelligence Produc-
tion Board. 16 January:The Shah of Iran leaves the country. 1 Febru-
ary:Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran.17 July:Nicaraguan Sandin-
istas oust strongman Fulgencio Batista. 4 November:Iranian militants
seize and occupy American Embassy in Tehran. December:Soviet
Union invades Afghanistan.1980 CIA ordered to make covert assistance available to Afghan re-
sistance. Intelligence Oversight Act passed.1981 Soviet intelligence goes on alert fearing surprise U.S. nuclear at-
tack. Defense Intelligence School receives congressional charter and
becomes the Defense Intelligence College (DIC). 23 September:Radio
Marti established to beam news reports to Cuba. 20 October:President
Ronald Reagan issues Executive Order 12331 reestablishing the Presi-
dent’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (PFIAB). 4 December:
President Reagan issues Executive Orders 12333 and 12334.1982 January:INDIGO radar imaging satellite tested.xxxii •CHRONOLOGY05-398 (1) FM.qxd 10/20/05 6:14 AM Page xxxii