The CIA said it has declassified the US government’s six oldest classified documents. Dating from 1917 and 1918, these documents describe secret writing techniques of that era. Agency officials believe they were the last remaining classified documents from the World War I period. “These documents remained classified for nearly a century until recent advancements in technology made it possible to release them,” said CIA Director Leon Panetta in the agency’s release. One document outlines the chemicals and techniques necessary for developing certain types of secret writing ink and a method for opening sealed letters without detection. Another, dated June 14, 1918, and written in French, reveals the formula used for German secret ink. The documents are housed at the National Archives.
A half-dozen pilots from one of the Air Force’s premier F-16 units, the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., have been awarded one of the service’s highest decorations for their role in Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.