Mr. Ofstein.

said that I could get to radio would be possibly with the Army security agency, so I signed up, and after basic training I went to Fort Devens, Mass., and was held there on a temporary status while the agency determined what type training I should have, and I was given a language ability test and passed that and had a choice of three languages to take, and Russian was my first choice and I Was sent to Monterey to study.

Mr. Jenner.

And how long were you at Monterey?

Mr. Jenner.

And was that-entire year spent in the study of the Russian language?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

And I assume, with an entire year's study at that special school of Monterey, you acquired a facility with the language, did you?

Mr. Ofstein.

Not as well as I should have; no, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

And why was that?

Mr. Ofstein.

Well, I was a little on the young side then and I was interested in other things and the freedom to leave the post and go to town and the availability of recreation there deterred my studies.

Mr. Jenner.

I see You acquired some facility in reading Russian?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes.

Mr. Jenner.

And some facility in speaking Russian?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes.

Mr. Jenner.

Was this conversational Russian?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes, sir

Mr. Jenner.

What about writing Russian?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes, sir; all that was covered.

Mr. Jenner.

And at the end of the 1 year what happened?

Mr. Ofstein.

I was sent to an oversea duty station in Germany and completed my tour there.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you pursue your study of the-Russian language at anytime from the time you left Monterey until the present?

Mr. Ofstein.

Only in little what you might say, self study in spurts.

Mr. Jenner.

All right. I interrupted you--you told him you could handle few characters?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you then tell him about your study of the Russian language when you were in the Army?

Mr. Ofstein.

No, sir; he asked me where I had learned it and I told him I had picked it up during the time I was in the service, as well as the German language, which I picked up while I was stationed in Germany, and I asked him where he had learned to read Russian and he wouldn't elaborate on it at first, and after a period of time I don't know how long--he did admit to me that he had been in the Soviet Union and my assumption was possibly that he had worked as an agent of the United States at the first.

Mr. Jenner.

What did he tell you, if he ever did, as to where he acquired his knowledge of and facility with the Russian language?

Mr. Ofstein.

He never did elaborate on whether he learned it in the Soviet Union or before or just how he had picked it up.

Mr. Jenner.

He was uncommunicative on that subject?

Mr. Ofstein.

More or less; yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

But you did ask him directly?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

And he did not respond?

Mr. Ofstein.

No, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you attempt to converse with him in Russian or he with you?

Mr. Ofstein.

We said a few words in Russian to each other--I would more or less ask ,him or tell him. "Good morning" and ask him how he was feeling or some other things like that, and he would respond and usually make a criticism on my ability to speak the language.

Mr. Jenner.

He would make criticism--was that a friendly criticism on his part?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes, sir.