Nikola Tesla FBI Files - Page 88

1 1 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SCIENCE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Department of Information 9th Street & Pennsylvania Aven, N.W. Washington 25, D. C. 20535 Dear Sirs: ; CORVALLIS, OREGON 97331 Reply to: DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SCIENCE آیا اشاره March 28, 1967 I am a student of the history of science at Oregon State University, and I am attempting to write a research paper on a very eccentric scientist who died in 1943. His name was Nikola Tesla, a naturalized American of Serbian extraction, and he died in his hotel room in New York City on January 8, 1943. INFORMATION CONTAINED FIN IS UNCLASSIFIED URTE 2-3-80 Byst 4 pm²/ste DATE During the years leading up to World War II, Nikola Tesla supposedly invented a "Death Ray" which could destroy several hundred aircraft. Mr. Tesla was a very prolific and creative genius during his early years but gradually became something of a crackpot in his old age. As a student of the history of science, it is important to determine whether or not Tesla had any valid ideas in the plans for his death ray. Tesla invented the fluorescent light and also was one of the first scientists to discover X-Rays--hence there may be some possibility that his death ray might actually have been some crude type of laser. REC 49 6) (7) In Tesla's biography, "Prodigal Genius", by John J. O'Neill, the author states on page 277: "Operatives from the F.B.I. came to Tesla's hotel room shortly after his death and opened the safe in his room. They took the papers that it contained in order to examine them for a reported secret invention of possible use in the war... I am trying to locate Tesla's secret and unpublished writings concerning his death ray. I have searched the literature quite thoroughly and have found nothing. Does the F.B.I. still have these papers or can you tell where I might be able to obtain these writings for examination? Any assistance or information that you may lend me will be very much appreciated. 100-2237-16. Sincerely yours, E 12 APR 4 1967 RESPONDENCE 88