Education
Born in Saint Louis, Missouri, Taylor graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1933.
Born in Saint Louis, Missouri, Taylor graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1933.
He became Director of Naval Intelligence for the years 1963 to 1966. In June 1966, he was made Vice Admiral and Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. That September President Lyndon Baines Johnson appointed him Deputy Director of Central Intelligence at Central Intelligence Agency.
He was quickly confirmed by the United States Senate.
He served at Central Intelligence Agency under DCI Richard Helms. Taylor later resigned as DDCI effective February 1969.
In April 1967, Helms asked Taylor to oversee a difficult, intra-Central Intelligence Agency dispute involving Yuri Nosenko, a Soviet defector. Central Intelligence Agency counterintelligence chief James Angleton had accused Nosenko of being a double agent and provocateur sent by the Soviets to penetrate American intelligence.
As a result of this dilemma Nosenko was held for several years by Central Intelligence Agency pending resolution.
Taylor reported that Nosenko was no double agent and that Helms should set him free. Despite strong objections from Central Intelligence Agency counterintelligence, eventually Nosenko was released and put on the Central Intelligence Agency payroll as a consultant, in March 1969. In May 1968, Helms had appointed a three-man review board regarding the case of Sam Adams, a mid-level analyst at Central Intelligence Agency. The board was chaired by Taylor and included Central Intelligence Agency general counsel, Lawrence Houston, and John Bross, assistant to the DCI. Adams had challenged the prevailing view of the number of Viet Congress guerrillas.
MACV had lower numbers and stuck by them.
The conflict between the military in the field and analysts in Washington became a serious concern in the Johnson Administration. Helms tried to finesse lieutenant
Adams cried foul at the compromise and filed a formal complaint against Helms. By August 1 the board found that although Adams" numbers were probably more accurate, his methodology could not provide certainty.
While Adams himself had followed correct Central Intelligence Agency procedure, he also had been given a fair opportunity to present his case.
The board recommended another opportunity for Adams, a presentation to General Maxwell Taylor chairman of PFIAB. In November Adams discussed the situation with Helms. Eventually Adams resigned.