As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter......
"What is the frequency Kenneth?"
For those unfamiliar with that iconic phrase, it derives from the zenith of Dan Rather, CBS anchor's career in replacing Walter Cronkite.
Rather in those heady times, had smarted off to Richard Nixon during Watergate at a White House press conference breaching protocol and was becoming the pariah on the left of all things American.
It was in those times, that one evening Dan Rather was leaving his building that he was approached by some men, who started asking, "What's the frequency Kenneth?"
Rather had no idea what was taking place and as his story seemed Twilight Zone, his detractors started to mock him in being insane as the story sounded crazy.
Upon inquiry, the Lame Cherry in exclusive matter anti matter reveal for the first time what were the events, the people and the situation involved, as it did take place.
There really was a Kenneth, but that as not his real name. Kenneth was his KGB code name as not all operatives have menacing Deep Throat names. Placing non descript names on operatives, assisted in hiding their identities.
The team sent to confront Kenneth that evening was of the CIA working out of the NSA. It is why they were interested in what "the frequency" was, as this had to do with transmissions being sent to the KGB of the Soviet Union.
Kenneth's employ was with the federal oversight, of the New York Port Authority. He had become in need of money and approached the Soviets who were interested in NYPA as it allowed them access to the Authority for smuggling and espionage. Having access to the Port allowed the KGB monitoring of everything entering or leaving New York, for espionage or bringing in their own material.
Kenneth assisted the KGB in the implanting of numerous bugging devices, which were short burst devices. They broadcast continuously, but each bug would only broadcast in sequency. That was the dual edge meaning of "What's the frequency Kenneth?". It was not just the broacast frequency, but the frequency of the broadcasts in the short bursts.
An American mole in Moscow, tipped off the CIA that reams of information was coming in from the Port Authority and that the source behind it was a federal employee.
The evening of the Dan Rather encounter, was one where the NSA CIA had tracked Kenneth to the Rather building as it was a dead drop and meeting zone for Kenneth and his handler in New York City.
In the "Rather event", Kenneth was still inside the building when Rather was strongarmed outside.
Kenneth had no idea what had taken place, until the next day. The story was sensational, and the KGB immediately knew there was a massive problem and informed Kenneth to flee.
He crossed the border into Canada and moved toward Ottawa, Ontario where he was to gain assistance by the Russians in getting him to the Soviet Union.
The NSA CIA was not amused in the breach and the team flew into Ottawa, after being informed by American moles in Russia of how Kenneth was going to be extracated.
Kenneth was apprehended at the KGB designated meeting place before the Russians arrived.
Upon inquiry, Kenneth was interrogated while being hung off a bridge for the "frequency" and when the frequency was confirmed, he was dropped.
The situation was cleansed and the body brought back to America with the relatives unaware.
In additional note, the questioner was apparently sanctioned later in retaliation by Russian moles inside the American government.
The Americans took almost a year to shut down the bugging operation, and instead turned it to their advantage in feeding false information or corrupt shipments to the KGB. The American real cargoes were re routed.
In having the frenquency and the codes, the Americans were able to monitor incoming Soviet shipments and study the network.
That is the story of "What is the frequency Kenneth?" never before explained. The KGB used fellow traveler buildings like Rather's often. It just happened to be the wrong people in the right place missing the right people.
This is about as much as this interests me, so nuff said.
agtG 237
