Military archives are typically stored at the National Archives, but these files still belong to the military. The military appoints a senior representative to the National Archives, making them a member of the Archives Committee. By convention, Major General Cooley is the military's senior representative and a member of the Archives Committee.
The large collection of footage he manages would be extremely helpful for producing documentaries. The U.S. military even preserved some of Japanese texts, photos, and films, which Hardy was eager to obtain to produce documentaries exposing Japan's war crimes and the lowly tactics he and the Marines had to deal with through the war.
The next day, Hardy flew to Washington.
It was his first time visiting the nation's capital.
At a private club, Hardy met Major General Cooley. They were both genuinely interested in each other and quickly became friends.