I think the document referred to in the article [1] is from 1967, and refers to events "a number of years ago" maybe placing the operation in the late 50's / early 60's - remember, the US was stunned by the Soviet achievement of putting the first man in space and was generally trailing in the space race around that time.
As to the benefits, it seems they're still classified, whatever they are. The document [1] describes, for example, "revelation of the system XXXXXXXXXX that was used here and conceivably for other Soviet space hardware" as a "positive intelligence result" of the operation.
As to the benefits, it seems they're still classified, whatever they are. The document [1] describes, for example, "revelation of the system XXXXXXXXXX that was used here and conceivably for other Soviet space hardware" as a "positive intelligence result" of the operation.
[1] http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB479/docs/EBB-Moon...