AMHINT and the Assassination of JFK

[John Simkin]

As members know, I believe the Gene Wheaton story that a CIA operation that used Cuban exiles trained to kill Fidel Castro was turned against JFK. However, the problem is that it has been difficult to identify this operation. The CIA story is that the plot against Castro involved the Mafia and not Cuban exiles. However, a recently released document reveals that there was indeed a CIA-Cuban Exile operation to kill Castro.

This evidence appears in a report entitled “Separate Tracks: Agency Planning – Mafia Plotting” that had been written by Jack Pfeiffer, the CIA’s in-house historian, in September 1983. Pfeiffer writes: “For purposes of this report, CIA’s records have been searched for evidence of a direct relationship between the invasion planning and plans to assassinate Fidel Castro or his key associates.”

During his research Pfeiffer interviewed Richard D. Drain, Chief of Operation WH/4. The tape of this interview still remains classified but some really interesting comments from Drain appear in the report. For example, Drain raises questions about the supposed CIA/Mafia plot to kill Castro: “Well, I promise you that until it came out in 1975, this allegation… that Shef Edwards and Mr. Maheu were working with the Mafia to assassinate Castro, concurrent with the Bay of Pigs operation, that is the first time I ever heard about it.” Why Drain is so surprised about this is that as head of WH/4, he was in charge of the operation to kill Castro.

Pfeiffer quotes from a memo written by Drain that is dated 24 February 1961: “Asked Ed (Edward Lansdale), Dave P., Hinkle, Moore, and Jake (Jacob Esterline) why not proceed with Operation AMHINT to set up a program of assassinations.” Dave P. is obviously David Atlee Phillips. When questioned about this memo, Drain cannot explain why Phillips did not tell him about the Mafia-CIA plot. He also pointed out that he worked closely with Richard Bissell over the plan to kill Castro. Once again he is shocked that Bissell, who apparently oversaw the Mafia plan, never told him about the operation.

A note in the report claims that “AMHINT was related to the work of the Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil (DRE).” Pfeiffer then goes on to say that he found a document that included AMHINT request of 14 January 1961 for “Silenciadores”. These were rifles with silencers and telescopic sights.

In another part of the interview Drain says: “We put out an awful lot of bullxxxx to the Cubans about the restoration of democracy and all that. Those Cubans that were working with us were not, I submit, working for the re-establishment of the Mafia as a controlling factor in Havana. I had a helluvalot rather, in contemplating the assassination of Castro, contemplated it the way that we were contemplating it – that is, can we get a Rip Robertson close to him.”

[Denis Pointing]

As members know, I believe the Gene Wheaton story that a CIA operation that used Cuban exiles trained to kill Fidel Castro was turned against JFK.

Interesting John, but can you elaborate on which part of the operation you belive was "turned" against JFK. Are you referring to the actual shooting or the cover up, or what exactly? And what role (if indeed any) would LHO play in this. I'm thinking the role of "patsy" would have to be filled by a Cuban. Sorry for not being familar with Gene Wheaton's work. Denis.

Edited June 2, 2009 by Denis Pointing

[Lee Forman]

As members know, I believe the Gene Wheaton story that a CIA operation that used Cuban exiles trained to kill Fidel Castro was turned against JFK. However, the problem is that it has been difficult to identify this operation. The CIA story is that the plot against Castro involved the Mafia and not Cuban exiles. However, a recently released document reveals that there was indeed a CIA-Cuban Exile operation to kill Castro.

This evidence appears in a report entitled “Separate Tracks: Agency Planning – Mafia Plotting” that had been written by Jack Pfeiffer, the CIA’s in-house historian, in September 1983. Pfeiffer writes: “For purposes of this report, CIA’s records have been searched for evidence of a direct relationship between the invasion planning and plans to assassinate Fidel Castro or his key associates.”

During his research Pfeiffer interviewed Richard D. Drain, Chief of Operation WH/4. The tape of this interview still remains classified but some really interesting comments from Drain appear in the report. For example, Drain raises questions about the supposed CIA/Mafia plot to kill Castro: “Well, I promise you that until it came out in 1975, this allegation… that Shef Edwards and Mr. Maheu were working with the Mafia to assassinate Castro, concurrent with the Bay of Pigs operation, that is the first time I ever heard about it.” Why Drain is so surprised about this is that as head of WH/4, he was in charge of the operation to kill Castro.

Pfeiffer quotes from a memo written by Drain that is dated 24 February 1961: “Asked Ed (Edward Lansdale), Dave P., Hinkle, Moore, and Jake (Jacob Esterline) why not proceed with Operation AMHINT to set up a program of assassinations.” Dave P. is obviously David Atlee Phillips. When questioned about this memo, Drain cannot explain why Phillips did not tell him about the Mafia-CIA plot. He also pointed out that he worked closely with Richard Bissell over the plan to kill Castro. Once again he is shocked that Bissell, who apparently oversaw the Mafia plan, never told him about the operation.

A note in the report claims that “AMHINT was related to the work of the Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil (DRE).” Pfeiffer then goes on to say that he found a document that included AMHINT request of 14 January 1961 for “Silenciadores”. These were rifles with silencers and telescopic sights.

In another part of the interview Drain says: “We put out an awful lot of bullxxxx to the Cubans about the restoration of democracy and all that. Those Cubans that were working with us were not, I submit, working for the re-establishment of the Mafia as a controlling factor in Havana. I had a helluvalot rather, in contemplating the assassination of Castro, contemplated it the way that we were contemplating it – that is, can we get a Rip Robertson close to him.”

Good stuff...

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKpfeiffer.htm

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.ph...ost&p=37365

Joe Backe's stuff...

These are AMSPELL files. I do not believe that they have been released yet.

Document # 104-10015-10108 is a one page cable from JMWAVE to Director, CIA. It follows up on the previous document. "AMHINT-53 reports AMSPELL delegate had radio debate with Lee H. Oswald of Fair Play for Cuba Committee sometime in August 63 on New Orleans station WDSU. According AMSPELL files, Oswald former U.S. Marine who had travelled Moscow 59 at which time renounced American citizenship and turned passport over to American consulate.

Allegedly lived in home Sov Foreign Minister for two months. In course radio debate subj confesses he Marxist. Above info has not been passed ODFOAM, ODACID, or ODENVY as AMSPELL plans news release circa 1300 hours 22 Nov.

James Richards

For the answers you seek, you may wish to track down Luis Fernandez Rocha. He was an Agency asset (AMHINT-53) and was one of the DRE leaders. He also worked for Radio Swan.

Spartacus

In November 1963, Joannides was serving as the chief of psychological warfare operations in the CIA's Miami station. The purpose of psychological warfare, as authorized by U.S. policymakers, was to confuse and confound the government of Fidel Castro, so to hasten its replacement by a government more congenial to Washington. The first revelation was that Joannides had agents in a leading Cuban student exile group, an operation code-named AMSPELL in CIA files. These agents had a series of close encounters with Oswald three months before JFK was killed.

James again...

AMHINT-26 is John Koch Gene

Pfeiffer interview transcript Bissell

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/bayofpigs/bissellinterv.pdf

Looks like Victor Espinosa Hernandez was AMHINT-25

http://books.google.com/books?id=CYwluOC30...6#PRA1-PA193,M1

AMHINT-19 reference

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...do?docId=108181

[Lee Forman]

that is, can we get a Rip Robertson close to him.

"we had been operating a damned Murder Inc. in the Carribean."

'Buttle' referred to in above referenced document is probably not 'Tuttle' but 'Butler'

AM crypto = Cuban ops

AMSPELL delegate = Carlos Bringuier - DRE

AMHINT-01 is unknown, but DRE

AMHINT-02 is unknown

AMHINT-05 is unknown

AMHINT-19 is unknown

AMHINT-25 is Victor Espinosa Hernandez - DRE

AMHINT-26 is John Gene Koch - DRE, 2506 Koch Gene, Herman---- I believe this was his brother that was killed during the BOP action - 'looks white'

AMHINT-40 is unknown, but DRE

AMHINT-46 - Mother wrote letter to AMHINT-2, AMHINT-5, AMHINT-53 and AMBARD-34[94?]

AMHINT-53 is Luis Fernandez Rocha - DRE, Wave ASSET, worked with Radio Swan which connects him to DA Phillips

AMHINT-56 Juan Francisco Blanco Fernandez, participated in DRE raids on Cuba, Wave asset, 201-332676

Anyone have access to Farrell's site that can see if this is worth anything?

CABLE: PROP TEAM ASSIGNED CRYPTOS AMHINT 1,2,3,4 pg 1

Found in: HSCA Segregated CIA Collection (microfilm - reel 17: Ruiz - Webster)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOCUMENT INFORMATION ORIGINATOR CIA FROM DIRECTOR TO JMASH TITLE CABLE PROP TEAM ASSIGNED CRYPTOS AMHINT 1,2,3,4 DATE 11/06/60 PAGES

RIF#: 104-10181-10346 (11/06/60) CIA#: 80T01357A

CABLE: PROP TEAM ASSIGNED CRYPTOS AMHINT 1,2,3,4 pg 2

Found in: HSCA Segregated CIA Collection (microfilm - reel 17: Ruiz - Webster)

In,D CJ= ACtP~A S/C 2 I t t o t .1-MASH KABANA SANTIAGO DE CUBA 1Nf0 HAVA SACU F.v.a C ECTOR CONT .e. C 100'i-NG tI tOUTINE .RIOEITY OPERATIONAL IMMEDIATE N c t Ro Ninr PROP TEAM ASSIGNED CRYPT% 1 2 3 4 IDEI FOLLOW J D ,LSTZRLDCE C/WH/4 AVTRIMTICAT$N

RIF#: 104-10181-10346 (11/06/60) CIA#: 80T01357A

Edited June 3, 2009 by Lee Forman

[Gerald McKnight]

As to AMHINT I have a few fugitive thoughts. Clearly Drain had some kind of scenario which involved a kind of Hollywood special Rambo-type of operation involving Rip Robertson. In short, an all-American "executive action" operation. In his interview with Pfeiffer he pleads ignorance of any Agency concpiracy to take out Castro by using the Mafia concurrent with Operation Zapata. (Perhaps "concurrent" was the weasel word here).

As you say Drain is head of WH/4 and Cuba is part of the Western Hemisphere, etc., etc.

As I recall by 1963 when John Whitten ("Scelso") I believe held that post he was not privy to any assassination programs against Castro.

Assuming he is being honest with Pfeiffer (perhaps a giant leap of credulity in this case) then I'd conclude for the following reasons that the CIA was running several separate and independent operations (all on need to know at the very top) to take out Castro and settle the Agency's grudge fight with Castro ignited by the Bay of Pigs disaster.

In May 1962 the Kennedys learned for the first time that the CIA was running an assassination operation against Castro. The program involved CIA cooperation with the Mafia (Rosselli, Giancana most prominent figures). When Bobby confronted Sheffield Edwards he was told that this program was a tightly held agency operation involving only six persons; and that the project was never part of Operation Zapata, etc. There were no written documents or memoranda or written agreements, etc. This project had former FBI agent Maheu as the go-between the Agency and the Mafia chieftans, etc. I am not telling you anything new here, I know.

Apparantly all this was new to the Kennedys. Apparantly the presdent's pay scale was not high enough to warrant bringing him into the picture. The memo I am familiar with written by Edwards was dated May 15, 1962. As far as I know this was the first time the Kennedys were made aware of the "Executive Action"programs targeted against Castro. In the Edwards memo the good colonel asserted that this CIA-Mafia program was not an integral part of Operation Zapata.

A possible conclusion is that at this time the CIA was in a kind of intra-agency competition to settle its grudge fight with Castro and there were independent "need to know" seperate and independent half-ass operations targeting Castro. I'd like to believe that all that patina of super-cool associated with the first generation of spooks was largely Cold War hoopla. A bunch of aging frat boys with self-asserted liscences to kill in an intramural contest to see who could nail Castro's hide to the barn door and bask in Cold War glory for the rest of their days.

By 1963 my sense is that Des Fitzgerald and the, what, the Special Affairs Group (no more than 6 heavy breathing members) or something were in exclusive control of the Agency's get-Castro crowd.

[James Richards]

I don't have a number to go with the names, but the first group of men to be given AMHINT cryptonyms were -

Manuel Salvat

Carlos De Varona y Segura (this was Tony Varona's son)

Alberto Muller y Quintana

Miguel Garcia

Ramon Barquin Cantero

FWIW.

James

[Jefferson Morley]

I don't have a number to go with the names, but the first group of men to be given AMHINT cryptonyms were -

Manuel Salvat

Carlos De Varona y Segura (this was Tony Varona's son)

Alberto Muller y Quintana

Miguel Garcia

Ramon Barquin Cantero

FWIW.

James

[Jefferson Morley]

First of all, thanks to all for these informative posts.

AMHINT was the name given to the leaders of the DRE; AMSPELL was the cryptonym for the CIA's relationship with the DRE. AMSPELL files refer to the group and its activities; AMHINT files refer to the individuals.

Document # 104-10015-10108 has been released.

The Pfeiffer report is the only documented instance I know of connecting AMSPELL to a Castro assassination plot. Former DRE leaders disclaim such knowledge, either out of embarassment or forgetfulness. I don't judge. My sense is that these were half-assed plots that Agency people quickly realized were half-assed. Out chauvinism if not racism, CIA men thought it would be easy to get to Castro and kill him. Until they tried. Then the CIA plotters moved from talking to the likes of the DRE boys to talking to the Mafiosos. They needed real heavies.

What new any and all this says about JFK and the events of 1963 is not clear to me.

It is true that the AMHINTs were trusted agency assets in 1963. More than one of them had Provisional Operational Approval from the agency, a standard designation for a cooperative agent. At least one AMHINT (Salvat) went to Dallas in October 1963 but disclaims any connection with Oswald or the assassination. I have no reason not to believe him. Other AMHINTS were in contact with the House Un-American Activities Committee in September 1963 and right after the assassination. On 11/29/63, the AMHINTs backed out of an invitation to testify to HUAC about Oswald and several of them left the country at that time.

What, if anything, case officer Joannides knew about Salvat's trip to Dallas is unknown. What he knew about HUAC's invitation to the DRE leaders to testify about Oswald is unknown. I am fairly sure (but cannot prove) that Joannides knew about the AMHINTs travelling outside of the country after 11/22.

Beyond that lies mostly speculation, fun and often interesting but ultimately pointless.

The significance of the story, insofar as it can be learned 46 years later, is in the Joannides files.

Please help force the release of those files by joining this Facebook cause.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=646...amp;ref=profile

thanks,

Jeff

[John Simkin]

Jack Pfeiffer's report “Separate Tracks: Agency Planning – Mafia Plotting” includes other important information on the CIA plots against Castro. He quotes Arthur Schlesinger as saying that the plot to kill Castro "was an integral part of the invasion plan". He also quotes from a Howard Hunt memo that says: "... assassinate Castro before or coincident with the invasion (a task for Cuban patriots)... Barnes and Bissell read my report... and said it would weigh in the final playing."

[Lee Forman]

AMSPELL would be the overarching program, and AMHINT and AMBARB would be projects under that AMSPELL program. The AMHINT project would be composed of AMHINT agents, ditto for AMBARB.

AMSPELL\AMHINT

AMSPELL\AMBARB [as of July 1962, around 80 agents in the field, Evelio Ley acting as coodinator]

Any idea on additional crypto's that could be added to the tally?

AMHINT-02, 'Secretary General in Exile,' July, 1962, had not returned from Helsinki, so meetings had to be postponed. One of the acting Secretary Generals for the DRE at that time would be Luis Fernandez-Rocha - AMHINT-53 [nom de guerre, or war name - 'Felippe.] - not clear on who the Secretary General in Exile may be for AMHINT-02.

As of Oct 10, 1962:

E. Leading Personalities: In U. S. : Luis FERNANDEZ-ROCHA Rodriguez, Sec Gen; Juan Manuel SALVAT Roque; Pedro YNTERIAN Garcia; General FATJO Miyares; Luis GUTIERREZ; Bernabe PENA; Isidro BORJA; Elio MAS Hernandez; Ernesto FERNANDEZ Travieso. In Cuba; Alberto MULLER Quintana, Orig. Sec Gen, in prison; Antonio GARCIA-CREWS, in prison; Miguel GARCIA Armengol, in prison; Hans HENGLER, in prison; Ricardo MENENDEZ, in prison; Roberto QUINTAIROS Santiso, Gen Coord.; Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Rojo, executed Oct. 1962; Antonio CENTURION; Lester GARCIA Rosales, Civil Natl Coord; Juan PEREIRA Varela, killed.

http://cuban-exile.com/doc_351-375/doc0374.html

[Robert Howard]

AMSPELL would be the overarching program, and AMHINT and AMBARB would be projects under that AMSPELL program. The AMHINT project would be composed of AMHINT agents, ditto for AMBARB.

AMSPELL\AMHINT

AMSPELL\AMBARB [as of July 1962, around 80 agents in the field, Evelio Ley acting as coodinator]

Any idea on additional crypto's that could be added to the tally?

AMHINT-02, 'Secretary General in Exile,' July, 1962, had not returned from Helsinki, so meetings had to be postponed. One of the acting Secretary Generals for the DRE at that time would be Luis Fernandez-Rocha - AMHINT-53 [nom de guerre, or war name - 'Felippe.] - not clear on who the Secretary General in Exile may be for AMHINT-02.

As of Oct 10, 1962:

E. Leading Personalities: In U. S. : Luis FERNANDEZ-ROCHA Rodriguez, Sec Gen; Juan Manuel SALVAT Roque; Pedro YNTERIAN Garcia; General FATJO Miyares; Luis GUTIERREZ; Bernabe PENA; Isidro BORJA; Elio MAS Hernandez; Ernesto FERNANDEZ Travieso. In Cuba; Alberto MULLER Quintana, Orig. Sec Gen, in prison; Antonio GARCIA-CREWS, in prison; Miguel GARCIA Armengol, in prison; Hans HENGLER, in prison; Ricardo MENENDEZ, in prison; Roberto QUINTAIROS Santiso, Gen Coord.; Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Rojo, executed Oct. 1962; Antonio CENTURION; Lester GARCIA Rosales, Civil Natl Coord; Juan PEREIRA Varela, killed.

http://cuban-exile.com/doc_351-375/doc0374.html

Here is a segment of an AMHINT document

Home/Archive/Documents/JFK Assassination Documents/JFK Documents - Central Intelligence Agency/HSCA Segregated CIA Collection (microfilm)/HSCA Segregated CIA Collection (microfilm - reel 26: DRE - JURE)/

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT DRE INFILTRATION OPERATION

104-10171-10042

Date: 28-May-1962

Title: REPORT OF INDEPENDENT DRE INFILTRATION OPERATION

To: CHIEF, TASK FORCE W

From: CHIEF OF STATION, JMWAVE

Subjects: DRE; AMHINT

Comments: JFK64-26:F5 1998.02.07.10:10:43:420109:

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/....do?docId=23850

b. On this operation the vessel crew was

AMHINT-42 - Captain

AMHINT-43 - Navigator

AMBOUY-2 - regional intelligence and guide

Bernabe Pena Ballate - gunner

Manuel Quisa - gunner

9. Upon return to the base the JUANIN crew was warned by AMHINT-42 of security implications and responsibilities of the operation, i.e. any leak in Miami could result in the compromise of AMHINT safe housing in that area as well as the death of the infiltrees.There was no contact with ODYOKE agencies upon departure or re-entry PBPRIME.

[Lee Forman]

Hey Robert!

Yes saw some of these - by 'infiltration' this refers to landings in Cuba. I saw a few reports of successful penetration of Cuba by AMHINT assets - would be fantastic if some documentation could be found which made it clear that AMHINT assets were among the agents infiltrating Cuba on William K. Harvey's nod during the middle of the missile crisis - and among them the one that performed a CYA with RFK. Sure everyone has seen it before - start at about 3:00 below.

Of course, we know now that the tunnel was a failure from the ground breaking forward.

Independently confirmed by 2 sources - 1) Hemming who had plenty to say on the subject - inferring that the penetration by such groups was fairly common in the years leading up to the crisis [much in support of the BOP initiative], and that the intel on the Nukes was collected first by such agents - who had a difficult time finding back channels to deliver the information - which of course the agency took credit for with it's later confirmation using the U2. This initial intel allegedly involved Clara Luce and other channels - which is interesting to note. Hemming insisted that the intel collected by the agency was strictly decoy - the sites so closely photographed and distributed were nothing but the dummy sites - and following the withdrawal / trade solution with Krushchev - the terms and conditions of the treaty were violated by Castro, since the outgoing missiles were only audited by aerial reconnaissance - which was absurd. Hemming [and 2] insisted that Castro retained tactical nuclear strike capability - and this is the reason why no larger action was ever taken since. They couldn't go home again...and then the appearance of detente... source 2) confirmed.

AMHINT?

In 1963, the government of the United States offered to a group of terrorists of Cuban origin, mostly members of Brigade 2506,.... a special course of training at the military academy at Fort Benning, in the State of Georgia. Among the "distinguished" fellow [sic] in the] course, many of them pupils from Yankees trainers, there were a large group of criminals that years later, and still today, continue forging plans against Cuba. This explains the close ties that exist between them and the complicity of those who trained from the outset in this dirty war that lasts more than 40 years.

On November 21, 1963, after completing the training at Fort Benning ...joined a group of armed terrorist infiltrated the area of Santa Cruz del Norte.

- lee

[Robert Howard]

Hey Robert!

Yes saw some of these - by 'infiltration' this refers to landings in Cuba. I saw a few reports of successful penetration of Cuba by AMHINT assets - would be fantastic if some documentation could be found which made it clear that AMHINT assets were among the agents infiltrating Cuba on William K. Harvey's nod during the middle of the missile crisis - and among them the one that performed a CYA with RFK. Sure everyone has seen it before - start at about 3:00 below.

Of course, we know now that the tunnel was a failure from the ground breaking forward.

Independently confirmed by 2 sources - 1) Hemming who had plenty to say on the subject - inferring that the penetration by such groups was fairly common in the years leading up to the crisis [much in support of the BOP initiative], and that the intel on the Nukes was collected first by such agents - who had a difficult time finding back channels to deliver the information - which of course the agency took credit for with it's later confirmation using the U2. This initial intel allegedly involved Clara Luce and other channels - which is interesting to note. Hemming insisted that the intel collected by the agency was strictly decoy - the sites so closely photographed and distributed were nothing but the dummy sites - and following the withdrawal / trade solution with Krushchev - the terms and conditions of the treaty were violated by Castro, since the outgoing missiles were only audited by aerial reconnaissance - which was absurd. Hemming [and 2] insisted that Castro retained tactical nuclear strike capability - and this is the reason why no larger action was ever taken since. They couldn't go home again...and then the appearance of detente... source 2) confirmed.

AMHINT?

In 1963, the government of the United States offered to a group of terrorists of Cuban origin, mostly members of Brigade 2506,.... a special course of training at the military academy at Fort Benning, in the State of Georgia. Among the "distinguished" fellow [sic] in the] course, many of them pupils from Yankees trainers, there were a large group of criminals that years later, and still today, continue forging plans against Cuba. This explains the close ties that exist between them and the complicity of those who trained from the outset in this dirty war that lasts more than 40 years.

On November 21, 1963, after completing the training at Fort Benning ...joined a group of armed terrorist infiltrated the area of Santa Cruz del Norte.

- lee

Yeah Lee, this whole area of the AM projects is very important obviously, I am definitely not as clued in on AMHINT as some folks, but I do know, that by the time of the assassination of JFK there were several stay-behind nets in Cuba that were in position to assist any anti-Castro operations operating out of the JMWAVE station. It's weird to think that there was never another attempt at overthrowing, Fidel, although that is neither here nor there. Eloy Menoyo and Juan Manuel Salvat I believe are people to really be aware of. [unrelated] Hemming used to talk alot about Second Naval Guerilla, which is relevant Salvat was, of course connected to Dallas....The crypt project will hopefully further illuminate these Cuban areas and how they interfaced with Zenith Technical Services.....

[Lee Forman]

http://cuban-exile.com/doc_226-250/doc0235.html

TO THE FREE MEN OF THE WORLD

In the month of March 1963, the U.S. Government offered the officers of Brigade 2506 a special training course at Fort Benning, Georgia. The men of the well known Brigade, many still under the influence of 22 months of Communist prison, others still feeling the wounds of battle, enthusiastically took the opportunity offered by the friendly government [u.S.] to train in the use and techniques of combat and modern weapons, for the purpose of being more ready to the cause of liberating the country. [Cuba]

The photos presented represent notable instances during the development of the course, a hope of freedom for all Cubans.

Taking a step forward in shortening the suffering days in which the country bleeds, has been the purpose of each and every one of the Cuban officers participating in the course. In this, they have obtained knowledge to win the art of warfare, war that undoubtedly will happen one day in Cuba. And which undoubtedly will participate, in the war in Cuba, the officers of the 2506 Brigade, and by the conclusion of this course they leave us a graphic memento of their many activities. Martyrs of Giron, your fellow Brigade members continue the fight that on the 17th of April 1961 started with the heroism of titans...

List of Photos of Ft. Benning officers

[The 207 names were not in alphabetical order in the original reference. Some photos were not available. In all cases the names were scanned with the photo or the blank space stating "picture not available". Each photo contained the name of the individual and/or position that person held in Brigade 2506. A few names were spelt incorrectly but were corrected, when known, in the following list.]

Good for an AMHINT cross-reference.

- lee

[Lee Forman]

http://www.antiterroristas.cu/index.php?tp..._obj_id=1001735

The CIA-trained Cuban terrorists created in the plans for the Bay of Pigs invasion became major purveyors of this history of secrecy and lies. In December 1962, Cuba released more than a thousand prisoners of Brigade 2506, the Bay of Pigs invaders. They joined thousands of other Cuban émigrés to be given further training by the CIA. From 1963 through 1966, about 300 CIA agents like E. Howard Hunt worked out of a CIA station based at the University of Miami. They controlled thousands of Cuban operatives in a campaign of constant armed attacks, sabotage, infiltration, propaganda, arson, and murder.

Some Bay of Pigs veterans enrolled at Fort Benning for CIA training that gave them commissions as Army lieutenants. Within the time frame of this forum, I’ll follow briefly only one of these trained terrorists: Luis Posada, but Posada had three important buddies at Fort Benning -- Jorge Mas Canosa, Orlando Bosch, and Félix Rodríguez -- all of whom became connected in some form or other to terrorism. Decades later, Luis Posada told New York Times reporters that “the CIA taught us everything -- everything.” He said, “They taught us explosives, how to kill, bomb, trained us in acts of sabotage.”

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m113...50/ai_54545997/

When he arrived in Miami, Mas, like most of the young exile men, saw U.S.-backed violence as the only means available for the overthrow of the revolutionary government. He later modified, but never abandoned, this methodology. The young Mas joined the CIA's Bay of Pigs invasion expedition, but never set foot on the island. The CIA assigned him to a decoy ship.

After the April 1961 Bay of Pigs fiasco, Mas turned to radio, doing biweekly anti-Castro broadcasts into Cuba over the CIA's Radio SWAN. He married Irma, his high school sweetheart. To earn his living he began delivering milk; subsequently he sold shoes in Miami's Little Havana.

In 1963, the CIA offered a select group of Bay of Pigs veterans a chance to enroll in an intelligence training course at Fort Benning, Georgia. Mas met two Cuban exiles there, Felix Rodriguez and Luis Posada Carrilles, who became his lifetime buddies after undergoing this special training with him. Like other Bay of Pigs veterans selected as "special cases," Mas received a commission as second lieutenant, but - like many of his compatriots - quit the army when he discovered that the U.S. government had no immediate plans to invade Cuba.(2)

Mas Terror

Following his 1963 Fort Benning experience, Mas met Jose "Pepin" Bosch, kingpin of the Bacardi rum family, and abandoned his shoe-salesman career in Little Havana. How does a former shoe salesman with little record of accomplishment get into millionaire Bosch's league? Did the CIA suggest that Bosch back Mas, yet another among many Cuban exiles plotting terrorist raids against Cuba, as a leader of RECE (Representacion Cubana en el Exilio)? Former House Assassinations Committee investigator Gaeton Fonzi says that the CIA, not Bosch, financed RECE. Fonzi cites an FBI document that has Mas delivering $5,000 to Luis Posada, then a CIA contract agent, to blow up a Soviet or Cuban ship docked in Veracruz, Mexico.(3)

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKvarona.htm

During the month of June 1963, Manuel Artime, a leading political figure among the Cuban refugees in Miami, Florida, came to Fort Benning, Georgia, for the purpose of recruiting people to go to a revolutionary camp in Nicaragua. Artime informed this group that the U.S. Government was not going to do anything for Cuba and that he had obtained aid and instructors from Europe." "Help should start to be received by Artime after November 1963." "Muina is working for, or with, Artime. Muina has indicated that Cuba will not gain its liberty with the assistance of the United States, but needs to look for help from another country. Muina believes that the United States has decided to apply the principle of co-existence towards Cuba." "There is a group of officers with the Cuban Officers Training Program at Lackland Air Force Base who contemplate submitting their resignations if the United States has not done anything for the freedom of Cuba by December 1963. Many officers have indicated their desire to resign in order to join Manuel Artime who is supposedly organizing a training camp in Nicaragua. Artime has some contacts that have been undermining the present training program by spreading dissention among their fellow officers.