Donald P. Gregg

[John Simkin]

I am looking for information on Donald P. Gregg. He is on the lecture circuit and in his biography he admits that he joined the CIA in 1951. However, he does not say where he served until after the assassination: Burma (1964-1966), Japan (1966-1969), Vietnam (1970-1972), Korea (1973-1975).

According to Gregg, he first met Bush when he was director of the CIA. Gregg became Bush’s national security advisor in 1982. What Gregg does not say is that he was implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal.

During the Iran-Contra hearings, Gregg admitted that he had been Felix Rodriguez’s case officer in Vietnam (part of Operation Phoenix). However, in “George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography”, Webster Griffin Tarpley and Anton Chaitkin claim that Gregg recruited both Felix Rodriguez and Posada Carilles in 1963. The authors point out that this is missing from Rodriguez’s autobiography, Shadow Warrior: “Rodriguez neglects to explain that agent Posada Carilles was originally recruited and trained by the same CIA murder operation, JM/WAVE in Miami, as was Rodriguez himself”. (page 404)

Tarpley and Chaitkin do not give a reference for this information. However, later in the book, the authors show how Bush rewarded those who took part in the cover-up of his involvement in the Iran-Contra affair with posts in his administration: John Tower (Secretary of Defence), Brent Scowcroft (Chief National Security Adviser) and Dick Cheney (Secretary of Defence after the Senate refused to confirm John Tower). This is itself interesting as a bitter Tower was killed in a plane crash on 5th April, 1991 and Cheney went on to become the power behind the throne in Bush junior’s administration.

Gregg was appointed Ambassador to Korea. This was challenged by the Senate as Gregg had covered up for Bush during the Iran-Contra hearings. Tarpley and Chaitkin publish an extract from Gregg’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This testimony has never been published before. In the extract it is clear that the committee had been asking about Gregg’s early career in the CIA, especially his relationship with Rodriguez and Posada.

Alan Cranston and John Kerry appear to be the two most hostile questioners. At one stage Cranston refers to the relationship between Gregg and Rodriguez existing “for more than three decades”. It therefore seems possible that Gregg had earlier admitted that he recruited Rodriguez and Posada for Operation 40 in 1963. We know this is what Gene Wheaton claimed in his deposition made on (1-3, 7-8 March, 1988).

According to Fabian Escalante, a senior officer of the Cuban Department of State Security (G-2), in 1960 Richard Nixon recruited an "important group of businessmen headed by George Bush (Snr.) and Jack Crichton, both Texas oilmen, to gather the necessary funds for the operation". This suggests that Operation 40 agents were involved in freelance work.

Did Bush meet Gregg during this period? If so, was Bush introduced to Rodriguez and Posada in 1963 when they became part of Operation 40. Was Bush involved in giving Rodriguez and Posada freelance work in 1963? Was this the first of many assignments?

The assassination of Che Guevara in October, 1967.

The assassination of Orlando Letelier, the former Chilean Foreign Minister, on 21st September, 1976.

The bombing of the Cubana Aircraft in October, 1976 that killed all 73 people aboard.

Iran-Contra

Attempted assassination of Fidel Castro in November, 2000.

[John Simkin]

Namebase entry for Donald P. Gregg:

http://www.namebase.org/main1/Donald-P-Gregg.html

Aarons,M. Loftus,J. Unholy Trinity. 1992 (xviii)

Assn. National Security Alumni. Unclassified 1989-10 (2)

Assn. National Security Alumni. Unclassified 1992-05 (13)

Bainerman,J. The Crimes of a President. 1992 (16-8, 20-5, 29, 40)

Ben-Menashe,A. Profits of War. 1992 (59, 74-5)

CIA. Studies in Intelligence: Index 1955-1992 (30)

CPJ. CIA Officials in Japan. 1976 (5)

Castillo,C. Harmon,D. Powderburns. 1994 (174)

Christic Institute. Sheehan Affidavit. 1988-03-25 (23, 76, 158, 247)

Cockburn,A.& L. Dangerous Liaison. 1991 (256-7)

Cockburn,L. Out of Control. 1987 (223-8, 242)

Corn,D. Blond Ghost. 1994 (216, 271, 274-5)

Council on Foreign Relations. Membership Roster. 2004

CounterSpy 1976-12 (34-5)

Covert Action Information Bulletin 1990-#33 (16-20)

Covert Action Quarterly 1994-#48 (60-1)

DeCamp,J. The Franklin Cover-up. 1994 (169)

DeForest,O. Chanoff,D. Slow Burn. 1991 (107-9, 141-3, 190-2, 228)

Dinges,J. The Condor Years. 2004 (174)

Emerson,S. Secret Warriors. 1988 (124-9)

Esquire 1991-10 (98, 100, 102)

Evans-Pritchard,A. The Secret Life of Bill Clinton. 1997 (334-5, 342)

Friedman,A. Spider's Web. 1993 (29)

Hartung,W. And Weapons for All. 1994 (116)

Honegger,B. October Surprise. 1989 (14, 16, 55, 66, 70-1, 74, 94-6, 126, 140-2, 145, 251, 262)

House Foreign Affairs Committee. Staff Report on OPD. 1988-09-07 (16, 30)

In These Times 1991-04-23 (9)

Intelligence/Parapolitics (Paris) 1988-07 (3)

Lies Of Our Times 1990-08 (3)

Loftus,J. Aarons,M. The Secret War Against the Jews. 1994 (406, 409, 411-3, 463-4)

Mader,J. Who's Who in CIA. 1968

Marshall,J... The Iran-Contra Connection. 1987 (28, 165, 196, 238)

Moyar,M. Phoenix and the Birds of Prey. 1997 (68, 83, 122, 195)

Nation 2002-04-01 (13)

New York Times 1988-05-21 (8)

New York Times 1994-01-19 (A4)

Newsweek 1986-11-03 (33)

Parry,R. Fooling America. 1992 (100-1)

Parry,R. Lost History. 1997 (26, 33-4, 57-8, 115)

Parry,R. Trick or Treason. 1993 (37-40, 82, 303-4)

Perry,M. Eclipse. 1992 (131, 418)

Playboy 1988-10 (154)

Prados,J. Presidents' Secret Wars. 1988 (455-6)

Progressive 1987-05 (19-23)

Progressive 1988-03 (22-5)

Reed,T. Cummings,J. Compromised. 1994 (147)

Robinson,W. A Faustian Bargain. 1992 (29-30)

Rodriguez,F. Weisman,J. Shadow Warrior. 1989 (193-4, 213, 217, 219-20, 222-4, 227, 233, 243-5, 248, 261)

Schorr,D. Clearing the Air. 1978 (314)

Scott,P.D. Marshall,J. Cocaine Politics. 1991 (29, 74, 251)

Sick,G. October Surprise. 1991 (34-5, 83, 149, 150K, 210-3)

Sklar,H. Washington's War on Nicaragua. 1988 (101, 120, 231, 271-3, 343-6)

State Dept. Biographic Register. 1969

Stich,R. Defrauding America. 1994 (245-6)

Stich,R. Drugging America: A Trojan Horse. 1999 (59-60, 76)

Tarpley,W.G. Chaitkin,A. George Bush. 1992 (313, 356, 388, 390-1, 423-32, 470, 506, 527)

Terrell,J. Disposable Patriot. 1992 (371)

Thomas,E. The Very Best Men. 1996 (50, 180, 190-1, 197, 275)

Trento,J. Prelude to Terror. 2005 (46, 203-4, 214)

Valentine,D. The Phoenix Program. 1990 (369-70, 428)

Vankin,J. Conspiracies, Cover-ups, and Crimes. 1991 (200)

Village Voice 1988-10-11 (30-1)

Village Voice 1991-09-10 (29-31)

Village Voice 1992-02-25 (38)

Walsh,L. Final Iran-Contra Report. Volume III. 1993-12-03 (309-17)

Washington Post 1986-05-31 (A12)

Washington Post 1986-10-12 (A1, 25)

Washington Post 1986-10-24 (A1, 20)

Washington Post 1986-12-16 (A14)

Washington Post 1987-02-26 (A18)

Washington Post 1989-01-07 (A6)

Washington Post 1989-01-15 (A29, 30)

Washington Post 1989-02-23 (A17)

Washington Post 1989-05-16 (A2)

Washington Post 1989-06-22 (A2)

Washington Times 1988-11-29 (A3)

Willan,P. Puppetmasters. 1991 (79-80)

Z Magazine 1989-12 (57)

[Peter Dale Scott]

During the Iran-Contra hearings, Gregg admitted that he had been Felix Rodriguez’s case officer in Vietnam (part of Operation Phoenix). However, in “George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography”, Webster Griffin Tarpley and Anton Chaitkin claim that Gregg recruited both Felix Rodriguez and Posada Carilles in 1963. The authors point out that this is missing from Rodriguez’s autobiography, Shadow Warrior: “Rodriguez neglects to explain that agent Posada Carilles was originally recruited and trained by the same CIA murder operation, JM/WAVE in Miami, as was Rodriguez himself”. (page 404)

I don't know enough to prove or disprove what Webster claims. I have made notes on his State Department bio. This lists him as "Dept of Army" (code for CIA) from 1951-1964, which would cover the period in question.

On the other hand, most of his known experience is with the Far East. He was posted to Rangoon (!) on May 27, 1964, and later served in Tokyo and Vietnam. Long ago I made a handwritten note that he was in Japan from 1953 to 1963, and also that he "worked directly with the Japanese police." But I can't decipher the source I wrote down. You might try the article in CounterSpy, December 1976, p. 37.

It is relevant that starting in the year 1964 they gradually dismantled JM/WAVE and many of its vets went to Asia. But we can't deduce anything from that.

[John Simkin]

One interesting thing I found out about Donald Gregg is that his daughter is married to Christopher Buckley, the son of William Buckley. I also have his email address. I will ask him about his early CIA activities. I doubt if he will answer me.

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

[John Simkin]

Has anyone obtained any declassified documents that help to explain George Bush's relationship with Donald P. Gregg?

[William Turner]

Has anyone obtained any declassified documents that help to explain George Bush's relationship with Donald P. Gregg?

I have no documents on Gregg. But I have always thought he was the keeper of the crown jewels. Bush didn't stash him away as ambassador to South Korea because he looked good in striped pants.