Lee Forman Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 Just a collection of some data from a few sources... http://www.tsujiru.net/moen/video_trans/042.html James Wilcott (CIA, 1957-66): The guy told me he was from DoD, Department of Defense. We were recruited, or believed that we were being recruited, by DoD. It was not until we got to Washington that we found out that it was CIA. However, the day just before we left for Washington, we were sent a telegram that read something like, "Your employment with the DoD will involve assignment to CIA." And we did not even know what CIA meant at the time. We did not even know what the initials stood for. http://www.ajweberman.com/nodules/nodule3.htm JAMES AND ELSIE WILCOTTTwo former CIA employees claimed that OSWALD was an official CIA operation and was on the CIA's payroll. James and Elsie Wilcott were recruited by the CIA as a husband and wife team in the late 1950's, shortly after their marriage. Their first tour of duty was in Japan (1960 to 1964) where they worked under Chief of Station William V. Broe, after which they returned to Washington, D.C. Elsie Wilcott worked as a secretary in the Soviet Bloc Division, James Wilcott as a finance officer. WILCOTT'S STORY "November 24, 1963, was when I first heard about the CIA somehow being involved. Not long before going off duty, talk about OSWALD'S connection with CIA was making the rounds. While this kind of talk was a jolt to me, I didn't really take it seriously then. Very heavy talk continued up to about the middle of January. Based solely on what I heard at the Tokyo Station, I became convinced the following scenario is true: CIA people killed Kennedy. Either it was an outright project of Headquarters with the approval of McCone, or it was done outside, perhaps under the direction of Dulles and Bissell..OSWALD was recruited from the military for the express purpose of becoming a double agent assignment to the USSR. It was said they had some kind of special handle on him. Perhaps, went the speculation, they had discovered that he had murdered someone or committed some other serious crime, during a routine lie detector test. In any case it was a very risky assignment. CIA taught him Russian and it was said he had been to the farm (CIA's agent training camp, Camp Peary, Virginia) although probably not in one of the regular agent training programs. He may not have even known he had been there. (That was often done with special cases. They would be put to sleep and wake up in a strange place and be told that it was some other place than the farm). Although they said that he knew he was working for CIA, he was kept rigidly compartmented from any of the normal contacts that a regular CIA employee would have. The operational people that I knew never admitted they were working on the project, although some hinted at it. Jerry Fox, a SR agent who purchased Soviet information, may have been one of them. The Deputy Chief of SR (first name was Dave, I've forgotten his last name) may also have been one too. More than once I was told something like 'so and so was working on the OSWALD Project back in the late 1950's.' "When OSWALD returned from the USSR in June of 1962, either on his way back, or after he got back, he was brought back to Japan to either Atsugi or Yokosuka for debriefing, it was assumed. At one point, soon after RUBY shot OSWALD, I was talking with someone, I can't recall who for sure, and I expressed disbelief about OSWALD being a CIA project. I was told something like this: 'Well James, OSWALD drew an advance some time in the past from you or for that project under such and such a cryptonym.' It was a familiar cryptonym at the time, which I have since forgotten, as well as the time that the advance of the funds was drawn...At first I thought these guys were nuts, but then a man I knew and had worked with before showed up to take a disbursement and told me OSWALD was a CIA employee. I didn't believe him until he told me the cryptonym under which OSWALD had drawn funds when he returned from Russia to the U.S.A." James Wilcott said he was not privy to the type of project involved, since "project funds were disbursed on a code basis; as a disbursement officer, he would not have been apprised of the substantive aspects of the project." [NYT 3.27.78; WR p256; East Bay Tribune 9.18.78 pB13; San Francisco Chronicle 9.12.78; statement of James Wilcott with attach. ARA doc.] WILCOTT DEFECTS By November 1964, James Wilcott had established relationships with American civil rights activists: August 31, 1965 TO: Deputy Director of Security for Personnel Security FROM: Deputy Chief, Personnel Security Division SUBJECT: Wilcott, James Bernard Jr. #109 301 1. Tab B presents the results of an interview of the Subject conducted at Miami, Florida, and Tab C directs that certain checks be accomplished prior to the polygraph of the Subject. 2. The FBI has furnished extensive information concerning Ray Robinson, Jr., James Monsonis (Monsonus) and Reta Betty Rotondi. 3. Monsonis and his wife, Lenore Gensburg Monsonis, have participated in racial picketing and James Monsonis is President of the National Student Christian Federation. James Monsonis in December 1964, according to the FBI, was the Director of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, Washington, D.C. and several well known CP members were connected with SNICK or visited SNICK in December 1964. 4. The FBI furnished a copy of an investigation concerning Reta Betty Rotondi conducted in October 1964 and revealed that an informant revealed that Betty Rotondi is self-identified as a CP member in June 1964 and in August 1964 as one of two CP members who worked in CORE as Task Force leader. Informant made available information indicating Betty Rotondi accepted in Queens County CP Club in February 1946 and from 1948 to and including 1954. Betty Rotondi's CP associates were set forth. 5. Ray Robinson Jr. - participated in the Quebec-Washington-Guantanamo Walk for Peace sponsored by the Committee for Non-Violent Action and on November 19, 1963 was arrested by the police at Macon, Georgia for distributing literature against city ordinances. Ray Robinson has an extensive arrest record dating back to 1954, which included assault with a deadly weapon, intoxication, possession of narcotics, armed robbery etc. 6. Concerning Alex Passikloff, the FBI indicated they have no identifiable information pertinent to our inquiry. 7. In compliance with paragraph 2 of Reference C, a written report concerning Subject's arrest in November 1964 in Washington, D.C. indicated that the Subject and one Ray Robinson Jr. were arrested for being drunk. The arresting officer advised that Subject and Robinson were arrested for drunkenness and were also disorderly, but were not so charged. Subject and Robinson, according to the arresting officer, were very intoxicated and fighting among themselves. 8. Relative to paragraph 3 of Reference C, the New York Field office of IOS furnished information that Alexander Passikloff has been known to them since 1938. Passikloff has an extensive police record and in 1963 was arrested three times in connection with anti-segregation (pro-integration) protest demonstrations. There were indications of possible CP membership and/or affiliation of Passikloff. Information indicates that Passikloff in 1950 reportedly told somebody that he had been expelled from the CP. Passikloff, in 1963, participated in sit-ins sponsored by CORE on at least three separate occasions in New York City. 9. In addition Passikloff was arrested on August 5, 1964 in Jersey City, New Jersey during the course of a race riot. He was charged with disorderly conduct and possession of a knife. It was also indicated that Passikloff had been treated at the Creedmore State Hospital for a mental disorder. 10. The New York City Police Department contained no record of Joseph or Betty Rotondi. 11. Concerning Blyden Brown Jackson, the New York Police Department indicates that Byden Brown Jackson is Chairman of the East River chapter of CORE. Jackson has a police record dating from 1958, his last arrest was on April 22, 1964 for disorderly conduct and resisting an arrest. Jackson has participated in racial demonstrations and sit-ins and in April of 1964 is listed among a group of individuals furnished by the U.S. Secret Service regarding security escort to the President of the United States. 12. Jackson was arrested by the New York City Police Department on January 11, 1965 and charged with felonious assault and Jackson is known to the psychiatric division of Bellevue Hospital in New York. 13. It is recommended that Subject be polygraphed concerning his association with the above individuals. It is recommended that coordination be effected with Jerry Mullane, Security Officer, WH Division, who is aware of this case to have Subject report to Headquarters for polygraph examination or arrange to have the Subject polygraphed in Miami, Florida, which ever is convenient. 14. It is further recommended that this polygraph examination be administered as soon as possible. Leland E. Bunn. James Wilcott resigned in April 1966, after nine years of CIA employment. He became friendly with CIA defector Philip Agee and broke his secrecy agreement with the Agency in 1968. In 1978 James Wilcott testified at a CIA tribunal in Havana, then testified before the HSCA. ELSIE WILCOTT Elsie Wilcott agreed with her husband: "Right after the President was killed, people in the Tokyo Station were talking openly about OSWALD having gone to Russia for the CIA. Everyone was wondering how the Agency was going to be able to keep the lid on OSWALD. But I guess they did." Elsie Wilcott never testified before the HSCA. THE HSCA & WILCOTT The HSCA concluded that, "Based on all the evidence, James Wilcott's allegation was not worthy of belief." [HSCA R p200] The Committee based its conclusion on interviews with CIA personnel, including one who was named as a participant in one of these conversations. This CIA person told the HSCA he was transferred from the Tokyo CIA Station to the United States in 1962, so that he could not possibly have had the conversation with Wilcott. His CIA employment records substantiated this. The HSCA interviewed everyone who had served at the Tokyo CIA Station during this period. Not one had any recollection that such conversation ever took place. ANALYSIS Wilcott had this information in November 1963. He underwent a transformation to a radical in August 1965. He left the CIA in April 1966. He came foward with his charges in 1978. What took him so long? It was not common knowledge at the CIA that OSWALD was a CIA Operation. Only ANGLETON and a few of his associates were aware of OSWALD'S true status. Most CIA personnel probably thought OSWALD was a tool of the Cubans and Soviets. Wilcott stated that OSWALD had drawn funds when he returned from Russia to the U.S.A. This was unlikely. The Wilcotts were propagandists. They floated a false new story against the CIA, for whatever their reasons. http://cuban-exile.com/doc_001-025/doc0020.html Wilcott added that, just before the Kennedy assassination, there were certain changes in the daily routine at the station, leading him to believe that something was going to happen. On November 22, he had traveled out of the city, but when he returned he was told to report immediately to the CIA station. Then, his chief, Jack Randall, told him President Kennedy had been assassinated and that he should be reachable or go to the station since he might have been assigned an emergency task. He said he went to the station with his friend George Breen and found a scene of great jubilation and excitement. "It was obvious that the majority of the personnel at the station, especially those who had to do with operations, were excited and overjoyed abut Kennedy's assassination. This really bothered me because I supported Kennedy, " he said. During the next few days, according to Wilcott, the substance of conversation among operations officers was that one shouldn't think that Kennedy's assassination was the work of a mad man. They gave specific details about high level, top secret meetings regarding the Bay of Pigs (Playa Giron) and how Kennedy was a traitor who deserved to die. He added that a CIA case officer, who might have been Robert Will, told him large sums of money had been spent recently for Oswald or for the Oswald project. He also heard Oswald had learned to speak Russian at the Atsugi base before going to the Soviet Union. Wilcott's colleagues told him the original plan involved passing Oswald off as a man solidly linked to the Cuban Government, so it would be possible to claim the assassination was the work of a Cuban agent. This then would provide the pretext for attacking Cuba. However, it was not possible to establish solid ties between Oswald and the Cuban Government, and this part of the plan was dropped. Finally, Wilcott said all this information was given to the Congressional select committee investigating assassinations, along with a list of the Tokyo station personnel he could remember. At Wilcott's request the attorney for the Committee, a Mr. Goldsmith, called the CIA to ask for a complete list of Tokyo station personnel with their photos so that Wilcott could identify them for the investigation -- but the CIA refused to supply the list. Wilcott has spent the last ten years attempting to make public this and other information about crimes and illegal activity by the CIA, but it has been very difficult. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DID NOT EXERT PRESSURE TO GET A COPY OF THE LIST WHICH MR. WILCOTT WANTED James Wilcott Testimony to the HSCA EXECUTIVE SESSION ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 1978 House of Representatives, John F. Kennedy Subcommittee of the Select Committee on Assassinations, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met at 10:20 a.m., pursuant to notice, in room 2344 of the Rayburn Office Building, the Honorable Richard Preyer (Chairman of the subcommittee), presiding. Present: Representatives Preyer (presiding), Dodd and Sawyer. Also Present: Michael Goldsmith, Counsel, and Gary Cornwell, Counsel. Also Present: Elizabeth Berning, Chief Clerk, and Charles Berk, Betsy Wolf and James Wolf. Mr. Preyer. Thank you for being here today, and I will call the subcommittee to order at this time. I will ask if you will stand and be sworn. Do you solemnly swear that the evidence you are about to give before this subcommittee will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Mr. Wilcott. I do. Mr. Preyer. I would like before we begin to read a written statement concerning the subject of the investigation. We are operating under House Resolution 222, which man- dates the Committee to conduct a full and complete investi- gation and study of the circumstances surrounding the assas- sination and death of President John F. Kennedy, including determining whether the existing laws of the United States concerning the protection of the President and the investiga- tory jurisdiction and capability of agencies and departments are adequate in their provisions and enforcement; and whether there was full disclosure of evidence and information among agencies and department of the United States Government and whether any evidence or information not in the possession of an agency of department would have been of assistance in investigating the assassination and why such information was not provided or collected by that agency or department, and to make recommendations to the House if the Select Committee deems it appropriate for the amendment of existing legislation or the enactment of new legislation. That is what we are attempting to accomplish, which is quite a big order. We appreciate your being here today, Mr. Wilcott. (Whereupon, a recess was taken while the members of the Committee went to the floor of the House for a vote.) 3 Mr. Preyer. We will come to order. We will resume the session, and I will recognize Counsel to begin his questioning. TESTIMONY OF JAMES B. WILCOTT, A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY: Mr. Goldsmith. For the record, would you please state your name and address and occupation? Mr. Wilcott. My name is James B. Wilcott. My address is 2761 Atlantic Street, in Concord, and my occupation is electronic technician. Mr. Goldsmith. Where is Concord located? Mr. Wilcott. It is a little bit east of Oakland, California. Mr. Goldsmith. Have you received a copy of the Committee's rules? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. And a copy of the relevant House Resolutions? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. And, Mr. Wilcott, is it true that you are a former employee with the CIA and that you are here today testifying voluntarily without a subpoena? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. During what years did you work for the CIA? 4 Mr. Wilcott. I worked from the years, May, of 1957 to, April, of 1966. Mr. Goldsmith. And in what general capacity did you work with the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. All in the finance -- in accounting all of the time. Mr. Goldsmith. How did you become employed with the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. I was recruited from the school in Syracuse New York, where I was taking a course in accounting and busi- ness administration. Mr. Goldsmith. Very generally now, what were your responsibilities as a finance employee with the agency? Mr. Wilcott. Well, from May of 1957 to January of 1960 - Mr. Goldsmith -- excuse me, just answer the question very generally, without referring to anything right now, and please describe generally what your responsibilities were as a finance officer. Mr. Wilcott. My. responsibilities were primarily record keeping and disbursing of funds. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, are you here with Counsel today? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I am. Mr. Goldsmith. Would your Counsel identify himself for the recorder? Mr. Schaap. My name is William Schaap, S - c - h - a - 5 a - p (spelling), and I am an Attorney here in Washington. I will give my card to the Committee. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, did I ask you to prepare a list indicating the dates that you were employed with the CIA and where you were stationed? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, you did. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you prepare such a list? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I did. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have that list with you? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. I do. Mr. Goldsmith. Referring to that list, would you tell the Committee where you were stationed during your period with the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. Certainly, from May of 1957 to January of 1960, I was in the pre-fab building on the Potomac in finance. During the period, it was unvouchered funds, and my duties were general accounting, and my rate in status was GS-5. From about January of 1960 to about June of 1960, I was transferred to Finance Field Payroll, also, in this same building, on the Potomac. This was making payments and keeping pay records. From June of 1960 to June of 1964, I was stationed at XXXXXXX Station, and my primary duty was finance and cash disbursements. This was all cash payments and record keeping for the station. And during that period, I had been promoted 6 GS-7 and also gained a career status. From June of 1964 to about December of 1964, I was at Roseland. This was just prior to moving to Langley, in finance, and my duties there were policing accounts, and included auditing of special accounts. From January of 1965 to about March of 1965, I was at Langley in the same area, in finance, policing accounts and auditing of special accounts, and I was promoted up to GS-9. From April of 1965 to April of 1966, I was at Miami Station in finance, and I was handling the staff payroll. This was preparing and reconciling payrolls. In April of 1966, I resigned from the CIA. Mr. Goldsmith. I take it, from your testimony, that in November of 1963, you were stationed in XXXXXXXXXXXXX Station, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. That is right. Mr. Goldsmith. Drawing your attention to the period immediately after the assassination of President Kennedy, at that time, did you come across any information concerning Lee Harvey Oswald's relationship with the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I did. Mr. Goldsynith. And will you tell the Committee what that relationship was? Mr. Wilcott. Well, it was my understanding that Lee Harvey Oswald was an employee of the agency and was an agent 7 of the agency. Mr. Goldsmith. What do you mean by the term "agent"? Mr. Wilcott. That he was a regular employee, receiving a full-time salary for agent work for doing CIA operational work. Mr. Goldsmith. How did this information concerning Oswald first come to your attention? Mr. Wilcott. The first time I heard about Oswald being connected in any way with CIA was the day after the Kennedy assassination. Mr. Goldsmith. And how did that come to your attention: Mr. Wilcott. Well, I was on day duty for the station. It was a guard-type function at the station, which I worked for overtime. There was a lot of excitement going on at the station after the Kennedy assassination. Towards the end of my tour of duty, I heard certain things about Oswald somehow being connected with the agency, and I didn't really believe this when I heard it, and I thought it was absurd. Then, as time Went on, I began to hear more things in that line. Mr. Goldsmith. I think we had better go over that one more time. When, exactly, was the very first time that you heard or came across information that Oswald was an agent? Mr. Wilcott. I heard references to it the day after 8 the assassination. Mr. Goldsmith. And who made these references to Oswald being an agent of the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. I can't remember the exact persons. There was talk about it going on at the station, and several months following at the station. Mr. Goldsmith. How many people made this reference to Oswald being an agent of the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. At least -- there was at least six or seven people, specifically, who said that they either knew or believed Oswald to be an agent of the CIA. Mr. Goldsmith. Was Jerry Fox one of the people that made. this allegation? Mr. Wilcott. To the best of my recollection, yes. Mr. Goldsmith. And who is Jerry Fox? Mr. Wilcott. Jerry Fox was a Case Officer for his branch the Soviet Russia Branch, XXXXXXXXXX Station, who purchased information from the Soviets. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, did I ask you to prepare a list of CIA Case Officers working at XXXXXXXXX Station in 1963? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, you did. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you prepare such a list? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I did. Mr. Goldsmith. Is that list complete and does it have 9 every CIA Case Officer who worked XXXXXXXXXX in 1963? Mr. Wilcott. Oh, no. It doesn't have every one. It has every one that I can remember. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you bring that list with you today? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I did. Mr. Goldsmith. Were any of these people on your list possible subjects who made references to Oswald being a CIA agent? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Would you read the list to the Committee? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Only of Case Officers. Ms. Berning. I think we ought to state that the record shows that Mr. Sawyer is a member of the Kennedy Subcommitte Preyer. We will. Mr. Goldsmith. Upon your memory and the list that your brought with you today, will you tell the Committee the names of the CIA Case Officers who you remember working XXXXXXXXXX in 1963? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. There was XXXXXXXXXXXX Branch, who had XXXXXXXXXXX cover. Jerry Fox, SR Branch, Soviet Russia Branch -- Mr. Goldsmith. Excuse me, please proceed very slowly. Mr. Wilcott. Jerry Fox, SR Branch, Reid Dennis, Chief of Soviet Satellite Branch; and XXXXXXXXXX, China Branch, 10 and he also had a cover. John P. Horton, XXXXXXXXX Section; XXXXXXXXXXXXX Branch; and Chester Ito, XXXXXXXXX Branch; and Kan Takai, XXXXX Branch; and Jim Delaney, China Branch; and Bob Rentner, SR Branch -- and there is some question about that, the branch he was with. Larry Watanabi, XXXXXX Branch, Senior Case Officer; and XXXXXXXXXXX, deep commercial cover agent. There was a person, Dave, who was a Deputy Chief. Dave -- I can't remember his last name, Deputy Chief of the China Branch; and then a person whose last name was XXXXXXXXX in the XXXXXXXXX Branch. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you remember which of these individuals if any, made the specific allegation or reference that Oswald was an agent? Mr. Wilcott. It has been 15 years, and I can't remember specifically who said what, but certainly I am sure that Jerry Fox, for instance, had at least made some mention of it. Mr. Goldsmith. At the time that this allegation first came to your attention, did you discuss it with anyone? Mr. Wilcott. Oh, yes. I discussed it with my friends and the people that I was associating with socially. Mr. Goldsmith. Who were your friends that you discussed this with? Mr. Wilcott. XXXXXXXXXXXX George Breen, Ed Luck, and 11 XXXXXXXXXXXXX. Mr. Goldsmith. Who was George Breen? Mr. Wilcott. George Breen was a person in Registry, who was my closest friend while I was in XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Mr. Goldsmith. Was he a CIA employee? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, he was. Mr. Goldsmith. And would he corroborate your obser- vation that Oswald was an agent? Mr. Wilcott. I don't know. Mr. Goldsmith. At the time that this allegation first came to your attention, did you learn the name of Oswald's Case Offficer at the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. No. Mr. Goldsmith. Were there any other times during your stay with the CIA at XXXXXXXXXX Station that you came across information that Oswald had been a CIA agent? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. When was that? Mr. Wilcott. The specific incident was soon after the Kennedy assassination, where an agent, a Case Officer -- I am sure it was a Case Officer -- came up to my window to draw money, and he specifically said in the conversation that ensued, he specifically said, "Well, Jim, the money that I drew the last couple of weeks ago or so was money," either for the Oswald project or for Oswald. 12 Mr. Goldsmith. Do you remember the name of this Case Officer? Mr. Wilcott. No, I don't. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you remember when specifically this conversation took place? Mr. Wilcott. Not specifically, only generally. Mr. Goldsmith. How many months after the assassination was this? Mr. Wilcott. I think it must have been two or three omths (sic) after the assassination. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you remember where this conver- sation took place? Mr. Wilcott. It was right at my window, my disbursing cage window. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you discuss this information with anyone? Mr. Wilcott. Oh, yes. Mr. Goldsmith. With whom? Mr. Wilcott. Certainly with George Breen, XXXXXXXXXXX the circle of social friends that we had. Mr. Goldsmith. How do you spell XXXXXXXXXX last name? Mr. Wilcott. XXXXXXXXXXXXX (spelling). Mr. Schaap. For the record, I have made a list of all of these spellings of the names which have been mentioned, which I will give to the stenographer so that he will have 13 them correctly. Mr. Goldsmith. Did this Case Officer tell you what Oswald's cryptonym was? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, he mentioned the cryptonym specifically under which the money was drawn. Mr. Goldsmith. And what did he tell you the cryptonym was? Mr. Wilcott. I cannot remember. Mr. Goldsmith. What was your response to this revelatic as to what Oswald's cryptonym was? Did you write it down or do anything? Mr. Wilcott. No; I think that I looked through my advance book -- and I had a book where the advances on projects were run, and I leafed through them, and I must have at least leafed through them to see if what he said was true. Mr. Goldsmith. And are you saying then that you attempted to investigate this allegation? Mr. Wilcott. No, I am not saying that. It was more of a casual kind of thing, to my way of thinking. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you check your cash disbursement files? Mr. Wilcott. Not the files, no. Mr. Goldsmith. I am not sure I am following, then, what specifically you did check. Mr. Wilcott. It was a book that I had. At the end of 14 the day we would list all of the advances that were made in an advance book. It was just a three-ring binder, and we would list down the advances by cryptonym and the amounts and then reconcile that with the daily disbursements. Mr. Goldsmith. How long were these records maintained? Mr. Wilcott. They were maintained on a thirty-day basis, and then they were closed off at the end of the month. Mr. Goldsmith. So, does that mean you were able to check back only thirty days from the time that you were given this information? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. I realize this is testimony 15 years after the fact. However, if you received this information two or three months after the assassination, at a time that Oswald was already dead and had been dead for two or three months, what purpose would have been served by checking records that were only 30 days old? Do you follow the question? Mr. Wilcott. No. Mr. Goldsmith. Well, in other words, if you got the information three months after the assassination, Oswald had already been dead for three months, is that right? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Answer "yes" or "no" for the recorder. Mr. Wilcott. Yes. 15 Mr. Goldsmith. You testified that your records were only kept for thirty days, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Then, by checking your records, which only went back thirty days, isn't it true that you wouldn't have gotten any information concerning Oswald anyway because Oswald had already been dead for one or two months? Mr. Wilcott. That is true. Mr. Goldsmith. So, then, really, no purpose would have been served by checking those records? Mr. Wilcott. That is right. Mr. Goldsmith. And did you check any other records? Mr. Wilcott. No. Mr. Preyer. I understand this might be a good place for us to break and go and vote, so that we will take another recess for about ten minutes. I am sorry. (Whereupon, a recess was taken while the members of I the Committee went to the floor of the House for a vote.) Mr. Preyer. The Committee will resume. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, you indicated that after receiving this information concerning Oswald's cryptonym, you went back to check some files, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. Not really files; it was my book. Mr. Goldsmith. Your book. Mr. Wilcott. I flipped through it. 16 Mr. Goldsmith. What is the name of the book? Mr. Wilcott. It was my Request for Advance Book. Mr. Goldsmith. And for purposes of clarification, now, if Oswald was already dead at the time that you went to this book, why did you go back to examine the book? Mr. Wilcott. Well, I am sorry -- if Oswald was what? Mr. Goldsmith. At the time you went to look at the book, Oswald was already dead is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. That is right. Mr. Goldsmith. Why did you go back to look at the book? Mr. Wilcott. Well, the payments that were made especially to substations like Oswald's was operated -- it was a sub- station of the XXXXXXXX station, and they had one in XXXXXX and they had one in XXXXXXXXX-- and it may be six months or even a year after the intial allocation that the final accounting for those funds were submitted, and they would operate out of revolving funds or out of their own personal funds in many cases. Mr. Goldsmith. So, is your testimony then that even though. Oswald was already dead at that time, the book might have contained a reference to either Oswald or the Oswald project and that that reference would have been to a period six months or even a year earlier, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. That is correct. 17 Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, how long were these advance books retained? Mr. Wilcott. They were retained for approximately one year by the finance office, approximately one to two years, and were destroyed at the time of audit. Mr. Goldsmith. So that they would be routinely destroyed at the time of auditing? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you check any of the earlier books? Mr. Wilcott. No, I didn't, as far as the Oswald crypto- nym was concerned; no, I didn't. Mr. Goldsmith. So basically, you checked only one of the advance books, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. My current one that I had on my counter. Mr. Goldsmith. And when you testified earlier that you learned Oswald's cryptonym, by that do you mean that you learned both Oswald's personal cryptonym and his project cryptonym, or was it one of the two? Mr. Wilcott. Well, it was just a cryptonym, and it could refer to a person, or it could refer to something else and I would have no way of knowing what a cryptonym referred to. Mr. Goldsmith. So, when the officer told you -- strike that. So, when the Case Officer made reference to a cryptonym 18 you didn't know whether the cryptonym referred to Oswald specifically or to a project in which Oswald had been involved is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, sir. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, assuming that Oswald had been employed as an agent by the CIA, would there have been a reference to that fact in the CIA's cash disbursement file? Mr. Wilcott. No. Mr. Goldsmith. Why not? Mr. Wilcott. Anything they had there would have -- sometimes they used as many as two or three different crypto- nyms and they would have -- it all depended on how far they wanted to isolate it from the original source, from the original source as to where the project was run. Mr. Goldsmith. But as a matter of routine, would the CIA cash disbursement files refer to the cryptonym of either the person or the project that is receiving funds? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I am sure somewhere. Mr. Goldsmith. As a matter of routine, there would be that reference? Do you believe that there was such a reference to Oswald? Yes, I do, and I believe there was such a reference. Mr. Goldsmith. Well, if I understand your correctly, then, you answer now was somewhat different from what you testified earlier. And I will ask the question again, okay 19 Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Assuming that Oswald was an agent for the CIA, would the agency's cash disbursement files have referred to either Oswald or to his cryptonym? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. And you have had access to the cash disbursement files at XXXXXXXXXXXXX Station? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, for a limited period. Mr. Goldsmith. Were you ever able to check those par- ticular files? Mr. Wilcott. I was able to but I never did. Mr. Goldsmith. So, you never checked the cash disburse- ment files to see if any reference was made there to Oswald's cryptonym, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. That is right. It was only my personal files -- my internal files, prior to the end of the month. Mr. Goldsmith. I understand. How long were the XXXXXXXXX cash disbursement files or records retained? Mr. Wilcott. The details approximately two years. We had accountings, or we had audits about every two years, and then then files that I kept the requests for advances, the details of the accountings that were done usually on a monthly basis by the XXXXX Station Branches, would be destroyed and then they would be -- and, in fact, I helped destroy them. 20 Mr. Goldsmith. Are you saying, then, that the cash disbursement files as a matter of routine would be periodically destoryed? (sic) Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you know whether CIA Headquarters would have had either copies or originals of the cash disbursement files? Mr. Wilcott. They would have summaries of some sort. Mr. Goldsmith. Would those summaries be destroyed as a matter of routine, to your knowledge? Mr. Wilcott. I really don't know. Mr. Goldsmith. Were you ever able to find any indication in any of the XXXXXXX Station's records that Oswald was, in fact, a CIA agent? Mr. Wilcott. Well, I never really looked. Mr. Goldsmith. To your knowledge, would any records at CIA Headquarters document that Oswald was a CIA agent? Mr. Wilcott. I believe they would at one time. Whether they are there now or not is hard to say. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have any personal knowledge that any records at CIA Headquarters were ever destroyed? Mr. Wilcott. No. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have any knowledge of any record of the CIA at the XXXXXXXX Station ever being destroyed out of the ordinary course of business, not as a matter of routine? 21 Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. To your personal knowledge, CIA records XXXXXXXXXX were destroyed? Mr. Wilcott. Destroyed or changed. Mr. Goldsmith. Could you give an example of that? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Let us say, for instance, that there was a certain project going on, and the project was one that became known that this project was being carried out -- and we call it "flaps," -- and the Case Officer in charge might get word that somebody from headquarters was coming to review the files to investigate the flap. Well, they would go through the files and take out anything that they thought was, say, indicative of how this flap occurred and change the files. For instance, in accounting, when we had our audits, for instance, in most of the audits, he would call up some- body -- let's say in China Branch -- and say "I know you were having problems with this, would you like to look it over before the auditors come?", and they might look it over and retype the accounting for funds for their project and, you know, make changes that they might think were in their interest to do. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you ever actually Xerox records being destroyed or changed? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I did. 22 Mr. Goldsmith. And have you just described one of those instances to us? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott after leaving the XXXXXXXXX Station, was there any other time when you came across any information that indicated that Oswald was a CIA agent? Mr. Wilcott. In conversation. Mr. Goldsmith. Is the answer to that "yes"? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. When did that occur? Mr. Wilcott. From the time I left I talked at various times, especially at parties and things like that, on social occasions, with people at headquarters and with people at my station, and we would converse about it and I used to say things like, "What do you think about Oswald being connected with the CIA?", and things like that. Mr. Goldsmith. What was their response? Mr. Wilcott. The response was, among quote a few people "Oh, well, I am sure he was." Mr. Goldsmith. What were these people's names? Mr. Wilcott. Well, George Breen, again, after we came back from XXXXXXXX, for instance, XXXXXXXX was a person that I knew before I had gone to XXXXXX Station, and I met with him, and I had dinner at his house with his wife and my wife. 23 Mr. Goldsmith. Just give us their names. Anyone e1se? Mr. Wilcott. Not that I can recall. Mr. Goldsmith. So, it is your testimony that, once you left the XXXXXXXX station, people, both at headquarters, in Langley, and at the Miami Station, made references to Oswald being an agent, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, in a speculative manner. Mr. Goldsmith. How many people have you spoken to that said that Oswald was an agent of the CIA, to the best of your recollection? Mr. Schaap. Do you mean, how many people who were in the CIA or how many people in the general population? Mr. Goldsmith. How many people in the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. With any degree of certainty, other than just speculation, I would say, six or seven with some degree of certainty. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have a personal opinion as to how or for what purpose the CIA might have handled any projects that involved Lee Harvey Oswald? Mr. Wilcott. I am sorry? Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have an opinion as to how the CIA might handled any projects involving Oswald and for what purpose they might have used Oswald? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I have opinions. Mr. Goldsmith. What is that opinion? 24 Mr. Wilcott. I believe that Oswald was a double agent, was sent over to the Soviet Union to do intelligence work, that the defection was phoney and it was set up and that I believe that Marina Oswald was an agent that had been recruited sometime before and was waiting their in Tokyo for Lee Harvey Oswald. Mr. Goldsmith. What is the basis for that opinion? Mr. Wilcott. The basis for that is discussions that I had with people at the XXXXX Station. Those are discussions with people who gave the indication that there was every cer- tainty that Oswald was an agent of CIA, runout of XXXXXXX Station, and that he was freed from Russia there in the final courses in Russia and was trained by CIA people at Atsugi. Mr. Goldsmith. However, your testimony is that you spoke to only six people as an estimate who indicated that Oswald was a CIA agent -- and when I say six people, I mean six CIA people, is that correct? There were more people than that that believed it, and six people with any degree of certainty that, you know, I felt from what they were saying that they either had some kind of substantial knowledge, or they had talked to somebody who had some knowledge. Mr. Goldsmith. How many people from the CIA did you speak to who speculated that Oswald was an agent? 25 Mr. Wilcott. Dozens, literally dozens. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have any explanation for why none of these people have come forward with this story? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. What is that explanation? Mr. Wilcott. I have been trying to talk about this thing and other things for the last ten years. I found it very, very difficult to talk about these things that I think ought to be talked about, very difficult. I talked to reporters from various papers, and I talked to people in other forms of meetings, and to me it is not surprising at all. I think, or I am certain, in my own mind, that, if these people were approached that some of these people -- Mr. Goldsmith. Why has it been difficult? Mr. Wilcott. Well, it has been difficult because people don't want to get involved, and people were scared. I was scared until the Carter Administration. I was really scared to go to the Government and talk about any of these things. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you bring your allegation to the attention of the Warren Commission? Mr. Wilcott. No, I didn't. Mr. Goldsmith. And what is the reason for that? Mr. Wilcott. I really didn't think that the Warren Commission was out to really get at the facts, and I am not 26 saying that they purposely did anything, because I don't know, and maybe they did or maybe they didn't, but certainly, they didn't impress me as really trying to scrutinize the evidence that there was. And their security that there is in the Government didn't strike me as the kind of security that would keep me from getting attacked in some way, if someone wanted to do it. Mr. Goldsmith. How did you know, in 1963, what type of security precautions the Warren Commission had for con- ducting its investigation? Mr. Wilcott. I don't understand. Mr. Goldsmith. You have indicated that you were not inclined to go to the Warren Commission because you were con- cerned about their security? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you have any basis for thinking that their security was poor? Mr. Wilcott. In 1963, I wasn't think that much about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Howard Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 (edited) Just a collection of some data from a few sources... http://www.tsujiru.net/moen/video_trans/042.html James Wilcott (CIA, 1957-66): The guy told me he was from DoD, Department of Defense. We were recruited, or believed that we were being recruited, by DoD. It was not until we got to Washington that we found out that it was CIA. However, the day just before we left for Washington, we were sent a telegram that read something like, "Your employment with the DoD will involve assignment to CIA." And we did not even know what CIA meant at the time. We did not even know what the initials stood for. http://www.ajweberman.com/nodules/nodule3.htm JAMES AND ELSIE WILCOTTTwo former CIA employees claimed that OSWALD was an official CIA operation and was on the CIA's payroll. James and Elsie Wilcott were recruited by the CIA as a husband and wife team in the late 1950's, shortly after their marriage. Their first tour of duty was in Japan (1960 to 1964) where they worked under Chief of Station William V. Broe, after which they returned to Washington, D.C. Elsie Wilcott worked as a secretary in the Soviet Bloc Division, James Wilcott as a finance officer. WILCOTT'S STORY "November 24, 1963, was when I first heard about the CIA somehow being involved. Not long before going off duty, talk about OSWALD'S connection with CIA was making the rounds. While this kind of talk was a jolt to me, I didn't really take it seriously then. Very heavy talk continued up to about the middle of January. Based solely on what I heard at the Tokyo Station, I became convinced the following scenario is true: CIA people killed Kennedy. Either it was an outright project of Headquarters with the approval of McCone, or it was done outside, perhaps under the direction of Dulles and Bissell..OSWALD was recruited from the military for the express purpose of becoming a double agent assignment to the USSR. It was said they had some kind of special handle on him. Perhaps, went the speculation, they had discovered that he had murdered someone or committed some other serious crime, during a routine lie detector test. In any case it was a very risky assignment. CIA taught him Russian and it was said he had been to the farm (CIA's agent training camp, Camp Peary, Virginia) although probably not in one of the regular agent training programs. He may not have even known he had been there. (That was often done with special cases. They would be put to sleep and wake up in a strange place and be told that it was some other place than the farm). Although they said that he knew he was working for CIA, he was kept rigidly compartmented from any of the normal contacts that a regular CIA employee would have. The operational people that I knew never admitted they were working on the project, although some hinted at it. Jerry Fox, a SR agent who purchased Soviet information, may have been one of them. The Deputy Chief of SR (first name was Dave, I've forgotten his last name) may also have been one too. More than once I was told something like 'so and so was working on the OSWALD Project back in the late 1950's.' "When OSWALD returned from the USSR in June of 1962, either on his way back, or after he got back, he was brought back to Japan to either Atsugi or Yokosuka for debriefing, it was assumed. At one point, soon after RUBY shot OSWALD, I was talking with someone, I can't recall who for sure, and I expressed disbelief about OSWALD being a CIA project. I was told something like this: 'Well James, OSWALD drew an advance some time in the past from you or for that project under such and such a cryptonym.' It was a familiar cryptonym at the time, which I have since forgotten, as well as the time that the advance of the funds was drawn...At first I thought these guys were nuts, but then a man I knew and had worked with before showed up to take a disbursement and told me OSWALD was a CIA employee. I didn't believe him until he told me the cryptonym under which OSWALD had drawn funds when he returned from Russia to the U.S.A." James Wilcott said he was not privy to the type of project involved, since "project funds were disbursed on a code basis; as a disbursement officer, he would not have been apprised of the substantive aspects of the project." [NYT 3.27.78; WR p256; East Bay Tribune 9.18.78 pB13; San Francisco Chronicle 9.12.78; statement of James Wilcott with attach. ARA doc.] WILCOTT DEFECTS By November 1964, James Wilcott had established relationships with American civil rights activists: August 31, 1965 TO: Deputy Director of Security for Personnel Security FROM: Deputy Chief, Personnel Security Division SUBJECT: Wilcott, James Bernard Jr. #109 301 1. Tab B presents the results of an interview of the Subject conducted at Miami, Florida, and Tab C directs that certain checks be accomplished prior to the polygraph of the Subject. 2. The FBI has furnished extensive information concerning Ray Robinson, Jr., James Monsonis (Monsonus) and Reta Betty Rotondi. 3. Monsonis and his wife, Lenore Gensburg Monsonis, have participated in racial picketing and James Monsonis is President of the National Student Christian Federation. James Monsonis in December 1964, according to the FBI, was the Director of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, Washington, D.C. and several well known CP members were connected with SNICK or visited SNICK in December 1964. 4. The FBI furnished a copy of an investigation concerning Reta Betty Rotondi conducted in October 1964 and revealed that an informant revealed that Betty Rotondi is self-identified as a CP member in June 1964 and in August 1964 as one of two CP members who worked in CORE as Task Force leader. Informant made available information indicating Betty Rotondi accepted in Queens County CP Club in February 1946 and from 1948 to and including 1954. Betty Rotondi's CP associates were set forth. 5. Ray Robinson Jr. - participated in the Quebec-Washington-Guantanamo Walk for Peace sponsored by the Committee for Non-Violent Action and on November 19, 1963 was arrested by the police at Macon, Georgia for distributing literature against city ordinances. Ray Robinson has an extensive arrest record dating back to 1954, which included assault with a deadly weapon, intoxication, possession of narcotics, armed robbery etc. 6. Concerning Alex Passikloff, the FBI indicated they have no identifiable information pertinent to our inquiry. 7. In compliance with paragraph 2 of Reference C, a written report concerning Subject's arrest in November 1964 in Washington, D.C. indicated that the Subject and one Ray Robinson Jr. were arrested for being drunk. The arresting officer advised that Subject and Robinson were arrested for drunkenness and were also disorderly, but were not so charged. Subject and Robinson, according to the arresting officer, were very intoxicated and fighting among themselves. 8. Relative to paragraph 3 of Reference C, the New York Field office of IOS furnished information that Alexander Passikloff has been known to them since 1938. Passikloff has an extensive police record and in 1963 was arrested three times in connection with anti-segregation (pro-integration) protest demonstrations. There were indications of possible CP membership and/or affiliation of Passikloff. Information indicates that Passikloff in 1950 reportedly told somebody that he had been expelled from the CP. Passikloff, in 1963, participated in sit-ins sponsored by CORE on at least three separate occasions in New York City. 9. In addition Passikloff was arrested on August 5, 1964 in Jersey City, New Jersey during the course of a race riot. He was charged with disorderly conduct and possession of a knife. It was also indicated that Passikloff had been treated at the Creedmore State Hospital for a mental disorder. 10. The New York City Police Department contained no record of Joseph or Betty Rotondi. 11. Concerning Blyden Brown Jackson, the New York Police Department indicates that Byden Brown Jackson is Chairman of the East River chapter of CORE. Jackson has a police record dating from 1958, his last arrest was on April 22, 1964 for disorderly conduct and resisting an arrest. Jackson has participated in racial demonstrations and sit-ins and in April of 1964 is listed among a group of individuals furnished by the U.S. Secret Service regarding security escort to the President of the United States. 12. Jackson was arrested by the New York City Police Department on January 11, 1965 and charged with felonious assault and Jackson is known to the psychiatric division of Bellevue Hospital in New York. 13. It is recommended that Subject be polygraphed concerning his association with the above individuals. It is recommended that coordination be effected with Jerry Mullane, Security Officer, WH Division, who is aware of this case to have Subject report to Headquarters for polygraph examination or arrange to have the Subject polygraphed in Miami, Florida, which ever is convenient. 14. It is further recommended that this polygraph examination be administered as soon as possible. Leland E. Bunn. James Wilcott resigned in April 1966, after nine years of CIA employment. He became friendly with CIA defector Philip Agee and broke his secrecy agreement with the Agency in 1968. In 1978 James Wilcott testified at a CIA tribunal in Havana, then testified before the HSCA. ELSIE WILCOTT Elsie Wilcott agreed with her husband: "Right after the President was killed, people in the Tokyo Station were talking openly about OSWALD having gone to Russia for the CIA. Everyone was wondering how the Agency was going to be able to keep the lid on OSWALD. But I guess they did." Elsie Wilcott never testified before the HSCA. THE HSCA & WILCOTT The HSCA concluded that, "Based on all the evidence, James Wilcott's allegation was not worthy of belief." [HSCA R p200] The Committee based its conclusion on interviews with CIA personnel, including one who was named as a participant in one of these conversations. This CIA person told the HSCA he was transferred from the Tokyo CIA Station to the United States in 1962, so that he could not possibly have had the conversation with Wilcott. His CIA employment records substantiated this. The HSCA interviewed everyone who had served at the Tokyo CIA Station during this period. Not one had any recollection that such conversation ever took place. ANALYSIS Wilcott had this information in November 1963. He underwent a transformation to a radical in August 1965. He left the CIA in April 1966. He came foward with his charges in 1978. What took him so long? It was not common knowledge at the CIA that OSWALD was a CIA Operation. Only ANGLETON and a few of his associates were aware of OSWALD'S true status. Most CIA personnel probably thought OSWALD was a tool of the Cubans and Soviets. Wilcott stated that OSWALD had drawn funds when he returned from Russia to the U.S.A. This was unlikely. The Wilcotts were propagandists. They floated a false new story against the CIA, for whatever their reasons. http://cuban-exile.com/doc_001-025/doc0020.html Wilcott added that, just before the Kennedy assassination, there were certain changes in the daily routine at the station, leading him to believe that something was going to happen. On November 22, he had traveled out of the city, but when he returned he was told to report immediately to the CIA station. Then, his chief, Jack Randall, told him President Kennedy had been assassinated and that he should be reachable or go to the station since he might have been assigned an emergency task. He said he went to the station with his friend George Breen and found a scene of great jubilation and excitement. "It was obvious that the majority of the personnel at the station, especially those who had to do with operations, were excited and overjoyed abut Kennedy's assassination. This really bothered me because I supported Kennedy, " he said. During the next few days, according to Wilcott, the substance of conversation among operations officers was that one shouldn't think that Kennedy's assassination was the work of a mad man. They gave specific details about high level, top secret meetings regarding the Bay of Pigs (Playa Giron) and how Kennedy was a traitor who deserved to die. He added that a CIA case officer, who might have been Robert Will, told him large sums of money had been spent recently for Oswald or for the Oswald project. He also heard Oswald had learned to speak Russian at the Atsugi base before going to the Soviet Union. Wilcott's colleagues told him the original plan involved passing Oswald off as a man solidly linked to the Cuban Government, so it would be possible to claim the assassination was the work of a Cuban agent. This then would provide the pretext for attacking Cuba. However, it was not possible to establish solid ties between Oswald and the Cuban Government, and this part of the plan was dropped. Finally, Wilcott said all this information was given to the Congressional select committee investigating assassinations, along with a list of the Tokyo station personnel he could remember. At Wilcott's request the attorney for the Committee, a Mr. Goldsmith, called the CIA to ask for a complete list of Tokyo station personnel with their photos so that Wilcott could identify them for the investigation -- but the CIA refused to supply the list. Wilcott has spent the last ten years attempting to make public this and other information about crimes and illegal activity by the CIA, but it has been very difficult. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DID NOT EXERT PRESSURE TO GET A COPY OF THE LIST WHICH MR. WILCOTT WANTED James Wilcott Testimony to the HSCA EXECUTIVE SESSION ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 1978 House of Representatives, John F. Kennedy Subcommittee of the Select Committee on Assassinations, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met at 10:20 a.m., pursuant to notice, in room 2344 of the Rayburn Office Building, the Honorable Richard Preyer (Chairman of the subcommittee), presiding. Present: Representatives Preyer (presiding), Dodd and Sawyer. Also Present: Michael Goldsmith, Counsel, and Gary Cornwell, Counsel. Also Present: Elizabeth Berning, Chief Clerk, and Charles Berk, Betsy Wolf and James Wolf. Mr. Preyer. Thank you for being here today, and I will call the subcommittee to order at this time. I will ask if you will stand and be sworn. Do you solemnly swear that the evidence you are about to give before this subcommittee will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Mr. Wilcott. I do. Mr. Preyer. I would like before we begin to read a written statement concerning the subject of the investigation. We are operating under House Resolution 222, which man- dates the Committee to conduct a full and complete investi- gation and study of the circumstances surrounding the assas- sination and death of President John F. Kennedy, including determining whether the existing laws of the United States concerning the protection of the President and the investiga- tory jurisdiction and capability of agencies and departments are adequate in their provisions and enforcement; and whether there was full disclosure of evidence and information among agencies and department of the United States Government and whether any evidence or information not in the possession of an agency of department would have been of assistance in investigating the assassination and why such information was not provided or collected by that agency or department, and to make recommendations to the House if the Select Committee deems it appropriate for the amendment of existing legislation or the enactment of new legislation. That is what we are attempting to accomplish, which is quite a big order. We appreciate your being here today, Mr. Wilcott. (Whereupon, a recess was taken while the members of the Committee went to the floor of the House for a vote.) 3 Mr. Preyer. We will come to order. We will resume the session, and I will recognize Counsel to begin his questioning. TESTIMONY OF JAMES B. WILCOTT, A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY: Mr. Goldsmith. For the record, would you please state your name and address and occupation? Mr. Wilcott. My name is James B. Wilcott. My address is 2761 Atlantic Street, in Concord, and my occupation is electronic technician. Mr. Goldsmith. Where is Concord located? Mr. Wilcott. It is a little bit east of Oakland, California. Mr. Goldsmith. Have you received a copy of the Committee's rules? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. And a copy of the relevant House Resolutions? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. And, Mr. Wilcott, is it true that you are a former employee with the CIA and that you are here today testifying voluntarily without a subpoena? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. During what years did you work for the CIA? 4 Mr. Wilcott. I worked from the years, May, of 1957 to, April, of 1966. Mr. Goldsmith. And in what general capacity did you work with the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. All in the finance -- in accounting all of the time. Mr. Goldsmith. How did you become employed with the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. I was recruited from the school in Syracuse New York, where I was taking a course in accounting and busi- ness administration. Mr. Goldsmith. Very generally now, what were your responsibilities as a finance employee with the agency? Mr. Wilcott. Well, from May of 1957 to January of 1960 - Mr. Goldsmith -- excuse me, just answer the question very generally, without referring to anything right now, and please describe generally what your responsibilities were as a finance officer. Mr. Wilcott. My. responsibilities were primarily record keeping and disbursing of funds. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, are you here with Counsel today? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I am. Mr. Goldsmith. Would your Counsel identify himself for the recorder? Mr. Schaap. My name is William Schaap, S - c - h - a - 5 a - p (spelling), and I am an Attorney here in Washington. I will give my card to the Committee. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, did I ask you to prepare a list indicating the dates that you were employed with the CIA and where you were stationed? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, you did. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you prepare such a list? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I did. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have that list with you? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. I do. Mr. Goldsmith. Referring to that list, would you tell the Committee where you were stationed during your period with the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. Certainly, from May of 1957 to January of 1960, I was in the pre-fab building on the Potomac in finance. During the period, it was unvouchered funds, and my duties were general accounting, and my rate in status was GS-5. From about January of 1960 to about June of 1960, I was transferred to Finance Field Payroll, also, in this same building, on the Potomac. This was making payments and keeping pay records. From June of 1960 to June of 1964, I was stationed at XXXXXXX Station, and my primary duty was finance and cash disbursements. This was all cash payments and record keeping for the station. And during that period, I had been promoted 6 GS-7 and also gained a career status. From June of 1964 to about December of 1964, I was at Roseland. This was just prior to moving to Langley, in finance, and my duties there were policing accounts, and included auditing of special accounts. From January of 1965 to about March of 1965, I was at Langley in the same area, in finance, policing accounts and auditing of special accounts, and I was promoted up to GS-9. From April of 1965 to April of 1966, I was at Miami Station in finance, and I was handling the staff payroll. This was preparing and reconciling payrolls. In April of 1966, I resigned from the CIA. Mr. Goldsmith. I take it, from your testimony, that in November of 1963, you were stationed in XXXXXXXXXXXXX Station, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. That is right. Mr. Goldsmith. Drawing your attention to the period immediately after the assassination of President Kennedy, at that time, did you come across any information concerning Lee Harvey Oswald's relationship with the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I did. Mr. Goldsynith. And will you tell the Committee what that relationship was? Mr. Wilcott. Well, it was my understanding that Lee Harvey Oswald was an employee of the agency and was an agent 7 of the agency. Mr. Goldsmith. What do you mean by the term "agent"? Mr. Wilcott. That he was a regular employee, receiving a full-time salary for agent work for doing CIA operational work. Mr. Goldsmith. How did this information concerning Oswald first come to your attention? Mr. Wilcott. The first time I heard about Oswald being connected in any way with CIA was the day after the Kennedy assassination. Mr. Goldsmith. And how did that come to your attention: Mr. Wilcott. Well, I was on day duty for the station. It was a guard-type function at the station, which I worked for overtime. There was a lot of excitement going on at the station after the Kennedy assassination. Towards the end of my tour of duty, I heard certain things about Oswald somehow being connected with the agency, and I didn't really believe this when I heard it, and I thought it was absurd. Then, as time Went on, I began to hear more things in that line. Mr. Goldsmith. I think we had better go over that one more time. When, exactly, was the very first time that you heard or came across information that Oswald was an agent? Mr. Wilcott. I heard references to it the day after 8 the assassination. Mr. Goldsmith. And who made these references to Oswald being an agent of the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. I can't remember the exact persons. There was talk about it going on at the station, and several months following at the station. Mr. Goldsmith. How many people made this reference to Oswald being an agent of the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. At least -- there was at least six or seven people, specifically, who said that they either knew or believed Oswald to be an agent of the CIA. Mr. Goldsmith. Was Jerry Fox one of the people that made. this allegation? Mr. Wilcott. To the best of my recollection, yes. Mr. Goldsmith. And who is Jerry Fox? Mr. Wilcott. Jerry Fox was a Case Officer for his branch the Soviet Russia Branch, XXXXXXXXXX Station, who purchased information from the Soviets. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, did I ask you to prepare a list of CIA Case Officers working at XXXXXXXXX Station in 1963? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, you did. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you prepare such a list? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I did. Mr. Goldsmith. Is that list complete and does it have 9 every CIA Case Officer who worked XXXXXXXXXX in 1963? Mr. Wilcott. Oh, no. It doesn't have every one. It has every one that I can remember. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you bring that list with you today? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I did. Mr. Goldsmith. Were any of these people on your list possible subjects who made references to Oswald being a CIA agent? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Would you read the list to the Committee? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Only of Case Officers. Ms. Berning. I think we ought to state that the record shows that Mr. Sawyer is a member of the Kennedy Subcommitte Preyer. We will. Mr. Goldsmith. Upon your memory and the list that your brought with you today, will you tell the Committee the names of the CIA Case Officers who you remember working XXXXXXXXXX in 1963? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. There was XXXXXXXXXXXX Branch, who had XXXXXXXXXXX cover. Jerry Fox, SR Branch, Soviet Russia Branch -- Mr. Goldsmith. Excuse me, please proceed very slowly. Mr. Wilcott. Jerry Fox, SR Branch, Reid Dennis, Chief of Soviet Satellite Branch; and XXXXXXXXXX, China Branch, 10 and he also had a cover. John P. Horton, XXXXXXXXX Section; XXXXXXXXXXXXX Branch; and Chester Ito, XXXXXXXXX Branch; and Kan Takai, XXXXX Branch; and Jim Delaney, China Branch; and Bob Rentner, SR Branch -- and there is some question about that, the branch he was with. Larry Watanabi, XXXXXX Branch, Senior Case Officer; and XXXXXXXXXXX, deep commercial cover agent. There was a person, Dave, who was a Deputy Chief. Dave -- I can't remember his last name, Deputy Chief of the China Branch; and then a person whose last name was XXXXXXXXX in the XXXXXXXXX Branch. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you remember which of these individuals if any, made the specific allegation or reference that Oswald was an agent? Mr. Wilcott. It has been 15 years, and I can't remember specifically who said what, but certainly I am sure that Jerry Fox, for instance, had at least made some mention of it. Mr. Goldsmith. At the time that this allegation first came to your attention, did you discuss it with anyone? Mr. Wilcott. Oh, yes. I discussed it with my friends and the people that I was associating with socially. Mr. Goldsmith. Who were your friends that you discussed this with? Mr. Wilcott. XXXXXXXXXXXX George Breen, Ed Luck, and 11 XXXXXXXXXXXXX. Mr. Goldsmith. Who was George Breen? Mr. Wilcott. George Breen was a person in Registry, who was my closest friend while I was in XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Mr. Goldsmith. Was he a CIA employee? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, he was. Mr. Goldsmith. And would he corroborate your obser- vation that Oswald was an agent? Mr. Wilcott. I don't know. Mr. Goldsmith. At the time that this allegation first came to your attention, did you learn the name of Oswald's Case Offficer at the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. No. Mr. Goldsmith. Were there any other times during your stay with the CIA at XXXXXXXXXX Station that you came across information that Oswald had been a CIA agent? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. When was that? Mr. Wilcott. The specific incident was soon after the Kennedy assassination, where an agent, a Case Officer -- I am sure it was a Case Officer -- came up to my window to draw money, and he specifically said in the conversation that ensued, he specifically said, "Well, Jim, the money that I drew the last couple of weeks ago or so was money," either for the Oswald project or for Oswald. 12 Mr. Goldsmith. Do you remember the name of this Case Officer? Mr. Wilcott. No, I don't. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you remember when specifically this conversation took place? Mr. Wilcott. Not specifically, only generally. Mr. Goldsmith. How many months after the assassination was this? Mr. Wilcott. I think it must have been two or three omths (sic) after the assassination. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you remember where this conver- sation took place? Mr. Wilcott. It was right at my window, my disbursing cage window. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you discuss this information with anyone? Mr. Wilcott. Oh, yes. Mr. Goldsmith. With whom? Mr. Wilcott. Certainly with George Breen, XXXXXXXXXXX the circle of social friends that we had. Mr. Goldsmith. How do you spell XXXXXXXXXX last name? Mr. Wilcott. XXXXXXXXXXXXX (spelling). Mr. Schaap. For the record, I have made a list of all of these spellings of the names which have been mentioned, which I will give to the stenographer so that he will have 13 them correctly. Mr. Goldsmith. Did this Case Officer tell you what Oswald's cryptonym was? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, he mentioned the cryptonym specifically under which the money was drawn. Mr. Goldsmith. And what did he tell you the cryptonym was? Mr. Wilcott. I cannot remember. Mr. Goldsmith. What was your response to this revelatic as to what Oswald's cryptonym was? Did you write it down or do anything? Mr. Wilcott. No; I think that I looked through my advance book -- and I had a book where the advances on projects were run, and I leafed through them, and I must have at least leafed through them to see if what he said was true. Mr. Goldsmith. And are you saying then that you attempted to investigate this allegation? Mr. Wilcott. No, I am not saying that. It was more of a casual kind of thing, to my way of thinking. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you check your cash disbursement files? Mr. Wilcott. Not the files, no. Mr. Goldsmith. I am not sure I am following, then, what specifically you did check. Mr. Wilcott. It was a book that I had. At the end of 14 the day we would list all of the advances that were made in an advance book. It was just a three-ring binder, and we would list down the advances by cryptonym and the amounts and then reconcile that with the daily disbursements. Mr. Goldsmith. How long were these records maintained? Mr. Wilcott. They were maintained on a thirty-day basis, and then they were closed off at the end of the month. Mr. Goldsmith. So, does that mean you were able to check back only thirty days from the time that you were given this information? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. I realize this is testimony 15 years after the fact. However, if you received this information two or three months after the assassination, at a time that Oswald was already dead and had been dead for two or three months, what purpose would have been served by checking records that were only 30 days old? Do you follow the question? Mr. Wilcott. No. Mr. Goldsmith. Well, in other words, if you got the information three months after the assassination, Oswald had already been dead for three months, is that right? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Answer "yes" or "no" for the recorder. Mr. Wilcott. Yes. 15 Mr. Goldsmith. You testified that your records were only kept for thirty days, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Then, by checking your records, which only went back thirty days, isn't it true that you wouldn't have gotten any information concerning Oswald anyway because Oswald had already been dead for one or two months? Mr. Wilcott. That is true. Mr. Goldsmith. So, then, really, no purpose would have been served by checking those records? Mr. Wilcott. That is right. Mr. Goldsmith. And did you check any other records? Mr. Wilcott. No. Mr. Preyer. I understand this might be a good place for us to break and go and vote, so that we will take another recess for about ten minutes. I am sorry. (Whereupon, a recess was taken while the members of I the Committee went to the floor of the House for a vote.) Mr. Preyer. The Committee will resume. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, you indicated that after receiving this information concerning Oswald's cryptonym, you went back to check some files, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. Not really files; it was my book. Mr. Goldsmith. Your book. Mr. Wilcott. I flipped through it. 16 Mr. Goldsmith. What is the name of the book? Mr. Wilcott. It was my Request for Advance Book. Mr. Goldsmith. And for purposes of clarification, now, if Oswald was already dead at the time that you went to this book, why did you go back to examine the book? Mr. Wilcott. Well, I am sorry -- if Oswald was what? Mr. Goldsmith. At the time you went to look at the book, Oswald was already dead is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. That is right. Mr. Goldsmith. Why did you go back to look at the book? Mr. Wilcott. Well, the payments that were made especially to substations like Oswald's was operated -- it was a sub- station of the XXXXXXXX station, and they had one in XXXXXX and they had one in XXXXXXXXX-- and it may be six months or even a year after the intial allocation that the final accounting for those funds were submitted, and they would operate out of revolving funds or out of their own personal funds in many cases. Mr. Goldsmith. So, is your testimony then that even though. Oswald was already dead at that time, the book might have contained a reference to either Oswald or the Oswald project and that that reference would have been to a period six months or even a year earlier, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. That is correct. 17 Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, how long were these advance books retained? Mr. Wilcott. They were retained for approximately one year by the finance office, approximately one to two years, and were destroyed at the time of audit. Mr. Goldsmith. So that they would be routinely destroyed at the time of auditing? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you check any of the earlier books? Mr. Wilcott. No, I didn't, as far as the Oswald crypto- nym was concerned; no, I didn't. Mr. Goldsmith. So basically, you checked only one of the advance books, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. My current one that I had on my counter. Mr. Goldsmith. And when you testified earlier that you learned Oswald's cryptonym, by that do you mean that you learned both Oswald's personal cryptonym and his project cryptonym, or was it one of the two? Mr. Wilcott. Well, it was just a cryptonym, and it could refer to a person, or it could refer to something else and I would have no way of knowing what a cryptonym referred to. Mr. Goldsmith. So, when the officer told you -- strike that. So, when the Case Officer made reference to a cryptonym 18 you didn't know whether the cryptonym referred to Oswald specifically or to a project in which Oswald had been involved is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, sir. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott, assuming that Oswald had been employed as an agent by the CIA, would there have been a reference to that fact in the CIA's cash disbursement file? Mr. Wilcott. No. Mr. Goldsmith. Why not? Mr. Wilcott. Anything they had there would have -- sometimes they used as many as two or three different crypto- nyms and they would have -- it all depended on how far they wanted to isolate it from the original source, from the original source as to where the project was run. Mr. Goldsmith. But as a matter of routine, would the CIA cash disbursement files refer to the cryptonym of either the person or the project that is receiving funds? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I am sure somewhere. Mr. Goldsmith. As a matter of routine, there would be that reference? Do you believe that there was such a reference to Oswald? Yes, I do, and I believe there was such a reference. Mr. Goldsmith. Well, if I understand your correctly, then, you answer now was somewhat different from what you testified earlier. And I will ask the question again, okay 19 Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Assuming that Oswald was an agent for the CIA, would the agency's cash disbursement files have referred to either Oswald or to his cryptonym? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. And you have had access to the cash disbursement files at XXXXXXXXXXXXX Station? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, for a limited period. Mr. Goldsmith. Were you ever able to check those par- ticular files? Mr. Wilcott. I was able to but I never did. Mr. Goldsmith. So, you never checked the cash disburse- ment files to see if any reference was made there to Oswald's cryptonym, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. That is right. It was only my personal files -- my internal files, prior to the end of the month. Mr. Goldsmith. I understand. How long were the XXXXXXXXX cash disbursement files or records retained? Mr. Wilcott. The details approximately two years. We had accountings, or we had audits about every two years, and then then files that I kept the requests for advances, the details of the accountings that were done usually on a monthly basis by the XXXXX Station Branches, would be destroyed and then they would be -- and, in fact, I helped destroy them. 20 Mr. Goldsmith. Are you saying, then, that the cash disbursement files as a matter of routine would be periodically destoryed? (sic) Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you know whether CIA Headquarters would have had either copies or originals of the cash disbursement files? Mr. Wilcott. They would have summaries of some sort. Mr. Goldsmith. Would those summaries be destroyed as a matter of routine, to your knowledge? Mr. Wilcott. I really don't know. Mr. Goldsmith. Were you ever able to find any indication in any of the XXXXXXX Station's records that Oswald was, in fact, a CIA agent? Mr. Wilcott. Well, I never really looked. Mr. Goldsmith. To your knowledge, would any records at CIA Headquarters document that Oswald was a CIA agent? Mr. Wilcott. I believe they would at one time. Whether they are there now or not is hard to say. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have any personal knowledge that any records at CIA Headquarters were ever destroyed? Mr. Wilcott. No. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have any knowledge of any record of the CIA at the XXXXXXXX Station ever being destroyed out of the ordinary course of business, not as a matter of routine? 21 Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. To your personal knowledge, CIA records XXXXXXXXXX were destroyed? Mr. Wilcott. Destroyed or changed. Mr. Goldsmith. Could you give an example of that? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Let us say, for instance, that there was a certain project going on, and the project was one that became known that this project was being carried out -- and we call it "flaps," -- and the Case Officer in charge might get word that somebody from headquarters was coming to review the files to investigate the flap. Well, they would go through the files and take out anything that they thought was, say, indicative of how this flap occurred and change the files. For instance, in accounting, when we had our audits, for instance, in most of the audits, he would call up some- body -- let's say in China Branch -- and say "I know you were having problems with this, would you like to look it over before the auditors come?", and they might look it over and retype the accounting for funds for their project and, you know, make changes that they might think were in their interest to do. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you ever actually Xerox records being destroyed or changed? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I did. 22 Mr. Goldsmith. And have you just described one of those instances to us? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Wilcott after leaving the XXXXXXXXX Station, was there any other time when you came across any information that indicated that Oswald was a CIA agent? Mr. Wilcott. In conversation. Mr. Goldsmith. Is the answer to that "yes"? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. When did that occur? Mr. Wilcott. From the time I left I talked at various times, especially at parties and things like that, on social occasions, with people at headquarters and with people at my station, and we would converse about it and I used to say things like, "What do you think about Oswald being connected with the CIA?", and things like that. Mr. Goldsmith. What was their response? Mr. Wilcott. The response was, among quote a few people "Oh, well, I am sure he was." Mr. Goldsmith. What were these people's names? Mr. Wilcott. Well, George Breen, again, after we came back from XXXXXXXX, for instance, XXXXXXXX was a person that I knew before I had gone to XXXXXX Station, and I met with him, and I had dinner at his house with his wife and my wife. 23 Mr. Goldsmith. Just give us their names. Anyone e1se? Mr. Wilcott. Not that I can recall. Mr. Goldsmith. So, it is your testimony that, once you left the XXXXXXXX station, people, both at headquarters, in Langley, and at the Miami Station, made references to Oswald being an agent, is that correct? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, in a speculative manner. Mr. Goldsmith. How many people have you spoken to that said that Oswald was an agent of the CIA, to the best of your recollection? Mr. Schaap. Do you mean, how many people who were in the CIA or how many people in the general population? Mr. Goldsmith. How many people in the CIA? Mr. Wilcott. With any degree of certainty, other than just speculation, I would say, six or seven with some degree of certainty. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have a personal opinion as to how or for what purpose the CIA might have handled any projects that involved Lee Harvey Oswald? Mr. Wilcott. I am sorry? Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have an opinion as to how the CIA might handled any projects involving Oswald and for what purpose they might have used Oswald? Mr. Wilcott. Yes, I have opinions. Mr. Goldsmith. What is that opinion? 24 Mr. Wilcott. I believe that Oswald was a double agent, was sent over to the Soviet Union to do intelligence work, that the defection was phoney and it was set up and that I believe that Marina Oswald was an agent that had been recruited sometime before and was waiting their in Tokyo for Lee Harvey Oswald. Mr. Goldsmith. What is the basis for that opinion? Mr. Wilcott. The basis for that is discussions that I had with people at the XXXXX Station. Those are discussions with people who gave the indication that there was every cer- tainty that Oswald was an agent of CIA, runout of XXXXXXX Station, and that he was freed from Russia there in the final courses in Russia and was trained by CIA people at Atsugi. Mr. Goldsmith. However, your testimony is that you spoke to only six people as an estimate who indicated that Oswald was a CIA agent -- and when I say six people, I mean six CIA people, is that correct? There were more people than that that believed it, and six people with any degree of certainty that, you know, I felt from what they were saying that they either had some kind of substantial knowledge, or they had talked to somebody who had some knowledge. Mr. Goldsmith. How many people from the CIA did you speak to who speculated that Oswald was an agent? 25 Mr. Wilcott. Dozens, literally dozens. Mr. Goldsmith. Do you have any explanation for why none of these people have come forward with this story? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Goldsmith. What is that explanation? Mr. Wilcott. I have been trying to talk about this thing and other things for the last ten years. I found it very, very difficult to talk about these things that I think ought to be talked about, very difficult. I talked to reporters from various papers, and I talked to people in other forms of meetings, and to me it is not surprising at all. I think, or I am certain, in my own mind, that, if these people were approached that some of these people -- Mr. Goldsmith. Why has it been difficult? Mr. Wilcott. Well, it has been difficult because people don't want to get involved, and people were scared. I was scared until the Carter Administration. I was really scared to go to the Government and talk about any of these things. Mr. Goldsmith. Did you bring your allegation to the attention of the Warren Commission? Mr. Wilcott. No, I didn't. Mr. Goldsmith. And what is the reason for that? Mr. Wilcott. I really didn't think that the Warren Commission was out to really get at the facts, and I am not 26 saying that they purposely did anything, because I don't know, and maybe they did or maybe they didn't, but certainly, they didn't impress me as really trying to scrutinize the evidence that there was. And their security that there is in the Government didn't strike me as the kind of security that would keep me from getting attacked in some way, if someone wanted to do it. Mr. Goldsmith. How did you know, in 1963, what type of security precautions the Warren Commission had for con- ducting its investigation? Mr. Wilcott. I don't understand. Mr. Goldsmith. You have indicated that you were not inclined to go to the Warren Commission because you were con- cerned about their security? Mr. Wilcott. Yes. Mr. Go Just a collection of some data from a few sources... http://www.tsujiru.net/moen/video_trans/042. Edited October 19, 2005 by Robert Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Forman Posted March 31, 2006 Author Share Posted March 31, 2006 http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/hsca...ott_3-22-78.pdf Found this one above and was facinated all over again. I need to read more about Nino Diaz. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKartimeM.htm Operation Pluto also included plans for a diversionary landing in Oriente Province by a commando group of 168 men, led by Nino Diaz, and a simulated attack, or "feint," in the vicinity of Pinar del Rio. The "feint" would be accomplished with special sound equipment that would make it sound as if a great battle were being waged. Was that really the plan? Or was Diaz supposed to lead an assault on Gitmo and blame Castro - to get Kennedy buy in? Why would Diaz completely fail in his assignment? Was this cowardice, a pocket veto or ....what? http://www.fas.org/irp/ops/policy/docs/frusX/196_200.html Diversionary Landing in Oriente. A landing 30 miles east of Guantanamo by a group of 160 men, led by Nino Diaz, was planned for the night of 14/15 April. The landing had a twofold purpose: (1) to divert attention from the main landing, and (2) to organize guerrilla operations in Oriente Province. The ship on which the force was embarked (Santa Ana) approached the landing point on schedule without interference. However, the landing was aborted. Reasons given for aborting were as follows: (1) Friendly beach reception party did not appear on beach. (Comment: The leader was never informed that there would be a reception party.) (2) Reconnaissance boat was lost. (3) Two rubber boats were lost. When it was learned that the operation had not been conducted, instructions were issued to land the following night. The ship remained in the area, retraced its route of the day before, and made its approach without incident. However, the landing again was not conducted. Reasons given this time were as follows: (1) Reconnaissance boat broke down. (2) Too much time lost in retrieving the reconnaissance boat. (3) Friendly beach reception party did not appear on the beach. (4) Enemy activity in area was too great. Comment: The validity of the reasons given by Diaz for not conducting the landing are questionable. Intelligence sources did not indicate that the force had been discovered by the opposition. It was finally decided at Headquarters that weak leadership on the part of Diaz was responsible for the refusal to land, and on 16 April (D-1) orders were given to this force to proceed to the Zapata area and join the main force. The Diaz group did not arrive at Zapata in time to participate in the main operation. - lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Richards Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 Lee, This is a most interesting episode. Nino Diaz (former Captain of Castro's rebels) had joined forces with Captain 'Nico' Beaton who was operating an anti-Castro guerrilla band in the Peladero area right in the heart of the Sierra Maestra, an area that Castro was very familiar with. Diaz had been active in the Oriente area. It is interesting to note that anti-Castro informers said that Diaz and Beaton's men were mostly made up of anti-Batista revolutionaries and were receiving support from Roman Catholic organizations inside Cuba. Castro was particularly motivated to crush these guys as Beaton had killed Camilo Cienfuegos' right hand man. He was arrested but escaped. Bottom line, there were some internal political pressures being brought to bear from the association of these two groups which may have effected Diaz's efficiency. FWIW. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Forman Posted April 1, 2006 Author Share Posted April 1, 2006 Lee,This is a most interesting episode. Nino Diaz (former Captain of Castro's rebels) had joined forces with Captain 'Nico' Beaton who was operating an anti-Castro guerrilla band in the Peladero area right in the heart of the Sierra Maestra, an area that Castro was very familiar with. Diaz had been active in the Oriente area. It is interesting to note that anti-Castro informers said that Diaz and Beaton's men were mostly made up of anti-Batista revolutionaries and were receiving support from Roman Catholic organizations inside Cuba. Castro was particularly motivated to crush these guys as Beaton had killed Camilo Cienfuegos' right hand man. He was arrested but escaped. Bottom line, there were some internal political pressures being brought to bear from the association of these two groups which may have effected Diaz's efficiency. FWIW. James Thanks James - I am sadly way out of my depth here - as usual. I need to do a lot more reading on BOP. It occurs to me that the reporting of Diaz' actions may be useful - in terms of timing. I still can't figure it all out. This link provided more info on Wilcott than I had seen previously, and it indicates what I have seen before - that the larger goal was a coercive measure meant to force Kennedy's hand - but didn't happen because Diaz, who would have been disguised somehow as a Cuban initiative, failed to attack Guantanamo as ordered. And that after Kennedy's assassination, there was a much larger operation planned which was canceled - due to the backlash. Someday maybe I'll get it. At present, I just don't understand - even with references to other Ops which were done with simple dirty tricks - the Bayo de Cochinos just seemed doomed to fail - and I for one, fail to understand the implications or motives among the complexity of the situation. Anyway - the link was quite interesting. A whistleblower should always remember to bring the whistle along, or no one will really hear anything. http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/hsca...ott_3-22-78.pdf - lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Richards Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 Lee, As we have discussed privately, operations were tacked onto operations where the success of one may be hinged on the failure of another. It gets very complicated to the point where even the operatives themselves don't know which way is up. I believe Dealey Plaza was run with several other parallel operations, compartmentalized plans with strategic points of crossover. Trying to untangle this mess 43 years later being the predicament we all find ourselves in now. Onward! James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Howard Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 (edited) Lee,As we have discussed privately, operations were tacked onto operations where the success of one may be hinged on the failure of another. It gets very complicated to the point where even the operatives themselves don't know which way is up. I believe Dealey Plaza was run with several other parallel operations, compartmentalized plans with strategic points of crossover. Trying to untangle this mess 43 years later being the predicament we all find ourselves in now. Onward! James I noticed spmething about Wilcott in the HSCA Briefing Files that may, or may not be listed [specifically] in his testimony, the Briefing Files, [at first glance appear to be] summaries of pertinent individual's in the whole JFK Saga, under the section on James Wilcott, there is a curious phrase..... "He did indicate his belief that the failed Bay of Pig's invasion was linked to Oswald's fate and JFK's assassination." http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...amp;relPageId=4 There are 99 documents listed under the name James Wilcott at NARA. Edited November 19, 2006 by Robert Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Clark Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 (edited) https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/104-10256-10208.pdf JMOCEAN Not in Mary aferrell Foundation list of CIA cryptonyms. Identified as James Wilcott. Unfortunately the ID is sketchy since the original ID was redacted. Another article on Wilcott, for reference. https://ratical.org/ratville/JFK/Unspeakable/JamesWilcottJFK+US.html Edited June 11, 2019 by Michael Clark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Andrews Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 (edited) On 11/19/2006 at 3:49 AM, Robert Howard said: I noticed spmething about Wilcott in the HSCA Briefing Files that may, or may not be listed [specifically] in his testimony, the Briefing Files, [at first glance appear to be] summaries of pertinent individual's in the whole JFK Saga, under the section on James Wilcott, there is a curious phrase..... "He did indicate his belief that the failed Bay of Pig's invasion was linked to Oswald's fate and JFK's assassination." http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...amp;relPageId=4 There are 99 documents listed under the name James Wilcott at NARA. "Wilcott contends that Oswald became a CIA agent because the Agency possessed information personally damaging to Oswald. The information it possessed thereby gave the Agency a "handle" against Oswald allowing for his recruitment and use inside the Soviet Union." One wonders if this involved the murder of Pvt. Martin Schrand in 1955: https://archive.org/stream/nsia-SchrandMartin/nsia-SchrandMartin/Schrand Martin D 19_djvu.txt EDIT: Wilcott did not make this statement in his subcommittee testimony, nor was he asked about it. The statement is from a memo in the Robert Howard link. Edited June 12, 2019 by David Andrews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W. Tracy Parnell Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 On 6/10/2019 at 8:27 PM, Michael Clark said: https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/104-10256-10208.pdf JMOCEAN Not in Mary aferrell Foundation list of CIA cryptonyms. Identified as James Wilcott. Unfortunately the ID is sketchy since the original ID was redacted. Another article on Wilcott, for reference. https://ratical.org/ratville/JFK/Unspeakable/JamesWilcottJFK+US.html Just my opinion, but I think it is likely that JMOCEAN refers to a CIA operation or unit of some type rather than being Wilcott's personal crypt. The document you cite mentions that he was previously "under cover" of Odibex which is the Army according to Mary Ferrell. So, I think his being "under cover" of JMOCEAN just means he was officially working under some operation. Wilcott was just an office employee and it is unlikely he would have his own crypt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hargrove Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 I wouldn’t trust anything said by any USA agency or employee about James Wilcott and/or his wife. Following are apparently raw notes typed by HSCA staffers following their discussions with James Wilcott. Bill Schaap was Mr. Wilcott's attorney. Note the many details that should have been included in Mr. Wilcott's Executive Testimony posted above that were not permitted by HSCA counsel Michael Goldsmith, including the CIA cryptonym for the Oswald Project, the fact that Mr. Wilcott was anxious to take a standard lie detector test, the fact that he had clearly passed a “voice stress” lie exam, and that he knew many names of CIA personnel he wasn't allowed to state. If you haven’t read these notes before, you might want to do so now. Very eye-opening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W. Tracy Parnell Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 (edited) 7 hours ago, Jim Hargrove said: I wouldn’t trust anything said by any USA agency or employee about James Wilcott and/or his wife. Following are apparently raw notes typed by HSCA staffers following their discussions with James Wilcott. Bill Schaap was Mr. Wilcott's attorney. Note the many details that should have been included in Mr. Wilcott's Executive Testimony posted above that were not permitted by HSCA counsel Michael Goldsmith, including the CIA cryptonym for the Oswald Project, the fact that Mr. Wilcott was anxious to take a standard lie detector test, the fact that he had clearly passed a “voice stress” lie exam, and that he knew many names of CIA personnel he wasn't allowed to state. In the HSCA files on Wilcott there is a reference to an alleged CIA cryptonym for the “Oswald Project” that probably came from notes of Wilcott's statements to an HSCA staffer. It should be noted that two respected sources of extensive information regarding CIA cryptonyms, The Mary Ferrell Foundation and author John Newman, do not recognize this cryptonym (RX-ZIM). Wilcott has alleged that he became aware of the cryptonym from discussions with a CIA employee. In his HSCA testimony (page 12-13), Wilcott stated that he couldn’t remember the cryptonym or the name of the person who told him about it. He confirmed this in his manuscript titled “The Kennedy Assassination” which was published by the HSCA with his testimony and other evidence (see sources at link below). However, in a later statement before the Cuban “tribunal” Wilcott's memory improved and he claimed to remember the cryptonym as well as the name of the employee that provided it. The name is illegible in the copy I read which is at the John Armstrong Baylor archive. It is clear that Wilcott couldn’t remember either the cryptonym or the name of the employee with enough conviction to testify to these facts under oath. He probably feared that the HSCA would call the individual to testify and he would deny knowledge of the cryptonym and the "Oswald Project." http://wtracyparnell.blogspot.com/2017/03/james-wilcott.html Edited June 12, 2019 by W. Tracy Parnell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hargrove Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 4 minutes ago, W. Tracy Parnell said: It should be noted that two respected sources of extensive information regarding CIA cryptonyms, The Mary Ferrell Foundation and author John Newman, do not recognize this cryptonym (RX-ZIM). OMG! Do you seriously believe that the Agency would publicly release the Lee Harvey Oswald project's cryptonym? After the assassination of JFK? Really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W. Tracy Parnell Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 23 minutes ago, Jim Hargrove said: OMG! Do you seriously believe that the Agency would publicly release the Lee Harvey Oswald project's cryptonym? After the assassination of JFK? Really? No, I don't suppose they would if such a thing existed. But I personally find it more plausible that Wilcott's imagination ran away with him than to believe that a finance clerk somehow became aware of the crypt for a secret project. When I first looked into the Wilcott thing, I assumed that he was a well-meaning individual who had misinterpreted something he heard. I found out that he was an extreme left-winger who was part of a group that believed CIA people should be "outed." A similar group outed Richard Welch resulting in his death. Wilcott also had a vendetta against the agency and felt they had wronged him. So, he had a motive to do what he did. In any case, folks can look at my article and decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hargrove Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Tracy, For how many years have you defended the CIA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now