Chris Cox

Tosh hope all is well. Best to everyone another few q's. will pass on clippings re: topic, via email if interested. Murphy was young(hails OR far from Miami scene)-- age 23 (12/56) when he disappeared. No mil experience or comml flying career but he became an agent for Trujillo. How? What's the MO? His Pan Am girlfriend, Sally (she connected Murphy with Basque scholar Galindez I think), and a congressman took up the investigation in '58 and beyond. Did it just fade away? Did all info gathered become Downing, McClellan, Rockefeller, Church, HSCA ARRB (on and on) fodder and just drop in the shuffle without a deal? What was final analysis? HSCA stumbled upon this in its work but let it drop late 70s, leads weren't followed. Also Sergio is one related to Cornelio executed in Cuba? James how was Schmal,defense investigator (FBI informant) in Hiss trial connected to Murphy, a 23 year old mercenary pilot flying for DR? TIME '58: "The FBI has since linked Espaillat, Frank and Schmahl to each other and to Murphy." Frank (former FBI agent) alias John Kane (provided $800 for plane charter Mar 56) according to USAF Sgt. Harold French, friend of Murphy who retrofitted Beechcraft for 3/56 flt. " (Chronicle Telegram OH 1962) Do any of these names ring a bell Tosh? What was connection Maheu to flight of Murphy in your memory? Pat does Maheu fit in Murphy's story 1956ish or later? Thx again all

Thanks fellows. What stories if we could only dive deep enough. It seems by what you've got there's Trujillo US and Cuba stuff that we have yet to unravel completely. I think it's time how about you? Offhand, I wonder if Trujillo may have asked for the delivery of Galindez (FBI informant betrayed?) and Wm Morgan's execution in exchg for Castro but never delivered and met his fate soon after his lack of interest was discovered by the US. Poor Murphy and his companion knew the danger well. Interested in anything you can dig up thanx again.

Pat--an excellent JE book, btw. As I'm interested in the history of the case; could you pls explain what research backs claim (any specific documentation you can suggest) Maheu was involved with Galindez case? Thx

Hi Terry. How’ve you been? My dad was more indie, I would say, but all were sources cowboy serious anticommunists who felt a great dupe after they'd helped the Cuban revolution. They had wives and little kids that followed them around too. They were front line homies not sipping and smoking in the embassies rather for hire with street knowledge the officials relied on. That’s my best guess—these guys were maybe nonofficial but with officials in the wing waiting for guys like my dad, pilots, to touch down and give ‘em the scoop. Without a paystub, who knows who works for whom? Let’s just say these guys are mostly unknown players in a multi-tiered netherworld of the time that makes for interesting stories floating around out there. You may like this book I mentioned to Harry and Tosh, "Where the Boys are..." by Van Gosse. It points out time of 50s (beats and revolutionaries) was source, springboard of reactionary politics our gen and a yearning. Privilege breeds discontent and sympathy for the other guy sometimes, eh? Marita-talked to her once and liked her. She’s tough and has history—an interesting woman. No one talks about her working with the refugees at a mil camp but I think that’s one of her better tales, but oops I'm off the Roselli topic again. Now the Lisa Howard thing burns my bridges because if Talbot’s book is right then wtf? I mean we send an emissary and she does the guy? This is just so wrong on many levels. Kudos to the source (her daughter?) for her honesty. Best to you and thanks for your interest for more on Paul Hughes take look at www.littlebayofpigs.com

Thanks Harry Maybe "countercommunist" is more appropriate term than counterevolutionary which was the charge from the other side. off Roselli topic but did need correction

Harry, Tosh, you supported Castro along with my father and multitude of young patriotic idealistic others who believed in the revolution but ended up on the other side. Would you say that there were many gringos you didn’t know then but know were there now? You are more aware now in the recap then you were then? That book I told you about discusses this in (sometimes boring) depth. Tosh knows guns from US armories went to the rebels. The Dept. State and Mil were in support early on. Pilots contracted to do the drops to the rebel factions and participated in the urban revolts, just as they did during the counterrev sabotage effort post Huber Matos and Cienfuegos. A Second Front was given support, later this same group is linked to Miami and the keys – Big Pine is only one of the locations of many. Sanctioned or not the area is steeped in it. From Miami down intrigue abounds, as you well know. So later in the OC-- Harry on which side of the Cuba issue was the group you became involved with after your Castro support? These LDS and asst right-wingers were historically on what-- the Nixon side, for instance, always “don’t trust Castro” what would you say was their prevailing point of view from the getgo? Tosh, re: “As to Lisa Howard. Some said she did have an affair with Castro, but it was before the agreement and it was suppose to have happen in NY. However, I do not know if this is true or not. I think it was the other woman. This was shortly after 1959 when Castro came to NY”. So Howard hooked up with Fidel in NYC in fall 1959? She had a party and flirted with Che I read but I’m confused…. The NYC friend-- Was there a Lisa/Marita connection? What, you think, would have been the backlash of an affair with Castro when Lisa was carrying on a mission of state, back then when you were doing what you were to get her in and out of Cuba? How does this mesh with the Marita mission of record. As you both know, Wm Morgan was left behind as he was fomenting counterrev in region that was being purged into the seventies. A man associated with him served some years. Martino also served some time, same time and got out earlier and alive. Others had to wait. What was the Martino connection if he was not a direct witness to the Morgan execution but later surfaces as if he was witness and even talks on this point, but also shows up with Tosh in safehouses in Miami?

Tosh and Harry Another quick question So how do you know if it is or isn't, if only those who know, need to know? You know? Sugar cane was burned to affect the harvest, rainmakers and beetle droppers tried their luck, the leaflets were dropped, bridges were put out of commission and the freighters were sabotaged etc etc. over a period of years. Did it matter to any of you back then if something was sanctioned or not as far as you could tell and how could one tell then anyway? Everyone I've talked to almost all the vets of this time let the mission dictate their actions regardless of source because the waters were so cloudy then anyway. The question is did it matter who was the ultimate sponsor? Tosh did Lisa Howard have a tete a tete with Fidel? It is part of David Talbot's book and I couldn't fathom how this could be true if she was the Kennedy's back channel. Thoughts?

Hey Harry and Tosh Interesting book I'm reading thought you might like: Where the Boys are- Cuba, Cold War America and the making of a new Left by Van Gosse. Fair Play mentioned a bit. Harry: did you work/start a bogus chapter of Fair Play? Was this part of an FBI infiltration of lefty grps at time ? Sorry if you said already I may have missed it. Also who (indiv/grp) invited you to Fluor? Another book suggestion for both of you is the more obscure: A Rebel In Cuba by Neill Macaulay dec. These are a bit painful to read but may fill in some gaps in some earlier and I certainly agree with both of you-- essential, lost and neglected history. Best to both of you.

I was a tot in post rev Habana when the anniversary speech was made. Thank you Harry for your thoughts, we remember through the adults who were there around us.

interesting. Is "Bayo" Capt. Eduardo Perez Gonzalez? what were the names and nationalities of the nine men who went missing on "Bayo" raid? Are the men in the Ford report among the missing? Did LIFE publish the story at any time or was it covered in Cuban press or anywhere else? What did Billings or Spencer report after the fact? Martino, Billings and Spencer, Pawley bailed on the trip, who else opted out? Is the only official inquiry where raid is mentioned the Hall interview? HSCA? WC? Did HSCA investigators inquire this matter on either or both trips to Cuba? Does Baku raid figure in this? Someone might have the history handy-I'm a bit lost on this again. thanks

Here, here. For those of us who have tried for years to unravel this ball with facts; a new, improved and tidied history only serves to wind it back up

I got to page 32 and was tired of the blank pgs. More like "rhinestones" than jewels, but let's not discourage any attempts at declassification. May I remind readers that the chance to get at any jewels was essentially tossed in 1984 with the operational files act -- that was the chance to counter. As I understand it ACLU was involved in this which is interesting if correct. Back to jewels: These docs have some unpolished gems I think. Some operations were withheld from JMWave, the word "Mockingbird" is in the lexicon and yet is shown to be more a surveillance op than anything, but docs prove an op with this name was in play. The idea of making operatives unknown to USG is mentioned, so there's the covert nature, plausible deniablilty whatever you want to call it, spelled out in b&w. As to the Kissinger knowledge of RFK involvement-he's alive to be interviewed and should be. The BOP was an JFK op, historically JFK's admitted to it and took the blame regardless of its inception post March 17 1959 with Nixon bearing the sweat of the debates knowing it was on the table-question --did JFK know of BOP at time of debates 1960? A debriefing was made for the incoming administration as it should have been. The Tractors For Freedom project to bring the boys home by Xmas was Bobby's deal with family members, friends on Wall Street and old spies on the case. There was IMO selective ransoming with some coming out of Cuban prisons late 70s and on. These political prisoners have many stories to tell.

Along the "Beave" six degrees...is it true Babs B (the mom with the pearls) was related to Sherman B who hosted Hoover and Jack at his Stork Club and who's son in law, Rorke (son of NYC DA?) disappeared with Sullivan 9/63 on an anti-Castro raid? And Dave, isn't it a bit weird that CIA this week quotes Kissinger (in the documents release article DC Post) as saying RFK was behind the raids against Castro regime as Cuba concurs? Yikes!

“Kennedy declined to escalate the Bay of Pigs invasion and the missile crisis, to be sure, but his differences with the hard-liners who opposed him were mostly tactical, not strategic. He wavered between bold, liberal visions of the future and conventional cold war thinking.” Above a fair statement by Brinkley. The old Kennedy speeches are wonderful, famous addresses are designed that way-- inspiring heart felt words for sure but actions louder, so leave the White Out and glossies at home. Is the sentimentality really useful now? Where is this salon stuff coming from-- the real world? It’s more movie of the week, an unauthorized memoir than documentary, really, why bother? The secret war was bipartisan, the documents absolutely support that. What does it matter that we apologize RFK didn’t get to it in time-it stinks to be us. Mist up the lens, fine, just don’t call it “history.”

Talbot was unfairly outnumbered in that intvu but he wasn't prepared either. He should have left out the parts of his book he wasn't willing to drop at least a few coins in NARAII's copiers for. You haven't really earned your stripes until you visit the stacks and flip through the films. Talbot told LA Times this week he doesn't "paw" over documents. So, what, you go to all the guy's buddies and expect truth and corrections to flow from their lips almost half a century later? Did Talbot talk to RFK? RFK shoulda coulda woulda but he didn't and here we all are with those boxes of "Cuba secret war" files in JFK Act to decipher on our own.

John M Spiritto was known to us in Cuba as "Johnny Espiritus" which is a bit of ecclesiastical play on his name. He brought his Cuban wife pregnant at that time, to the house. He was always at the house with John Hudson Wilson. Recall Wilson Hudson contacted Hoover from London re: Ruby at jail. From my docs it appears Hudson was considered a spy, whose spy is anyone's guess as he moved the world freely on multiple passports. I believe the pairing of these men is a clue to the nature of their business at our house. Castro put us under house arrest summer 1959 for a planned invasion of Nicaragua from Havana. We children stayed in the house whilst the men were first taken to Jefetura, police hdqtrs. in Havana. We were allowed to take the men fruit and briefly visit. The cells were open, crowded and prisoners were on a diet of water, rice and beans but not mistreated as far as we could tell. It seems Spiritto was incarcerated again later, interrogated and made the film Gloria saw. I’m not too versed on Gaitan topic but as I understand it, Castro provided some backing to Gloria’s cause and screened Spiritto’s apparent confession, for her. IMHO if Spiritto had a family in Cuba and money and/or freedom and duress or even stateside prosecution was in the mix, wouldn't you concur there's some leverage over historical fact and convenient fiction? Any good researcher will consider the source as much as the info, right? I've made some attempt to learn the whereabouts of Spiritto in San Pedro (an up and coming seaport town with much history) and Miami and elsewhere but come up empty-handed. I’ve never seen any evidence that Spiritto was involved with Operation Artichoke MKUltra or was in Colombia during the Gaitan assassination and resulting Bogotazo though, respectfully, it makes a fantastic story. If there is evidence to support the Hank A. research, Cuba’s or another's claims, I missed it and would really like to see it. BTW, thank you for your interest

intriguing, I second Simkin--what's the source? for more see Paul Wolf's site on Gaitan and other research Spirrito is someone I've been looking for more on as he was arrested in Cuba with my pa and Hudson

Read the excellent new book Total Cold War: Eisenhower’s Secret Propaganda Battle at Home and Abroad for some early CDJ info, oops mentioned already.

Thanks James I’ve seen the name you mention but couldn’t find much on Franklin Joe. Any searches come up with the black activist exiled in Cuba or the history prof at Univ of Miami involved w/Cuban refugee programs. Franklin Joseph Williams is also called “Mike” by State Dept according to Gordon’s site. State of course knew who he was and he wasn’t Mike according to the Bahamians and State dispatches, so don’t know how he got the Mike moniker. My search continues so anything you’ve got on Franklin Joseph “Mike” Williams is most helpful.

Yes the hijacker. He said LHO to make contact with Cubans killing JFK, Marina a tool of Soviet Intel, Castro fooled by Soviet plan to use Cuba as base against US, and gave the info before the death of JFK to Swiss in Cuba whom he blamed for failure to pass on in time. The Swiss helped him make it back to US FBI handlers he wrote manuscript and I can't seem to get a copy. He said he shared a cell with my father the CIA concurs so his credibility is important. Why do you think he's not credible, James? Thanks as always.

Is possible that Martino got Ramirez Ortiz and Oscar (Marino?) "Ortiz" confused? Both similar claims out of Cuba and involved in HSCA testimony, later in "Rendezvous..." Footnote in Russo book makes me wonder if names mixed up or combined by Martino. What was Blakey's opinion of Martino testimony?

Which hijacking do you know, Tom? I've been following your aviation threads --interesting and somewhat familiar to me-- family members were early pilots and southern-AL, GA, etc Particularly interested in this current nexus you've presented. Thanks for any help.

One and same, James. NAL pilot was Francis X (Xavier?)Riley. ARO recently verified to me what he wrote is true FWIW with the added story American in his cell was Paul Hughes later removed from cell poss.executed he learned later from peeking at Cuban documents. Documentation found among the docs on LHO by ARO. Ferrell site has the partial manuscript only the relevant points according to final report. My question is did the Cuban trips for HSCA uncover any of this? How about Lopez Report? No, it seems and if they'd bothered to pull on that string they might have unraveled something significant to the investigation- oversight or other?

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB179/ http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/ more on topic

Ron and Dole are right. Where is the outrage? All over Washington are statues that depict our history. One inscribed imploring us to "Study the Past" another telling us how truth sets us free. Where does the historian go when the trail gets hijacked?