David Boylan

Bill, I'm going to make a somewhat educated guess, and say that the "Cuban exile source" was Bernado de Torres. Some believe he was "Leopoldo" to Diaz Garcia's "Angel." "A Cuban exile source stated that he believed subject to be identical with the narcotics trafficker in Costa Rica. There is no further information to substantiate this." http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/NARA-Nov-2017/180-10097-10488.pdf http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/NARA-Nov9-2017/104-10070-10181.pdf

Thanks. I never could type. Fat fingers and all...

The FBI contacted Piedra to see if he knew where LHO was. Prior contact? http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/docid-32312674.pdf

I'd recommend reading Gayle Nix Jackson's book, Pieces of the Puzzle, about this episode. She interviewed Robert Surrey's children. They and their father were in the house at the time.

Sherry, Looks like Gerry didn't really try. http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/docid-32323653.pdf

I'm not sure if this is new info. Geoffrey Sullivan with Robert Gentzkow on a bombing run 8/31/63. https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/docid-32272289.pdf

I don't think so. He's this guy - Great find by the way.

Ron, that would be Eugene Dinkin.

Does anyone know what became of his claim? Seems to have been highly classified. If I remember right, I think Larry Hancock had something about this intercept. https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/docid-32270296.pdf https://www.nsa.gov/news-features/declassified-documents/jfk/assets/files/jfk00235.pdf https://www.nsa.gov/news-features/declassified-documents/jfk/assets/files/jfk00233.pdf

Thanks Ernie. This is a huge help for those of us that look at these subjects. Sure beats microfilm and fiche. For those of us that know what fiche is....

Steve, Commandos L (Tony Cuesta's group) became the action group after they split from Alpha 66.They had the boats and the money to run ops. They often were of "POA" to both the Army and CIA. These guys were the real professionals and were mostly apolitical. They were so highly thought of that the Special Group used and considered them for operations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [...] 3. Cuba a. The Group then turned to consideration of the paper from the Coordinator of Cuban Affairs dated 12 August 1963, "Support of Autonomous Anti-Castro Groups. In answer to questions, Mr. Cheever said that the project for support of Commandos L would be useful but not essential. He felt that the economic damage which this group might inflict would probably be comparatively minor. On the other hand there would be some psychological advantages to be gained, and also such operations would serve to keep the Cuban security forces busy. In view of the personal interest expressed by Mr. McCone in the project when it was tabled at the meeting of 15 August, it was agreed that no decision should be made until after the DCI's return. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUBJECT: Minutes of Special Group Meeting, 5 September 1963 PRESENT: Mr. Bundy,. Mr •. Johnson, Mr. Gilpatric, and Mr. McCone. Mr. FitzGerald was present for Items 1 and 2. Mr. Colby was present for Items 3-5. ... 2. Cuba : Support of Autonomous Anti-Castro Group The Group then turned to further discussion of the paper from tile Coordinator of Cuban Affairs dated August 13, on the subject of Commandos L. In response to objections stated at earlier meetings to the use of a British base, Mr. FitzGerald said that it would be feasible to take off from a point in the northern Bahamas, rather than from one of the keys very near Cuba. This would considerably reduce the dangers of hot pursuit. Mr. Johnson said that purely apart from the British problem, whether or not such a change in location would alleviate it, he does not feel that the type of activity proposed accomplishes the agreed objective of reaching internal resistance elements. The Chairman, Mr. Gilpatric, and Mr. McCone all felt that support of this group in the manner outlined, should be considered as action additional to that designed to contact the resistance. Further, they felt that it would be perfectly feasible, and in fact necessary, to avoid any involvement with the British in this matter. It was finally decided that Mr. Bundy would discuss the proposal with higher authority, noting the reservations expressed by Hr. Johnson. In the event of favorable reaction by higher authority, Mr. Bundy will talk further to Mr. Johnson. Mr. McCone said that he would like to see more activity of this general nature and asked whether this could be accomplished if larger numbers of Cuban personnel were obtained. Mr. FitzGerald replied that the problem is not numbers but the degree of training and competence. In this connection, he noted that the Artime group should be ready to go in November.

David, no doubt. I was told that this Mr. Bishop was a lawyer in "real life."

Steve, I believe it Potential Operational Asset.

Steve, I have not seen this. I'm not sure what to make of the whole Veciana/Bishop connection but I easily get confused. :-) I'm sure that a lot of CIA interactions were intentionally verbal in nature and were never written down anywhere. Oh, and sources tell me that Mr. Bishop, mentioned above, was indeed a lawyer. Dave

So I did a little more digging and found this. https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=23765&relPageId=3 104-10170-10027: AMSPELL STATUS 11/15/62: A secret letter from AMSPELL to AMBARB delegates was sent about this date, laying the groundwork for recalling in AMBARBs in early December due to conflict with CIA. AMHINT-53 (Luis Fernandez-Rocha) cited AMSPELL policy "against coexistence". "On 5 December 1962 Walter D. Newby (George Joannides) was introduced to AMHINT-53 and succeeded Harold D. Noemayr (Ross Crozier) as the responsible case officer for the project." http://aarclibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/dan_hardway_aarc_9_26_14.pdf And this - In the fall of 1962, George Joannides was hand picked by Richard Helms to replace Ross Crozier as the CIA’s DRE case officer in Miami after DRE’s public opposition to the government’s policies during the October, 1962, missile crisis. 11 Joannides reported directly to Helms. 12 Joannides’s registered pseudonym was Walter D. Newby. His supervisor was Robert K. Trouchard. Up to 90% of the DRE’s operating funds came from the CIA. 13 The ARRB managed to force the CIA to declassify a few ofJoannides’sfitnessreports. 14

I admit to being dense sometimes. :-) So, my reading of this is that it is a employee review of George J. He reads and signs on the Employee signature line with the name Walter D. Newby (signed in pseudo) stating that he has read sections A,B, and C. Looks to me that this name (Newby) was crossed out at the top and George Joannides was hand written in above it. Am I wrong?

Ron, from his fitness report. Signed Walter D. Newby. Post 2 above. Page 9. He signed his own fitness report.

Veciana and "Mr. Bishop." Interesting doc from Feb 1964. "On February 28, 1964 seven Cubans representing the SNFE, and two Americans who were described as lawyers from Orlando, Florida, met in the office of ELLIOT ROOSEVELT, Miami. Five of the Cubans known to the source were ANTONlO VECIANA,. RICHARD VERANES, one GARCIA (first name unknown), one MEDINA; .possibly CARLOS MEDINA, and ARMANDO FLEITES. The two Americans were a Mr. BISHOP and BOB PETRIE, both lawyers, allegedly from Orlando." http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/docid-32302103.pdf

http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/NARA-Nov9-2017/104-10170-10002.pdf Walter Newby was a pseudonym for Joannides.

His fitness report - http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/NARA-Nov9-2017/104-10304-10000.pdf

ANGEL LEIRO states that the real reason Herminio Diaz Garcia went to Cuba with Cuesta and crew was to contact the underground and make plans for an uprising. The cover story was that it was an assassination plot to kill Fidel and that Cuesta never knew the real reason. http://documents.theblackvault.com/.../docid-32333786.pdf

Looks like Diaz was an early person of interest after the assassination. http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/docid-32197547.pdf

Long file on Kostikov. My PDF says page 152 is the interesting write up on him. http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/NARA-Nov-2017/104-10218-10032.pdf

CIA report on Nosenko. 400 plus pages. After skimming through this, I can see that current Russian practices haven't changed from their predecessors. Lots of info on how the KGB utilized various "methods" to recruit and blackmail subjects through compromising photos, etc. Think Steele dossier. http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/NARA-Nov9-2017/104-10150-10136.pdf

Here's some easy reading for you Tommy. http://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/jfk/NARA-Oct2017/NARA-Nov-2017/104-10534-10205.pdf