Galandez; Lester Murphy, Dominican Republic

[William Plumlee]

Thanks Tosh,

Edited December 25, 2007 by William Plumlee

[Chris Cox]

Absolutely, Tosh

The Murphy/Galindez thing is sorely forgotten. Have notes and will retrace the history. It is covered well in a book which slips my mind, but not much else, little on internet.

Have been on the Morgan/Spiritto angle that my friend Paul Wolf and another writer have been working on since 90s. Good counterrev. stuff. I will find link to this and post.

Spiritto linked to OSS, operation Artichoke and Gaitan ops and poss. Murphy/Galindez. He comes up again with Morgan and JFK Assasination when his associate, John Wilson (Carlos) Hudson gives testimony about Ruby in Cuba. These men are in my father's history in Havana. Just another tiny thread in proverbial ball.

I was a bit surprised to find Morgan added to the Atsugi bunch.

I invited Ms. Sherry to join us here. She's busy as usual, but has much to add to this subject.

When you can, if you can elaborate on Rorke and Eglin. I believe it came up in a Judyth post. Eglin was ONI?

Best to all

C

[Chris Cox]

Tosh,

My logical next question in the DR story, would be names like Browder, Bartone, Earl Brennan (esp Haiti) Esq. names like this possibly associated. If Paisley comes into play here in '57 (I was a mere tot, btw)how does Nuiry end up in Cuba? How does Paisley end up in Choptank or Chesapeake? His wife will have non of that suicide tripe. His son still asks questions. But for men like Paisley was Cuba just a war theatre switch or something more deeply connected to ongoing operations?

You got me on the Lisa connection. Now I have homework. Thanks.

[Chris Cox]

thanks tosh and a few long questions

Looking over all the posts, I wonder if we learn truth in these stories only when we can handle it years later? Perhaps the JFK thing is coming to it's natural finality. Acceptance something went real wrong in our country. Even those suicides and murders were of folks who had the nagging need to talk: Roselli, DeMor, Masf, etc are still alive in the record.

thanks for all the posting there's so much to say and so many years gone by

Asking one to spill a lifetime in blog is tall order for sure.

Ive lurked your posts and don't have much interest in the knoll details because I focus my time on CUba and the other stories. Remember those other stories. My plate's too full for the assassination nittygritty.

But, is it your thought that there were other things going on in Dallas that were unrelated CUban operations at the time of JFK's

assassination? Seems there were a heck of alot of safe houses. We talked about Haiti and DR and the various projects of the time.

You and I talked about Hensley and the history of gunrunning etc in TX. Texas has long, interesting military history. Perhaps someone knows of other operations going on down there essentially compromised by assassination? Maybe this helped draw intelligence community cooperation. The cover up with LBJ and Hoover needed CIA.

In thinking of the Mil operation you were on that day, I see Hoover as the (not so)hidden card. Hoover as you indicate was apprised and let history take its horrible course.

The CIA/FBI/OC relationships, another spoke of wheel.

LBJ was a ruthless politician in the memory of his friends. LBJ and Hoover had dirty little secrets. They were good buddies with Russell who knew all about CUban ops in his office.

But could it be there were other plans that were in works in Dallas in '63? Maybe involving RFK? Not a false hit on President as some suggest but other for.intel. operations? We know from Brad Ayers book that there were some RFK things happening in Keys rather late. Even the CIA site has lots declass. history on Haiti available for public reading that shows ongoing operations.

Then Dallas '63 horror. Oswald name shows FBI/CIA files. And Hoover gets call from new Prez and gets the word out on the Commie That Did It and LIFE (it's own history in Cuban ops) involves itself in that. CIA gets to work to hide evidence they knew Oswald too. Not to mention CIA/LIFE Cuba work.

Oswald was an "insertion" genius if you ask me. Texas Mexico City stuff surfaces briefly then lid goes back on. LBJ bullies all to serve him in WC report. Earl W cries and lies with Richard Russell Then LBJ shuts down anti-Castro ops as best he can. Tries to refocus on Viet Nam.

THe pentagon is satisfied they'll get their war and Bell and Hughes sells helicopters. War biz booms. Nixon waits his turn, but we won't talk about the Cubans and TD's relationship this time.

I'm no fan of CIA foulups but perhaps they were used for cover and blackmailed as an agency (not considering any "rogues")? The cover up took a lot of man hours, I'm sure. The DRE was immediately getting uppity in 60s and then in 80s HSCA Joannides shows for duty. Folks go to jail during/after WC period. Then with HSCA last ditch effort they again start dying. Just too many significant deaths there, you'd have to be wearing blinders.

[James Richards]

As requested quite some time back, here is a photograph of Gerald Lester Murphy.

James

[William Plumlee]

Yes. Thats him. The aircraft Beachcraft D-18 that was used in the 1957 Galandez kidnapping was owned by Steve Guthrie of southern Florida (Coral Gables) and flown by Lester Murphy, Alex Rorke, M. Rojas, and others, from 1957 until 1961. The aircraft N-6?00? was also registered to Atlantic Richfield of Houston Texas in the early sixties and used in hush-hush CIA 'off the books' operations through out southern Florida and the Caribbean .

Shortly after the Glandez affair of 57, Murphy disappeared. I have often wondered, if Murphy and Bobby Fuller knew of each other? (I think; if I remember right.., B Fuller and another American were executed as CIA spies by Castro's forces shortly after Castro and his rebels marched into Havana...( from memory)

[James Richards]

Tosh,

Word around the campfire is that the guys on the ground who actually handled the Galindez/Murphy kidnappings and subsequent 'disappearances' were Arturo Espaillat and Felix Bernardino.

Do you have anything on that?

BTW, I seem to remember Tony Zarba was executed around the time Fuller was.

James

[Harry J.Dean]

Tosh,

Word around the campfire is that the guys on the ground who actually handled the Galindez/Murphy kidnappings and subsequent 'disappearances' were Arturo Espaillat and Felix Bernardino.

Do you have anything on that?

BTW, I seem to remember Tony Zarba was executed around the time Fuller was.

James

Don't know were the list is just now, but listed was one of the suspected US. spies who was shot dead in the same chair one month before I was there, for three hours being interrogated in the same DGI office {by military riff-raff at {Havana} When I learned of it 40 years later, the thought of it shook me. It still does.

Harry

[William Plumlee]

As requested quite some time back, here is a photograph of Gerald Lester Murphy.

James

Thanks James; Your right. It was Tony Zarba who was executed along with Bobby Fuller, both American citizens I think. In reference to the Galindez affair? I too was aware of Berdardino involvement in someway. One of them was a relative of Terrrillo.., Berdardino it was, I think, but not sure. I'm not sure of all the details other than Murphy took one of the flights in place of a Dominican Republic pilot who was scheduled for that trip to NY.

Edited November 4, 2009 by William Plumlee

[William Plumlee]

Tosh,

Word around the campfire is that the guys on the ground who actually handled the Galindez/Murphy kidnappings and subsequent 'disappearances' were Arturo Espaillat and Felix Bernardino.

Do you have anything on that?

BTW, I seem to remember Tony Zarba was executed around the time Fuller was.

James

Don't know were the list is just now, but listed was one of the suspected US. spies who was shot dead in the same chair one month before I was there, for three hours being interrogated in the same DGI office {by military riff-raff at {Havana} When I learned of it 40 years later, the thought of it shook me. It still does.

Harry

Hey Harry! Remember. By the Grace of God, there goes us'uns. A lot of good operatives sat in that chair.

[Harry J.Dean]

Tosh,

Word around the campfire is that the guys on the ground who actually handled the Galindez/Murphy kidnappings and subsequent 'disappearances' were Arturo Espaillat and Felix Bernardino.

Do you have anything on that?

BTW, I seem to remember Tony Zarba was executed around the time Fuller was.

James

Don't know were the list is just now, but listed was one of the suspected US. spies who was shot dead in the same chair one month before I was there, for three hours being interrogated in the same DGI office {by military riff-raff at {Havana} When I learned of it 40 years later, the thought of it shook me. It still does.

Harry

Hey Harry! Remember. By the Grace of God, there goes us'uns. A lot of good operatives sat in that chair.

Yeah Tosh, there were 10 or 12 at least on that list. It is on computer somewhere. Zarba and Fuller were on that list with the others.

Don't remember name of the chap shot to death in that chair?

Amigo, T O G

[William Plumlee]

Tosh,

Word around the campfire is that the guys on the ground who actually handled the Galindez/Murphy kidnappings and subsequent 'disappearances' were Arturo Espaillat and Felix Bernardino.

Do you have anything on that?

BTW, I seem to remember Tony Zarba was executed around the time Fuller was.

James

Don't know were the list is just now, but listed was one of the suspected US. spies who was shot dead in the same chair one month before I was there, for three hours being interrogated in the same DGI office {by military riff-raff at {Havana} When I learned of it 40 years later, the thought of it shook me. It still does.

Harry

Hey Harry! Remember. By the Grace of God, there goes us'uns. A lot of good operatives sat in that chair.

Yeah Tosh, there were 10 or 12 at least on that list. It is on computer somewhere. Zarba and Fuller were on that list with the others.

Don't remember name of the chap shot to death in that chair?

Amigo, T O G

Does the brother, or the sister, of "Joe Westbrook, (Rosale) who was killed in 1957, come to mind? ---- did perhaps, "... Hector..." ? ... Hernandez?.., something, something, ??? (that helps a lot I'm sure) sit in that chair a few weeks before you arrived? Harry. Does Christina Benevides?? and "The Mexico Arms Pack with Cuba", ring any bells?.... from the old Guard of the M-26-7; remember the students from the 'University of Havana', of the fifties and the DR of the early sixties?

[James Richards]

As requested quite some time back, here is a photograph of Gerald Lester Murphy.

James

Thanks James; Your right. It was Tony Zarba who was executed along with Bobby Fuller, both American citizens I think. In reference to the Galindez affair? I too was aware of Berdardino involvement in someway. One of them was a relative of Terrrillo.., Berdardino it was, I think, but not sure. I'm not sure of all the details other than Murphy took one of the flights in place of a Dominican Republic pilot who was scheduled for that trip to NY.

Thanks, Tosh.

The whole Galindez/Murphy thing for me is an important event as I believe Felix Bernardino, who played a hand in that drama, also had a role in what happened in Dallas. In my opinion of course.

Bernardino is a very interesting guy with an interesting family. His sister was of course Minerva Bernardino.

James

[Harry J.Dean]

Tosh,

Word around the campfire is that the guys on the ground who actually handled the Galindez/Murphy kidnappings and subsequent 'disappearances' were Arturo Espaillat and Felix Bernardino.

Do you have anything on that?

BTW, I seem to remember Tony Zarba was executed around the time Fuller was.

James

Don't know were the list is just now, but listed was one of the suspected US. spies who was shot dead in the same chair one month before I was there, for three hours being interrogated in the same DGI office {by military riff-raff at {Havana} When I learned of it 40 years later, the thought of it shook me. It still does.

Harry

Hey Harry! Remember. By the Grace of God, there goes us'uns. A lot of good operatives sat in that chair.

Yeah Tosh, there were 10 or 12 at least on that list. It is on computer somewhere. Zarba and Fuller were on that list with the others.

Don't remember name of the chap shot to death in that chair?

Amigo, T O G

Does the brother, or the sister, of "Joe Westbrook, (Rosale) who was killed in 1957, come to mind? ---- did perhaps, "... Hector..." ? ... Hernandez?.., something, something, ??? (that helps a lot I'm sure) sit in that chair a few weeks before you arrived? Harry. Does Christina Benevides?? and "The Mexico Arms Pack with Cuba", ring any bells?.... from the old Guard of the M-26-7; remember the students from the 'University of Havana', of the fifties and the DR of the early sixties?

Tosh

I knew just one 26th member named Hector, he was Cuban and Oriental mix. He was one 'extremely' pro-Castro Revolution. A Che type!

T O G