Steve Thomas Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 (edited) On May 11, 1964 Miami FBI Special Agent James J. O'Connor wrote up a Report of an investigation that had been conducted in connection to a story written in the Pampano Beach, FL “Sun Sentinel” by a reporter named James Buchanan. James had written a story recounting the exploits of his brother, Jerry Buchanan. Jerry had attempted to make a raid into Cuba, but his boat, the 35-foot Violin III, had been stopped and seized by Brithish authorities at Norman's Cay, a tiny island in the Bahamas. Accounts of this raid and the capture of the boat were written up in several newspapers, including the following two: The News-Herald from Mansfield, Ohio · April 3, 1963 Page 24 https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/45297639/ Friday 24--NEWS-HERALD W.J.. April 3. 1963 Raider denies violation of neutrality law. EDITOR'S NOTE~The following exclusive interview with Jerry 'Buchanan was obtained by his brother, James Buchanan, reporter for the Pompano Beach Sun Sentinel, and made available to the Associated Press. By JAMES BUCHANAN POMPANO BEACH. Fla. (AP) --The American who acted as spokesman for a band of anli-Castro sea raiders in securing their release from British custody told me he did not feel he had broken any neutrality law. Jerry Buchanan, 24. said in an exclusive interview by telephone; from Nassau Monday night, the raiders' boats, Violin III, had not been armed or manned in the country. The 35-foot Violin III was captured at Norman's Cay, a tiny island in the Bahamas. Buchanan said Magistrate John Baily freed the band of 17 men and releases their boat with a decree that they lad not violated any law in British :territory," Buchanan sad. "_____ went So the boat, where it been there since Saturday morning waiting for us to come in. They knew all about us. "The police came out of the building and said, 'Is your name Buchanan?' They placed both of us under detention." He reported, a platoon of Bahamian police led by a British officer ordered the others to come ashore Buchanan said The Violin II was not captured at sea as reported and that the British frigate credited with the capture steamed into the area Sunday afternoon "The police searched the boa and captured a few of the boys who were well hidden from view. The boat put into the island to refuel, Buchanan said, and he and one of the Cubans aboard under command of Maj. Eveho Duquc went ashore unarmed. "We approached a barracks type building where we encountered a detachment of Bahamian police. "They also found the arms which we had stored on the boat. "Police told us they had us under surveillance all Sunday evening while we were trying to dock. After finding the arms they immediately announced we were being detained. The police refused to use the term 'arrest.' They said we were merely 'detained. " Buchanan said a high official of the Bahamas government, whom he declined to identify, arrived and said he was acting as a delgate from London, representing the Admiralty. "Prior to the official's arrival, however, the frigate was spotted off the east coast of the key," Buchanan said. The navy came ashore in three landing launches. One of these carried a platoon of men completely equipped with machine guns and ready to fight. The police then turned us over to the navy." "I was flown to Nassau at 7 .m. Sunday. I went to court Monday afternoon and we're now out n bond. We're supposed to be put back aboard the boat and escorted out of British waters with out equipment, guns and any of our 'personal effects." Kingsport Times from Kingsport, Tennessee · April 2, 1963 Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/78783432/ U.S. CONFISCATES EXILE BOAT British Halt Cuba-Bound Raiders MIAMI, Fla. (AP)-U.S. customs agents confiscated a Cuban exile boat, British police captured a band of 17 sea raiders and a companion group of commandos continued toward Cuba in a series of lightning-like developments. The exile boat, captured in Miami, was "outfitted for aggression," supervising customs agent Joseph Fortier announced Monday night. He said the 40-foot yacht Alisan was seized Sunday night at North Miami Beach with two homemade bombs and a 20-millimeter cannon on board. The boat's owner, Dr. Santiago Alvarez, said he did not know who had been using the boat or where it was used. No charges were filed. Fortier said the boat was empty when agents boarded it. A group of commandos was refitted (refitting?) nearing Cuba by boat on a mission to fight any Communist boats encountered and to contact rebels inside Cuba. A companion boat with 17 men aboard was halted at Norman's Key, a tiny island in the Exurna chain 200 miles north of the Cuban coast and 350 miles south of Miami. British police took the men into custody, including an American. Ex-Kingsport Resident Leader Of Sea Raiders. EDITOR'S NOTE-The leader of the Cuba-bound "sea raiders" halted by the British yesterday was Jerry Buchanan, who was reared in Kingsport. His family lived at 1853 Buckles Drive until 1956, and he attended Long Island Elementary. These were 16 Cuban exiles and one American. Apparently, the Violin III was to rendezvous with a larger boat, the Alisan at sea, but never got the chance. A synopsis of O'Connor's investigation was published in the Warren Commission documents as CD 1020.You can read that Commission Document here: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=11416#relPageId=2&tab=page James O'Connor interviewed James Buchanan on December 3, 1963. James had written an article in the November 26, 1963 issue of the “Sun Sentinel'. During the course of that interview, O'Connor wrote, “This article referred to Frank Fiorini of the International Anti-Communist Brigade as Buchanan's source concerning Oswald's activities in Miami. Fiorini, upon interview, as set forth in the same report, repudiated the statements attributed to him by Buchanan in the news article.” When interviewed on April 21, 1964, Frank Fiorini said that James Buchanan was the “Secretary and Director of the International Anti-Communist Brigade”. See p. 6 of CD 1020. An article concerning Oswald's activities in Miami had also appeared in the December 4th issue of the “Sun Sentinel”. This article did not bear the byline of James Buchanan. In interviews with members of the DRE, they claimed that the news article was false in every allegation. When Buchanan was interviewed on April 28, 1964, he “stated that he had written this article, entitled, “Cover-Up by FBI Charged”, but that the article had been edited.” An editorial article written by James Buchanan in the “Sun Sentinel” had also been reprinted in the Augusta, GA, “Augusta Courier” on December 23, 1963. https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/docid-32312834.pdf According to this FBI Report cited above, Jerry Buchanan had previously been investigated for using U.S. Army identification in the name of Jesse L. Murphy in cashing three stolen checks. On April 30, 1964 James Buchanan was interviewed by Special Agents, James J. O'Connor and George E. Davis, Jr. Buchanan told the Agents that he had no personal knowledge of Oswald's activities in Miami, but relied on his sources whom he considered reliable. One of his sources was Frank Fiorini of the International Anti-Communist Brigade. It was pointed out to Mr. Buchanan that he had told John Martino that his (James') brother had engaged in a fight with Lee Harvey Oswald in Miami. “Mr. Buchanan was advised that according to Mr. Martino the fight between Jerry Buchanan and Oswald occurred when Oswald attempted to board a boat being used by Jerry Buchanan and Cuban exiles in an anti-Castro operation”. Buchanan said that he had talked to his brother on the phone, but had never discussed this matter of the fight with him. He said that his information about the fight had come from a Cuban exile. See p. 12 of CD 1020. “He stated that this Cuban exile has the surname Sanchez, but his first name is not known to Mr. Buchanan”. He said that Sanchez had called him five days after the assassination and told him that his brother, Jerry had been in a fight with Oswald near the Miami River. He said that Sanchez told him that “the basis of the fight was Oswald's insistence by Oswald that he (Oswald) be permitted to join Jerry Buchanan and other exiles aboard a boat which was to be utilized in an anti-Castro operation.” Allegedly, Sanchez told James Buchanan that Oswald “had apparently introduced himself to Jerry Buchanan and the Cuban exiles near the Miami River dock by his true name Oswald.” ( I don't know what this means. Was Sanchez aware of Oswald using some other name in the Miami area?) The FBI Agents told James that his brother Jerry had been interviewed, and that Jerry had attributed this fight to other incidents besides Oswald's attempts to board a boat. See p. 15 of CD 1020. On April 29, 1964 the FBI interviewed Zacarius Acosta. “He advised that in March of 1963, Jerry Buchanan, not known by Acosta to be related to Jim Buchanan, had engaged in an anti-Castro together with sixteen members of LPN (Los Pinos Nuevos). Mr. Acosta said that he was one of the sixteen Cubans, who in the latter part of March, 1963 had departed in a boat called the “Violin III” from Naples, FL with a load of arms and munitions. He said that at a point off Key Key West, FL, Jerry Buchanan was put aboard the “Violin III” from a small launch which was occupied by Frank Fiorini and Alexander Rorke”. He said Rorke was the owner of the “Violin III” He said that no member of the LPN was named Sanchez, and that no one named Sanchez was on that boat. See p. 19 of CD 1020 On May 1, 1963, the FBI interviewed a Jesus Sanchez Martinez. He said that he did not know either James or Jerry Buchanan and that he did not belong to LPN and didn't know anyone who was a member. In a July 29, 1966 FBI Report that listed the principal anti-Castro organizations in the Miami area, Los Pinos Nuevos was listed as an inactive organization having about ten members. https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/docid-32322734.pdf See p. 7. I think that the FBI was talking to the wrong Sanchez. According to the web site cuban-exiles.com http://cuban-exile.com/doc_326-350/doc0326.html Fernano Sanchez Garcia was a member of Alpha-66 and was identified as an accountant of Los Naranjos 702, apt 3B, Santurce, PR [R-759-1-108] The site also states that, “It is the custom of the SNFE to anchor their boats in the vicinity of the 17th street bridge in Miami, according to U.S. Customs in April 1963. [R-759-2-17] According to a CIA Synopsis of Antonio Veciana Blanch (201-312966) https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/180-10144-10153.pdf RIF# 180-10144-10153 “11/16/62 Indicates rift in Alpha-66. Only Jeronimo Estevez, Salomon Bender, Fernando Sanchez, and Israel Gonzalez still allied with Veciana.” Acosta said that no one named Sanchez was aboard that boat. Fernando Sanchez might not have been aboard the boat, but still could be the person who told James Buchanan that Jerry had been in a fight with someone who called himself Oswald on the docks of the Miami River. In his FBI interviews, Jerry Buchanan seems to confuse two different incidents involving Lee Hravey Oswald being in Miami; one in October, 1962 and another in March, 1963. (26Hpp. 424+) https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=1142#relPageId=460&tab=page The Lee Harvey Oswald we know has been working at Jaggars-Chiles Stovall and attending typing classes at night in March. Did a person who called himself Oswald attempt to board that boat? Did he get into a fight with Jerry Buchanan, and was that person an informant on Buchanan that led to Buchanan's apprehension on Sunday, March 31, 1963? Steve Thomas Edited September 26, 2020 by Steve Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Thomas Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 (edited) Okay, A couple of side questions: Did Veciana know about Oswald in March, 1963? As Head of the International Anti-Communist Brigade, did Frank Sturgis know who Oswald was? If the “Sanchez” who called James Buchanan and told him that his (James') brother Jerry had gotten into a fight with Oswald on the docks of the Miami River was Fernando Sanchez Garcia; and Fernando Sanchez was close to Antonio Veciana; would he have told Veciana about this curious little incident where an American had been so insistent on getting on a boat that Jerry Buchanan was commanding for a raid into Cuba that Jerry had to punch him out? Would that have made them suspicious of some guy calling himself Oswald and trying to infiltrate Cuban exile affairs? Would Jerry Buchanan have told Craig Sheldon, whom he was living with for a while? The Craig Sheldon who was recruiting for Alpha-66 as far back as January, 1963? Jerry Buchanan told the FBI in March, 1964 that he had been a member of the International Anti-Communist Brigade in Miami “for the last several years.” Would he have told Frank Sturgis? Would Craig Sheldon have told Frank Sturgis who was the Head of the International Anti-Communist Brigade https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/180-10144-10153.pdf CIA Synopsis of Antonio Veciana Blanch (201-312966) RIF# 180-10144-10153 “11/16/62 Indicates rift in Alpha-66. Only Jeronimo Estevez, Salomon Bender, Fernando Sanchez, and Israel Gonzalez still allied with Veciana.” See FBI Report of SA Allison A. Catlin dated June 25, 1964. https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=75614&search=Fairhope#relPageId=3&tab=page Interview of Craig Sheldon. In December, 1962, Sheldon traveled to Puerto Rico, where he met with Bay of Pigs veterans and was raising money for Alpha 66. Sheldon says he is in “regular correspondence” with Antonio Veciana. CD 1020 p. 14. https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=11416#relPageId=16&tab=page "He (Jim Buchanan, brother of Jerry Buchanan) advised that Jerry Buchanan would be available for a few days following the day of interview (April 30, 1964) at 457 Oak St. Fairhope, Alabama, the residence of Craig Sheldon, whom he described as Chairman of the International Anti-Communist Brigade in Alabama." 457 Oak St. was the address of the headquarters of Alpha-66 in Fairhope. http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/belligerence/Alpha-66-12-FBI.pdf Alpha-66: FAIRHOPE, ALA: By Apr 63 Alpha-66 office in. [R-759-2- 161] “SHELDON, Craig of Fairhope, Alabama was recruiting for A-66 on Jan 2, 1963. He says he is a member, an ex-marine. [R-759-1-841851” Steve Thomas Edited September 26, 2020 by Steve Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Thomas Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 Manuel Rodriguez Orcarberro, who rented the house at 1026 Harlendale St. in Dallas, that Oswald was seen going in and out of, was Alpha-66 out of Miami. Steve Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Mitcham Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 How strange that a Castro supporter would be using an anti Castro house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Thomas Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 30 minutes ago, Ray Mitcham said: How strange that a Castro supporter would be using an anti Castro house. Ray, Isn't it though? *smile* Steve Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Thomas Posted September 24, 2020 Author Share Posted September 24, 2020 (edited) I have longed been intrigued by the idea that a person who called himself Oswald appeared in Miami, Florida in late March, 1963 and attempted to board a ship bound for a raid on Cuba. I give this account as much and as little credibility, as reports that a person named Oswald showed up in Alice, Texas in October, 1963 trying to get a job at a radio station. Along with this account, I have also been interested in the ships that were involved in the various raiding parties. Was this person who called himself, Oswald simply interested in a single raiding party, or was he trying to ingratiate himself in order to work his way up the chain of command? The ship Oswald was trying to board was a 35 foot Owens cruiser called the Violin III. It was owned by Alexander Rorke. The Violin III was supposed to rendezvous with a larger 40 foot yacht called the Alisan, but was seized by British authorities on the evening of Sunday, March 31, 1963 in Norman Kay in the Bahamas. That same evening, the Alisan was seized in North Miami Beach, Florida. Kingsport Times from Kingsport, Tennessee · April 2, 1963 Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/78783432/ U.S. CONFISCATES EXILE BOAT British Halt Cuba-Bound Raiders MIAMI, Fla. (AP)-U.S. customs agents confiscated a Cuban exile boat, British police captured a band of 17 sea raiders and a companion group of commandos continued toward Cuba in a series of lightning-like developments. The exile boat, captured in Miami, was "outfitted for aggression," supervising customs agent Joseph Fortier announced Monday night. He said the 40-foot yacht Alisan was seized Sunday night at North Miami Beach with two homemade bombs and a 20-millimeter cannon on board. The boat's owner, Dr. Santiago Alvarez, said he did not know who had been using the boat or where it was used. No charges were filed. Fortier said the boat was empty when agents boarded it. A group of commandos was refitted (refitting?) nearing Cuba by boat on a mission to fight any Communist boats encountered and to contact rebels inside Cuba. A companion boat with 17 men aboard was halted at Norman's Key, a tiny island in the Exurna chain 200 miles north of the Cuban coast and 350 miles south of Miami. British police took the men into custody, including an American. Ex-Kingsport Resident Leader Of Sea Raiders. EDITOR'S NOTE-The leader of the Cuba-bound "sea raiders" halted by the British yesterday was Jerry Buchanan, who was reared in Kingsport. His family lived at 1853 Buckles Drive until 1956, and he attended Long Island Elementary. The Alisan was owned by Dr. Santiago Juan Antonio Alvarez Rodriguez. His son was named Santiago Alvarez Fernandez. Santiago Alvarez Fernadez was a Private stationed at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/2018/docid-32276635.pdf Memo from FBI No To 6 pages Some of the other ship I have run across include: The Harbell The Silvia The Angelina The Baku December, 1963: 104-10075-10433: CABLE: SCHEME OF COMMANDOS TO GAIN THE CONFIDENCE OF US AUTHORITIES BEFORE FURTHER OPERATIONS 12/03/63, Cable from JMWAVE to Director: "SUPDATA: AMDECK-1. RID: Index....SOURCE: Cuban exile with good access to activities of the Comandos L. Despite the fact that source has had a relatively short reporting history, his reporting on raider activities has been generally reliable." Page 3: "1. Antonio Cuesta del Valle, leader of the Cuban exile action group Comandos L, believes that before moving out any weapons, the vessel Harbell should make several bona fide fishing trips in order to gain the confidence of Coast Guard and Customs officials. 2. On 25 November the Harbell left on her second fishing trip. As of 29 November she was still fishing near Key Largo and was expected to return to Miami on about 2 or 3 December. 3. Robert Cao is the skipper of the Harbell." February, 1964: 104-10162-10418: DISPATCH: RYBAT/TYPIC/OPERATIONAL/AMWORLD-ALVAREZ, SANTIAGO, SR 02/20/64, Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Special Affairs Staff: "1. AMDECK/1 reports that on 17 and 18 February he spoke to the son of Santiago ALVAREZ concerning plans to join AMWORLD. According to ALVAREZ, Jr., AMBIDDY/1 offered the subject a boat and said that he could name his own crew. In addition, according to Santiago ALVAREZ, Jr., his father could have his own plans, and would be able to operate without interference from AMBIDDY/1. 2. ALVAREZ, Jr., stated that as soon as ODYOKE releases their boat, 'Silvia' they would take it down to AMBIDDY/1's base in South America (sic). While ALVAREZ would prefer to work with AMBIDDY/1 rather than with CIA because because he is easier to handle, if AMBIDDY/1 did not live up to his promises the ALVAREZ' and their crew would return to the WAVE area and start working with CIA." November, 1965: 104-10192-10013: INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION CABLE: RE: SUBJ - IDENTIFICATION OF SOME INDIVIDUALS AND VESSELS WHICH MAY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE EARLY MORNING 14 NOVEMBER EMIGRE RAID ON HAVANA CITY 11/16/65, Cable from JMWAVE to IW: "SUPDATA: Paras 3 and 4 AMDECK-1 on 15 and 16 Nov..." Page 2 of Information Intelligence Cable:..."2. Source for paras 3 and 4: A Cuban exile with good access to activities of emigre activists groups. His reporting on raider activities has been generally reliable since 1962. 3. During the evening of 14 November 1965 Antonio Cuesta del Valle, military leader of Comandos L, visited an individual who had previously given him financial assistance and stated that Comandos L had been responsible for carrying out the raid on the residence of Osvaldo Dorticos Torrada in the Miramar section of Havana City during the early morning hours of 14 November. (Field Comment: There have been previous reports from this same source, as well as others, that Comandos L was planning a raid against a target in Cuba. Comandos L was going to utilize the 'Angelina' as a mother vessel. According to Cuesta the purpose of this raid was to disrupt the movement of refugees from Cuba to the United States through Camarioca, Matanzas Province, as this, to him, was an indication that the United States was moving toward a policy of coexistence with Fidel Castro). 4. As of 16 November it had been determined that the 'Angelina' was not involved in the 14 November raid, but that possibly three vessels had participated in this raid. One of these vessels which was back in the Miami area on 16 November was the 'Baku' a 23 to 25-foot long vessel powered by twin Crysler v-8 engines with power in excess of 200 horsepower." Steve Thomas Edited September 24, 2020 by Steve Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Josephs Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 6 hours ago, Steve Thomas said: I have longed been intrigued by the idea that a person who called himself Oswald appeared in Miami, Florida in late March, 1963 and attempted to board a ship bound for a raid on Cuba. Hey Steve... Obviously when we here of Oswald being in two places at once my ears perk up.... I went back to my timeline and found a statement from McKowen (the guy who claims Oswald tried to buy rifles from him in early September 1963) who talks about finding LEE HARVEY OSWALD at an address we've never seen.... If this is Lee and he is living elsewhere, there's every reason to think he would travel in the same circles as we thought Harvey did... The other time you mention - Oct 1962 - also had one strange entry in my timeline which puts an Oswald near Florida in November '62 FBI Agent FAIN who watched Oswald in TX retires October 29th. Had you considered that Buchanan was lying about Oswald being there or being the American.... Didn't the FPCC have its own members in Miami? FWIW... DJ Lynn Davis Curry lived in Augusta, Georgia and drove a cab for the Dixie Cab Company in the early 1960's. During the month of November 1962 Curry picked up a white male at the intersection of 8th Street and Broad who was about twenty five years old and wearing a black jacket. The young man introduced himself as "Lee Oswald" and then began to talk about himself. Oswald told Curry that he served in the Marine Corps, traveled to Russia, married a Russian girl, supported Fidel Castro , and was traveling to New Orleans. Curry let the man off at the corner of 5th and Watkins Street where his car was parked. Before leaving the cab the young man insisted that Curry write down his name, "Lee Oswald," and said that Curry would be hearing his name again in the future. Curry wrote the name "Lee Oswald" on his daily trip sheet and remembered his name on November 22, 1963. NOTE: In late March 1963, while Lee Harvey Oswald was living in an apartment at 1106 Diceman Avenue, Harvey Oswald and Marina were living several miles away at 214 W. Neely. " I found I was very close to Diceman Street. I thought I might drop by and see if Lee Oswald was related to my friend and also see if she was an applicant for a performing strip-tease artist. I found the address which was a typical newly constructed apartment, having entrances along one side with a balcony walk for the second floor. The mail box directory was close to the street and when I found the Oswald box I discovered the name 'Harvey' was included-so, I had misinterpreted the name on the letter as being female-I left immediately and did not attempt to make a call." 12 (McGowen) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Thomas Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 7 hours ago, David Josephs said: Hey Steve... Had you considered that Buchanan was lying about Oswald being there or being the American.... Didn't the FPCC have its own members in Miami? David, Yes, I had. In an FBI interview, (CD 1020) James Buchanan said he got this information from a Cuban exile named Sanchez five days after the assassination. This is from page 12 of CD 1020 https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=11416#relPageId=14&tab=page This is right around the same time that the DRE was spreading around information that Oswald was FPCC and had been to Cuba. (Wasn't his around the same time that the Alverado story started circulating that Oswald had been paid $6,500 by somebody in the Cuban Embassy)? I considered the possibility that this Miami story was part of the whole subterfuge. At the same time however, there is documented evidence that Oswald was trying to infiltrate the anti-Castro Cuban exile community. The Miami story is based a lot on hearsay, and I'm treading lightly. Steve Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Wagner Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 (edited) Hey Steve. Nice work, as usual. Jerry was also hooked up with Ed Arthur, which led to Ed getting involved with Commandos L (Tony Cuesta, Ramon Font, Herminio Diaz, etc). Ed touches on his relationship with Jerry in his 1975 book, Glory No More. Although covering the early 60's, the book barely mentions the assassination. One sentence, in passing, if I recall correctly. Which is curious, given his activities and associates at the time. To my knowledge, Ed didn't know Oswald. But he did know OF him, prior to the assassination. It would be interesting to know if that knowledge of Oswald came via the Buchanan brothers, his Commandos L connections, or someone else. Jerry Buchanan Ed Arthur Edited September 25, 2020 by Greg Wagner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Thomas Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 1 hour ago, Greg Wagner said: Hey Steve. Nice work, as usual. Jerry was also hooked up with Ed Arthur, which led to Ed getting involved with Commandos L (Tony Cuesta, Ramon Font, Herminio Diaz, etc). Ed touches on his relationship with Jerry in his 1975 book, Glory No More. Although covering the early 60's, the book barely mentions the assassination. One sentence, in passing, if I recall correctly. Which is curious, given his activities and associates at the time. To my knowledge, Ed didn't know Oswald. But he did know OF him, prior to the assassination. It would be interesting to know if that knowledge of Oswald came via the Buchanan brothers, his Commandos L connections, or someone else. Jerry Buchanan Ed Arthur Greg, Thank you, and thanks for the pictures of Jerry Buchanan. It's always nice to put a face with a name. I was also interested in Buchanan's connection to Craig Sheldon and Fairhope. Alabama. Fairhope's significance seems to revolve around the claims by a Jerry Buchanan that he was in a fight with members of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee in the Bay Front Park section of Miami, FL. in October, 1962. Police broke up the fight. Buchanan said Oswald was there. and that Oswald was distributing FPCC literature in Miami in March, 1963. At the time, Buchanan was living with a Craig Sheldon, who Frank Sturgis said was the Southeastern Director of the International Anti-Communist Brigade. Craig Sheldon lived in Fairhope, AL. Fairhope was one of the headquarters of Alpha-66. See FBI Report of SA Allison A. Catlin dated June 25, 1964. https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=75614&search=Fairhope#relPageId=3&tab=page Interview of Craig Sheldon. In December, 1962, Sheldon traveled to Puerto Rico, where he met with Bay of Pigs veterans and was raising money for Alpha 66. Sheldon says he is in “regular correspondence” with Antonio Veciana. http://cuban-exile.com/doc_326-350/doc0326.html#CHRONOLOGY Alpha-66: FAIRHOPE, ALA: By Apr 63 Alpha-66 office in. [R-759-2- 161] “SHELDON, Craig of Fairhope, Alabama was recruiting for A-66 on Jan 2, 1963. He says he is a member, an ex-marine. [R-759-1-841851” Buchanan said he got his information from a Cuban exile named Sanchez. I think this may be Fernando Sacnhez. https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/180-10144-10153.pdf RIF# 180-10144-10153 “11/16/62 Indicates rift in Alpha-66. Only Jeronimo Estevez, Salomon Bender, Fernando Sanchez, and Israel Gonzalez still allied with Veciana.” In CD 1020, Acosta said that no one named Sanchez was aboard that boat. Fernando Sanchez might not have been aboard the boat, but still could be the person who told James Buchanan that Jerry had been in a fight with someone who called himself Oswald on the docks of the Miami River. Remember too that the group associated with the house on Harlandale in Dallas was Alpha-66. (Just my own thoughts, It's possible that Oswald was trying to infiltrate this group the same way he tried in New Orleans with the DRE and Carlos Bringuer.) Another tidbit to add to the boat flotilla: (the boats are not named unfortunately) http://cuban-exile.com/doc_326-350/doc0326.html ALPHA-66 (Alfa 66) Chronology & Background May 1962 to Nov 1964 http://cuban-exile.com/doc_326-350/doc0326.html#CHRONOLOGY 1963 MAR -- A SNFE food supply boat from Miami is stopped in the Miami River by U.S. Customs, and ammunition seized. [R-759-2-21] 1963 MAR 10 A Sigma boat of SNFE was stopped by Customs and 1445 rounds of ammunition was confiscated. This was a civil seizure [see federal dockets for case number] [R-759-2-39] 1963 MAR 17/18 A raid at Isabel de Sagua firing at a Russian Technical Camp located on shore and a Russian ship which was at sea. Two 20-foot boats with two movable 20 mm cannons were used along with BAR's and M-1's. Each boat held 12-15 men. [R-759-1-115/125] One boat was a wooden 25-foot speedboat, fiberglass covered, with a 95 horsepower Mercury inboard engine, and the other was a 21 foot boat with two inboard engines capable of doing bet. 30 and 40 mph. [R-759-2-24C Six Russians were wounded. Damage on the island was slight. [R-759-1-125] An informant confirms the Miami Herald account printed on Mar 19. [R-759-2-20] The Herald reports some Russians killed. [R-759-2-24C] The New York Standard reports that the raiding party entered the harbor, stopped a Russian freighter and exchanged gunfire. Two raiders were wounded. [R-759-2-65] Steve Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Boylan Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 The navigator/captain of the Violin III was Remigio Arce. Arce would later join AMWORLD and in 1964 would work with Rip Robertson in the Congo. Arce was a friend of Herminio Diaz-Garcia and Frank Sturgis. I'm sure Greg Wagner has some good pics of all these guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Wagner Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 (edited) 55 minutes ago, David Boylan said: The navigator/captain of the Violin III was Remigio Arce. Arce would later join AMWORLD and in 1964 would work with Rip Robertson in the Congo. Arce was a friend of Herminio Diaz-Garcia and Frank Sturgis. I'm sure Greg Wagner has some good pics of all these guys. Hi David. I have a few. While I sourced some of the images myself, many came from James Richards. Jessica Shores also contributed a few good ones, especially some of the Buchanan pics. Rip Robertson Herminio Diaz Garcia Frank Sturgis and Remigio Arce Edited September 25, 2020 by Greg Wagner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Thomas Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 1 hour ago, David Boylan said: The navigator/captain of the Violin III was Remigio Arce. Arce would later join AMWORLD and in 1964 would work with Rip Robertson in the Congo. Arce was a friend of Herminio Diaz-Garcia and Frank Sturgis. I'm sure Greg Wagner has some good pics of all these guys. David, Thank you. The Reigio Arce link you provided is a November 25, 1962 Memo for the Record. I don't know this, but I don't think that Arce was a member of the sixteen member, LPN (Los Pinos Nuevos) group who were on board the Violin III on the night of March 31, 1963. I did learn through you this bit of information: Another FBI report describes the Violin III as "an Owens cruiser". FBI - HSCA Subject Files, C - D/ FBI - HSCA Subject File: Church Committee/ NARA Record Number: 124-10286-10438 https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=84468&search=105-1742#relPageId=30&tab=page Page 30 Memorandum from Robert Dwyer, Miami to Director, FBI dated June 14, 1963. The identity of MM-T3 is redacted. Steve Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Boylan Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 (edited) Steve, Duque and Diaz-Garcia were reportedly seen together in 1973 long after Diaz-Garcia was killed during the 1966 infiltration into Cuba. So were Duque and Diaz-Garcia associating in 1963? This is from William Turner. Turner had some things wrong here. Commandos Mambises was the brainchild of David Morales, Ted Shackley, Tom Clines, Stephen Mangello (alias) and Bob Moore. Edited October 17, 2022 by David Boylan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Josephs Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 (edited) On 9/25/2020 at 2:20 AM, Steve Thomas said: At the same time however, there is documented evidence that Oswald was trying to infiltrate the anti-Castro Cuban exile community. The Miami story is based a lot on hearsay, and I'm treading lightly. Steve Thomas I realize HEMMING isn't the perfect source... but some interesting info in here including BUCHANAN... From one of Armstrong's notebooks.... the thing about BRADLEY/BRADEN being TED SLACK... DJ Edited April 21, 2022 by David Josephs 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