Pierre Lafitte datebook, 1963

[Guest Doug Campbell]

“I think your inability to read Coup, after three attempts, might say a good deal more about you than it does Albarelli's investigation?” -Linda O’Hara

It might. But it doesn’t.

 

[Leslie Sharp]

1 hour ago, Doug Campbell said:

“I think your inability to read Coup, after three attempts, might say a good deal more about you than it does Albarelli's investigation?” -Linda O’Hara

It might. But it doesn’t.

 

That's all?

Would you like to hear the story behind my pen name?  I've shared it with those I respect, but I can make an exception if you're interested.

[Benjamin Cole]

Yes, the datebook is almost certainly bogus. 

And why would anybody agree to an extremely limited ink analysis only of the purported document?

I assume any middling forger would use period pens, ink and paper.

Although maybe the forger in this case was so dim-witted as to not to bother.

Evidently, the Australian film company, despite having spent some time and money, decided to scotch the project after an ink analysis. 

That is, if anything we know about the datebook is true at all. 

A three-dollar bill from Bernie Madoff....

[Leslie Sharp]

16 minutes ago, Benjamin Cole said:

Yes, the datebook is almost certainly bogus. 

And why would anybody agree to an extremely limited ink analysis only of the purported document?

I assume any middling forger would use period pens, ink and paper.

Although maybe the forger in this case was so dim-witted as to not to bother.

Evidently, the Australian film company, despite having spent some time and money, decided to scotch the project after an ink analysis. 

That is, if anything we know about the datebook is true at all. 

A three-dollar bill from Bernie Madoff....

Do you know what distinguishes a professional investigator like Albarelli from the rabble that show up on assassination forums? He had the self confidence, self respect, and good sense to not hurl absurd accusations.

[Paul Brancato]

Leslie - a reputable ink and paper analysis was already done - is that correct? I’m sure you’ve answered this question before, but if you don’t mind, could you explain why the results are not public? If a nda is hanging this up, does it have to do with Hank’s untimely passing?

[Leslie Sharp]

49 minutes ago, Paul Brancato said:

Leslie - a reputable ink and paper analysis was already done - is that correct? I’m sure you’ve answered this question before, but if you don’t mind, could you explain why the results are not public? If a nda is hanging this up, does it have to do with Hank’s untimely passing?

Yes, but as I said earlier Paul, discussion of prior authentication efforts is closed as far as I'm concerned.

I hope Greg will reconsider his offer to identify an ink analyst who would take on the project for, in his words, "research purposes only, with the intention of a scientific publication," providing the party or parties agree to the terms I laid out previously.  

Edited August 24, 2023 by Leslie Sharp

[Benjamin Cole]

1 hour ago, Leslie Sharp said:

Do you know what distinguishes a professional investigator like Albarelli from the rabble that show up on assassination forums? He had the self confidence, self respect, and good sense to not hurl absurd accusations.

Evidently, the Australian film company, despite having spent some time and money, decided to scotch the project after an ink analysis (on the datebook). ---BC

Is this statement accurate or not? 

[Leslie Sharp]

3 minutes ago, Benjamin Cole said:

Evidently, the Australian film company, despite having spent some time and money, decided to scotch the project after an ink analysis (on the datebook). ---BC

Is this statement accurate or not? 

. . . discussion of prior authentication efforts is closed as far as I'm concerned. I hope you can help persuade Greg Doudna to reconsider his offer and accept my terms and conditions.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Leslie Sharp

[Benjamin Cole]

1 minute ago, Leslie Sharp said:

. . . discussion of prior authentication efforts is closed as far as I'm concerned. I hope you can help persuade Greg Doudna to reconsider his offer and accept my terms and conditions.

I do not wish to accept any terms or conditions, or anything other than an entirely above-board and transparent review of the purported document by an independent panel of experts. 

Anyone with the slightest regard for history, or civic obligations, if believing the datebook to be authentic, would have the same view as myself. 

If the datebook was believed to be authentic, it should have been immediately hustled off to NARA, or other reputable repository, by any means necessary. 

I gather it stands as un-refuted fact that the Australian film company, having spent time and money, then scotched the documentary after an ink analysis of the datebook was performed. 

Geez, the forgers could not even find period ink?

The forgers did the work of two men? Abbott and Costello?

[Leslie Sharp]

5 minutes ago, Benjamin Cole said:

I do not wish to accept any terms or conditions, or anything other than an entirely above-board and transparent review of the purported document by an independent panel of experts. 

Anyone with the slightest regard for history, or civic obligations, if believing the datebook to be authentic, would have the same view as myself. 

If the datebook was believed to be authentic, it should have been immediately hustled off to NARA, or other reputable repository, by any means necessary. 

I gather it stands as un-refuted fact that the Australian film company, having spent time and money, then scotched the documentary after an ink analysis of the datebook was performed. 

Geez, the forgers could not even find period ink?

The forgers did the work of two men? Abbott and Costello?

I hope you'll help persuade Greg to renew his offer and accept the reasonable terms and conditions I proposed.

[Greg Doudna]

3 hours ago, Leslie Sharp said:

I hope you'll help persuade Greg to renew his offer and accept the reasonable terms and conditions I proposed.

Not a chance now, just drop it. Your categorical refusal to allow me to ask, and to support me in asking, the legal controller for access to the ink analysis that has already been done, removes any confidence in me that you are acting in good faith. You are only repeating the above as a ploy. Just stop it.

I do not believe the owners of that scientific information would refuse a good-faith request for access at this stage unless there is an organized forgery operation in process. 

So the datebook has been "orphaned" by the elusive former owner Phen Lafitte, whom nobody alive on earth today is known to have ever seen? That means legal ownership is coming to you? You already have possession. If it were regarded as genuine, it could be worth millions, whether or not there is a private kickback agreement to the allegedly existing Ms. Lafitte orphaning the alleged text of the century. But regarded as a forgery, worth zero.

No wonder you refused to answer when someone a while ago asked if you had a financial interest in the datebook, and who owned it. Whereas the ethical thing to do is to disclose financial interest. As in politics, so in scholarship.

For anyone interested, compare the literary style of the author of the odd letter (really bizarre) written in 2000 by an anonymous CIA person who claimed knowledge of the circumstances of Frank Olson's death, to the Manhattan district attorney's office, on page 775 of Hank Albarelli's book A Terrible Mistake, and the literary style of the Lafitte datebook which surfaced a few years later: the cryptic allusions, the riddle-like writing, the latinisms, and the odd associations of flight, murder, and "wings".  

The CIA person's letter (2000):  "... Mr. Olson's fateful flight on the night in question was ventured on wings..."

Lafitte datebook (copyright 2009), entry for Nov 9: "On the wings of murder. The Pigeon way for unsuspecting Lee."

Speaking of flight and "wings", there is a CIA pilot written by name in the Lafitte datebook in a starring role at the entry for Nov 15, which refers in that entry to Nov 22, 1963, the day of the assassination (Coup in Dallas, p. 437). That pilot was in contact with Albarelli in Florida (p. 437). Wild idea, but: did the author of the forged datebook write himself into the datebook by name in a cameo role with reference to Nov 22, 1963?

Forgers in history do often like to "autograph" their work! 

Morton Smith did. He was the Columbia University professor who discovered the sensational "Secret Mark" alleged 18th century copy of a 3rd century CE letter of the church father Clement of Alexandria.

Jesus in the Gospels spoke of salt losing its savor, which anciently meant block salt losing its taste. The "Secret Mark" letter has Jesus saying that but alters it into an allusion to poured salt losing its taste by being mixed with non-salt. But poured salt (capable of being mixed) was only first invented and manufactured, and then widely sold, starting early in the 20th century, by ... (wait for it) ... the Morton Salt Company. That is, an allusion to a 20th century invention carrying the proper name of the discoverer of the letter (Morton Smith) is written into the alleged 18th century copy of the 3rd century original.

A lot of scholars think that looks like the forger signing his handiwork.

I urge everyone to consider the Lafitte Datebook "presumed forged" in light of the secrecy and concealment which is characterizing this item, as its present status. 

Thanks to Tom Gram, Doug Campbell, Benjamin, Jeremy Bojczuk, and many others for talking sense. 

If Leslie will let me, I will attempt to leave this datebook topic and move on to other things. 

Edited August 24, 2023 by Greg Doudna

[Leslie Sharp]

8 minutes ago, Greg Doudna said:

Not a chance now, just drop it. Your categorical refusal to allow me to ask, and to support me in asking, the legal controller for access to the ink analysis that has already been done, removes any confidence in me that you are acting in good faith. You are only repeating the above as a ploy. Just stop it.

I do not believe the owners of that scientific information would refuse a good-faith request for access at this stage unless there is an organized forgery operation in process. 

So the datebook has been "orphaned" by the elusive former owner Phen Lafitte, whom nobody alive on earth today is known to have ever seen? That means legal ownership is coming to you? You already have possession. If it were regarded as genuine, it could be worth millions, whether or not there is a private kickback agreement to the allegedly existing Ms. Lafitte orphaning the alleged text of the century. But regarded as a forgery, worth zero.

No wonder you refused to answer when someone a while ago asked if you had a financial interest in the datebook, and who owned it. Whereas the ethical thing to do is to disclose financial interest. As in politics, so in scholarship.

For anyone interested, compare the literary style of the author of the odd letter (really bizarre) written in 2000 by an anonymous CIA person who claimed knowledge of the circumstances of Frank Olson's death, to the Manhattan district attorney's office, on page 775 of Hank Albarelli's book A Terrible Mistake, and the literary style of the Lafitte datebook which surfaced a few years later: the cryptic allusions, the riddle-like writing, the latinisms, and the odd associations of flight, murder, and "wings".  

The CIA person's letter (2000):  "... Mr. Olson's fateful flight on the night in question was ventured on wings..."

Lafitte datebook (copyright 2009), entry for Nov 9: "On the wings of murder. The Pigeon way for unsuspecting Lee."

Speaking of flight and "wings", there is a CIA pilot written by name in the Lafitte datebook in a starring role at the entry for Nov 22, 1963, the day of the assassination (Coup in Dallas, p. 437). That pilot was in contact with Albarelli in Florida (p. 437). Wild idea, but: did the author of the forged datebook write himself into the datebook by name in a cameo role on Nov 22, 1963?

Forgers in history do often like to "autograph" their work! 

Morton Smith did. He was the Columbia University professor who discovered the sensational "Secret Mark" alleged 18th century copy of a 3rd century CE letter of the church father Clement of Alexandria.

Jesus in the Gospels spoke of salt losing its savor, which anciently meant block salt losing its taste. The "Secret Mark" letter has Jesus saying that but alters it into an allusion to poured salt losing its taste by being mixed with non-salt. But poured salt (capable of being mixed) was only first invented and manufactured, and then widely sold, starting early in the 20th century, by ... (wait for it) ... the Morton Salt Company. That is, an allusion to a 20th century invention carrying the proper name of the discoverer of the letter (Morton Smith) is written into the alleged 18th century copy of the 3rd century original.

A lot of scholars think that looks like the forger signing his handiwork.

I urge everyone to consider the Lafitte Datebook "presumed forged" in light of the secrecy and concealment which is characterizing this item, as its present status. 

Thanks to Tom Gram, Doug Campbell, Benjamin, and many others for talking sense. 

If Leslie will let me, I will attempt to leave this datebook topic and move on to other things. 

Just to clarify, you have retracted your offer to identify an ink analyst who would agree "for scientific purposes" to examine the datebook. We've now put that to rest and you can focus on your own projects, hopefully. 

Before we conclude our communication, you really should do your homework before posting ill conceived speculation.  You write, 

For anyone interested, compare the literary style of the author of the odd letter (really bizarre) written in 2000 by an anonymous CIA person who claimed knowledge of the circumstances of Frank Olson's death, to the Manhattan district attorney's office, on page 775 of Hank Albarelli's book A Terrible Mistake, and the literary style of the Lafitte datebook which surfaced a few years later: the cryptic allusions, the riddle-like writing, the latinisms, and the odd associations of flight, murder, and "wings".  

The CIA person's letter (2000):  "... Mr. Olson's fateful flight on the night in question was ventured on wings..."

Lafitte datebook (copyright 2009), entry for Nov 9: "On the wings of murder. The Pigeon way for unsuspecting Lee." 

Had you read Coup, you would be aware of the origin of "on the wings of murder. The pigeon way":

Returning now to the assassination of Darlan which serves as template for the future set-up of Lee Harvey Oswald as “the perfect patsy” on November 22, 1963, soon after the execution of Francois Darlan’s assassin, Fernand Bonnier, there were scattered and persistent reports that the young Frenchman had been a patsy of sorts and that he was not an avid monarchist but was only an impressionable, somewhat naïve, youth, who had been manipulated toward murderous ends by skillful others. This belief stems from the fact that Bonnier’s “friend,” Henri d’Astier, while active in La Cagoule, on several occasions joined Filliol in carrying out a devious tactic for ridding La Cagoule of suspected double-agent members by manipulating them into veiled assassination efforts during which it would be highly likely that they would be captured or killed. Filliol dubbed this manipulation “the pigeon way.” Here, one is easily reminded of the quote by CIA official Miles Copeland: “You can sometimes gain points in the war of dirty tricks by killing an expendable person on your own side and blaming it on the other when considering this type of lethal deception.” And in mid-November 1963, Pierre Lafitte, in New Orleans, would jot down in his datebook: “On the wings of murder. The pigeon way for unsuspecting Lee [Oswald]. Clip, clip his wings,” no doubt a reference to Jean Filliol’s tactic of manipulation within his assassin camps. 

And regarding Joseph Silverthorne, your right, "Wild Idea."  Perhaps you should stick to ancient texts?

 

[Leslie Sharp]

The Lafitte Datebook: A Limited Analysis

by Dick Russell

 

Author of The Man Who Knew Too Much (1992), On the Trail of the JFK Assassins (2008), and They Killed Our President!With Jesse Ventura (2013).[HC1] 

            Submitted September 13, 2018, upon request of a film production company interested in developing a documentary focused on the book initially titled Coup in Dallas: Who Killed JFK and Why. 

            Pending verification by forensic document specialists and handwriting experts, I have carefully reviewed the 1963 datebook allegedly written by Jean Pierre Lafitte. Based on the entries I have seen, cryptic as many of them are (no doubt intentionally), this is a crucial piece of new evidence indicating a high-level conspiracy that resulted in the assassination that November 22 of President John F. Kennedy. Many of the names mentioned are familiar to me as someone who has researched and published numerous articles and three books on the assassination over the past forty-plus years. A number of these names, however, were not known publicly in 1963 and for more than a decade thereafter. Thus, assuming the datebook entries were indeed set down at that time by Lafitte, this adds substantial credibility to the likelihood that the document contains never-before-revealed information about a conspiracy involving accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald as well as his own killer, Jack Ruby.  

            My first book on the subject, The Man Who Knew Too Much, initially appeared in 1992. It does not mention Lafitte, whose name was not known to me at the time (or to any other assassination researchers that I’m aware of). He turns out to have been a deep-cover contract operative for the CIA and U.S. drug enforcement agencies. It’s my understanding that the datebook, or desk diary, was kept secret by Lafitte’s family after his death, until author Hank Albarelli was granted access and ultimately given permission to use certain information from the datebook under terms and conditions. 

Let me here offer my insights into some of the names and dates in the datebook, and their potential significance in revealing the identities of the perpetrators behind what’s been called “the crime of the century.” I should add that the datebook also contains references to individuals whose names have not appeared before in assassination-related documents. From the datebook, it can only be concluded that Lafitte was directly involved with a number of people covertly connected to the assassination. 

SOUETRE. This clearly is Jean Rene Souetre, whose name appears in a number of entries between April 25 and December 4. It appears that Souetre was part of a “kill squad” who showed up for meetings in New Orleans, Madrid, and Mexico City prior to the assassination. Souetre’s name first appeared in the “assassination literature” following a 1977 release of CIA documents, which stated that “he had been expelled from the U.S. at Fort Worth or Dallas 48 hours after the assassination . . . to either Mexico or Canada.” According to what the FBI told a Souetre acquaintance whom I interviewed, he’d been “flown out that afternoon by a private pilot . . . in a government plane.” Souetre was a known hitman for the OAS, a terrorist group in France that had targeted President de Gaulle. 

WILLOUGHBY: Until my first book came out in 1992, assembling circumstantial evidence linking retired General Charles Willoughby as a possible “mastermind” of the assassination, no one had raised such a possibility before. The datebook cites the far-right General Willoughby numerous times, specifying: “Nov 22 – Willoughby backup – team [with a strikethrough of the word team] squad – tech building – phone booth/bridge.” Prior to that, an April 12 entry states: “Willoughby soldier kill squads.” 

@Greg DoudnaSILVERTHORNE: That same datebook entry says: “Silverthorne – Ft. Worth – Airport – Mexico.” The name of Silverthorne did not appear publicly until the late 1970s, when CIA officer William Harvey’s handwritten notes about the agency’s QJ/WIN assassination program were released. Silverthorne was a pilot who traveled “for a certain federal agency” to “countless countries” for “reasons best left unsaid,” according to author Albarelli’s 1996 interview with him.

ANGLETON: Listed in the datebook by his last name as well as initials (JA and JJA), the then-head of Counterintelligence for the CIA appears to have been involved in “high-level gathering in DC'' during which “Lancelot planning” was discussed. The Lancelot reference is to a plot to kill JFK. The datebook’s final mention of James Angleton,(December 5, 1963) states: “JA – CLOSE OUT LANCELOT.” Angleton’s name was not generally known until the mid-1970s, when he was forced out of the CIA following revelations that he’d organized an illegal domestic spying program. 

GEORGE W.: The several references in the datebook, including one (August 29) regarding “shipment of LSD for New Orleans & Dallas – Texas laws?” are clearly referencing George White. He was a key operative in the CIA’s top-secret MKULTRA program to control human behavior using drugs, hypnosis, and other means. He worked undercover for the same narcotics agency as Lafitte. White’s name never came to light until 1977 during a congressional investigation. 

TOM D.: Also referred to in several entries, this was Thomas Eli Davis, Jr., first mentioned in 1978 in the assassination literature as having trained anti-Castro Cubans and had been acquainted with Jack Ruby. The September 27 entry about Mexico City says: “Oswald – Comercio Hotel – meet with Tom D. at Luma.” It was stated by the Warren Commission that Oswald had been to the Comercio; the Hotel Luma was first mentioned in my 1992 book as a meeting point. The September 29 datebook implies (“Tom at embassy – done”) that Davis, who resembled Oswald, had impersonated him in visiting either the Cuban or Russian embassies in Mexico City. 

CRICHTON: The name of Jack Crichton, who was connected to Military Intelligence and arranged the first translators for Marina Oswald after the assassination, appears several times in datebook entries in advance of the assassination. 

A. L. EHRMAN: This July 30 entry clearly refers to Anita L. Ehrman, a foreign correspondent whose body was found that day in her Washington apartment. The only other reference to this appears in my 1992 book, citing a notebook seized from Richard Case Nagell by the FBI on September 20, 1963 but not released until 1975. That entry says: “ANITA L. EHRMAN. 7-30-63 WASHINGTON, D.C.” Nagell was involved with Oswald in an assassination plot. 

_____________________________

 

I believe that this datebook fills in many gaps about what really happened on November 22, 1963, and in the months leading up to it. This will be particularly evident to students of the assassination. 

 

·        There was a high-level conspiracy to assassinate President Kennedy involving meetings in and officials from Washington, D.C., as well as in other parts of the U.S., Mexico City, and Madrid.

·       That Lee Harvey Oswald was just as he claimed after his arrest – a patsy set up to take the fall (“October 25: Oswald set in place,” meaning that he was set in place in Texas School Book Depository building. November 9: “On the wings of murder. The Pigeon way for unsuspecting Lee.”) 

·       That Oswald’s rifle was apparently planted ahead of time: (“November 20: rifle into building – yes/ok/DPD”) DPD stands for Dallas Police Department. 

·       That the shooting of police officer J. D. Tippitt after the assassination was apparently not part of anyone’s plan: November 22: “O Tippett [sic] (why?) – ask JA who is Tippet?”

·       That Jack Ruby did not metamorphose out of nowhere to kill Oswald. The name “Ruby” appears in June 7 and October 30 entries. 

·       That a cover-up was in place prior to the assassination that included a legal team (Robert Storey and Judge Duvall) as well as a translator for Marina Oswald. 

·       That a Dallas airport previously speculated as a rendezvous point for escaping assassins was listed in the datebook on November 24. “Red [Bird] Airport.”

·       That the plan involving Oswald was in place for some time. On September 16: “T. says L.O. is ‘idiot’ but w[ill] be used regardless. Set-up Complete.” On October 5, JFK’s visit to Dallas was announced in the press. The next day, the datebook says: “Oswald – issue (!). Check with Caretaker.” On October 16, Oswald went to work at the Book Depository. 

·       There are references to Oswald traveling to Mexico City in late September. Some have questioned whether he actually went there. The datebook indicates that he assuredly did, but also that Tommy Davis was there simultaneously.

·       Prior to this, apparently Oswald was being shadowed in New Orleans. “May 10: T. says tail LO – No direct contact.” Oswald had moved to New Orleans on April 24.

·       The name of WALKER appears more than once, initially concerning the shooting attempt on his life that Oswald was later accused of. “April 7 – Walker – Lee and pictures. Planned soon – can he do it? Won’t.” (it’s possible that the word is ‘Wait.’) The indication is, someone was setting up Oswald to do this, but he didn’t want to. The shot was fired at Walker on April 10. Later references indicate that General Walker was in fact aware of, if not in on, the plot to kill JFK: 

·       Other extreme right-wingers are notated at different times: Mitch WerBell, a known arms dealer; Otto Skorzeny, ex-Hitler operative living in Madrid; Willoughby compatriot Pedro del Valle.

·       Two mentions of SHAW, in connection with New Orleans, most likely Clay Shaw, named by Jim Garrison as a co-conspirator in 1967. 

 

In summary, it is possible from this datebook to piece together many things about the assassination that could be merely educated guesses until now. I believe, presuming the datebook is verified as having been written by Lafitte in 1963, that this constitutes probably the strongest evidence that has ever come to light of a conspiracy to kill President Kennedy.

---

 [HC1][typeset – drop font / single sp ]

 [HC2][will be adding lots of these (for typesetter) throughout]

[Evan Marshall]

Seen John Newman's latest podcast?  Seems clear the men behind the curtain were the Joint Chiefs and they had no lead for ex Nazi's and Boots Askins, while Harvey, Morales, and JM Wave gunman make perfect sense.

[Leslie Sharp]

1 hour ago, Evan Marshall said:

Seen John Newman's latest podcast?  Seems clear the men behind the curtain were the Joint Chiefs and they had no lead for ex Nazi's and Boots Askins, while Harvey, Morales, and JM Wave gunman make perfect sense.

You might review the following related to General Theodore C. Mataxis, protegé of Lyman Lemnitzer throughout his military career and in 1963, XO to the Chairman of Joint Chiefs Max Taylor.


As Major Ralph Ganis reveals  in The Skorzeny Papers:Evidence for the Plot to Kill JFK,  Camp King —  formerly used by the German Luftwaffe — was an interrogation facility under the command of Col. Roy M. Thoroughman who oversaw the day to day functioning of the camp once the  7707th European command took control. Their mission was the exploitation of persons and documents for intelligence purposes.

According to Ganis, "One of the most highly classified areas of operation was the interrogation of German scientists, intelligence officers, and other prisoners of war deemed of value to Western intelligence efforts, and many were recruited into U.S. Intelligence and scientific programs."

 Captain Henry P. Schardt was intelligence chief and carried out the mission under the cover of the 7734th History Detachment commanded by Col. Harold E. Potter.  Writes Ganis, "So as not to draw attention to the real reason they were sent to Camp King, it was Potter's unit that SS Otto Skorzeny and >>> Radl were assigned to upon their arrival at Camp King. Captain Theodore C. Mataxis was assigned as their control officer at the historical detachment.

. . . It will be recalled that upon his initial arrival at Camp King in 1947, Skorzeny's was assigned to Captain Theodore C. Mataxis of the U.S. Army historical detachment.  The historical work was the clandestine discussion between Skorzeny and the intelligence staff for his future role in covert operations

Following his post at Camp King, "Mataxis advanced to commander of the 505th during which time he was aware of the various training centers in Europe as well as special training schools set up with NATO countries and MAAG.  He was also aware of the secret training being conducted in Spain by Otto Skorzeny"

. . . .  In early 1960, First Lt. Anthony Herbert, serving under Mataxis, developed a concept for a new ranger unit to be formed within the 505th. Herbert took the idea to Col. Theodore Mataxis who gave Herbet his approval to form the group. . . . Herbert's first task was to train the unit and received permission from Mataxis to canvas Europe for training courses to hone the skills of his men.

In the fall of 1960, the unit set off for France to cross-train with French Foreign Legionnaires and elite Franch Air Force Commandos.  The French training area was located just outside the city of Pau, not far from the border with Spain. . . . Years later, Herbert recorded his memories of Pau including conversation with the French commandos who shared with him that they were actually training with Skorzeny. According to Ganis, "Of course Mataxis was fully aware of the sensitivity of MAAG's association with Skorzeny's paramilitary group and proceeded carefully. Herbert would later confirm the sensitive relationship in his book, stating that Skorzeny "was still being very careful," and that the training was "conducted by a small group of German soldiers" who"had formed a corporation whose service was arming and training groups of guerrillas." Herbert and Skorzeny would then meet in the mounts of the Basque region, in the mounts of the North. . . . 

After you've absorbed the implications, we can revisit Col. Akins' own history with Otto Skorzeny in Madrid . . . and from there, we can pursue the role Taylor's XO, Gen. Mataxis would have played over the weekend of November 22 as the Joint Chiefs hosted meetings with Adenauer's top generals of the Bundeswehr (most of whom were Otto's "Volksgemeinschaft") in the Gold Room at the Pentagon.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Leslie Sharp