deleted by author

[Paul Brancato]

                                           

 

Edited May 28, 2023 by Paul Brancato

[Paul Brancato]

This is really incredible research, and only the tip of the iceberg that Mr. Montenegro has painstakingly dug up out of various archives, including recent document releases. 

Edited May 25, 2023 by Paul Brancato

[Pete Mellor]

Agree Paul, thanks for posting.

This means that not only was Friedrich Schwend's OSS counterpart James Jesus Angleton, but SS-Sturmbannführer Schwend must have had intimate knowledge of James Hugh Angleton, the owner of the National Cash Register and chief of the US Chamber of Commerce in Italy, because Schwend's responsibilities were, as the US Army intelligence router message indicates, "...directed RSHA financial operations there.

Charles Siragusa was WWII veteran of OSS X-2 operations in Italy, the main focal-point officer between the Mafia-CIA for assassination plots against Castro and a QJWIN spotter!

It's like old friends, sat on a park bench like bookends.  Of course, James Angleton was head of X2 in Italy by the end of WWII.

[Chuck Schwartz]

I agree, also, Paul.  Very interesting post.

[Chuck Schwartz]

This document may be relevant to the question that Robert M. poses...https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1961-63v10/d291

[Paul Brancato]

On 5/25/2023 at 6:20 AM, Chuck Schwartz said:

This document may be relevant to the question that Robert M. poses...https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1961-63v10/d291

That’s a mouthful. Thanks Chuck. It’s all so ambitious, yet it came to nothing. I think it’s safe to assume this kind of preparation for covert actions utilizing multi-departmental working groups still goes on. The expansion of the interrogation center at Opa-locka is interesting. I believe that was part of JMWAVE. Was there a link to Madrid? 
I wish the authors Larry Hancock and Jim DiEugenio would look at the Frank Bender material and comment. 

[Chuck Schwartz]

After reading " Coup in Dallas" , I do believe in a link to Madrid.  But, I have not found anything beyond that very good book.

[Chuck Schwartz]

Fabian Escalante wrote of Frank Bender and Tracy Barnes..

"

(2) Fabian Escalante, The Secret War: CIA Covert Operations Against Cuba, 1959-62 (1995)

In late November 1959, James Noel, CIA station chief in Havana, met with his closest collaborator to analyze the evolution of the political situation in Cuba. He had received instructions from Colonel King to prepare this analysis. His years with the Agency had taught him that when his boss personally asked for a report, big issues were involved and since nobody could swim against the current, he took great care. Noel believed that there were still individuals in the Cuban government that could be won over to the cause of the United States; that everything had not ended with the capture of Huber Matos and his associates; and that men such as Sori Marin had definite influence. However, he knew he should be cautious when offering his opinions, since an error could cost him his career. Therefore he adopted a dual position, giving King the report that he wanted to hear, while at the same time - with his pawns - continuing to play the game. The document that the CIA specialists drafted concluded: "Fidel Castro, under the influence of his closest collaborators, particularly his brother Raul and Che Guevara, has been converted to communism. Cuba is preparing to export its revolution to other countries of the hemisphere and spread the war against capitalism."

With these words, they pronounced a death sentence on the Cuban Revolution. Days later, on December 11, Colonel King wrote a confidential memorandum to the head of the CIA which affirmed that in Cuba there existed a "far-left dictatorship, which if allowed to remain will encourage similar actions against U.S. holdings in other Latin American countries."

King recommended various actions to solve the Cuban problem, one of which was to consider the elimination of Fidel Castro. He affirmed that none of the other Cuban leaders "have the same mesmeric appeal to the masses. Many informed people believe that the disappearance of Fidel would greatly accelerate the fall of the present government ."

CIA Director Allen Dulles passed on King's memorandum to the NSC a few days later, and it approved the suggestion to form a working group in the Agency which, within a short period of time, could come up with "alternative solutions to the Cuban problem." Thus "Operation 40" was born, taking its name from that of the Special Group formed by the NSC to follow the Cuban case. The group was presided over by Richard Nixon and included Admiral Arleigh Burke, Livingston Merchant of the State Department, National Security Adviser Gordon Gray, and Allen Dulles of the CIA.

Tracy Barnes functioned as head of the Cuban Task Force. He called a meeting on January 18, 1960, in his office in Quarters Eyes, near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, which the navy had lent while new buildings were being constructed in Langley. Those who gathered there included the eccentric Howard Hunt, future head of the Watergate team and a writer of crime novels; the egocentric Frank Bender, a friend of Trujillo; Jack Esterline, who had come straight from Venezuela where he directed a CIA group; psychological warfare expert David A. Phillips, and others.

The team responsible for the plans to overthrow the government of Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala in 1954 was reconstituted, and in the minds of all its members this would be a rerun of the same plan. Barnes talked at length of the goals to be achieved. He explained that Vice-President Richard Nixon was the Cuban "case officer," and had assembled an important group of businessmen headed by George Bush [Snr.] and Jack Crichton, both Texas oilmen, to gather the necessary funds for the operation. Nixon was a protégé of Bush's father Preston, who in 1946 had supported Nixon's bid for congress. In fact, Preston Bush was the campaign strategist who brought Eisenhower and Nixon to the presidency of the United States. With such patrons, Barnes was certain that failure was impossible. "

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[Paul Brancato]

Chuck - I’ve seen the Escalante info on Bush and Crichton financially backing Operation 40, yet I don’t think I’ve ever seen it confirmed. Has anyone ever read anything confirming this? 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Paul, I don't know if this helps, but John Newman, on pages 289- 292 of " Into the Storm", wrote about Fabian Escalante .

[Chuck Schwartz]

And, on pages 268-269 of " Coup in Dallas", reference is made to Escalante/ Lafitte/ T. Barnes / Frank Bender.

[Sandy Larsen]

Hey, what happened?

Why did you delete your post Paul? I'd like to read it.

 

[Ron Bulman]

20 minutes ago, Sandy Larsen said:

Hey, what happened?

Why did you delete your post Paul? I'd like to read it.

 

Yes, I'd just skimmed the latter part planning to re-read the whole thing.  Did Robert have reservations about posting it?

[David Andrews]

Is Robert posting/writing elsewhere online?  I'd like to see it.

[Pete Mellor]

Even though I read the whole of Paul's post at the head of this thread, it was a most interesting reference.

It is a shame to lose it.