"The time has come .... "

[Leslie Sharp]

George de Mohrenschildt's liaison in Haiti, Herbert Itkin seems to strike an annoying chord with the host of this thread, so I'll advance the inquiry to include sniper Robert Emmett Johnson:

Robert Emmett Johnson 

In the early ’60s, Robert Emmett Johnson, would-be journalist and skilled assassin, attested that he had been employed by Information Services International to support the agenda of dictator Rafael Trujillo of the Dominican Republic. ISI, founded and presided over by former OSS officer Ulius Amoss—dealt with extensively in the previous chapter, boasted as a trusted advisor, General Charles Willoughby. The day following the critical note, “O says done-- Oswald in place,” Pierre leaves a clue that the W. team included E. Johnson. 

W team  E. Johnson’s

(Itkin)

 

Said to be fiercely independent and opinionated, Johnson advised Special Agents of the FBI in Miami on September 19, 1961 that he had been employed as Foreign Affairs Analyst for Dominican Republic leader Generalissimo Trujillo, who had been assassinated in May of that spring. Johnson held the “analyst” position from 1956–1960. At the time of his visit from the FBI (9/61), Johnson stated he was then employed by ISI, which he described as “an independent intelligence-gathering organization” founded by Amoss, a former Chief of Staff in the US Air Force. On the ISI board of Trustees was Charles Willoughby.

            As mentioned in a previous chapter, inside Trafficante’s world at Trescornia in 1959, among those he said he recognized—all of whom had a shared history—was mercenary sharpshooter Emmet Johnson. Factoring in Johnson’s employment by the master of leaderless resistance, Ulius Amoss and ISI trustee Charles Willoughby, there is sufficient reason to suspect that Johnson was on, or involved with, “W’s” team.

            According to the meticulous research presented by historian John Simkin, a declassified document says that in 1962, Emmett Johnson was a member of “Interpen” (International Penetration Force) established in 1961 by former US Marine Sgt. Gerry P. Hemming. With funding from Santo Trafficante and several wealthy, and organized, among other things, to train members of anti-Castro groups Interpen set up a training camp in New Orleans in 1962. 

Before he died, Emmett Johnson managed to publish several books under the imprint Paladin Books, publisher of Col. Charles Askins’ books (Askins is also identified in the 1963 record of the plot to assassinate Kennedy in Dallas)) under the name “Paul Balor.” The cover of the second edition of his book, Manual of the Mercenary Soldier, published in 1993 features a clear image of Mitchell Livingston WerBell, notorious arms equipment manufacturer and dealer who had served in Donovan’s OSS during the war. 

[Gerry Down]

On 8/24/2023 at 7:41 PM, David Boylan said:

Olga Patricia.

I think I understand this picture now. You are saying this was the “Olga Patricia” which was then renamed to “The Joanne” which was later renamed to “Akuario III”. And that it had this latter name when it participated in an attack in Cuba in 1971 on the coastal village of Boca de Sama. Not sure what year that photo was taken though - was it pre or post JFK assassination? Someone appears to have written the name “Olga Patricia” onto the photo on the side to help identify the ship but not sure if it actually was the Olga Patricia when this photo was taken, or years later when the ship was operating under a different name. As Mervyn Hagger has pointed out:

This picture appears to belong to the era of Operation Mongoose before Don Pierson got hold of it, and the the objects on the deck may be the helium tanks used for inflating high altitude balloons used to drop propaganda on the island of Cuba, while the ship was operating from the safe waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

So maybe the photo is from the time pre JFK assassination.

Edited August 26, 2023 by Gerry Down

[Gerry Down]

On 8/24/2023 at 10:26 PM, Mervyn Hagger said:

David, there is nothing that I have seen having validity, which supports the idea that the Olga Patricia changed its name to Joanne.

By assuming that these vessels are one and the same you are laying down a false trail for others to follow.

Boylan and Hancock often work together and have years of experience. If they think the Olga Patricia is the Joanne, then that is hard to dispute. Though I’m open to correcting this if you can provide convincing evidence.

[David Boylan]

48 minutes ago, Gerry Down said:

I think I understand this picture now. You are saying this was the “Olga Patricia” which was then renamed to “The Joanne” which was later renamed to “Akuario III”. And that it had this latter name when it participated in an attack in Cuba in 1971 on the coastal village of Boca de Sama. Not sure what year that photo was taken though - was it pre or post JFK assassination? Someone appears to have written the name “Olga Patricia” onto the photo on the side to help identify the ship but not sure if it actually was the Olga Patricia when this photo was taken, or years later when the ship was operating under a different name. As Mervyn Hagger has pointed out:

This picture appears to belong to the era of Operation Mongoose before Don Pierson got hold of it, and the the objects on the deck may be the helium tanks used for inflating high altitude balloons used to drop propaganda on the island of Cuba, while the ship was operating from the safe waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

So maybe the photo is from the time pre JFK assassination.

Gerry,

I'd defer to Gary Murr on whether The Joanne was the Olga Patricia. Maybe Gary can chime in.

I'm not sure when this photo was taken. The photo and info came from the 2506 Brigade. All of their photos were provided by actual operational participants. Here's an example:

Edited August 26, 2023 by David Boylan

[Gerry Down]

21 minutes ago, David Boylan said:

Gerry,

I'd defer to Gary Murr on whether The Joanne was the Olga Patricia. Maybe Gary can chime in.

I'm not sure when this photo was taken. The photo and info came from the 2506 Brigade. All of their photos were provided by actual operational participants. Here's an example:

In your opinion, in late 1963 and early 1964, what was the primary CIA mothership for paramilitary operations against Cuba? Was it the Joanne? By this time frame, by Nov 1963, the Rex and the Leda had been outed in the press as CIA motherships. So the CIA couldn't use those ships anymore. So I'm wondering what ship or ships took over from these as the CIAs primary motherships for paramilitary operations against Cuba?

[David Boylan]

51 minutes ago, Gerry Down said:

In your opinion, in late 1963 and early 1964, what was the primary CIA mothership for paramilitary operations against Cuba? Was it the Joanne? By this time frame, by Nov 1963, the Rex and the Leda had been outed in the press as CIA motherships. So the CIA couldn't use those ships anymore. So I'm wondering what ship or ships took over from these as the CIAs primary motherships for paramilitary operations against Cuba?

The Rex and Leda were still used through 1964. Here's a pretty good list of some of their Maritime Vessels. Hemming definitely knew quite a bit, eh?

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=105141#relPageId=119

[Mervyn Hagger]

9 hours ago, Leslie Sharp said:

That's your response to facts that insist AG Robert Kennedy didn't get his brother assassinated by, drum roll please, Carlos Marcello? 

A bit desperate, Mervyn.

As a matter of interest, since you indicate you are active on Facebook, have you come across Matteo Messina? He's another Carlos Did It aficionado and goes similarly berserk when challenged. And, you had better not mention Jean Rene Souetre to Matteo.  

".... since you indicate you are active on Facebook .... " I was, but I am not now due to the amount of rubbish that appears there and which has been of no help to me whatsoever. I sometimes put up something to update the pages but that is all. Facebook is just about useless except for wasting my time.

[Mervyn Hagger]

7 hours ago, Gerry Down said:

I think I understand this picture now. You are saying this was the “Olga Patricia” which was then renamed to “The Joanne” which was later renamed to “Akuario III”. And that it had this latter name when it participated in an attack in Cuba in 1971 on the coastal village of Boca de Sama. Not sure what year that photo was taken though - was it pre or post JFK assassination? Someone appears to have written the name “Olga Patricia” onto the photo on the side to help identify the ship but not sure if it actually was the Olga Patricia when this photo was taken, or years later when the ship was operating under a different name. As Mervyn Hagger has pointed out:

This picture appears to belong to the era of Operation Mongoose before Don Pierson got hold of it, and the the objects on the deck may be the helium tanks used for inflating high altitude balloons used to drop propaganda on the island of Cuba, while the ship was operating from the safe waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

So maybe the photo is from the time pre JFK assassination.

To end all speculation, here is the true story of this vessel:

1. This ship was built in 1944 for service as an Army military cargo vessel during World War II, and became:

2. FP 263 (one of scores of vessels built to the same standard design for mass production.) Then it was transferred to the US Merchant Marine and  became:

3. AKL 2 Deal as a cargo vessel during the Korean War.

4. Then it was mothballed and later resold to a private company as a cargo vessel called:

5. Don Carlos.

6. Then everything goes fuzzy when Lloyds list it as the Olga Princess. However, apart from Lloyds listing there is no record of a ship by that name that was the Don Carlos.

7. The next authentic record shows the CIA (SGA) buying the vessel and obtaining it from a USAF pen in South Miami as the Olga Patricia. Don Pierson was asked about the name 'Olga Princess' and he said that it was a sister ship, but no such vessel has been discovered to date.

8. Olga Patricia saw service in the Gulf of Mexico launching high altitude helium balloons which dropped propaganda on Cuba.

9. Don Pierson obtained the Olga Patricia via a ship's mortgage from the same South Miami bank used by Dr Manuel Artime Buesa, who was a part of both the Bay of Pigs invasion, and its failed successor called AMWORLD.

10. The Olga Patricia was outfitted in Miami with 2 50kW radio stations that sailed to the North Sea in 1966 and broadcast as 'Swinging Radio England' and 'Britain Radio, hallmark of quality".

11. After both radio stations went bust in 1966, the ship was renamed and reregistered as Laissez Faire.

12. In 1967, Don Pierson was told to sell it as a radio ship. He offered it to many nations (I have seen the actual letters.) The only taker was Papa Doc of Haiti but that deal fell through.

13. The ship reverted to Olga Patricia and was docked in Miami where is was seized by US Marshals and put up for sale.

14. Continental Electronics were given back the radio stations on board and they resold them as two different private radio station companies broadcasting on land to South Africa.

15. The Olga Patricia ended up in the hands of another expat Cuban group who renamed it Akuarius II and a LOT of other names using a flip-chart hanging over the bow!

16. After one raid during which it was shot up by Fidel Castro's planes, it docked for safety in South Carolina and was grabbed by the US Justice Department who then sold it to:

17. Zapata Haynie Inc., who chopped it down in size and reconfigured it as a fishing vessel in their large fleet, and renamed it after the company's boss:

18. Earl J.Conrad Jr.

19. After lengthy service as a fishing vessel it was scrapped.

That is the true history of this ship.

Edited August 26, 2023 by Mervyn Hagger

[Mervyn Hagger]

7 hours ago, Gerry Down said:

Boylan and Hancock often work together and have years of experience. If they think the Olga Patricia is the Joanne, then that is hard to dispute. Though I’m open to correcting this if you can provide convincing evidence.

Evidence provided

[David Boylan]

I haven't done as much research on AMWORLD's ships as Gary Murr and Mervyn. My limited research shows that Artime/AMWORLD utilized two AKLs - The Joanne and The Donna. Was The Donna the sister ship of the Olga Patricia called the Olga Princess? I don't know. We know that the Joanne ended up at Bluefields in Nicaragua and the Donna ended up in the Dominican Republic where Artime had a small base to be used for anti-Castro ops. These were the only two named AKLs that I could find.

There is an outstanding question. AMWORLD used a ship called the Adelaida. Was this The Joanne renamed to the Adelaida? Artime's girlfriend at the time was Adelaida Padron. Both the Joanne and the Adelaida suffered the exact same propeller damage at the same time and place! So, I going with yes.

AMBIDDY-1 was Artime's CIA crypt. Henry was Henry Hecksher.

Reference 1 - https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=21334#relPageId=2&search=AKL

Looking at the Olga Patricia as the ideal Mother Ship. Setting up the AMRUM(AMYUM) corporation. This would be BAM for Artime's MRR organization.

Reference - https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=42086#relPageId=3&search=AKL

Adelaida in Nicaragua.

References  - https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=42124#relPageId=2

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=155000#relPageId=202

The Adelaida suffering a propeller mishap. Fixed then going back to Baltimore.

Reference - https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=63870#relPageId=3

The Joanne suffering the same damage. Going back to Baltimore.

Reference - https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=21334#relPageId=3

Adelaida Padron.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=235826#relPageId=216

[Mervyn Hagger]

1 hour ago, David Boylan said:

I haven't done as much research on AMWORLD's ships as Gary Murr and Mervyn. My limited research shows that Artime/AMWORLD utilized two AKLs - The Joanne and The Donna. Was The Donna the sister ship of the Olga Patricia called the Olga Princess? I don't know. We know that the Joanne ended up at Bluefields in Nicaragua and the Donna ended up in the Dominican Republic where Artime had a small base to be used for anti-Castro ops. These were the only two named AKLs that I could find.

There is an outstanding question. AMWORLD used a ship called the Adelaida. Was this The Joanne renamed to the Adelaida? Artime's girlfriend at the time was Adelaida Padron. Both the Joanne and the Adelaida suffered the exact same propeller damage at the same time and place! So, I going with yes.

AMBIDDY-1 was Artime's CIA crypt. Henry was Henry Hecksher.

Reference 1 - https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=21334#relPageId=2&search=AKL

Looking at the Olga Patricia as the ideal Mother Ship. Setting up the AMRUM(AMYUM) corporation. This would be BAM for Artime's MRR organization.

Reference - https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=42086#relPageId=3&search=AKL

Adelaida in Nicaragua.

References  - https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=42124#relPageId=2

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=155000#relPageId=202

The Adelaida suffering a propeller mishap. Fixed then going back to Baltimore.

Reference - https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=63870#relPageId=3

The Joanne suffering the same damage. Going back to Baltimore.

Reference - https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=21334#relPageId=3

Adelaida Padron.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=235826#relPageId=216

Good questions David.

Certain time periods are known and accounted for. Anything after 1966 is partially known.

Anything involving the Don Carlos onwards has questions. The Olga Princess does not show up in Lloyds apart from the totally bogus listing missing Olga Patricia, but showing Don Carlos - (GAP) - Laissez Faire / Olga Patricia - (GAP) - Akuarius II - Earl J.Conrad Jr.

[David Boylan]

I find it interesting that the Olga Patricia(?)/Joanne/Adelaide was later named the Don Carlos. I wonder if this was a nod to Carl Jenkins, often called Carlos by his charges at AMWORLD. Jenkins was the PM expert for AMWORLD and was later assigned with selling off and reusing AMWORLD's assets. Some of the arms cache went to Miami, and some stayed at Monkey Point. I find it interesting that the Monkey Point cache was guarded by Silvano Pozo and Nestor "Tony" Izquierdo in 1965. Izquierdo was top notch CIA commando and raider. What reason was there for keeping on the bench? I suspect it was to keep him out of the US for a bit. Izquierdo had been named as the spotter in the Dal-Tex building.

https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Nestor_Izquierdo

[Mervyn Hagger]

15 minutes ago, David Boylan said:

I find it interesting that the Olga Patricia(?)/Joanne/Adelaide was later named the Don Carlos. I wonder if this was a nod to Carl Jenkins, often called Carlos by his charges at AMWORLD. Jenkins was the PM expert for AMWORLD and was later assigned with selling off and reusing AMWORLD's assets. Some of the arms cache went to Miami, and some stayed at Monkey Point. I find it interesting that the Monkey Point cache was guarded by Silvano Pozo and Nestor "Tony" Izquierdo in 1965. Izquierdo was top notch CIA commando and raider. What reason was there for keeping on the bench? I suspect it was to keep him out of the US for a bit. Izquierdo had been named as the spotter in the Dal-Tex building.

https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Nestor_Izquierdo

David,

The ships you named are not one and the same and neither did they become the Don Carlos.

Here is what I already posted about this ship:

1. This ship was built in 1944 for service as an Army military cargo vessel during World War II, and became:

2. FP 263 (one of scores of vessels built to the same standard design for mass production.) Then it was transferred to the US Merchant Marine and  became:

3. AKL 2 Deal as a cargo vessel during the Korean War.

4. Then it was mothballed and later resold to a private company as a cargo vessel called:

5. Don Carlos.

6. Then everything goes fuzzy when Lloyds list it as the Olga Princess. However, apart from Lloyds listing there is no record of a ship by that name that was the Don Carlos.

7. The next authentic record shows the CIA (SGA) buying the vessel and obtaining it from a USAF pen in South Miami as the Olga Patricia. Don Pierson was asked about the name 'Olga Princess' and he said that it was a sister ship, but no such vessel has been discovered to date.

8. Olga Patricia saw service in the Gulf of Mexico launching high altitude helium balloons which dropped propaganda on Cuba.

9. Don Pierson obtained the Olga Patricia via a ship's mortgage from the same South Miami bank used by Dr Manuel Artime Buesa, who was a part of both the Bay of Pigs invasion, and its failed successor called AMWORLD.

10. The Olga Patricia was outfitted in Miami with 2 50kW radio stations that sailed to the North Sea in 1966 and broadcast as 'Swinging Radio England' and 'Britain Radio, hallmark of quality".

11. After both radio stations went bust in 1966, the ship was renamed and reregistered as Laissez Faire.

12. In 1967, Don Pierson was told to sell it as a radio ship. He offered it to many nations (I have seen the actual letters.) The only taker was Papa Doc of Haiti but that deal fell through.

13. The ship reverted to Olga Patricia and was docked in Miami where is was seized by US Marshals and put up for sale.

14. Continental Electronics were given back the radio stations on board and they resold them as two different private radio station companies broadcasting on land to South Africa.

15. The Olga Patricia ended up in the hands of another expat Cuban group who renamed it Akuarius II and a LOT of other names using a flip-chart hanging over the bow!

16. After one raid during which it was shot up by Fidel Castro's planes, it docked for safety in South Carolina and was grabbed by the US Justice Department who then sold it to:

17. Zapata Haynie Inc., who chopped it down in size and reconfigured it as a fishing vessel in their large fleet, and renamed it after the company's boss:

18. Earl J.Conrad Jr.

19. After lengthy service as a fishing vessel it was scrapped.

[Gerry Down]

On 8/26/2023 at 3:41 AM, David Boylan said:

The Rex and Leda were still used through 1964. Here's a pretty good list of some of their Maritime Vessels. Hemming definitely knew quite a bit, eh?

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=105141#relPageId=119

I didn't realize those two ships were still being used in 1964. Those two ships were outed in a Nov 1st 1963 edition of the New York Times. I'm sure you've seen that article before but i will post the relevent bits of it here for anyone who isn't familiar with it:

THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE - November 1, 1963

CASTRO SAYS C.I.A. USES RAIDER SHIP

He Asserts Cuba Captured Small Boats From Vessel –
Miami Owner Denies It

By The Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 31 – Premier Fidel Castro charged last night that the Central Intelligence Agency was operating a raider ship called the Rex, and that shehad been used in a sabotage mission against Cuba. He said two small boats from the Rex and several C.I.A. agents had been captured.

Primer Castro described the Rex as a 150-foot diesel vessel flying the Nicaraguan flag. He said she was based in West Palm Beach.

A vessel called the Rex, 174 feet long, returned to Palm Beach Monday and was tied up today at the Port of Palm Beach. She flies the Nicaraguan flag and carries large search lights, radar and a crane on the stern. Two motor launches were missing from their davits.

……….

J. A. Belcher, a Miami oil company executive, told The Miami Herald that the Rex belonged to him, but denied that it had participated in raids against Cuba.

………..

There are two other mysterious vessels of Nicaraguan registry operating out of ports of Florida’s southeast coast. One sometimes changes color.

The Leda is tied up at Port Everglades and the Port of Fort Lauderdale, 45 miles south of Palm Beach. She is registered from Greytown, Nicaragua, which is now known as San Juan del Norte.

A Miami man who knew a crewman on the Villaro said today, “She was a funny ship. She changed colors all the time. Sometimes the hull would be blue with a green deck. Other times it was gray with an orange deck. My friend said she was working in oil exploration.”

Coast Guard headquarters in Miami said it had no listing for any of the ships or their companies.

I had been assuming that the Rex and the Leda were retired after this as their cover had been blown. But that was just an assumption on my part. So those two ships definitely were still being used in 1964? You posted a link to a 1970s FOI request by Gerry Hemming looking for info on a number of ships (including the Rex and the Leda) between 1962 and 1965. Though that wouldn't necessarily be documentary evidence the Rex and the Leda were still being used in 1964 as Hemming might not have first hand knowledge their were being used.

I presume you have knowledge the Rex and the Leda were still being used in 1964 from your years of research going through documents?