Lonely Connect? Miami and New Orleans in 1963

[David Boylan]

David,

As you can see, ANGEL could only remember the first name of one man and only the last name of

another. LAUREANO BATISTA, however, is still trying to locate a complete camp roster for us.

If you ever see I camp roster, would you let me know?

I've been interested in the MDC and this camp for a while.

Thanks,

Steve Thomas

Will do Steve.

[Chris Newton]

Just speculation, but this might match the site described...

using maps.google.com and the descriptions:

27524-27532 Pontchartrain Rd, Lacombe, LA 70445

The same address is also called:

27524-27532 St Louis St, Lacombe, LA 70445

1. Near the beginning of Pontchartrain Rd.

2. has a stream running through entire property

3. pond/pool maybe spring fed

4. has at least one older large outbuilding

5. large enough property that people could "train" there.

6. If you look at the street using the "street view" option you will be able to imagine it as a seldom used dirt road in the 60's.

7. Pontchartrain Rd. runs generally east/west but with enough of an angle that you could call this property "the west side"

I can't make out what the ranch style sign says at the entrance maybe someone could decipher it.

Just an educated guess..

[Thomas Graves]

Here's what Gurvich had to say:

14 February 1967

To: Jim Garrison

District Attorney

From: William Gurich

Investigator

Subj: SEIZUE OF EXPOSIVES - LACOMBE, LOUISIANA AUGUST 1963

I have on this date read the January 21, 1967 interview between CARLOS

QUIROGA and yorself. In reading this I noticed your interest in arms,

ammunition, and explosives used by

Cuban trainees at a training camp on the North side of Lake Pontchartrain

from New Orleans. The following information was given to you orally but

not in a formal manner therefore I am repeating these facts relative to

the seizure of explosives in the approximate area of the Cuban training

camp.

In August 1963, in Lacombe, Louisiana, a large quantity of dynamite and

bomb casings were seized on the property of William J. McLaney. It is

assumed the FBI conducted this.

Others involved were:

VICTOR DOMINADOR ESPINOSA HERNANDEZ

CARLOS EDUARDO HERNANDEZ SANCHEZ

JOHN KOCK GENE

ACELO PDEROS AMORES

MIGUEL ALVAREZ JIMENEZ

ANTONIO SOTO VASQUEZ

SAM BENTON

BYRON CHIVERTON

RICH LAUCHLI (OR LUCHLI)

EARL J. WASEM, JR.

RALPH FOLKERTS

AMORES once reported an airstrip 40 miles west of New Orleans where

aircraft - B25's or B26's were kept. This report was to a Federal Agency.

CHIVERTON was possibly co-owner of the LACOMBE property and resided at

4207 Fountainebleu Drive, New Orleans.

LAUCHLI (or LUCHLI) was proprietir of LAXCO MACHINE SHOP, which apparently

was in COLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS.

McLANEY may be the same one who had extensive gambling interests in

HAVANA, CUBA, prior to the CASTRO administration. He was evicted from CUBA

by CASTRO and it is reasonable to assume he suffered considerable

financial losses.

In your interview with QUIROGA he mentioned using U-HAUL trailers. A

U-HAUL trailer was used to transport these explosives ( approximately 2500

pounds) by some of the above mentioned LATINS. The license of this trailer

was FLORIDA 7E-668 and possibly came from FLORIDA (JACKSONVILLE) through

RALPH FOKERTS.

Subsequent to this I was informed this seizure was made in the first block

of "PONTCHARTRAIN" in BIG BRANCH, LOUISIANA. This community is immediately

west of LACOMBE. The building from which the explosives were seized was

described as a residence setting about 100 yards back on the West side of

the road or street and had a large garage. Two aerial photography

missions in the COVINGTON-BIG BRANCH-LACOMBE area failed to disclose a

building of acceptable comarison. Due to the abundance of tall pine trees a

ground survery would be perhaps more useful.

The above sounds like Bill McLaney's place on N. 31st Street, near Big Branch but actually in Lacombe.

Your attention is invited to reports of ADA ALVIN OSTER relative to an

arms cache in this area. His reports cover arms but not explosives but

does refer to "PONTCHARTRAIN" STREET.

I will attempt to develop more information from my contacts in order to

secure the exact location.

WHG:wg

And Alcock:

FEBRUARY 5, 1967

TO: JIM GARRSION, DISTRICT ATTORNEY

FROM: JIM ALCOCK, ASSISTANT DISCTRICT ATTORNEY

RE: ANGEL VEGA

At 10:00 PM on January 31, 1967, CHARLES JONAU and I spoke to

ANGEL VEGA. This meeting, arranged by LAUREANO BATISTA,

Took place at the headquarters of the Christian Democratic Movement

located at 1732 N.W. 7th Street, Miami, Florida….

ANGEL VEGA is a slightly built Cuban male appearing to be in his

late twenties. He was one of the twenty Cubans who trained at a camp

in the New Orleans area. VEGA arrived at the camp sometime near

the middle or end of June, 1963. When he arrived, there were only

four or five others at the camp site. The house and grounds where they

stayed were completely run down, giving the appearance they had not

been inhabited for quite a while. Their first task was to refurbish the

house and its conveniences.

All personnel stayed in the house which consisted of three rooms, a

kitchen and two baths. In addition to this, there was a screened porch

on the front and back of the house. The grounds had a swimming pool

which was constantly fed by an underground spring. Also, there was a

stream or bayou running through the property. Within sight of the property

was another house. The camp was served by a dirt road which VEGA recalls

was never used by vehicular traffic during his entire stay at the camp. ANGEL VEGA

is positive he could find this camp site today, and would be willing to come to

New Orleans on a weekend for that purpose.

The above sounds like the place at the end of "Big 7 Road," a little bit north of Lacombe off of Highway 434. Type in "Big 7 Road" on Google Earth, zoom in, and you can see the dirt road, the house, and the (dirty water?) swimming pool. It's even better if you have (free) topographic overlays for GE because then you can see the bijou / big stream that only 160 feet from the house. Interestingly, a woman on the Lacombe Community News page on Facebook posted just last month (July 23, 2015) that she and another "local" had encountered some heavily-armed men dressed in black on Big 7 Road in the mid 1980's, and that they had just assumed that the guys were "mafia."

Training at the camp was principally limited to a physical fitness program. Daily exercises

were taken along with swimming lessons. The men at the camp also practiced fording the stream

that ran through the property. At no time did the men stray farther than about 200 yards from

the house. No shooting whatsoever took place at the camp. They had two or three old Springfield

rifles and M-1 carbine. These weapons were never fired. The M-1 carbine was used to show the

men how to disassemble and assemble the weapon. During the course of many of the exercises, the

men would carry small logs to simulate the weight of a weapon. Also, these logs were used in

mock hand-to-hand combat training.

About two days before the cache of explosives was found at the other camp, ANGEL VEGA and two

other camp members left for Miami with the Castro agent, FERNANDO FERNANDEZ. Shortly thereafter

all Cubans at the camp returned to Miami. This was about August 1, 1963. Therefore, the camp

was in operation for about five or six weeks.

While at the camp, ANGEL heard rifle shots and explosions from the direction of the other camp.

However, at no time did VEGA and his fellow Cubans know of the existence of the other camp.

This came to their knowledge only after the explosives were found.

As ANGEL recalls, the camp site was owned by two American males in their fifties or sixties. He

feels they were in the insurance business. All contacts with them were made by RICARDO (DICKEY)

DAVIS. They came to the camp occasionally to see if the men needed any food. DAVIS came to the

camp about 8 to 10 time, mostly bringing food when he came. On one occasion, he brought his

wife and he did some target shooting with a 22 caliber pistol.

ANGEL VEGA never heard the name of SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH or LINDBERGH mentioned and never saw

any other Americans at the camp with the exception of the two previously mentioned. Angel

remembers the following men to have been at the camp with him:

VICTOR PANEQUE 2ND in Command

FIDEL ZALDIVAR 1st in Command

……PERIU VICTORIA

MIGUEL CARBALLIDO

HENRY INFANTE

RAUL FANTONE

FERNANDO FERNANDEZ

SERGIO (NOT ARCACHA SMITH)

As you can see, ANGEL could only remember the first name of one man and only the last name of

another. LAUREANO BATISTA, however, is still trying to locate a complete camp roster for us. He

is also trying to locate the names if the Americans who owned the camp. If he is successful, he

has promised to mail the information to me in New Orleans.

I feel that ANGEL VEGA was completely candid and cooperative throughout the interview. However,

as far as the movement and its key personnel are concerned, we should expect some hedging.

JIM ALCOCK

Emphasis and comments added by T. Graves.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Thomas Graves