Peter Tompkins RIP

[William Kelly]

Peter Tompkins, 87, a former journalist, WWIi spy and best-selling author, died Wednesday in Shepherdstown, W.Va.

He served as a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune and NZBC before joining the Office of Strategic Services, the precuror to the CIA, in 1941.

Because he grew up in Italy, he was sent to Rome before the U.S. invastion of Italy in 1944. He wrote about his experiences in the 1962 book A Spy In Rome.

The book was among the more than a dozen he wrote or co-wrote, including The Secret Life of Plants and Secrets of the Great Pyramid.

AP

[Greg Parker]

Peter Tompkins, 87, a former journalist, WWIi spy and best-selling author, died Wednesday in Shepherdstown, W.Va.

He served as a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune and NZBC before joining the Office of Strategic Services, the precuror to the CIA, in 1941.

Because he grew up in Italy, he was sent to Rome before the U.S. invastion of Italy in 1944. He wrote about his experiences in the 1962 book A Spy In Rome.

The book was among the more than a dozen he wrote or co-wrote, including The Secret Life of Plants and Secrets of the Great Pyramid.

AP

Bill,

Tomkins and Bird were tied in with Puharich, Eldon Byrd, Einhorn and the like.

[Shanet Clark]

[quote name='Greg Parker'

those type of books and titles are classic

MOCKINGBIRD

disinformation bullxxxx

[Francesca Akhtar]

Interesting, thanks for posting that. I had not heard of this man before. Any idea what he was doing around the time of the assassination? I wonder if he was still based in Rome and ever had any contact with William Harvey?

I don't suppose the book is still available?

[William Kelly]

Interesting, thanks for posting that. I had not heard of this man before. Any idea what he was doing around the time of the assassination? I wonder if he was still based in Rome and ever had any contact with William Harvey?

I don't suppose the book is still available?

Hi Francesca, I don't know about Harvey. Maybe Tompkins is mentioned in the new book about Harvey.

I was wondering if Tompkins was hooked up with Angleton in Italy.

I read Tompkins book on the OSS in Italy. If I remember correcetly he was very critical of the US military generals. After the invastion at Anzio, he reported the US army could have waltzed to Rome, but by the time they waited for reinforcements, the Germans had also reinforced Rome.

And Greg, I don't know about Einhorn et al., but Arthur Young was reading Tompkin's book about the Pyrimids when I visited him.

BK

[John Dolva]

From Gladio topic

Prince Junio Valerio Borghese

After the collapse of Mussolini’s government in 1943, Borghese’s men continued to fight for Germany under the overall command of SS General Wolff. His unit now became a brutal, anti-partisan army that targeted the Communist-dominated Resistance movement in northern Italy. It also fought against American Rangers and Canadian troops on the Anzio front. Decima Mas even had a spy outfit headquartered in Switzerland that worked closely with the SD [the SS intelligence service].

At the end of the war, Borghese opened up contact with the OSS’s James Jesus Angleton. Angleton, who later became one of the CIA’s most powerful officials, ran the OSS’s ‘X-2’ counterintelligence branch for Italy during the war. He personally saved Borghese from certain partisan execution by dressing him up in an American uniform and driving him south to Rome for interrogation. Although Borghese was convicted of war crimes, the Italian Supreme Court of Appeals ordered him released from jail in 1949. After regaining his freedom, the Black Prince also became a hero for MSI hardliners.” (Idem.)

6. Developing a relationship with the CIA, Borghese helped develop the “Strategy of Tension,” a political policy of successfully manipulation of violence and terrorism for the purpose of suspending democracy. (For more about the strategy of tension, see RFA#’s 19, 22—available from Spitfire. For more about Operation Gladio, see Miscellaneous Archive Show M49—available from Spitfire—as well as FTR#’s 58, 59, 188.) “Borghese’s importance for the CIA went beyond politics. The CIA-backed SIFAR spy agency began organizing secret squadrons (many composed of ex-officers of the SID, Mussolini’s secret police) for espionage and ‘counter-espionage’ operations against the left in 1949. The CIA then created an underground army of ex-fascist combat veterans in an operation codenamed ‘Operation Gladio’ (Gladio being the name for a Roman double-edged sword.) Gladio, however, couldn’t succeed without Borghese’s tacit approval.

________________________

Richard Randolph Carr was born in Dallas. During the Second World War Carr was a member of the Fifth Ranger Battalion. He served in North Africa and took part in the fighting at Anzio where his battalion was annihilated (only 13 men survived).

After the war Carr worked as a steel construction worker in Dallas. On 22nd November, 1963, Carr was working on the seventh floor of the new courthouse building on the corner of Houston Street in Dealey Plaza.

[James Richards]

Peter Tompkins, 87, a former journalist, WWIi spy and best-selling author, died Wednesday in Shepherdstown, W.Va.

He served as a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune and NZBC before joining the Office of Strategic Services, the precuror to the CIA, in 1941.

Because he grew up in Italy, he was sent to Rome before the U.S. invastion of Italy in 1944. He wrote about his experiences in the 1962 book A Spy In Rome.

The book was among the more than a dozen he wrote or co-wrote, including The Secret Life of Plants and Secrets of the Great Pyramid.

AP

Bill,

Tomkins and Bird were tied in with Puharich, Eldon Byrd, Einhorn and the like.

Greg,

The Einhorn mentioned I take it is Ira Einhorn who after being charged with killing his girlfriend was defended by Arlen Specter?

James

[William Kelly]

Peter Tompkins, 87, a former journalist, WWIi spy and best-selling author, died Wednesday in Shepherdstown, W.Va.

He served as a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune and NZBC before joining the Office of Strategic Services, the precuror to the CIA, in 1941.

Because he grew up in Italy, he was sent to Rome before the U.S. invastion of Italy in 1944. He wrote about his experiences in the 1962 book A Spy In Rome.

The book was among the more than a dozen he wrote or co-wrote, including The Secret Life of Plants and Secrets of the Great Pyramid.

AP

Bill,

Tomkins and Bird were tied in with Puharich, Eldon Byrd, Einhorn and the like.

Greg,

The Einhorn mentioned I take it is Ira Einhorn who after being charged with killing his girlfriend was defended by Arlen Specter?

James

James,

Yes, Ira Einhorn is the Philadelphia hippie, aka "The Unicorn" who started Earth Day and killed his Texas cheerleader girlfriend Holly Maddox and kept her body stuffed in a box in his closit for a year. He then blamed the CIA and KGB for killing her and framing him, and with Arlen as his attorney, and money provided by Canadian liquor heiress ? Brofman, got out on bail and disapeared. He was convicted in abstensia.

After being tracked to Ireland, Einhorn was finally located living with his Swedish girlfriend in France, who refused to extradite him until his death sentence was communted to live in prison. When he was returned to Philadelphia he was tried again, convicted again, and sentenced to life in prison.

Ira Einhorn was psychic pals with Uri Gehler and Philly neighbor Art Young, husband of Michael Paine's mother.

BK

[James Richards]

Peter Tompkins, 87, a former journalist, WWIi spy and best-selling author, died Wednesday in Shepherdstown, W.Va.

He served as a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune and NZBC before joining the Office of Strategic Services, the precuror to the CIA, in 1941.

Because he grew up in Italy, he was sent to Rome before the U.S. invastion of Italy in 1944. He wrote about his experiences in the 1962 book A Spy In Rome.

The book was among the more than a dozen he wrote or co-wrote, including The Secret Life of Plants and Secrets of the Great Pyramid.

AP

Bill,

Tomkins and Bird were tied in with Puharich, Eldon Byrd, Einhorn and the like.

Greg,

The Einhorn mentioned I take it is Ira Einhorn who after being charged with killing his girlfriend was defended by Arlen Specter?

James

James,

Yes, Ira Einhorn is the Philadelphia hippie, aka "The Unicorn" who started Earth Day and killed his Texas cheerleader girlfriend Holly Maddox and kept her body stuffed in a box in his closit for a year. He then blamed the CIA and KGB for killing her and framing him, and with Arlen as his attorney, and money provided by Canadian liquor heiress ? Brofman, got out on bail and disapeared. He was convicted in abstensia.

After being tracked to Ireland, Einhorn was finally located living with his Swedish girlfriend in France, who refused to extradite him until his death sentence was communted to live in prison. When he was returned to Philadelphia he was tried again, convicted again, and sentenced to life in prison.

Ira Einhorn was psychic pals with Uri Gehler and Philly neighbor Art Young, husband of Michael Paine's mother.

BK

Thanks, Bill. Muchly appreciated.

James

[Francesca Akhtar]

Hi William,

thanks for the info. Excuse my ignorance but do you have any more details on this new book about Harvey? I keep forgetting that Angleton worked in Italy too.

I always think I would like to research more into Harvey's time in Rome because of my interest in Italian connections to the case. One of those things I haven't got round to yet!

Interesting, thanks for posting that. I had not heard of this man before. Any idea what he was doing around the time of the assassination? I wonder if he was still based in Rome and ever had any contact with William Harvey?

I don't suppose the book is still available?

Hi Francesca, I don't know about Harvey. Maybe Tompkins is mentioned in the new book about Harvey.

I was wondering if Tompkins was hooked up with Angleton in Italy.

I read Tompkins book on the OSS in Italy. If I remember correcetly he was very critical of the US military generals. After the invastion at Anzio, he reported the US army could have waltzed to Rome, but by the time they waited for reinforcements, the Germans had also reinforced Rome.

And Greg, I don't know about Einhorn et al., but Arthur Young was reading Tompkin's book about the Pyrimids when I visited him.

BK

[Francesca Akhtar]

From Gladio topic

Prince Junio Valerio Borghese

After the collapse of Mussolini’s government in 1943, Borghese’s men continued to fight for Germany under the overall command of SS General Wolff. His unit now became a brutal, anti-partisan army that targeted the Communist-dominated Resistance movement in northern Italy. It also fought against American Rangers and Canadian troops on the Anzio front. Decima Mas even had a spy outfit headquartered in Switzerland that worked closely with the SD [the SS intelligence service].

At the end of the war, Borghese opened up contact with the OSS’s James Jesus Angleton. Angleton, who later became one of the CIA’s most powerful officials, ran the OSS’s ‘X-2’ counterintelligence branch for Italy during the war. He personally saved Borghese from certain partisan execution by dressing him up in an American uniform and driving him south to Rome for interrogation. Although Borghese was convicted of war crimes, the Italian Supreme Court of Appeals ordered him released from jail in 1949. After regaining his freedom, the Black Prince also became a hero for MSI hardliners.” (Idem.)

6. Developing a relationship with the CIA, Borghese helped develop the “Strategy of Tension,” a political policy of successfully manipulation of violence and terrorism for the purpose of suspending democracy. (For more about the strategy of tension, see RFA#’s 19, 22—available from Spitfire. For more about Operation Gladio, see Miscellaneous Archive Show M49—available from Spitfire—as well as FTR#’s 58, 59, 188.) “Borghese’s importance for the CIA went beyond politics. The CIA-backed SIFAR spy agency began organizing secret squadrons (many composed of ex-officers of the SID, Mussolini’s secret police) for espionage and ‘counter-espionage’ operations against the left in 1949. The CIA then created an underground army of ex-fascist combat veterans in an operation codenamed ‘Operation Gladio’ (Gladio being the name for a Roman double-edged sword.) Gladio, however, couldn’t succeed without Borghese’s tacit approval.

________________________

Richard Randolph Carr was born in Dallas. During the Second World War Carr was a member of the Fifth Ranger Battalion. He served in North Africa and took part in the fighting at Anzio where his battalion was annihilated (only 13 men survived).

After the war Carr worked as a steel construction worker in Dallas. On 22nd November, 1963, Carr was working on the seventh floor of the new courthouse building on the corner of Houston Street in Dealey Plaza.

Thanks for the info John. I did not know that Carr took part in the Anzio fighting. Strange coincidence. I know someone whose brother died in one of the battles there.

[Jim Root]

John

"Richard Randolph Carr was born in Dallas. During the Second World War Carr was a member of the Fifth Ranger Battalion. He served in North Africa and took part in the fighting at Anzio where his battalion was annihilated (only 13 men survived).

After the war Carr worked as a steel construction worker in Dallas. On 22nd November, 1963, Carr was working on the seventh floor of the new courthouse building on the corner of Houston Street in Dealey Plaza."

If Richard Carr was in a fact one of the "13" survivors of the Fifth Ranger Battalion at Anzio he would have been part of the survivors of Ranger Units that were folded into the First Special Services Force and it successor unit the 474th, both commanded by Edwin Walker.

Small world we live in.

Jim Root

[John Dolva]

Yes, indeed, Jim. I didn't know, but had speculated about Carr coming into Walkers group after Anzio.

Anzio was a strange battle that should have been over quickly but as a result of code errors and other mistakes led to a disastrous (for the men) drawn out debacle. Apparently Walker was moving through Italy at the same time through the Cassini battle.

Anzio was a kind of cross roads for a number of people who 20 years later had some sort of involvement on the assassiantion. This is mainly on land, however Anzio was a huge Navy operation. Perhaps there are people who later were in the merchant marine which is another grouping related to the assassination in different ways.

There are a number of other curious coincidences as well: Brehms

Rangers - Walker, Carr, Brehms - Dallasites, two witnesses

Theatres of War

North Africa - Carr

Anzio - Walker, Carr

France - Walker, Brehms, (Carr?)

Korea - Walker, Brehms

These are three known that are also connected to the assassination in some way. This already is statistically pushing the boundaries of probability. Any more vets from these theatres?

There are a number of others connected to Anzio/Italy like Angleton, Tomkins.

Edited January 29, 2007 by John Dolva

[Jim Root]

William

"I was wondering if Tompkins was hooked up with Angleton in Italy."

More importantly Tompkins was hooked up with Angleton in Berlin at the end of the War. (As I understand it Angleton assignment in Italy somehow followed Tompkins but I would have to look back in my notes on that subject.

Have you read Tompkins' book on the Assassination of Admiral Darlan? It has an excellent read on the inner workings of French Intelligence during the War. Written shortly after the assassination of Kennedy it is surprizing to see how many of the same names pop up.

I often wondered if Tompkins motive for writting about the Darlan affair was a way of suggesting a connection to OSS/CIA folks without actually comming out and saying it. Imagine my surprize, when sudying the declassified papers of John B. Hurt, to find reference to the Darlan assassination. Hurt, who was a "Japanese linguist," it would seem, would have had no reason to be in the know about the Darlan incident.

At one time I was provided with an email address for Peter Tompkins and asked him several specific questions about his time in Rome, the Anzio situation and his connection to Maxwell Taylor at that time. He never replied and I will never be able to confirm a most interesting story that was shared with me about a member of the 3rd Regiment of the First Special Services Force which connected Col. Edwin Walker, Maxwell Taylor and John J. McCloy to Peter Tompkins.

I have several posts on Tompkins and the Darlan affair on this forum.

Jim Root

[Jim Root]

John

I do have several past posts on what I have called the Italian connection.

John J. McCloy worked very closely with Maxwell Taylor on the surrender of the Italians to the Allied Forces prior to the landings on the mainland of Italy. After the invasion the State Department was totaly unprepared to handle the administration of captured territory in Italy. As a result of this lack of preperation the military (ie John J. McCloy) developed a plan to administer Italy. This experience would lead to similiar programs for Germany and Japan that were developed by McCloy as well.

During this period McCloy would become very adept at manipulating the political control of governments to assure the development of "pro western" governments for the post war era.

Was McCloy still in the business of "manipulating the political control of governments" at the time of the assassination of John F. Kennedy? For me this is a very interesting question.

We do know for sure that John J. McCloy was an influencial member of the Warren Commission and was, by the way, associated with John B. Hurt (a man that at a minimum shares a name with a person that Lee Harvey Oswald would attempt to contact after the assassination).

I more than agree about the statistical anomaly. The number os standard deviations needed to account for what I have uncovered is so great that the word impossible comes into play.

Jim Root