Batista henchman Rolando Masferrer fled to Miami with a yacht full of money in January 1959. Cuba demanded the extradition of Masferrer as a war criminal but C. Douglas Dillon, the Under Secretary of State during the Eisenhower Administration, refused to extradite Rolando Masferrer. A notation on Masferrer's FBI arrest record read: "Contributor of Prints: USINS, Miami, Florida, March 30, 1959, EXCLUDED from admission to the United States."

In January 1959, 59 of Rolando Masferrer's Tigres were executed on San Juan Hill in Santiago de Cuba. As stated, STURGIS supervised these executions.

In March 1959 four of Rolando Masferrer's men were arrested in Havana for plotting to assassinate Fidel Castro. [Wash. Post 3.27.59]

In April 1959 the FBI was informed that Fidel Castro had hired Jack Youngblood, an American mercenary who had helped Castillo Armas escape from a Guatemalan prison, to kidnap Rolando Masferrer and return him to Cuba. The plan failed.

On May 8, 1959, the FBI identified Orlando Piedra as a supporter of Rolando Masferrer. [FBI 100-344127 NR 5.13.59] An FBI informant said that Orlando Piedra is not giving money to the anti-Fidel Castro groups in Miami and he is working with Rolando Masferrer. Orlando Eleno Piedra Neguerela (born June 1, 1919; died February 1980, 201-247879) had been Chief of the Investigations Bureau of the Cuban National Police until January 1, 1959. Orlando Piedra worked closely with the crime syndicate and the CIA. He had monitored the activities of Fidel Castro when Fidel Castro trained anti-Batista troops in Mexico. Orlando Piedra was involved in the kidnapping of Fidel Castro's son, and used a Mexican drug trafficker to kidnap a chief supporter of Fidel Castro in Mexico.

The FBI reported: "Orlando Piedra enjoys the distinction of being considered by the Castro regime as one of the principal war criminals in the United States." The CIA: "AMOT Report DD 1836 of April 20, 1966 states Orlando Piedra...is one of the main organizers and exponents of political propaganda in favor of Batista; close to him and enjoying his trust. AMOT report CC 82 dated April 12, 1963 describes Subject as friend of Vincente Gonzalez Miranda, old militant commie."

In August 1959 the Bureau received information about an anti-Castro uprising sponsored by Rolando Masferrer. Most of this telex was withheld. [FBI 100-344127 NR 5.13.59, 26; FBI 109-584-305]

In November 1959 the FBI received word that Rolando Masferrer was planning to drop phosphorus on Cuban sugar cane fields. [FBI 100-344127-32]

In January 1960 William Pawley, a former United States Ambassador, advised the CIA that he had been contacted by Arthur Patton, a Commissioner from Dade County, Miami, Florida. Patton stated that "one of his police officers had been offered $200,000 to kidnap Rolando Masferrer. Police officer went to Patton for advise. Patton turned to Pawley who consulted CIA. (Deleted) Sutel specific facts and action taken." [FBI 105-84265-34, 36 p 1 page 2 w/h]

On January 27, 1960, a highly deleted FBI teletype stated that Estaban Ventura and Julio Laurent were also the intended victims of this plot. [FBI 105-344127] After the arrest of two Castro agents on attempted kidnapping charges, J. Edgar Hoover sent a letter to then-Vice President RICHARD NIXON about the affair. [Castro agent Juan Fernandez De Castro Rodriguez FBI 105-84265-36]

In March 1960 the Immigration and Naturalization Service ordered seven Cuban exile leaders to leave Miami. Among them was Rolando Masferrer and Estaban Ventura Novo. [FBI 100-344127 - NR 3.15.60]

On October 3, 1960, Rolando Masferrer landed 27 men in Cuba. These men included Bobby Fuller, Tony Zarba and Paul Hughes. [FBI 2-1622-38, Cover Page 6, Hughes FBI File No. 105-3138] Only three of the men were captured; the others escaped.

On November 9, 1960, Rolando Masferrer informed the FBI that it was "common knowledge that the Cuban Revolutionary Front [an anti-Castro exile group under the supervision of E. HOWARD HUNT] was engaged in recruiting activities in the United States and in some Latin American countries (deleted). He claims Varona helped Castro in allowing Russians and Chinese to enter Cuba and is egotistical to such an extent he is waging a private war against Cuban exiles. Masferrer expressed a desire to join the Cuban Revolutionary Front although Varona was head of that organization. He stated he would cease all operations in his anti-Castro movement if he was so directed by the United States Government. He indicated that without being specific that the Cuban Revolutionary Front receives aid from United States officials in some American Embassies as well as in the United States. (Deleted)." Secretary of State Christian Herter received a report on this interview. [FBI 2-1622-45, 46]

The Miami Herald reported in December 1960 that Rolando Masferrer had composed an army of 23 Americans and nearly 200 Cubans who were allegedly poised to invade Cuba. Rolando Masferrer's men were training at a base at No Name Key, Florida. The FBI reported: "Masferrer planned to use as staging area prior to moving men to island or country other than the U.S. prior to invasion of Cuba to avoid violation of U.S. laws. Reference is also made to Miami report of S.A. James D. Hayes, dated December 15, last, in this case, which among other things mentions arrest of vagrancy by Miami Police Department of 13 Masferrer supporters, including Kenneth Joseph Proctor, Alvin Carl Wentz, Nick John Neri, Welburn Vernon Gee, and Larry Lee Bice, Jr. It is noted therein Proctor stated this group intended leaving the U.S. unarmed, and proceed to an island located in international waters, where they would be armed before proceeding to invade Cuba." [FBI 2-1622-60; FBI 2-1622 NR 128 NR 12.19.60 w/h; 2-1622-1st NR serial after serial 51 (LHM) Enc.]

On December 30, 1960, "(Deleted) Bureau of Un-American Affairs, Department of State, contacted an FBI Liaison Agent making reference to our letter of November 30, 1960, and requested FBI assistance in stopping Masferrer. (Deleted) stated that recent newspaper publicity on Masferrer presented a good opening wedge for an FBI Agent to call on Masferrer and take him up on his offer to cease operations. (Deleted) was advised that we had no legal basis under which the FBI could intrude itself into the situation, and if we attempted to do so, it would put the FBI into the role of a messenger for the State Department and involve us in a matter which is not our affair. On the memorandum prepared on the above contact by (Deleted) on December 30, 1960, the Director made reference to our letter of November 30, 1960, and noted: 'Note: State didn't get around to considering it for one month.'" [Memo to Belmont FBI 2-1622-72]

On January 5, 1961, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was under pressure to indict Rolando Masferrer from the Department of Justice, which was headed by Robert F. Kennedy, yet he wrote that "Assistant Attorney General J. Walter Yeagley of the Internal Security Division of the Department of Justice called and stated he thought he ought to bring me up to date on the Masferrer case (Neutrality Matters). Mr. Yeagley stated that the Bureau had investigated and submitted a detailed report on the case last Friday and his Division thinks they have a case, not a real open and shut case, but as far as the facts and laws are concerned, it looks like enough to go before a Grand Jury. Mr. Yeagley stated this is delicate in view of the break in diplomatic relations with Cuba, because if we start a Grand Jury, people are going to ask which side are we on, Fidel Castro's or the United States. Mr. Yeagley continued that as late as last Friday, he believed it was, he had a call from the State Department to see what we were doing, whether going ahead or not, and he, Mr. Yeagley, thought when he called the State Department back, as he intended, to get confirmation that they ought to go ahead despite the break in relations, he thought he ought to mention it to me because from the Justice Department's standpoint, they would normally proceed, but when they go to Miami, Justice is going to have the public relations problem. (Deleted) I stated the if he, Mr. Yeagley, has been following the news releases, there was quite a number of Senators and Congressmen who have been loud in their commendation of what the Administration has done in breaking relations with Cuba and indicated it should have been done long ago...(Deleted) I stated however, that the State Department is not going to take the blame, nor is the CIA, and it would be up to the Justice Department. (Deleted) Mr. Yeagley stated that might be what is behind and mentioned the Senate Committee is going to start an investigation next week of this fellow (Deleted). I stated George Sokolsky had come out with a column and Senator Eastland's Committee was going to hold public hearings on him as they think they have an Alger Hiss case. I stated that pressure to go against Masferrer may emanate from elements like this in State. (Deleted) Yeagley stated he has not been told but has inferred that (Deleted). Mr. Yeagley stated they have a case where they would normally go ahead and indict with one count and maybe more, and he can't say don't do it, but the State Department can. (Deleted) Mr. Yeagley stated that was excellent and he thought that is exactly the kind of help he needed and would let me know the outcome. He stated we had gone ahead with the investigation and we are holding the bag and we out to make the proper disposition. (Deleted) Mr. Yeagley stated he appreciated my help and would let me know the outcome." [FBI Memo Hoover to Tolson, Mohr, Parsons, Belmont and DeLoach 1.5.61 (deleted) 1622-65]

In late January 1961, when the FBI was made aware of an anti-Castro sea-borne strike backed by Rolando Masferrer, the Miami FBI telexed Headquarters that "(Deleted) Miami Office notified U.S. Customs and U.S Border Patrol. U.S. Customs said if boat had no arms aboard, it will allow expedition to leave. Unless Department of Justice authorized prosecution for conspiracy to violate Neutrality Act, Miami Office will take no action to stop this expedition." [Teletype to Dir. Fr. SAC Miami 1.25.61; JEH Memo for Tolson 1.5.61]

On February 4, 1961, Kenneth O'Donnell, Special Assistant to President John F. Kennedy telephoned the FBI and advised that "an individual whom he did not identify had just been in to see the President this morning and had discussed with the President the activities of a reported Cuban right-wing refugee now in Miami. Kenneth O'Donnell said that the name he got from the President for this Cuban was either 'Ferri' or 'Ferre' and his first name was 'Mas.' The President asked O'Donnell if he could identify this Cuban for him and find out something about him. O'Donnell wondered if we could be of any assistance, saying that this wasn't much to go on and the only additional information we had was that this Cuban may have been organizing troops." The FBI identified the Cuban as Rolando Masferrer. "Kenneth O'Donnell was called back and informed the individual to whom he referred was undoubtedly Masferrer. He was furnished briefly information as to his background and activities. It was specifically pointed out to O'Donnell that full details had been forwarded to the Justice Department, which at present time had a question of prosecution under consideration. O'Donnell was informed that we would be happy to send a letter to him furnishing him information relative to Masferrer. O'Donnell said this wasn't at all necessary as he had enough information to identify Masferrer for the President. O'Donnell was most appreciate and said nothing further need be done." J. Edgar Hoover underlined the words "an individual whom he did not identify." He then wrote: "I don't understand how such a character gets in to see the President. H." [FBI 2-1622-78]

On April 10, 1961, the Justice Department had the Immigration and Naturalization Service revoke Rolando Masferrer's parole as a warning to the Cuban exile community that he had no intention of restoring the Batista dictatorship in Cuba: "Acting District Director, Joseph Minton, INS, Miami, advised Masferrer served with written notice his parole has been revoked and Masferrer taken into detention. However, Masferrer, due to ill health (heart trouble) is under guard at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, under care of Department of Public Health." [FBI 2-1622-92,94]

Rolando Masferrer was subsequently indicted for violations of the Neutrality Act. Secretary of State Dean Rusk wrote a letter to the United States Attorney General which stated in part: "The continued presence at large of Rolando Masferrer in the United States and particularly in the State of Florida is prejudicial to our national interest...revoking this alien's parole, deporting him, or restricting his presence at large, would accordingly advance our foreign policy objectives." The FBI was instructed to handle the Rolando Masferrer arrest "with the utmost secrecy."[FBI 2-1622-961 4.7.61] One of the witnesses against Masferrer, Julio Fernandez Trevejo was put at the disposal of the Justice Department by the CIA. The unindicted co-conspirators were Armentino Feria Perez, aka "El Indio," Julio Fernandez Trevejo, Anselmo Aliegro, Franklin Joseph Williams, Horacio Canizares, Santiago Alverez and one (FNU) Cartaya. [USDC SDF Indictment 12, 105-M] The Kennedy Administration had Justin F. Gleichauf, a CIA representative who was in contact with various law enforcement agencies, contact Judge Emmet Choate and inform him that "Masferrer sponsored anti-Castro activities at this time might be more a liability than an asset to developments in progress. Judge Choate was quite concerned that actions taken against Masferrer might be construed as a 'coddling' of anti-Castro elements, but indicated that he would delay Masferrer's hearing several days, and would give the matter further consideration. The U.S. District Attorney appeared to be quite happy with the developments as he stated that he had been afraid that Judge Choate would release Masferrer on April 17, 1961, the original date of the hearing." [CIA Justin F. Gleichauf to Chief, Contact Division.]

Released on bail, Rolando Masferrer was re-arrested in May 1961. He was charged with having violated the Neutrality Act by making war on Cuba. The charges were dropped five months later. FBI informant FRANK STURGIS became involved in the Rolando Masferrer case. [FBI 2-1622 NR 2.24.61, 107]

STURGIS described how in January 1959, he "came down from the mountains and went to Havana and talked to my old friend, Pedro Diaz Lanz, who became Chief of the [Cuban] Air Force. Now he's Commander Pedro Diaz Lanz and I had him appoint me Security Director and Intelligence Director of the Cuban Air Force. I also recruited a number of people in Havana for intelligence..."

On January 6, 1959 the Director of the CIA received this message from the CIA Station in Havana:

323 DMCL/LSB/LSB/ File 201-242256

TO: Director

FROM: (Deleted)

ACTION: WH 6

INFO: COP, FI, FI/OPS, S/C 2

To Dir. Info. Havana Cite (Deleted) 335

RE: (Deleted) 334 (IN 44099)

OPERATIONAL

(Deleted) will try develop FIORINI.

On January 7, 1959 the Director of the CIA received this message from the CIA Station in Havana:

362/GHS/CG File Number 201-242256

Date: January 6, 1959

To: Director

From: (Deleted)

Action: WH 6

Info: COP, CI, CI/OPS, FI, FI/OPS, S/C 2

PRITY DIR HAVANA CITE (Deleted)337

REF: (Deleted)334 (IN 44099) and 335 (IN 44124).

OPERATIONAL

1. FRANK FIORINI of Norfolk, Virginia claims was chief 26 July arms buyer Miami. Arrested and booked there for rebel activities. Claims has confidence, friendship Fidel Castro and other top commanders. Personal friend Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz chief, rebel air force. Says latter wants to make him unofficial civilian advisor to general staff new army. Claims present position in chief training officer. January 7, 1959 flying to Guantanamo to discuss training plans with Raul Castro who there inspecting area.

2. Subject willing to cooperate 100 percent supplying info. Hesitant however continue on and reveal all for fear loss American citizenship.

3. Known background is Subject made several trips to the Sierras. July 1958 arrested imprisoned SACU by SIM and taken to Havana. Possible he may loose value to rebels but believe worthwhile KUBARK endorse his staying on.

4. Cable priority answer.

C/S Comment: Will try develop FIORINI.

CIA Headquarters replied: "Base should deal with FIORINI under strict Consular cover."

STURGIS was in contact with the Central Intelligence Agency in 1959, just as he told the Rockefeller Commission. The CIA withheld the names of the personnel he was in contact will nor has the CIA released any reports based on information furnished by STURGIS.

On January 7, 1959, an Associated Press article appeared in the Norfolk, Virginia, Ledger Dispatch, a general circulation daily, regarding former Norfolk resident FRANK STURGIS. The article listed STURGIS' wife as Juanita Sturgis, Fairfax Hotel, Norfolk. His parents were listed as divorced Angelo Fiorino and Mary Sturgis, who lived in the same apartment house, Bank Street, Norfolk. Another article in the Ledger Dispatch reflected that STURGIS was a frequent visitor to a clinic where another Norfolk man, Richard Meredith Sanderlin, who had been hospitalized after being wounded fighting for Castro, was recovering. On January 8, 1959 (Deleted) INS, Norfolk, advised that "according to Section 349, Immigration and Nationality Act, Sub Paragraph 3, both STURGIS and SANDERLIN lose their American citizenship automatically, upon recognition of new Cuban Government by United States, which recognition was accomplished on January 7, 1959." [FBI 2-1499-14] On January 13, 1959, STURGIS, the CIA reported, was "under investigation probably registration act violations." [DIR-80002 OUT-61839 1.13.59] The CIA reported on January 14, 1959, "2. Rebels plan recruit 3,000 men to make up for those wishing separation and to fill positions in Army. Source (Deleted). (Deleted) reports separation staging and training camp established old Army firing range, San Juan Hill, Vista Allegro section. FRANK FIORINI in charge. (Deleted) appr 3 informed 4:00 p.m. at this camp. People this area report almost daily arrival new recruits from countryside." [CIA DOO2068] On January 15, 1959, the wire services carried a story that STURGIS, previously believed dead, was in Cuba. Evidence of this was a photograph of STURGIS standing on a mass grave of 59 of Rolando Masferrer's Tigres, machine gun in hand. The photograph gave the impression he had just massacred the Tigres in their stronghold of San Juan, Santiago de Cuba. Double click here to see this photo. [SturgisGrave.JPEG] Another CIA document stated: "Subject claims he is under orders of Raoul Castro and awaiting orders to begin training 1,000 militia members in SACU (Santiago, Cuba) area. Source (deleted) Appr 2. FC: Number may be exaggerated." [TDCS 3/383,32 1.6.59] Another document stated: "In charge of a separation center, training camp and staging area SACU area." [TDCS 3/384,56 1.15.59] On January 20, 1959, Vice Consul Bernard Femminella of the U.S. Consulate, Santiago De Cuba, advised that he was informed that an individual known as FRANK FIORINI was with the revolutionary forces in the vicinity of Santiago De Cuba. On January 30, 1959, the CIA received information STURGIS "had a falling out with Raoul Castro over incorporating Army officers in the training program. Reportedly left SACU for Havana, where he is working with Air Force Chief." On January 30, 1959, the Legat, Mexico City sent a highly deleted cable to the Director of the FBI. "Subject: CHANGED (Deleted) IS - CUBA. ReBulets to Miami dated November 20, 1958, and December 5, 1959, in captioned matter; also Mexico letter to the Bureau dated January 26, 1959, in case entitled FRANK ANTHONY STURGIS aka -RA. The title of this case has been marked CHANGED to reflect the addition of the maternal surname of the subject (Deleted) Available details concerning these arrest were set forth in my letter of January 26, 1959, in the STURGIS case. The information is as follows. [page deleted 2-1499 NR 1.30.59]

STURGIS was the commander of the camp in San Juan, Santiago Province, Cuba, where the 59 men were killed. He gave the order to the firing squad. STURGIS claimed he needed permission to allow St. George to photograph a mass execution. STURGIS did not need permission to do anything at the base since he was the highest ranking officer there. St. George arrived too late, so STURGIS posed on the grave of the men he had sent to their death. This act of mass murder, and STURGIS' early gun running activity, was why Fidel Castro trusted him. STURGIS could never have admitted to ordering or approving this mass execution - not with the relatives of the victims living in Miami. This photograph linked STURGIS indelibly with Fidel Castro's revolution. It also linked the 26th of July Movement with mass murder.

STURGIS told the Rockefeller Commission: "Well, when I was on my way the first ten days of the revolution was over with I told (deleted) that I was on my way to Havana and he suggested that I contact Colonel Nichols and a Major Van Horne." Both of these men were at the American Embassy. STURGIS continued: "And I believe (deleted) was at the (deleted) at that time, in 1959. And he was a CIA agent. (Deleted) was also there, the CIA. And I believe that he was Station Chief at the Agency. Contacting Colonel Nichols I was asked to recruit military people, and so forth. And through the recruiting of agents for the Embassy, many of them, naturally, recruited by me, had contact with me, and they said, 'Well, I am in touch with (deleted), or I am in touch with (deleted)' and so forth. In the close circle you know who is who, like I was trying to explain to the gentleman here. An agent doesn't come out and say 'I am a CIA agent.' You don't do those things...I am not sure sir whether I met Major Van Horne, and I am not sure that I met (deleted) and I am not sure I met (deleted). There is a great possibility that I did...The regular army was being disbanded, the weapons were being taken away from them. And Fidel needed time in order to get this raggidy muffin rebel force that he had, with no shoes, and so forth. I was in charge of the military police for the Air Force."

During his HUNT v. ajweberman deposition STURGIS was asked about PHILLIPS. STURGIS: "See, DAVID PHILLIPS - let me go back to DAVID PHILLIPS -- he worked in Havana. I am not sure whether I ever met him or not, because he was the man that I would be in touch with; but there is the possibility that he man have ran across me in the embassy and I didn't know who he was." From 1955 to 1957 PHILLIPS served as a CIA undercover agent in Cuba and Lebanon. On April 1, 1955, PHILLIPS accepted an appointment with the CIA as a Staff Employee at $9,600 a year. On February 7, 1956, he became a Staff Agent. On January 12, 1958, his pay was raised to $11,835 per year. On August 19, 1958, he became a contract agent at $7,200 per year. His term ended on March 13, 1960. Since that date PHILLIPS was a Staff Employee of the CIA. [Memo: To Chief, Contract Personnel Division Attention (Deleted) From Compensation and Tax Division, Office of Finance 6.16.66] From 1958 to 1961 PHILLIPS ran a public relations firm, DAVID A. PHILLIPS Associates, in Havana, Cuba. PHILLIPS was questioned about his relationship with STURGIS in Havana:

Q. Was FRANK FIORINI STURGIS working with you at the time [Havana 1959 to 1961]?

A. Never worked with me. And as far as I know, and I think I am in a position to know, never worked with the CIA.

Q. In a previous deposition Mr. STURGIS indicated he had done some work for you in Cuba in the early 1960's. Do you know why he would make that statement?

A. Yes. It's quite possible because of the fact that during the period which led up to the Bay of Pigs, I was responsible for all sorts of different operations which involved a group perhaps. And if the group were large, perhaps someone would say, uh-huh, this is PHILLIPS that I was working for. I don't recall having worked -

Q. (Interposing) On a one-on-one basis?

A. I might very well. I met a lot of people. I certainly don't recall.

Q. Did HUNT work with STURGIS during Bay of Pigs?

A. If they were I did not know about it. As a matter of fact, based on my experience in the CIA which had a long experience in Cuban and Latin American affairs, it's my belief that Mr. STURGIS never worked for the CIA.

Q. Okay. But you --

A. (Interposing) I am not saying he didn't know Mr. HUNT and might have worked with Mr. HUNT.

Q. Okay. But as far as your personal knowledge is concerned, you don't know --

A. (Interposing) Well, it is far beyond my personal knowledge. On many, many, occasions when I was CIA Chief of Latin American Operations at CIA, it was my job to answer inquiries from Congress, and people like that, about the affiliation of STURGIS - was he also FRANK FIORINI? Yes - his connections with the Agency. And I recall quite vividly that the answer always came up that he had not been on our payroll.

STURGIS also knew the Press Attache at the U.S. Embassy, Paul Bethel, Time correspondent Jay Mallin, and Military Attache Sam Kail. HEMMING told the HSCA that Sam Kail had trained Batista's troops, and was connected with the Bureau for Suppression of Communism. HEMMING stated Paul Bethel introduced him to PHILLIPS in Cuba and in the United States.

When STURGIS testified before the Rockefeller Commission he named several men who were his CIA contacts. Certain names were deleted. These might have been Ross Crozier and Sam Kail. He probably did not mention PHILLIPS. PHILLIPS reports generated in January 1959 would be helpful in determining if a relationship existed between the two men.

STURGIS: "Going back to the first week of the revolution in Santiago, I saved the life of a man by the name of Stretch Rubin...I took Stretch Rubin away from some rebel soldiers who wanted to shoot him. He had a bag of money on him...he was like a collector for the outfit...Later on I found out that he worked for Norman Rothman." During his deposition in HUNT v. ajweberman STURGIS was asked if he had contact with Rothman in the United States:

A. Well, I ran across him on the Beach with my Cuban friends. "Hello," "Goodbye," "Have drink" and then leave. That's it.

STURGIS told Michael Canfield: "The woman who was in charge of gambling, Pastora Nunez, was up in the mountains with me. It came under her Ministry. Fidel, one day at the Prime Minister's office, asked me if I would help Pastora Nunez with the gambling casinos. I told him yes, which of course, was a short time, because I had all these other jobs, and I was involved with all this intelligence work. I was in touch with all the Havana casino operators. I knew, I met, SANTOS TRAFFICANTE, I met the Lansky brothers, I met Charlie 'the Blade' Tourine. [born March 26, 1906] I knew Dominick Bartone [CIA 201-269,887] and Dino Cellini. I met Errol Flynn. Heh, heh. I met a lot of movie actors there. I had an office where I would issue casino licenses...that's where I got to meet many of the gaming house operators...Fidel ordered me to close the casinos for ten days. The owners knew he was planning to shut them down permanently. They were mad. Those casinos were worth $100 million a year to the national crime syndicate. Every important mob boss in the United States had points [a percentage] in the Cuban casinos. Each point was worth 30 to 100 grand. Meyer Lansky and TRAFFICANTE were the top men in Cuban gambling. Meyer Lansky had direct business dealings with Batista. TRAFFICANTE was in partnership with Norman Rothman. He had several casinos, including the Sans Souci. I met Mike McLaney there. He was in charge of the Casino Nacional."

STURGIS told the Rockefeller Commission: "Stretch Rubin introduced me to Jake Lansky...McLaney, I believe he was operating the National Hotel gambling casino. TRAFFICANTE Jr...At one time Fidel personally told me, FRANK, I am going to run all of these American gangsters out of Cuba...I am going to put them all in jail if possible...I didn't tell them at that time, at the beginning that Fidel was going to get rid of them. What I did do was make my inspection of all the casinos that came under my jurisdiction at the time, and advise them of the new laws that were being put into law, advise them of the tax stamps that had to go each piece of equipment."An FBI document confirmed: "In 1959 FRANK FIORINI was a government inspector of gambling at the Tropicana Night Club, Havana, Cuba."

Paul Meskil reported: "STURGIS was on friendly terms with several gambling racketeers, including Hyman Levine, a Lansky mobster who ran Havana's Comodoro casino. One evening, during a casual conversation, Levine observed that it would be 'worth a million' to the syndicate to get rid of Castro. STURGIS didn't rise to this bait and Levine changed the subject."In early 1959 STURGIS said that Charlie Tourine approached him and offered him one million dollars to assist the mob in killing Fidel Castro. Meyer Lansky had put out the contract on Castro. Meyer Lansky had left Havana shortly after Fulgencio Batista departed. Norman Rothman was to act as the go-between. Nevertheless, STURGIS still lacked the go-ahead from his contacts at the American Embassy, and discussed this with TRAFFICANTE, Charlie Tourine and John Rosselli.

In February 1959, two squads of assassins waited for STURGIS to get the "green light" from the CIA before dispatching them. STURGIS told Paul Meskil: "The first discussion of assassination with my CIA contacts was in February 1959. I was making reports on all the Communist activity in the military. I suggested that this would be a good time to assassinate Fidel. I said I would organize it and follow through. I would arrange an important conference at Campo Libertad. All the top commanders would come to the base in their jeeps and cars. I was going to station gunners on the roofs, set up a crossfire. I would have wiped out Fidel, his brother Raul, and all the top military commanders in 30 seconds. I asked my contact in the Embassy to get a green light on this. Whether this was to come from the top level in Washington or from a lower level I don't know. The whole idea was to kill all of them at once. Unfortunately if some of the anti-Communist officers were in there at the same time, they would have to go too. The lives of some of the anti-Communist commanders would have to be sacrificed in order to get Castro and his crew." STURGIS told Canfield: "When I was in Cuba there, I told my CIA contact, I said, look, pass the word upstairs, 'You want me to kill Fidel?' I'll kill him if he comes to the Air Force base. I'm here in control of the military police, of the security of all the Air Force bases in Cuba. I said, 'If he comes here with Ché, if he comes there with all the top military people, with many of the ministers, I can kill him in two minutes. If you people want it done, I will do it with my people...and I'll just wipe the whole three jeeps right out, just taking two minutes to do it. Or, if you want me to do it inside the base. But I am in a position to do it, see. Because I was very close with Fidel.'" The green light for the assassination was never given. STURGIS told the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin: "They wanted to know what my plan was and I said I would station my men on the rooftops of a billet near the entrance to the base and delay Castro's car as it entered. Then I was going to take off my cap as a signal to my men and they would have opened fire on him with machine guns. Well, they wanted to know how many innocent people I would have to kill and I said, 'Who cares?'" [Phil. Evening Bulletin 6.17.76]

STURGIS told the Rockefeller Commission: "My excuse was for the protection of the entourage, Fidel and the military commanders that he had with him, he had a hometown bunch with him...This information was given to the American Embassy. I again did these exercises to try to get a diversion that if I would get the nod to do the execution, that I would have some means of diversionary tactics to draw attention away from the people who did the execution...I would say about six weeks after the revolution was over with there was a great deal of discontent among many of the top ranking military officers...we all discussed the assassination then...They were split on the idea of assassinating them. So they asked my opinion. And I told them 'Well, in war, innocent people do get killed.' Nichols told me to standby." The second plan "came in the last part of February, if I am not mistaken. Things came to a fever pitch. Even the American Government, through other agents inside of Cuba, in the military and so forth, were getting a lot of information about Communist activity."

STURGIS claimed he recruited Commander Camello Cienfuegos on behalf of Colonel Nichols. Camello Cienfuegos gave him enough information "that one night when I broke into the Chief of the Army headquarters -- he was Chief of the Army. I broke into their files and I did photograph and steal documents. I turned them over to Colonel Nichols." On February 2, 1959 the FBI Miami generated a report on STURGIS 2 - 192 (field) and 2-1499 (Bureau). An FBI report entitled (Deleted) about STURGIS was generated on February 12, 1959, at Miami. [FBI 105-1643] On February 27, 1959, a document was generated by the FBI in Norfolk, Virginia, about STURGIS. [FBI 97-13 Field]

In February 1959 HEMMING, William Morgan and STURGIS secretly marshaled a invasion of Panama. STURGIS: "Morgan said he was preparing an invasion of Panama...he wanted me to be second in command." STURGIS told Paul Meskil: "Major Morgan spoke to me confidentially. He said he was preparing an invasion of Panama and the Canal Zone. He wanted me to be second in command of the expedition. I told him I was interested but not in a leadership position. I said, 'Bill you got to be crazy, the American Government's got a military force there. You're willing to go against your own country? He said, 'Hell, the U.S. never did anything for me.' The conspirators planned to overthrow the Panamanian Government and close the canal. They were going to send a ship, loaded with explosives, through the canal locks. They were going to blow up and sink the ship somewhere near the locks, so that the gates and locks would be destroyed. Morgan figured it would tie up the canal for at least two months. He was all set to go. He had the men, guns, ships, planes, everything. I contacted the American Embassy in Havana and notified the CIA agent in charge. I took Colonel Erickson Nichols to the airbase and showed him the camouflaged planes that were to be used for the invasion and I named all the people who were involved in the conspiracy." Those names included Margot Fonteyn, who was married to Roberto Arias, former Panamanian ambassador to Britain and son of a former president of Panama. The invasion was supposed to take place while Castro was visiting the United States. Pedro Diaz Lanz set up Camp Columbia, a training camp on the outskirts of Havana. Miro Cardona, a Panamanian national, called for the invasion. On March 3, 1959, the CIA received information that Miro Cardona "confirmed the fact that a group is ready to leave Cuba during the week." Roberto Arias rented a yacht and deposited an arms cache somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. On March 11, 1959, the CIA received information that the group intended to invade Panama.

STURGIS additionally expatriated himself by accepting an appointment on March 23, 1959, in the Cuban Air Force as a liaison officer with the United States Air Force in Cuba. The CIA reported: "Letter of March 23, 1959, reported Subject was appointed liaison officer between Cuban Air Force and United States; in March 1959 Subject stated to a Consular Officer that he was serving as chief security officer, Cuban Air Force, liaison officer, Cuban Air Force, and Cuban Government Inspector for gambling." [FS Telegram 1675; Havana 1.18.60] STURGIS: "Well the situation was getting very hot there. And I had to request from the Chief of the Air Force a document naming me as a go between liaison officer between the Cuban Air Force and the American Embassy. This was cover for me being in touch with American officials and the American Embassy." STURGIS presented a proclamation signed by Pedro Diaz Lanz to the American Embassy, Havana. An FBI report about STURGIS was generated on March 25, 1959, at Norfolk, Virginia. Subject: (Deleted) [97-100 Field, 2-1499 (Bureau)] STURGIS visited the Miami FBI Office on March 31, 1959. During an interview with Bureau representatives, STURGIS described himself as a captain in the Cuban Armed Forces and exhibited documents to this effect which he described as credentials. [FBI 2-149941] The titles and contents of two of these reports were withheld.

An FBI report on STURGIS was generated on April 6, 1959, at Miami, Florida. On April 7, 1959, STURGIS was of interest to the St. Louis, Missouri, FBI Office. [Field 97-109] The Norfolk, Virginia, FBI Office filed a report on STURGIS dated April 13, 1959. [Field 97-13] On April 18, 1959, a ship carrying 35 of "Morgan's Raiders" sailed from Cuba toward Panama. On April 18, 1959, after receiving a report that the invasion ship had left from a port under William Morgan's control, the Panamanian Government order Arias' arrest. Panamanian authorities found that John Wayne had deposited $525,000 in Arias' bank account between November 19, 1957 and April 5, 1959. John Wayne said he was partners with Arias in a shrimp-exporting business. Six days later the crew landed and were taken into custody by Panamanian authorities. STURGIS associate Alexander Rorke was waiting to rendezvous with the group. STURGIS and William Morgan were arrested in Cuba.

William Morgan was soon released. STURGIS stated: "In June 1959, the Cuban Intelligence did receive information that I was spying and the Second Chief of Cuban Intelligence -- who is my friend to this day -- asked to speak with me across the street from the Havana Hilton at night time, and told me to leave the country immediately because I was going to be placed under arrest for spying against, being a traitor, and this was the Second Chief of Cuban Intelligence."

The Panamanian "invasion," such as it was, was a provocation that took Fidel Castro by surprise; he was obliged to publicly dissociate himself from it. HEMMING told this researcher: "The Panama thing went bad in the latter part of February 1959 and everyone was on their guard. This wasn't sanctioned by Fidel, it wasn't sanctioned by anybody. And none of the assholes that went on this invasion were rebels, they hadn't been in the mountains, they all had short hair. The guy that organized the Panama invasion was William Pawley. He suckered John Wayne's people and everybody into the thing. Pawley met him when they were making a movie about the Flying Tigers."

In early June 1959, Fidel Castro fired 25 of his top Rebel Air Force officers, including Pedro Diaz Lanz. Pedro Diaz Lanz said he had a dispute with Fidel Castro that month over Communist infiltration of the Cuban Armed Services. An order went out to eliminate Pedro Diaz Lanz. Fidel Castro suspected him of having sabotaged a plane which crashed with Raoul Castro aboard. In 1977 Pedro Diaz Lanz told HSCA investigator Gaeton Fonzi that Fidel Castro had assassinated two of his brothers, one an artist who was apolitical, and the other an invalid.

On June 17, 1959, the FBI sent this memo to its Miami Field Office "ReBulet to MM, captioned as above, dated June 5, 1959, instructing Miami to furnish information regarding activities of Subject [STURGIS] and recommendation for approach to him (Deleted). On June 9, 1959, (Deleted) Investigators, INS, Miami, Florida, advised S.A. (Deleted) that that office had no current information regarding or interest in the Subject. On June 9, 1959, (Deleted) Investigator, U.S. Customs Service, Miami, advised S.A. (Deleted) that his office had no pending investigation regarding subject and was in possession of no information not previously disseminated to the Miami Office." [FBI-2-1499-29 highly deleted - page 3 withheld]

FRANK STURGIS returned to the United States from Cuba on June 25, 1959. STURGIS told the Rockefeller Commission that he flew a plane that was registered in his name to Miami. At first, STURGIS and his wife were living in Norfolk, Virginia. He spent much of his time in Washington, D.C., trying to renew his pilot's license and nullify the cancellation of the registration of the B-25 bomber he had left Cuba in. On July 1, 1959, STURGIS claimed he went into Cuba and carried out the exfiltration of Pedro Diaz Lanz, despite a shoot-on-sight order issued by Fidel Castro. The CIA claimed it "clandestinely exfiltrated Pedro Diaz Lanz from Cuba." Wallace Shanley recalled: "Before Pedro Diaz Lanz left he took over Radio Havana for an hour. A car was waiting, and they beat it out of there." Pedro Diaz Lanz appeared on national television, then traveled to Washington and testified before the Senate Internal Security Sub-Committee.

Wallace Shanley stated that Pedro Diaz Lanz supplied him with copies of Fidel Castro's letters of credit, ordering strategic items from the Soviet Union through the Bank of Nova Scotia, Canada. Wallace Shanley recalled: "Lanz was a high class guy. Of all the people I've met of the Cuban persuasion, he is the finest one. He was very pro-American, but he was also pro-Cuban. He wanted very much to believe that Fidel was the answer. Fidel was the answer, he was the blessing of that country, it needed one during Batista's day. Cuba was victimized by American capitalism. It was one big Texas border town. No housing, schools or hospitals. Tin shacks. Pedro thought: 'They got rid of the capitalists, and Fidel was giving Cuba a tremendous leap forward.' In this respect, one day, there was an airstrip in Fort Lauderdale called Prospect Hills. It wasn't used much, it was an auxiliary field during the second World War. It was now a pumping station. Well, when a meter reader went out there and discovered Lanz's Lodstar being loaded with arms, he reported it to me. I soon located the aircraft, empty, in West Palm beach. I didn't have a case. Pedro was there. He had $200,000 in $100 bills in a paper bag. He offered me the money and asked me not to seize his plane. He said, 'We have to use people like FIORINI to get it registered in America. That's the hard part of it.'"

In the Fall of 1959 the State Department was about to honor Cuba's request for the extradition of Pedro Diaz Lanz. Pedro Diaz Lanz was viewed by many liberals as a traitor and a criminal. HUNT wrote that the attacks against him "recalled liberal attacks on Senator Joe McCarthy." After Pedro Diaz Lanz was re-subpoenaed by the Senate Internal Security Committee, the extradition proceedings were dropped.

HUNT gave Pedro Diaz Lanz a job as a pilot with the Cuban Revolutionary Front, despite the objections of the State Department. The State Department considered Pedro Diaz Lanz an "unstable reactionary." In Give Us This Day HUNT wrote: "I saw a haggard unshaven young man in a flying jacket...his eyes burned in his gaunt face. I told him I admired his exploits. He and his friends had contributed some funds as a down payment on an old B-25. DAVID PHILLIPS underwrote a loan of $4,000 for an overhaul." STURGIS told the Rockefeller Commission: "E. HOWARD HUNT gave X amount of thousands of dollars to, at least okayed this money for the B-25 bomber to be repaired and then readied in condition for any operations inside of Cuba." When questioned under oath, Pedro Diaz Lanz denied he met HOWARD HUNT. [Lanz Depo. HUNT v. ajweberman] Evidence existed that Diaz Lanz was over-hauling an aircraft at this time. On January 9, 1961, the CIA noted:

1. The alleged $2,800 payment is presumed to be part of the money given to Pedro Diaz Lanz by Saralegui as a personal loan in support of Pedro Diaz Lanz's anti-Castro activities.

2. Pedro Diaz Lanz is, of course, preparing his aircraft for the Vuelo de Verdad and instructions given by him to aircraft technicians including the possible use of national flags on the nose of the aircraft would confirm that Pedro Diaz Lanz intends to visit a number of countries.

3. BERNARD BARKER says that he has met STURGIS on only one occasion with a group of people and has never seen him before or since. The alleged address of BARKER provided by STURGIS is not correct.

4. It is to be noted that STURGIS has lost the confidence of Diaz Lanz and has been treating with such people as Rasco in an attempt to involve himself in anti-Castro activity. You will note that Diaz Lanz expressed concern that STURGIS "might get involved in such a way that impair the plans of anti-Castro groups."

5. Pedro Diaz Lanz alleges that he and his people are being 'hounded' by federal agents and inspectors whose interest in their plans has been piqued by plane overhauling activities and that these federal officials asked leading and provocative questions.

6. The entire Executive Committee of the Cuban Revolutionary Front, or course, as well as the propaganda commission is fully acquainted with preparatory plans for the flight and it is, therefore, not strange that the plans have become known outside that immediate group.

7. However, a review of the Customs report, together with the above, would indicate that the essential element of plausible denial still remains." [CIA 201-259,129]

Prior to the Bay of Pigs invasion of April 1961, HUNT made BARKER his chief assistant. The CIA: "As a result of his excellent record with the CIA in Havana, and favorable assessment by a senior CIA official in Miami in January 1960, BARKER was hired under a contractual relationship with the CIA Miami Office effective April 4, 1960, at the rate of $300 per month for full time service." BARKER was asked about this in the course of HUNT v. ajweberman: "I worked for Mr. HUNT in the Bay of Pigs invasion. This training I received with the rest of the Cubans from a government agency." Aside from HUNT, BARKER'S Case Officers were Joseph S. Piccolo of Western Hemisphere Division/4 and Jacob D. Esterline. The CIA: "Mr. HUNT was assigned to the Agency's Cuban Operations in (deleted). In that connection he was Mr. BARKER'S supervisor (deleted)."

BARKER would soon be viewed by the CIA as a security problem since he was strongly associated with the CIA in the exiles thinking and "statements or opinions expressed by him concerning various individuals or exile groups were either mistaken for 'official leaks' or 'policy.'" A recently released handwritten CIA document, titled BERNARD BARKER, reviewed his early activities for the CIA:

1. April 1960 (deleted) in contact on station orders with (deleted) who was to give (deleted) a monthly accounting of Agency support.

2. April 1960 (deleted) in contact on station orders with (deleted) ordered to obtain report of (deleted) Latin American trip, including his diary & paper on (deleted) thinking on and current status of PM activities. Knows (deleted) is station asset.

3. Worked with Frank Bender in handling (deleted) .

4. POA granted (deleted) on May 9, 1960, for use in political action opa in (deleted).

5. In contact with Tony Varona. Acted as go-between with Varona/Bender.

6. Also knows (deleted) by his true name.

7. (Deleted) his wife Clara, worked on (deleted) Project. Wife was translator. (Illegible) Feb 1961 POA granted on Clara on March 15, 1961.

8. (Illegible) HOWARD HUNT (deleted) was being handled administratively by (deleted) June 20, 1961.

9. (deleted) involved with ransoming Brigade prisoners from Cuba.

10. Considered to work with (deleted) intelligence service (WAVE 335 February 13, 1962 (deleted).

11. Knows (deleted) under true names.

BERNARD BARKER was acquainted with Alexander Rorke.

Alexander Irwin Rorke Jr. (born August 9, 1926) was a close associate of FRANK STURGIS. [FBI 97-4623-46- 9.12.61] Alexander Rorke was the son of a New York City Assistant District Attorney. In 1919, Alexander Rorke Sr. (born June 29, 1877; died January 1967), prosecuted and convicted the founders of the Communist Party of the United States. He then became a New York State Appellate Judge. Alexander Rorke Jr. was a graduate of St. John's University and attended the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Alexander Rorke served as a military intelligence specialist during World War II, responsible for the security of five German provinces. He participated in the capture of SS men, and in the first postwar roundup of Communist agents in the Allied military zones of Germany. Returning to college after the war, Rorke who was 6' 3" tall and weighed 200 pounds, became a track star and Forensic Commissioner of the National Federation of Catholic College Students, and an undefeated inter-collegiate debating champion. He was an FBI clerk from February 5, 1951, to May 11, 1951. In 1952 he married Jacqueline Billingsley. The father of Jacqueline Billingsley, Sherman Billingsley, was a former bootlegger with several convictions, who owned a Manhattan night club known as The Stork Club. The Stork Club was frequented by numerous organized crime figures as well as by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Alex Rorke was acquainted with Dominick Bartone.

When Fidel Castro came to power mobster Dominick Bartone attempted to win his favor by smuggling him several plane loads of arms. Dominick Bartone worked out a deal with Jimmy Hoffa in which the Teamsters Union would lend a "Cleveland Group"$300,000 to buy several surplus cargo-aircraft. Then Dominick Bartone would supply the arms and the pilot who would fly the plane to Cuba. Dominick Bartone was indicted for this activity. [FBI 105-70973]

STURGIS claimed that circa May 1959 he set up a meeting between William Morgan and national crime syndicate associate Frank Nelson. Frank Nelson had been a friend of Fulgencio Batista, and had previously owned a good deal of Cuba's lobster industry. STURGIS said Frank Nelson informed William Morgan he represented the interests of Raphael Trujillo, and could offer William Morgan $500,000 for his cooperation in organizing a Cuban invasion from the Dominican Republic. William Morgan allegedly accepted the offer.

On May 1, 1959, the FBI received a report of funds being funneled to William Morgan: "Within the past few days $25,000 was delivered to William Morgan...William Morgan has reportedly agreed to establish a new revolutionary anti-Castro front in the Escambray area...Carlos Prio...and the Dominican Republic are supplying the other arms and equipment...According to the source, Fulgencio Batista and Orlando Piedra are making large contributions." [FBI 105-70973 - Morgan] The anti-Castro forces in the Dominican Republic were led by General Jose Pedraza, who had served under Batista.

Alexander Rorke told the FBI that Dominick Bartone supplied a plane "which was used by the Cubans and Dominicans for the invasion of the Dominican Republic which took place on June 19, 1959." [CIA OS 8.24.62 Sheffield Edwards] On June 25, 1959, the Miami FBI was instructed to clarify "the statement in retel to effect that William Morgan was with Dominick Bartone, who was arrested May 22, 1959, by Customs, Miami, relative to seizure of plane loaded with arms for Dominican Republic. Miami should advise statements source and basis for allegation that William Morgan visited Miami in order to receive $10,000 from Dominican Consul Ferrando." Headquarters was advised that according to a source of the Miami Field Office, William Morgan met with [FNU] Ferrando in Room 1133R of Dupont Plaza Motel in Miami, a room registered to Dominick Bartone. The FBI received information that William Morgan was awaiting "arrival in the Dominican Republic of $200,000 worth of guns" which allegedly had been purchased in England by Amadeo Barleta, who had been the Subject of a Bureau investigation during World War II for being a "rabid pro-Fascist." [FBI 100-344127-NR 7.2.59] On August 10, 1959, a CIA source reported that William Morgan met with Dominick Bartone and several anti-Castro Cubans at Dominick Bartone's home in Miami. William Morgan was given $140,000 in cash. The CIA discovered that Dominick Bartone was sending William Morgan money through a Panamanian bank. When William Morgan returned to Havana he publicly declared that he had received $75,000 from counter-revolutionaries.

Had STURGIS introduced William Morgan to Dominick Bartone, rather than to Frank Nelson? Peter Clapper of the Rockefeller Commission noted on May 6, 1975: "Bob: It may be of interest that Dominick Bartone, a mafia member in Cleveland, has told the Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Mary Wogel that he was hired in 1959 by STURGIS to help with assassination plotting against Fidel Castro. Ms. Wogel called to volunteer the information." [CIA RCD 5.6.75 mistakenly labeled by Archives as HSCA 180-10107-10419]

STURGIS formed the International Anti-Communist Brigade (IACB) on July 4, 1959. STURGIS claimed its first action was to land 20 men in Cuba who would then compose the core of an anti-Castro guerrilla group in the Escambray Mountains. On July 6, 1959, STURGIS said that five East Germans were expected by the Cuban Government to assist Cuban military forces, probably as instructors. On July 13, 1959, a CIA Routing Slip regarding STURGIS to Mr. Kulen remarked, "CIA Official Routing Slip TO: (Deleted) See request for FBI approval! Kulen advises he has discussed w/00/C [Domestic Contacts Division or DCD]. FBI has an interest & requests 00/C delay contact w/Subject. From (Deleted)." [Unmarked CIA ref. to F 81-0351 D0349; Allen v. DOD 00632 521; CIA D00577] The FBI received information on July 27, 1959, that STURGIS reportedly accepted an unidentified amount of money from Rolando Masferrer for a purpose which was not stated: "Informant said that apparently FIORINI did not produce results for Rolando Masferrer, and Rolando Masferrer reportedly had his goons looking for FIORINI." [FBI 100-344127-26 p16] In September 1959 the FBI at Miami, Florida, generated a document about STURGIS. [Date illegible]

In August 1959 Alexander Rorke flew to Cuba to finalize the plans for the invasion of Cuba from the Dominican Republic with William A. Morgan. When he arrived at the home of William A. Morgan, he was arrested by the G-2. Alexander Rorke was incarcerated from August 9, 1959 to August 14, 1959. Alexander Rorke criticized the State Department for not having gotten him released quickly enough. The reason he was arrested was that William Morgan had reported the plot to Fidel Castro, so when a plane-load of Trujillo's men landed in a sugar cane field outside Havana the next day, the militia arrested them. An FBI informant explained: "In mid-August 1959 an anti-Castro group in Cuba began fighting, but William Morgan double-crossed the anti-Fidel Castro forces and through his actions entrapped a plane that was sent from the Dominican Republic in answer to a false broadcast by William Morgan for aid by the anti-Castro forces then fighting. (Deleted) other forces from the Dominican Republic which were prepared to leave to fight in Cuba were canceled..." [FBI MM 2-225] The CIA reported: "Rorke recently returned from Cuba where he was held without charge from August 9, 1959 to August 14, 1959. Had gone to photograph invasion of that country by a force from U.S. and had made arrangements by a friend in Miami to be advised two days prior to invasion. The friend was Dominick Bartone." The FBI reported that Rolando Masferrer met with "Norman Rothman, hoodlum and gangster, Miami Beach, August 1959, concerning double cross of William Morgan, but Rolando Masferrer reportedly does not want anything to do with any plot to assassinate William Morgan...Informant said that also they discussed having an American crime syndicate sign a contract to produce the assassination of Morgan on behalf of Raphael Trujillo, Dominican Dictator, who would furnish money. (Deleted) Masferrer does not want to take part in any plans to assassinate Morgan, and does not plan to become a party to such a plot...Rothman is in contact with Enrique A. Garcia, an employee Dominican Republic delegation to the United Nations, who is also in contact with Masferrer." [FBI 100-344127-26 - pages 11 to 14 w/h]

William Morgan told Fidel Castro that Alexander Rorke had no part in the Dominican plot; Alexander Rorke was released and deported, having spent nine days in a Cuban jail. William Morgan became "the Yankee who saved the revolution." As a reward, he was given a frog leg farm outside Havana. Alexander Rorke returned to New York City. Rorke told the FBI about his experiences as a prisoner of Castro: "Rorke advised that in August 1959, he had gone to Cuba on a T.V. news assignment and to participate in counter-revolutionary matters. He stated that while there he was arrested on orders of Raul Castro, was shot at, subjected to round-the-clock interrogation and 'brainwashing attempts.' He stated he was held for nine days at the Cuban Army Base, Camp Libertad, located outside Havana."

On September 17, 1959, the CIA generated an index card about Dominick Bartone titled "Regarding Association with William Alexander Morgan, 201-251145, and Information Concerning a Plot to Assassinate Castro."

In November 1959 Rorke was interviewed by radio station WABC in New York City: "Rorke indicated he had received many threatening telephone calls at his home after his initial interview with WABC regarding his derogatory remarks concerning Fidel Castro. He stated that while he was held prisoner in Havana he was told that he would be taken care of by Castro agents working in the United States if he spoke out against Castro's regime. He indicated there was a large Castro espionage ring working in the United States with personnel operating on diplomatic passports. His information, Rorke claimed, came from such persons as Major William Morgan. Rorke further advised that he had been approached in the United States by one Frank De Llunde who had worked for Castro in the United States during the revolution. De Llunde advised Rorke to stop criticizing the Castro regime. The report went on to indicate the details of Rorke's meetings with various other individuals, including Frank Nelson, an American who formerly operated a frozen food business in Cuba, and Dominick Bartone, President of the International Trading Company. According to Rorke, Bartone was apparently involved in arms and plane sales and one of these planes had delivered revolutionaries into Nicaragua. Rorke believed that Bartone also sold the plane which was used by the Cubans and Dominicans for the invasion of the Dominican Republic on June 19, 1959. Rorke indicated he had been in contact with Cuban exiles, namely General Manual Benitez and Dr. Emilo Nunez Portuondo."

On November 17, 1959, Rorke advised the FBI that (deleted). [FBI 109-12-223-273 encl. P.1 also see FBI 105-82088-14 p.1 first ref. to Rorke totally deleted] On November 30, 1959 the NY Office of the FBI advised " that during the past two months they had been in contact with Rorke who was held by Cuban authorities in Havana during August 1959. Rorke had maintained contact with various revolutionary groups and individuals in the U.S. such as (deleted)." [FBI 66-2542-3-34-5111 p.3] On December 20, 1959, Rorke told the FBI (Deleted). [FBI 97-3222-8 p.1,2; w/h in entirety FBI 97-4623-179 pages 5, 19]

On September 29, 1959, the FBI generated File #97-227, subject, Albert Henry Lopez Lopez. STURGIS was mentioned in this report. [CIA FOIA F81-0351 D0532] The CIA reported: "Subject [STURGIS] left for the Dominican Republic on weekend October 10, 1959, traveling with Enrique A. Garcia, registered Dominican Agent. [CIA DBF 35573 10.26.59] On October 27, 1959, STURGIS and Pedro Diaz Lanz began flying a series of "leafleting raids" over Havana. The Cuban Government reported:

INVESTIGATION:

Republic of Cuba.

Ministry of National Defense. Army.

Headquarters of the DIER (Department of Investigation of Rebel Army).

Ciudad Libertad. October 27, 1959.

To His Honor the Judge of Investigations of the Sixth Section. Havana. Sir. The undersigned, Abelardo Colome Ibarra, Commander of the Rebel Army, Chief, Department Investigations, Rebel Army, has the honor to inform you that, by reason of events which took place on October 22, 1959 in the city of Havana, wherein airplanes or small light aircrafts participated, which vessels, according to existing news supposedly came from some part in the North American territory; said planes having dropped manifestos and shrapnel over defenseless people, I delegated on the Police Agents of this body Ramon Rodriguez Acuna and Luis Cambrana who, in the course of their investigations learning the following: That on the said date, in the afternoon hours, two or more airplanes or small light aircrafts dropped from above the city some subversive propaganda slips whereby defamation was made of the Cuban Government and its Revolutionary Laws. Also they dropped shrapnel where the greatest concentration of public was found at the said time; especially where people assemble to get off buses, thus causing a sad balance of numerous persons wounded to different degrees, also two dead, about which occurrence the proper authorities are already aware of through the actuations carried out at the various stations of the National Revolutionary Police. Likewise, the said Agents have known that the attacking planes were piloted by individuals disaffected to the Revolutionary Government under the direction of Ex-Commander Pedro Diaz Lanz, who was formerly, and until very recently, Chief of the FAR (Revolutionary Air Force)...they managed to know that as the site known as 'Esquina de Tejas' was one of the places most effected by the throwing of shrapnel from airplanes or small light aircrafts, the result was several persons wounded and a man killed in consequence of the wounds suffered of which fact the Judge of the Sixth Investigation Section, Havana, is already informed, this being the court where case number 3007-59, was established, duly informed regarding the crimes of Imperfect Homicide, Infraction to Law 425-959, Serious Injuries and others.

The shrapnel was later identified as fragments from a grenade. In all, 40 people were wounded and two were killed during the "leafleting mission."

STURGIS: "The CIA gave me the money for the plane. Lanz was pilot, I was co-pilot. The big guns at the Navy Station and the Cabana fortress opened up, but the angle of the guns was such that they were firing from the heights, into the city. At least 36 people were killed or wounded. When we returned to Miami, the Customs Service took the plane."

The FBI reported: "On October 27, 1959, (Deleted), Aircraft Review Section, Federal Aviation Agency, Washington, D.C. made available to S.A. (Deleted) for review, the file for the North American Model TB-25N, Serial Number 44-288874A, Registration Number 9876-C. A bill of sale dated October 6, 1958 described the seller and purchaser, respectively, as the U.S. Air Force, Norton Air Force Base, San Bernardino, California, and Aviation Rental Service, Fleming Field, South St. Paul, Minnesota. The B-25 was sold for $2,190. By bill of sale dated April 13, 1959, Aviation Rental Service sold same to Ben W. Widtfeldt, in care of Biegert Aviation, Sky Harbor, Phoenix, Arizona. On May 12, 1959, Widtfeldt sold same to FRANK A. FIORINI, 2160 Southwest 4th Street, Miami, for $1 and other valuable consideration. FIORINI, as owner, applied for certificate of registration on May 12, 1959, and received same on July 13, 1959. At this point McDaniel advised that FIORINI in the company of an unidentified male, appeared personally at the Federal Aviation Agency, Washington, D.C. to receive the certificate of registration for this aircraft.

"By letter dated September 4, 1959 Carlos B. Fernandez, attorney, Congress Building, Miami, Florida, who on his letterhead described himself as "Vice Consul, Uruguay (Hon.)," wrote the Federal Aviation Agency regarding the above aircraft stating he represented the Government of Cuba, which is the true and rightful owner of said aircraft. Fernandez said at the time of the purchase of the aircraft, FIORINI was acting on behalf of the present Government of Cuba and the funds which were used to purchase it were provided by the present Government of Cuba. Fernandez said on behalf of the Government of Cuba he was filing a suit in the Circuit Court of Dade County to determine the true owner of said aircraft." [FBI 2-1499-45]

STURGIS: "I suspect that the man who sold me the airplane did work for the CIA." On October 21, 1959 STURGIS and Pedro Diaz Lanz flew a leafleting mission to Cuba. On October 30, 1959 U.S. Customs impounded STURGIS' B-25 on the grounds the owners did not obtain an export license for the leaflets.

STURGIS stated: 'In December 1959 he "went to Guatemala with Diaz Lanz for a meeting with the President, to arrange for bases there for the invasion forces. And naturally, there were Cuban and Russian agents there, so there were big headlines in all the newspapers. All over Latin America on the television and on the radio, that I was there trying to get bases, to invade Cuba. I had to leave the country because of all the publicity. In order for the United States Government to protect itself, when I got back a (unintelligible) grabbed me and lifted my citizenship, which was a ploy on their part to appease Fidel."

CIA documents verified the fact STURGIS and Pedro Lanz did try to approach Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes.

COUNTRY CUBA/GUATEMALA Report No. TDCS-3/424,841

SUBJECT: Activities in Guatemala of Marcos Diaz Lanz, Cuban Exile

DATE DISTR. January 19, 1960.

DATE OF INFO: December 1959 to January 1960.

(Deleted) January 18, 1960.

Appraisal 2 (AS TO REPORTORIAL ACCURACY)

This is UNEVALUATED information. Source of gradings are definitive.

Appraisal of contents is tentative.

SOURCE: American Resident of Mexico in contact with anti-Castro Groups.

1. According to Marcos Diaz Lanz, former Deputy Chief of the Cuban Rebel Air Force in exile since July 1959, prior to his trip to Guatemala he and an unidentified companion met with Arturo Ramirez Pinto, Guatemalan Ambassador in Washington, D.C. Ramirez granted Diaz a visa and scheduled a meeting between Diaz and Guatemalan President Miguel Ydigoras for December 29, 1959, the day that Diaz was supposed to arrive in Guatemala. Diaz described Ramirez as extremely outspoken concerning Guatemalan support of anti-Castro activities. On arrival in Guatemala Diaz found out Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes was out of town. On December 30, 1959, Diaz Lanz met Lt. Eugenio Perez Cowley in his hotel lobby. Diaz Lanz described Eugenio Perez Cowley as an agent in Guatemala of Ché Guevara, leftist head of the National Bank of Cuba, and after meeting Eugenio Perez Cowley, he was not disposed to meet Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes. A few days later, Pedro Diaz Lanz was told by a police agent that he should leave Guatemala, as pressure was being put on the Guatemalan Government. TDCS-3/421,283 reported that Eugenio Perez Cowley had been assigned to the Cuban Embassy, Guatemala, to engage in covert activities on behalf of the Cuban Government.

2. Diaz Lanz blames Jorge Garcia Granados, personal advisor to President Ydigoras, and the Communists for his expulsion from Guatemala. According to Diaz Lanz, this purpose of this trip was to move anti-Castro operations out of the United States, utilizing the sympathy of other Latin Americans to foster support to take the pressure off the U.S. in the eyes of Latin America. While in Guatemala, Diaz Lanz said that he spoke with (FNU) Gonzalez Simi...and other high ranking figures in the Guatemalan Army, who appeared to by sympathetic toward the anti-Castro cause. (Headquarters Comment: Carlos Gonzalez Simi is private secretary to President Ydigoras. Ruben Gonzalez Simi is Minister of Defense).

A follow up report stated: "Ramiro De La Fe, Cuban exile who had helped Diaz Lanz while in Guatemala, and the brother or Ernesto, who is imprisoned in Cuba, said that the real reason for Diaz Lanz mission to Guatemala was to ask Ydigoras permission to use Guatemalan territory as a base of operations for a campaign to overthrow Castro. According to De La Fe, Diaz Lanz brothers claimed that they had visited (illegible) and everything there was arranged. They also claimed to have all the money, arms and men necessary. De La Fa said that Sergio Diaz Brui and FRANK STURGIS, who had accompanied Marcos to Guatemala, had returned to Miami, but he did not mention the departure plans of Marcos Diaz." [CIA Report Nos. TDCS 3/423,897 1.8.60, 3/423,455, 3/424,841 1.19.60]

A CIA index card reported: "Arrived in Guatemala December 30, 1959, and contacted Colonel Oscar Morales Lopez who chief of Aviateca (Guat airline); also with Subject was Captain Sergio Diaz and Captain Pedro Diaz Lanz. They wished to talk with President Ydigoras to explain Castro intends to control CA; they desire obtain moral support of Guatemala and impress need to unite CA against Castro." [CIA CS 3 423455]

The FBI reported that on "January 7, 1960 (Deleted) INS, Miami, advised that FRANK FIORINI, INS, reported to that office on January 7, 1960, and furnished a statement under oath concerning his connection with and membership in, the Cuban Armed Forces, denying any membership or association which would in any way jeopardize his citizenship status." The FBI Office in Miami advised the INS that this was untrue: "In response for a request for any pertinent admissible evidence concerning this matter, your office in Miami was advised that Subject had voluntarily appeared at this Bureau's headquarters on March 31, 1959, at which time during an interview by Bureau representatives he described himself as a captain in the Cuban armed forces and exhibited documents which he described as credentials to this effect." [FBI 2-1499-41] On January 14, 1960 the FBI reported: "Today, (Deleted) investigator for the INS advised State Department interested in FIORINI case and was making inquiry, central office, INS, which office phoned (Deleted) directly instructing him to expeditiously prepare detailed brief of proposed presentation of facts before hearing. (Deleted) advised of the information from (Deleted) without divulging (Deleted's) identity, on January 14, 1960, and was asked whether the testimony of these Cuban officials was desired. (Deleted) said that he could not give any assurance that an INS meeting is going to be held because this matter is being handled on the Washington level and is a hot potato. He indicated that proceedings against the Subject did not depend so much on available evidence as it did on the feelings of the State Department. (Deleted)."

On March 21, 1960, file #2-192 (Bureau File #2-1499) was generated. It concerned STURGIS. On April 25, 1960 (Deleted) Office of Security, United States Department of State had decreed that FRANK ANTHONY STURGIS was held to have expatriated himself under Section 349 (A) (3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act by accepting, on March 23, 1959, an appointment by the Cuban Air Force as Liaison Officer between the Cuban Air Force and the United States Air Force. A certificate of loss of nationality was approved January 29, 1960. [FBI 2-1449-49]

On February 24, 1960, (Deleted) INS, advised that a hearing was held in the office on February 23, 1960, for the purpose of determining whether Subject was subject to deportation on the basis that he entered the United States illegally without a visa, being an alien, upon return from Guatemala. The hearing was to provide evidence showing Subject to have expatriated himself due to service in the Cuban Armed Forces, subsequent to January 1, 1959, as provided in Section 349A of the Immigration and Naturalization Act. (Deleted) explained that the U.S. Department of State had already issued a Certificate of Loss of Nationality to Subject, thereby placing the burden of proof on him to show that he had, in fact, not lost his citizenship through such service. Deleted said that Subject recited the 5th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution when asked pertinent questions regarding his connection with the Cuban Armed Forces, but that a decision formerly rendered by the Board of Appeals of INS held that at such a hearing, should the defendant remain mute or claim the 5th Amendment, material bearing upon that point could be duly entered into evidence." [FBI Miami 2-1499-45]

On April 26, 1960, (Deleted) Investigator, INS, Miami, Florida, advised that Luke White, Special Inquiry Officer for INS, had just handed down a decision regarding the expatriation hearings being held by that office concerning FIORINI. FIORINI was held to have voluntarily expatriated himself through service in the Armed Forces of Cuba, subsequent to January 1, 1959, and has been ordered excluded from admission to the U.S. Consequently, through loss of U.S. citizenship, FIORINI would have needed alien documents to properly enter the U.S. on his return from Guatemala on January 6, 1960. (Deleted) said that FIORINI holds citizenship in no other country and is therefore a stateless person. (Deleted) said that FIORINI would theoretically be ordered to return to Guatemala, but that no decision had yet been reached in this concern."

Senator George Smathers intervened and another hearing was scheduled.

On May 5, 1960, an informant for the United States Border Patrol reported that "he went to FIORINI'S residence evening of May 5, 1960, and was issued a military uniform and boots. (Deleted) related this source said 28 individuals scheduled to participate in an invasion against Cuba, but FIORINI himself would not go. Two M-1 rifles and two carbines were shown to this source by FIORINI, and source said these men are being trained for rifle practice in the Everglades." [FBI 2-1499-48, 49] On May 10, 1960 the Headquarters of the FBI generated a document about STURGIS entitled "Neutrality Matters." On May 10, 1960, the FBI sent a memo to the State Department Office of Security about STURGIS. On May 13, 1960, a document about STURGIS was generated by the Miami Field Office of the FBI.

On August 4, 1960, STURGIS' appeal was pending before the Board of Immigration Appeals in Washington, D.C. On August 4, 1960, (Deleted) Special Details Officer, U.S. Border Patrol, Miami advised the FBI that a source informed him that FIORINI was inactive in the anti-Castro field. [FBI 2-1499-50] On August 11, 1960, FBI File #Norfolk 97-13 (Bureau file #2-1499) was generated about STURGIS. Subject: (Deleted). On August 18, 1960, the FBI generated an addition to Miami Field Office File #2-192 about STURGIS. Another FBI document on STURGIS was generated on August 24, 1960, at Norfolk, Virginia. On August 30, 1960, the CIA reported: "Subject's pilot's certificate has been revoked by FAA and his appeal of the order expatriating him is still pending." [CIA DBF 56442(?)]

FBI reports were generated on STURGIS in Norfolk on September 28, 1960, and Miami, October 27, 1960, Washington December 16, 1960, Neutrality Matters, Miami, December 28, 1960. Howard Osborne of the CIA's Office of Security reported to Arnold Parham of the FBI that "In December 1960, an informant of the FBI who lived with Subject at that time said subject claimed he was working with and being sponsored by the Agency for some future military action against the Government of Cuba."

On June 30, 1960, J.C. King, Chief / Western Hemisphere Division, generated this Memorandum For the Record: "General Cabell called to say that he in turn had been called by Andy Goodpaster. A friend of the President's, Alexander I. Roarke, Jr. of NBC had telephoned to offer information which he thought might be of interest pertaining to Cuba and possibly the Dominican Republic... Action has been given to Mr. Reyolds and he has been authorized to use an 00 man in New York to make the first contact with Roarke. I am to report back to General Cabell." In July 1960, pursuant to a request from OO/Contacts Division, CIA File EE-27955 was opened on Alexander Rorke. In 1975 the CIA described Alexander Rorke as "former witting collaborator (relationship terminated)."

July 6, 1960

MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief WHD

SUBJECT: Alexander I. Roarke, Jr.

1. Pursuant to a request at the end of last week from General Goodpasture of the White House, a representative of OO/C in New York City interviewed the Subject on July 5, 1960.

2. Following a rambling narrative of this experiences over the years in Central America and the Caribbean, Mr. Roarke came to this major, which was the most capable Cuban exiled military leader, and the one who is most deserving of U.S. support is Pedro Diaz Lanz. Mr. Roarke knows Diaz Lanz and was planning to appear with Diaz Lanz on a television program...Mr. Roarke considers Diaz Lanz superior to General Pedraza, Francisco Cajigas and Antonio Varona, all of whom he claims to know.

STURGIS was still determined to kill Fidel Castro. One of his plots utilized the personal secretary of Fidel Castro, Juan Orta (born May 27, 1906), to plant a bomb in the office of the Prime Minister. STURGIS told Paul Meskil that he had recruited Juan Orta for anti-Castro espionage in post-revolutionary Havana: "I had access to the prime minister's office, I knew Fidel's private secretary, Juan Orta. I recruited him to work with the Embassy. I planned to go to Fidel's office with a briefcase full of explosives which I would leave there. When Fidel entered the office a signal would be given and the bomb would be set off by an electronic device across the street." Juan Orta had entered the United States in July 1955. In 1957 he became President of the 26th of July Club in Miami and was charged with making false statements to a Federal Grand Jury in U.S. District Court there. Judge Emmett Choate accepted the guilty plea of Juan Orta and levied a fine of $400 against him. Juan Orta and Carlos Prio Soccarras were the Subjects of Federal indictments for Neutrality Act violations in 1958. Orta and Prio were ordered to appear in Federal Court in New York City. [FBI 109-430-2202 10.29.58] Juan Orta had been serving as an intermediary between Fidel Castro and Carlos Prio Soccarras. When their case came to trial in 1959, both Carlos Prio Soccarras and Juan Orta received suspended sentences, after obtaining a change of venue from New York to Miami. In January 1960 Juan Orta was in charge of the Castro plan to kidnap Pedro Diaz Lanz. The CIA noted: "In 1959 and 1960 STURGIS was very closely connected with Pedro Diaz Lanz." In April 1961 Juan Orta sought, and was granted, political asylum in the Venezuelan Embassy, where he remained until 1964, when he was granted safe conduct to the United States. [FBI 109-430-2316, 105-57681 NR 10.16.59; FBI FOIA Req. #59,998] HEMMING told this researcher: "The kidnap attempt was a cover for flying in and out of the country. You have to have a plan. Otherwise Fidel is going to hear that you're moving around talking to strange people."

A 1977 CIA Task Force Report on assassination schemes against Castro "recognized that STURGIS, through his gambling activities and relationships with various casino operators, may quite possibly have known Juan Orta, and also raised the question of whether STURGIS may have been a source of information to Castro regarding Juan Orta's participation in any assassination plot." The Task Force Report admitted its information was based on "newspaper stories" that "are not necessarily reliable sources of information. However, because the statement by STURGIS in 1975 indicated a familiarity with Juan Orta's availability to play the role of assassin in 1960, additional attention was given the statement in the press, to see how it might fit into other things that are known. What follows is subject to reservations that one must attach to the reliability of newspaper stories (deleted). It is pertinent to note here that in addition to the role STURGIS is reported to have had with the Castro Government in relation to the gambling activities, Juan Orta's availability for the assassination assignment was understood to be due to his having lost payoffs that he once received from gambling interests. One can deduce that STURGIS and Juan Orta could have known one another because of their connections with gambling activities as well as having contacts with the men heading the gambling organizations." [CIA FOIA #1057] The CIA acknowledged that STURGIS was the first individual to publicly link Juan Orta with Fidel Castro death plots:

"9. Of extreme pertinence to instant memorandum is that information contained in the April 21, 1975 article by Paul Meskil which is apparently based on an interview with STURGIS to wit: The third (assassination) scheme involved planting a bomb in Castro's office."I had access to the Prime Minister's office, I knew Fidel's private secretary, Juan Orta. I recruited him to work with the Embassy. (American Embassy in Havana)." To the writer's knowledge, the name of Juan Orta was never publicly linked to an assassination plot against Castro before the above-noted article. It is also highly interesting that Juan Orta was in fact the assassin to be utilized in the Agency operation, Phase One. It is of note that even the November 1975 Senate Select Committee report 'Alleged Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders" did not identify Juan Orta by name as a participant in Phase One, nor did this report identify Rolando Cubela by name as being a participant in Phase Two. However, the Paul Meskil article of April 24, 1975 outlines Phase Two and does identify Cubela as a participant."

In 1993 the CIA admitted: "Juan Orta was a Castro Government official circa 1960 to 1961 and was a contact of SANTOS TRAFFICANTE. Juan Orta was originally selected by TRAFFICANTE to make an assassination attempt against Castro." [CIA D000136 9.7.76] In discussing the possible methods of accomplishing this mission, mobster Sam Giancana suggested some type of potent pill that could be placed in Castro's food or drink: "Sam indicated that he had a prospective nominee in the person of Juan Orta, a Cuban official who had been receiving kickbacks payments from the gambling interests, who still had access to Castro, and was in a financial bind. Technical Services Division was requested to produce six pills of high lethal content. Joe O'Connell delivered the pills to Juan Orta. After several weeks or reported attempts, Juan Orta apparently got cold feet and asked out of the assignment." [CIA OS Osborne Memo for DCI 12.9.70 CIA D-000149] The CIA reported "Poison pills were transported to Cuba in late February or March 1961, and delivered them to the man who was to administer them. That man, however, had already lost his position with the Prime Minister's Office and returned the pills after a couple of weeks." [E.H. Knoche to David Belin 3.7.75] In October 1960 CIA Headquarters was advised by a source that STURGIS and Aquiles Chimza "departing Miami Night October 7, 1960, for Cuba to engage in sabotage activities on behalf of Allanza. Western Hemisphere Division Comment: Above information reported today (deleted) by Cuban Revolutionary Front contact in N.Y. (deleted) for Jake Esterline C/Western Hemisphere Division/4 D. PHILLIPS WHW/4/PROP R. Seehafer C/WH/1/FI (deleted)." [CIA FOIA D0022072] Ralph Gilbert Seehafer was in Peru from 1954 to 1959, Ecuador from 1962 to 1963, the Philippines from 1963 to 1968, the Dominican Republic in 1971 and Nicaragua from 1971 to 1973. The FBI generated a report on STURGIS on October 27, 1960, File #MM 2 129 (Bureau File #2-1499).

In early 1960, Alexander Rorke went to Havana to contact Geraldine Isabella Shamma (born March 14, 1905; died June 9, 1989). In September 1960 the G-2 arrested Geraldine Shamma, who was on a mission for exile leader Manuel Artime Buesa. Geraldine Shamma believed Manuel Artime betrayed her:

MEMORANDUM FOR: SA/LD

ATTENTION: Mr. William Sturbitts

SUBJECT: Geraldine Isabella Shamma, with aka's

REFERENCE: Letter of March 8, 1976 from George R. Richards, Attorney for Geraldine Shamma

1. According to information in Agency files, Geraldine Shamman (sic) de Carrera, an American, was detained by the Rebel Army Investigation Department (DIER), at her home in Miramar, on November 5, 1960. Wayne Gilchrist, an Embassy Officer, visited Mrs. Shamma on November 29, 1960. She confided to him that the specific charge against her was that she was the right hand man of the Secretary General of the Cuban Revolutionary Front in Miami, Manuel Artime. Mrs. Shamma further stated that her reported role with the Cuban Revolutionary Front was that of liaison between Manuel Artime and certain Americans (not further identified) interested in the counter-revolutionary movement. Mrs. Shamma told Mr. Gilchrist that she denied to her interrogators that she had anything to do with the Cuban counter-revolutionary movement, but informed him, confidentially, that she was actually working with Artime and his group. She gave no details regarding the type of assistance she had been rendering. Gilchrist noted that for several months before her arrest, Geraldine Shamma was a contact of Major Van Horn, Colonel Erickson S. Nichols and Miss Betty Perkins of the American Embassy's Air Attache Office. During her interrogation by the DIER, Mrs. Shamma was asked why she visited the embassy so often to see the Major and Miss Perkins.

2. There are several references in the Agency files which indicate that the Cuban Intelligence Service believed Mrs. Shamma to be an agent of the CIA. There is absolutely no indication in Agency records indicating that Mrs. Shamma was in any way involved with the CIA.

3. The FRANK FIORINI who allegedly recruited Mrs. Shamma to work for the U.S. Government has never worked for the Agency. Cite Page 252 "Findings" Para 1, STURGIS testified under oath that he had never been employed by the CIA or had ever served it as an agent, informant or other operative.

4. There is no indication in Agency records that the Major Robert Van Horn and Air Force Attache Colonel Nichols (Col. Erickson S. Nichols) cited in the referent letter ever worked for the Agency.

Chris Hopkins

LA/OO G/CIOS 201-242256

Attachment not necessary. (Deleted). [CIA Memo 3.31.76]

STURGIS told the Rockefeller Commission Geraldine Shamma "was an American woman who was married to Captain Shamma. Her marriage name was Suarez. So her name was Geraldine Suarez Shamma. They owned a tobacco business in Cuba which amounted to about $20 million. I recruited her for the Embassy. And her contacts were several people there, or at least one major person, and that was Major Van Horne. Her job was to meet and make contact with top officials in the government, which she did. She had a fabulous home and gave parties. Many of the top military commanders went over to her home. She was the contact with the American Government with the underground organization." STURGIS related, "Because of her activities going back and forth between Miami and Cuba with the underground and the U.S. Government, she was eventually captured and put in a Cuban prison." Geraldine Shamma had rented a safehouse on Brickell Avenue in Miami, where recruits would be screened for MRR membership. MRR, the Movement Of Revolutionary Recuperation, was the political arm of the Bay of Pigs Brigade. STURGIS told Michael Canfield: "She was the go-between for the underground in Havana and the people here. That was Artime's group, MRR. We had a place on Brickell Avenue...that was the meeting place for the MRR organization." Geraldine Shamma: "The Agency paid for it and I maintained it. The boys who came over from Cuba to go into the Brigade would be sent to this safehouse first, and there, they'd be screened by the CIA." HUNT had a nearby apartment. STURGIS told the Rockefeller Commission: "The Cubans who came from Havana would come to the safehouse which she maintained herself with her own money, not CIA money, her own money. BERNARD BARKER would call her up, and she would tell him who was there and he would come over to pick up these Cuban exiles to be sent over to be interrogated or debriefed. This is what BERNARD BARKER would do. And E. HOWARD HUNT, I believe, may have come over there. I don't think he did, but anyway, she met him traveling back and forth from Havana, where she met him I don't know off hand. You would have to ask her." Robert Olsen asked: "You mean you have subsequently heard or learned that she possibly had some contact with HUNT?" STURGIS: "Oh, I knew that for years, because, remember, I was in Brickell Avenue in Miami, too." In December 1960 an FBI informant who lived with STURGIS said that STURGIS claimed he was working with, and being sponsored by, the Agency for some future military action against Castro. [CIA FOIA #73-4] On December 16, 1960 the FBI sent a memo to the Office of Security, Department of State, File #2-1499, subject, STURGIS, Neutrality Matters.

Geraldine Shamma was released from prison in Cuba on March 17, 1963, as a result of a deal arranged by James Donovan. When she landed in Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, she told the press: "If President Kennedy wants to welcome me, he can damn well fly down here!"

STURGIS, Pedro Diaz Lanz and Victor Panque recruited the Buchanan brothers, James and Jerry, for membership in the International Anti-Communist Brigade. James Buchanan, (born April 22, 1937, at Brevard, North Carolina) the senior of the Buchanan brothers, was married to Edna H. Rydzik in January 1963 in Miami Beach. In 1957 James Buchanan worked for the Hollywood Florida Sun until he ran off with the wife of an employee of the City of Hollywood. James Buchanan then became a reporter for The Pompano Beach Sun-Sentinel. While he was at the Sun-Sentinel he had an affair with one of the secretaries there and her husband came to the offices of the paper and threatened to shoot James Buchanan and the secretary. [FBI 105-82555-3787] James Buchanan was the author of a series of articles critical of the Kennedy Administration. In December 1959 Buchanan visited Cuba where he aided in the escape of Austin Young from a Cuban prison. Austin Young had been sentenced to a 30 year term for counter-revolutionary activities. The FBI reported: "Austin Young was recaptured a few days after his escape in a downtown hotel and Buchanan was arrested. Buchanan's lawyer said the reporter will probably have to spend the Christmas holiday in jail while awaiting trial. The military tribunals will be in recess from December 22, 1959 until January 4, 1960 and Cuban civil courts normally recess for about the same period. Mr. Buchanan's case now is before the Cuban Supreme Court, which will determine if he will be tried before a military or civil court. Mr. Castro said in a television speech Thursday night that Mr. Buchanan will have to be tried by revolutionary courts which could either be military or civil. Government officials scoffed at a report of a possible death sentence for the reporter. Mr. Castro himself hinted that it would be a good idea to order Mr. Buchanan 'deported, never to return to Cuba to molest us.'" [FBI 64-44828-a Miami Herald 12.19.59] In September 1962 James Buchanan was quoted as complaining that the Federal Government was interfering in his activities: "The Feds are driving us up the wall. They're haunting the hell out of us, knocking over our weapons shipments and raiding Miami houses."

Jerry Buchanan, Jim Buchanan's brother, 22, attended Riverdale School in Norfolk, Virginia, then served in the Army. He was stationed on the Czechoslovakian border. In June 1959 he was the Subject of a Miami investigation for impersonation based on use of Army identification in the name of Jesse L. Murphy used to cash bad checks. The complaint, which charged Jerry Buchanan with Impersonation, was dismissed at Miami when he was located at Ft. McPherson, Georgia, in April 1959, serving a sentence for AWOL. In September 1961 Jerry Buchanan trained with Rolando Masferrer on No Name Key in Florida: "There were 60 of us" Buchanan said, "About half Cubans and half Americans. The island was mostly swamp and we were sleeping out in the open. In November 1961 a friend of Buchanan had been shot by a Cuban in a training accident. a growing antipathy between the two groups finally led Buchanan to leave the island with the Americans, all of whom subsequently joined FIORINI'S International Anti-Communist Brigade." On May 16, 1961, Jerry Buchanan told his hometown newspaper, The Norfolk-Ledger, "There are hundreds of Americans in Miami right now who'd like nothing better than a crack at giving Castro the boot. Cubans are nice people but, under pressure, they don't remember orders." [N-L 5.16.61] The Buchanan brothers flew supply missions from a secret base in the Bahamas to anti-Castro guerrillas in the Escambray Mountains. Victor Panque helped locate these men. In April 1963 British authorities captured 13 of Cuban exile Orlando Bosch's men on a small West Indies island. Jerry Buchanan was the only American among the 13 arrested. The funds for this anti-Castro action had been furnished by a Chicago-based Cuban exile, Paulino a. Sierra, who collected money from Las Vegas gambling interests. [CIA 201-739,652]

Dr. Paulino Alberto Sierra Martinez was a minister in the Batista Government. He left Havana in 1960 and settled for a time in Miami, where he worked as a translator. Paulino Sierra spoke, read, and wrote, four languages. In 1962 Paulino Sierra moved to Chicago, where he was admitted to the bar and became active in exile affairs. In August 1962 the CIA requested that the FBI run an expedite check on Paulino Sierra. CIA Office of Security records came up negative. [Victor R. White 7.21.62; G. Marvin Gentile, H.K. Clayton 8.30.62]

The CIA reported that on "March 16, 1963, Martin Pella, who is acquainted with Sierra also, said he had learned more from Ceasar Blanco about the Blanco-Sierra meeting with 'gamblers.' Blanco told him that during the latter part of February 1963 he and Sierra were approached by and met with (in Sierra's apartment) Burton M. Mold and John R. Lechner. They said 'We need your brains.' We'd like you to write a document covering the best solution as to how to put together the different political groups of Cuban refugees. They told Ceasar Blanco and Paulino Sierra that they were very familiar with the Cuban situation because they represented substantial investments in Cuba. When asked what investments they mentioned real estate, hotels and 'other operations connected with them.' Ceasar Blanco asked for some names of people to further identify the two and they mentioned Jake Lansky."

Ceasar Blanco having been in charge of Public Order in Havana, recalled Lansky as the brother of Meyer Lansky, U.S. gangster and syndicate man and told Pella that Mold and Lechner had to be from the 'syndicate.' [CIA Subject: U.S. Gambling Syndicate Interest in Cuban Matters] A March 1963 CIA report revealed that Paulino Sierra mentioned an offer of $10 million in backing for guarantees of Cuban gambling concessions after Castro was thrown out.

William Browder was Paulino Sierra's sponsor in Chicago. William Browder told the HSCA he recalled that a man "approached Sierra with an offer of substantial financial assistance to over overthrow Fidel Castro, in exchange for gambling concessions. Mr. Browder said he and Sierra gave this information to the FBI because they did not want Sierra to become involved with gambling interests. As Mr. Browder was then a member of the Chicago Metropolitan Crime Commission, he was sensitive to the ramifications of such involvement." [HSCA Int. 11.29.78 Orr]

William Trull, a Chicago businessman who expressed an interest in financing Paulino Sierra, advised the FBI in June 1963 that Paulino Sierra reported that representatives of Las Vegas gambling interests were offering him $14 million, in exchange for a 50% interest in Cuban gambling concessions, if he could organize the successful ouster of Fidel Castro.

On August 28, 1963 Paulino Sierra was investigated in connection with the American Educational League, Los Angeles. By late August 1963, Paulino Sierra contacted Richard Lauchli to purchase guns. Paulino Sierra asked HEMMING associate Steve Justin Wilson to deliver the guns to Miami. Another HEMMING associate, Dennis Linns Harber, assisted Paulino Sierra in the transport of military equipment. [HSCA V10 p99] Paulino Sierra offered HEMMING associate Joe Garman $11,000 to lead a Cuban raid. [Hinckle Deadly Secrets p206] An FBI document generated on September 16, 1963, read: "Sierra is Subject of anti-racketeering case being handled by Special Investigative Division in view of possibility Sierra (deleted) is being backed by the criminal element. This matter had been discussed with Special Investigative Division which has no objection to our proposed investigation." [FBI 105-124049-1, 5] In September 1963 Carlos Prio Soccarras announced that he was joining forces with Paulino Sierra and other exiles to form a force independent of that of Manuel Artime. [CIA TDCS DB-3/656,908 - 9.27.63] On October 11, 1963, the FBI in Miami was investigating Paulino Sierra for Neutrality Violations. [FBI 105-124049] On October 15, 1963, the CIA reported that Paulino Sierra's group "has made a pact with group of Subject 201-326,634 for collaboration raid against Habana oil refinery."

HEMMING told this researcher in 1994: "Sierra came down and tried to recruit us and flashed a lot of money and connections. Mob/Teamster money. Sierra dealt mostly through intermediaries. He's an aristocrat. I dealt with him personally." When the CIA did a document search on HEMMING it discovered a document titled "Frente Revolutionario 68A01 B, 68A01 N Span Madrid 68A01Q Hdqs. 68A01U Agency IN 89504 200 300-58 April 11, 1968, Unable to Locate Original." a further search turned up this additional information: "FRENTE REVOLUTIONARIO not identifiable. P.3 HEMMING GERALD PATRICK T 309125 temp chg to mc Holmes CI/EXO HEMMING GERALD PATRICK (Deleted)-7632 February 11, 1963, - 201-351 547 (Deleted) 7619 May 1, 1963, 201-337 938 IP Files."

On October 22, 1963, Paulino Sierra was in Miami where he gave Cuban exile Manuel Aguilar money to purchase weapons from Steve Justin Wilson. Steve Justin Wilson took the money and refused to give Manuel Aguilar the weapons.

The Miami Police Department reported: "Received call to 135 SW 19th Avenue Apt #2 at 1:59 a.m. October 11, 1963, supposed armed robbery by Cuban Male Rafael Hernandez of 135 SW 19th Avenue Apt #2 which happened at Riviera Supermarket. Complainant Aguilar with friend, Manuel Beraza, stated that Subject Hernandez and friend Steve Wilson attempted to sell them a car. At Riviera Supermarket complainant states after questioning that he was not really buying a car, but was completing a purchase of guns and ammunition from Subject. He states that he gave a $400 deposit to Subject two days ago and made date to meet Subject at Riviera Supermarket to pick up guns and pay $642.00 more to complete the deal. Complainant states that Subject came to market in car with a large wooden crate in the trunk, supposedly holding guns etc. Complainant states Subject transferred crate to his car and then he took out the money to pay Subject, but decided to open crate first. He states Subject's friend put a gun in his back and Subject took the $642 and fled in car. Complainant opened crate and found concrete blocks, grass inside...Original owner of money was Paulino Sierra who donated it to Complainant who is head of FRAC: Frente Revolutionario Anti-Communista. All money was recovered." [Miami Police Report 10.15.63 CR 7906] Manuel Aguilar Alvarez, was born June 3, 1929 in Havana. He came to the United States in 1961 from Cuba in a small boat to Key West.

In October 30, 1963, Paulino Sierra's boat was seized by government agents. The CIA reported: "Source: a member of a group of Cuban emigres trained in the techniques of information collection. This group has provided useful reports for over two years. This information was obtained from Manuel Lozano Pino. Manuel Lozano Pino, member of Dr. Paulino a. Sierra's Organizing Committee says that the group intends to institute a suit over the seizure of the PITUSA I by U.S. Government agents. It is the opinion of the committee members that there was no reason for stopping the craft when it was being transported by trailer to Key West by Dennis Lynn Harber. The members maintain that no offense was committed at the time the boat was intercepted." [CIA 201-737,652 11.2.63] On November 7, 1963, Paulino Sierra was investigated by the Miami FBI, in connection with Alpha-66. [FBI 121010 NR 11.7.63] On November 14, 1963, the CIA reported that the secretary of Paulino Sierra's organizing committee resigned because of a disagreement over Paulino Sierra's pact with "leftist" organizations such as the 30th of November Movement: "Sierra had agreed to finance the operations of these organizations in return for which the leaders would support Sierra's aspirations to be Cuban President for 18 months [following liberation]." [CIA F82-0430/210]

In January 1959 HUNT said that he advocated the immediate assassination of Fidel Castro and that the Eisenhower Administration had turned down his recommendation. On November 30, 1959, HUNT was suspended from the CIA for one day for the unauthorized recording of safe combinations. HUNT had recorded his safe combination on the bottom of his pen holder. This was discovered during a Security Sweep by the Marine Guards.

In April 1960 HOWARD HUNT established the Cuban Democratic Revolutionary Front or Cuban Revolutionary Front or FRD in Mexico City. The formation of the Cuban Revolutionary Front was announced there on June 22, 1960. HUNT found the Mexican political climate unfavorable for the establishment of a permanent Cuban government-in-exile. The location of the Cuban Revolutionary Front was changed to the United States. The proclaimed purpose of the Cuban Revolutionary Front was to install a democratic government in Cuba through military force recruited mostly from the Cuban exile community in Miami. The Cuban Revolutionary Front leadership excluded Batista-connected exiles, but the organization of Rolando Masferrer existed on its periphery.

Justo Carrillo was the former president of the Cuban Industrial Development Bank. He was considered to be a representative of Carlos Prio Soccarras.

The CIA reported: "Arrango was first contracted in September 1948 and used sporadically as a casual informant on Cuban internal politics. a Provisional Operational Approval was granted on August 12, 1959, for use in political action activities. He was debriefed occasionally by the CIA, but after 1960 he was not used operationally." HEMMING told this researcher: "Arrango was Education Minister under Prio. He was Fidel's right hand man until Fidel went to Mexico in 1955. He ran his own anti-Batista group in Cuba. He backed out of the Bay of Pigs plan three months before April 17, 1961. I hooked up with him and started working his operation. He had Bill Harvey supporting him. Harvey and his FBI thugs." Arrango was considered to be a representative of Carlos Prio Soccarras.

Tony Varona, the former Foreign Minister of Carlos Prio Soccarras, was head of the Cuban Revolutionary Front. Tony Varona came to the United States in June 1960 with the help of CIA Case Officer Gerry Droller. [CIA To File From Alien Affairs Officer 6.6.60] Tony Varona worked closely with HUNT: "HUNT was the one that had to approve any propaganda plans that we were having or also approve the payment of the expenses incurred by such plans. Also, he approved trips of certain individuals around South America to make propaganda efforts...HUNT told me to go to Guatemala." [Varona's HSCA Test.]

Manuel Artime was the "golden-boy" of the CIA's Cuban Revolutionary Front. He was the leader of MRR, (Movement Of Revolutionary Recuperation) which began as a support group for the MIRR (Insurrectional Movement Of Revolutionary Recuperation) guerrillas in the Escambray Mountains. Other founders of MRR included Higinio "Nino" Diaz, Michael Yabor and Richardo Lorie.

Manuel Artime was born in Cuba, on January 29, 1932. His father was a member of the Spanish Communist Party who became a naturalized Cuban citizen. This led to much speculation whether Manuel Artime was a Castro double-agent. Manuel Artime graduated from the University of Havana in 1949 and attended a Jesuit-run Medical School, but never obtained a medical degree. [CIA FOIA/PA Req. #59,997] In medical school, Manuel Artime ran a Catholic student group which opposed Fulgencio Batista. In late 1958 Manuel Artime went to the Sierra Maestre, where he joined a student guerilla group and fought against Batista's troops in several engagements. From 1958 to 1959, Manuel Artime was a second chief officer in the Cuban revolutionary army. Manuel Artime became a leader of the MRR (Movement of Revolutionary Recuperation). In 1959 Fidel Castro put Manuel Artime in charge of collective farming, but Manuel Artime had an argument with Ché Guevara. On October 29, 1959, Manuel Artime resigned his INRA (Institute of Agrarian Reform) command post, and accused Fidel Castro of planning to communize Cuba. When Fidel Castro ordered Raoul Castro to kill him, Manuel Artime went underground. He was hidden by the Havana CIA Station during a nationwide search. Manuel Artime joined pediatrician Orlando Bosch, [201-299,292], and formed MIRR, (Insurrectional Movement of Revolution and Recovery) an anti-Castro group that operated within Cuba. Orlando Bosch had been the former chief of Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement in Las Villas Province, Cuba. Four other former Castro Army officers and 100 deserters left for the Escambray Mountains in August 1960 and formed the nucleus of MIRR. According to STURGIS: "Orlando Bosch was a rebel leader in the Escambray Mountains. He had a group of approximately 1,500 guerrillas there. The CIA was maintaining this guerrilla force up to a point where orders came down that the guerrilla forces and activities had to be stopped. So naturally one of the boys came over with the military commander of this guerrilla force in Cuba, came over to try to make contact in the local area with the CIA or personal contact in order to continue the supply of these forces in the Escambray Mountains."

Sometime in 1960 BERNARD BARKER exfiltrated Manuel Artime from Cuba to Mexico aboard a Honduran ship. In April 1960 Manuel Artime entered the United States from Mexico, where "he was alleged to have the CIA job for recruiting former Batista military men for sabotage activities in Cuba." In April 1960 HUNT recruited him for the Cuban Revolutionary Front. That month, CIA Office of Security Chief Sheffield Edwards requested an FBI records check on Manuel Artime.

Circa April 1960 Guatemala President Ydigoras Fuentes gave the CIA permission to operate in his country. The Guatemalan CIA Chief of Station secured the use of a large plantation, owned by Roberto Alejos, that was immediately turned into a training base for the Cuban Revolutionary Front. [HUNT Day p27, 29] HUNT'S associate in PB SUCCESS, Guatemalan Chief of Station Robert K. Davis, aided HUNT in this effort. Tony Varona reported that "HUNT had him meet with Roberto Alejos in a Miami Hotel for the purpose of obtaining land in Guatemala. Varona believes it was arranged between President Ydigoras and the United States at a higher level than the CIA." On March 27, 1961, the Chief of the CIA's Alien Affairs Staff arranged for Cuban exiles Miro Cardona, Tony Varona and Manuel Artime to be readmitted to the United States along with Guatemalan citizens Roberto Alejos and Carlos Hevia.