C.A.A. Savastano's Blog, page 21

Assertions of Association

An enduring yet presently unproven claim is the assertion that Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby knew each other. Magician and ventriloquist Bill DeMar propagated among the first known assertions regarding connections between Oswald and Ruby. The Federal Bureau of Investigation interviewed DeMar and presented a photograph of Oswald, DeMar "said he believes this is the man he saw seated among the patrons of the Carousel Club 'one night last week'. DeMar advises he works seven nights each week and, therefore, is unable from his recollection to determined which particular night of the week he observed Oswald..."i  DeMar's hazy recollections do not make for a compelling start. 

Following his Dallas Police Statement on November 24, 1963 DeMar told the Associated Press he observed Lee Harvey Oswald at Jack Ruby's Carousel Club.ii Other media outlets seized upon this unverified claim and disseminated to the American public. The US Secret Service interviewed members of the press handling the story that included DeMar's friend Dave Hoy. Hoy states "DeMar told him it was his boss (Jack Rubenstein) who killed Oswald." DeMar according to Hoy states "...he asked DeMar whether he was sure that Oswald had been in the Carousel Night Club and DeMar replied he was quite sure, although he would not stake his life upon it." Ironically, DeMar could not recall the item purportedly "...mentioned by Oswald on the evening..." during his memory routine.iii 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation took statements from several Carousel Club workers regarding the Oswald and Ruby matter. Cigarette girl Becky Jones offered Master of Ceremonies (Bill DeMar) made a statement "...that he had seen Lee Harvey Oswald in the Carousel Club strictly for publicity reasons...no one else in the club has said they saw Oswald there."iv Karen Karlin was one of the Carousel Club's exotic dancers with a minor connection to Ruby's later murderous actions. Ruby sent her rent money at the Western Union office and strolled a block to murder Oswald. "Mrs. Karlin pointed out that it is very difficult to identify anyone in the club from the stage due to the lighting arrangements."v  DeMar's claims have seeming problems.

Carousel Employee Bonnie Kelly "...stated that everyone at the Carousel Club knows that the Master of Ceremonies (Bill DeMar), lied when he said he had seen Lee Harvey Oswald at Carousel Club. She said that if Oswald had ever been at the club one of the waitresses would have remembered him; also that from the Master of Ceremonies position on the stage, one cannot see into the audience, due to the lighting arrangements in the club."vi Server and dancer Marilyn Moone also never saw Oswald at the Carousel Club and that its lighting system prevents made identifying crowd members "very difficult"vii  

Karen Williams additional stated that she never observed Oswald in the club and that "...it is almost impossible to recognize anyone in the audience due to the brightness of the lights on the stage."viii Joyce McDonald told the Bureau she never observed Lee Harvey Oswald in the club and "...doubted very much if...Bill DeMar, had ever seen Oswald there as it is very difficult to distinguish faces in the club due to the lighting arrangements." Dancer Nancy Powell was "...positive that she had never seen Oswald in the Club Carousel."ix  

Marilyn Owens a former server and dancer at the Carousel stated being "...positive there was no association between Oswald and Ruby."x Delores Silva was another Carousel dancer who "...denied knowing Oswald or that anyone resembling him had ever been at the Carousel Club. She claimed no knowledge of any connection between Oswald and Ruby."xi  Every prior Carousel employee observed a picture of Lee Harvey Oswald and each affirmed never seeing him at the Carousel Club or associating with Jack Ruby. It is unlikely Lee Harvey Oswald went to the Carousel Club and remained unobserved by so many employees. Yet DeMar was not the only person claiming to have seen Oswald at the Carousel Club. 

Wilburn Litchfield asserted first to the Dallas Police and then to the FBI that "Sometime within the first two weeks of November, 1963, on either a Tuesday or Thursday night, I cannot recall the exact date. It was the night that a photographer for a National magazine was at the Carousel Club...Ruby was not there when I arrived and the doorman informed me there were three people already waiting...Ruby then invited the young man in a white sweater to come in..." He described the man as "5'7 -5'9; and very slender...wearing a v neck white sweater, gray slack, his hair was not combed...He had acne pock marks on the right side of his face." Litchfield claims, "I did not think anything of the young man in the white sweater until after the assassination of President Kennedy...From the pictures on television and then the picture in the Times Herald newspaper I remembered I had seen a young man who closely resembled Oswald at the Carousel Club..."xii  

Despite the obvious inference Litchfield was making subsequently he offers, "I cannot positively say that the photograph of Oswald is identical to the young man in the white sweater at the Carousel Club but the photograph does closely resemble the young man..." Litchfield further affirms, "I have never known Ruby to be associated with or acquainted with Lee Harvey Oswald." Regarding his prior statement to Dallas police he confirms the prior statement is wholly accurate "...except the last paragraph wherein I made a positive identification of the individual I saw at the Carousel Club, being identical with Lee Harvey Oswald. I wish to state at this time that I cannot make a positive identification of said individual as being identical..."xiii Other corroborating evidence supports Litchfield prior claims were incorrect. 

Dallas police Captain Fritz advised "Wilburn Waldon Litchfield...also known as Robert Litchfield and Bob Litchfield...Fritz stated that he knows Litchfield from past handling of him and Litchfield has the reputation of being a confidence man. Captain Fritz stated he would not place any credence on anything Litchfield might say."During a subsequent prison interview conducted by DPD Lieutenants Revill and Cornwall, Jack Ruby identifies the man in the white sweater. His actual name according to Ruby and officials was Edward Rocco, an employee of Cabaret Magazine.xiv Litchfield's assertion by even his own final admission was unproven. Yet still more associated Oswald and Ruby claims would emerge.

A letter from Armour E. Kreischer to the FBI claimed "Mrs. Dan H. Foley...informed her daughter Kathy...that she knew a woman, a close friend (unidentified by Kathy), who did actually operate a boarding house where Oswald was in residence, and that the woman had confided that Oswald...was known to have been employed (exact capacity unknown)...for one Jack Rubenstein, alias Ruby." The FBI subsequently interviewed Kathy Foley and this interview revealed the story was not firsthand but emerged according to Kathy's memory from a man "...who repaired her family's automobile at the Pittman Street Garage...Miss Foley was rather vague about the matter." Kathy's mother Mrs. Foley told the Bureau agents the information had come from their neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Happy Brockman. Mrs. Brockman later told Mrs. Foley "...the information had originally started with an employee of a Humble service station..."xv  

Less than two weeks later, the FBI interviewed Mr. Gerald A. Duncan, the manager of the Humble Service station referred to prior. When officials explained the claims regarding Oswald and Ruby Duncan stated "...he was the original source of that information and that it was entirely erroneous. He stated he was talking to a customer just a few minutes after Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald...He said his customer told him that Ruby worked at the Carousel Club and that she had seen him on many occasions and knew him. Duncan said that he was under the impression that when this customer referred to 'him' he himself thought the customer referred to Oswald while in fact he later realized she was referring to Ruby. He said he quickly 'put two and two together'..." Yet that was following his well-intentioned report "...to the Dallas Police Department before he had the facts straight..."xvi  

Among those who might have noticed previous associations between the men do not support the existence of such a relationship. Members of Oswald's family in New Orleans never observed Ruby near Oswald until the shooting at Dallas City Hall.  Mr. George Bouhe had met Oswald through his wife Marina who hailed from his hometown in Russia. Bouhe stated in his contacts with the Russian colony in Texas, he had never heard the name Jack Ruby mentioned. Additionally, Ruth Paine whose Oswald's family lived with in Texas "...stated she did not know Ruby and had never heard the Oswalds mention Ruby."xviii    

In 1964, reporter Walter Winchell claimed that "R.P of a Dallas suburb" "...could substantiate the rumor that Oswald and Jack Ruby were associated in some manner." The story appeared in the New York Journal and Winchell's claim drew the attention of the Bureau. Assistant Director Alan Belmont states that the allegation "...was originally put forth by New York Attorney Mark Lane." While Lane may have later supported the claim or mentioned the R.P. alluded to, he was not the original source of the Ruby and Oswald tales. Belmont speculates the R.P. might be Ruth Paine who he states never made the alleged statements Winchell offered in repeated past interviews.xix 

In 1976, FBI Headquarters received an unsigned letter claiming various people could substantiate a prior relationship between Oswald and Ruby.xx The Bureau launched another investigation seeking to identify the various claimed figures named by alias in the letter. A second former Carousel Master of Ceremonies Wally Weston attempted to support the letter's claims. Yet in his 1963 interview, Weston denied the original Ruby and Oswald allegation made by Bill DeMar.xxi Several additional witnesses interviewed failed to confirm the letter's claims and without verifiable evidence or a named source for the information, it was reasonably set aside.xxii xxiii xxiv xxv xxvi              

The Central Intelligence Agency's Acting Deputy Director for Plans Thomas H. Karamessines conducted a search of its files for connections between Oswald and Ruby. The reply he sent to J. Lee Rankin lead counsel of the President's Commission states "We also have no indication that Ruby and Lee Harvey Oswald ever knew each other, were associated, or might have been connected in any manner whatsoever."xxvii  In this instance, the Agency's assessment matches the independent evidence and most witness testimony. 

Officials interview Jack Ruby on December 25, 1963 inside the Dallas County Jail with Ruby's attorneys. Ruby stated "...the first time that he had ever seen him" (Oswald) was at the Dallas Police Station following Oswald's arrest.  "Any rumors that Oswald was ever at any of Ruby's clubs are wrong because Ruby had never seen Lee Harvey Oswald at any place before he saw him with Captain Fritz at the Dallas Police Department the night of November 22, 1963. Any rumors that Oswald was at the Carousel Club are absolutely untrue. Ruby has since heard reports that his master of ceremonies...Bill DeMar, has reported Oswald was at the Carousel Club...Ruby said that this is absolutely false, because Oswald was never there."xxviii

Based on a significant amount verifiable evidence Ruby and Oswald had never feasibly met. Over a dozen witnesses of varying familiarity with Ruby or Oswald never saw them interact or mention each other. Ruby himself states that he never met Oswald before the day of President Kennedy's assassination. Oswald does not call out his assassin's name following the deed; he does not speak during his final moments of any Jack Ruby. It is likely he could not identify him because they had never met.

Sincerely, 
C. A. A. Savastano  

TPAAK Facebook

References:

i. President's Commission Document 205, Federal Bureau of Investigation Report of 23 Dec re: Oswald, Statement of Bill DeMar, November 24, 1963 p. 1

ii. President's Commission Document 87, Secret Service Report of 08 Jan 1964 re: Oswald , Bill DeMar says Oswald was a Patron of Jack Ruby Night Club, November 25, 1963, pp. 1-2

iii. Ibid

iv. President's Commission Document 205, Federal Bureau of Investigation Report of 23 Dec re: Oswald, Statement of Becky Jones, November 27, 1963 p. 1

v. Ibid, Statement of Karen Karlin, November 27, 1963, pp. 1-2

vi. Ibid, Statement of Bonnie Kelly, November 28, 1963, p. 1  

vii. Ibid, Statement of Marilyn Moone, November 28, 1963, p. 1

viii. Ibid, Statement of Karen Williams, November 27, 1963, p. 1

ix. President's Commission Document 4, FBI Clements Report of 30 November 1963 re: Ruby, Section G, Night Clubs, Dallas, Statement of Nancy Powell, p. 3

x. Commission Document 1150, FBI Letterhead Memorandum of 25 Jun re: Ruby, June 19, 1964, p. 1

xi. Ibid, p. 2

xii. President's Commission Document 205, FBI Report of 23 Dec 1963 re: Oswald, Statement of Wilburn Waldron Litchfield II, December 3, 1963, pp. 1-4

xiii. Ibid, p. 5

xiv. Pres. Com. Doc. 205, FBI Report of 23 Dec 1963 re: Oswald, Report of Special Agents Bookhout and Carlson, 1963, p. 1

xv. Ibid, Summary report of related witness interviews, p. 463

xvi. Ibid, p. 464

xvii. Ibid, Statements of Marilyn Murret , Charles Murret, and John Murret, pp. 430-432  

xviii. Ibid, Statement of George Bouhe, p. 397

xix. Ibid

xx. FBI file, HSCA, Administration Folder H6: Assassination Matters Volume VII, Anonymous Letter, August 9, 1976

xxi. Ibid, p. 10

xxii. Ibid, Statement of Joe Mulhollan, August 5, 1976

xxiii. Ibid, Statement of Charles Moore, August 5, 1976

xxiv. Ibid, Statement of Abe L. Weinstein, August 5, 1976

xxv. Ibid, Statement of Richard D. Leonard, August 5, 1976

xxvi. Ibid, Statement of Maxine Joy Williams, August 5, 1976

xxvii. HSCA, Segregated CIA file, Information concerning Jack Ruby (asa (sic) Jack Rubenstein) and his associa,  Box 51, September 10 1964

xxviii. FBI Ruby Headquarters file, Section 36, Interview of Jack Ruby, December 25, 1963, p. 5

Improbability Vault update

Reviewing the claims and evidence regarding the improbable JFK abort team story. ‪#‎JFK‬ ‪#‎Evidence‬ http://tpaak.com/the-abort-team-story

Primary Evidence Collections update

A collection of CIA Fitness Reports with most regarding the years 1963-1964. Each reveals some personal information and employee assignments. Among those featured are David Atlee Phillips, George Joannides, E. Howard Hunt, Anne Goodpasture, Boris Tarasoff, and Thomas Keenan. #CIA #JFK #TPAAK
http://tpaak.com/cia-fitness-report

Evidence and the Big Easy II

                                                                                                                          A 1963 view of Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana 

The City of New Orleans is attributed a unique place in the Kennedy assassination case. Divergent historical claims rest amid the city's swirling convoluted history. New Orleans housed various federal, state, and local offices that had many connections to locally operating Cuban exiles. The Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil (DRE) is just one of multiple exile groups the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) supported with tens of thousands of dollars monthly. Such organizations had dozens of members that performed covert and often illegal programs nationally. 

New Orleans was the site of CIA activities, housed FBI offices and their network of informants, and was part of Mafia boss Carlos Marcello's territory. Add to this menagerie of schemes the city's most historically accused former citizen, Lee Harvey Oswald. People with questionable motivations such as Jack Martin and David Lewis were among the denizens of New Orleans. Often such figures would have faded into history. Unfortunately, they and subsequently others have attempted to build unproven assertions concerning the Kennedy case. 

Just days following President Kennedy's assassination, Jack Martin launched a series of accusations toward Garrison suspect David Ferrie. Martin wrote a series of unsubstantial claims asserted to be "important facts" in a letter to Special Agent Richard E. Robey of the Federal Aviation Agency. He correctly remembered Oswald in a Civil Air Patrol squadron that Ferrie participated in, and recalls seeing a photograph of Oswald and Ferrie. Yet he asserts "Ferrie was getting mail from those Cuban people Oswald was connected with...at least this is what W. Hardy Davis tell me." Martin's claims reside on secondhand information and rumor. 

"We might also take into consideration that Ferrie was a professional hypnotist...that he used post hypnotic suggestion on his so-called candidates...when he advertised himself as "Ph.D." Martin's implication was that Ferrie somehow hypnotized Oswald to undertake the plot. Indeed Ferrie had misrepresented alleged credentials; his "doctoral degree" emerged from an unaccredited correspondence school in Europe.  However, Martin had misrepresented Ferrie's abilities and improbable hypnotic power.i ii    

Martin continues asserting, "Was not this the person (Oswald) that Ferrie helped to get in the Marine Corps...Ferrie's connection with the Cubans...Suffice it to say I am also told Ferrie had been in and out of town on several occasions just prior to this Kennedy business...Where was he..." David Ferrie was in New Orleans with Mafia leader Carlos Marcello's legal defense team. This is according to a statement voluntarily given November 25, 1963 to New Orleans Police. Ferrie offered a "detailed account" of his location prior and on November 22, 1963.iii Officials state having investigated and verified Ferrie's location in multiple instances. 

Another improbable claim attributed to Jack Martin and subsequently others was alleging that David Ferrie's library card was in Lee Harvey Oswald's possession. Some declare the card was a definitive link between Oswald and Ferrie. Subsequently, others have claimed they were in possession of the card or destroyed it. Yet the evidence supports none of these later evolving claims. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation visited David Ferrie November 27, 1963. The Bureau's agents questioned Ferrie on his public criticisms of President Kennedy, including that he may have off-handedly commented Kennedy should be "shot". Ferrie also prior commented the President should not travel in an open car to prevent others from shooting him. Ferrie stated "he had never loaned his library card to Lee Harvey Oswald or any other person at any time and that his library card to the best of his recollection had not be out of his possession since it was issued to him." 

Ferrie presented his library card for verification to Agents Wall and Viater.iv Eventually Jack Martin informed authorities "he had no specific information to support his allegations."v Officials determined after investigation that Jack Martin's likely motivation was a prior grudge against David Ferrie. Martin allegedly impersonated an FBI Special Agent and spent time in a psychiatric ward. Martin suffered from a character disorder and was advised not meet with investigating agents due to possible worsening of his mental health.vi  

January 13, 1967 Jack Martin informed the Bureau's New Orleans office to inform them Jim Garrison "was conducting an investigation concerning the Lee Harvey Oswald case." Weeks later Martin called the FBI again demanding, "...that the FBI stop the New Orleans District Attorney's Office from 'harassing him'." Martin's speculative ire had feasibly shifted to a new target.  

Additionally noted by officials were the unlikely stories involving Martin's former roommate David Lewis. Jack Martin claimed, "...that Lewis was acquainted with Lee Harvey Oswald and was involved in the assassination plot with Oswald." Martin "Alleged that this conspiracy originated in the rooms above the offices of Mr. Guy Banister in New Orleans, Louisiana."vii  This assertion document predates the Shaw trial by years and is just months after Garrison had begun quietly building his case. Unfortunately, some of Jack Martin's unproven allegations became part of Garrison's case. Jack Martin was just one of many unverified sources attempting to influence the Garrison investigation.viii Others believing enough time had passed to conceal the origin of these poorly contrived ideas have attempted to present them as "new" insights.

David Lewis was interview by the New Orleans District Attorney's office and he told Jim Garrison "...that he had met Lee Harvey Oswald in the office of Mr. Banister." Lewis similar to some offering improbable stories claimed, "...his life is in jeopardy" due to the information he shared with the District Attorney Garrison's office. This often-repeated allegation too relies upon no verifiable evidence.ix Unknown to Lewis and others were prior official inquiries into his unproven claims. 

Among these was a letter from Mr. George Clark Johnston to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Johnston was another former roommate of David Lewis who lived with Lewis during the period of President Kennedy's assassination. George observed a television show with Lewis "making numerous comments concerning the assassination..." and decided to contact the FBI. Johnston lived "...with David Lewis in Apartment C, 1047 Conti Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, at the time of the assassination of the late President Kennedy. Johnston added that at the time he was a close confidant of Lewis. According to Johnston, at no time during the period of the assassination did Lewis ever indicate to Johnston that he had any knowledge of the assassination of President Kennedy."Quite telling is no mention of a connection until Lewis and Martin presume to benefit from the allusion. 

Mr. Bob Guzman a former private investigator in Guy Banister's office informed the Bureau he too was "acquainted with David Lewis". Guzman described him as the "protégé of Jack Martin" and that Martin had promoted Lewis for Banister's use. Guzman characterized Lewis as "uneducated and completely incompetent." Guzman states Lewis was "detective-happy" and recalled one occasion when Lewis spent most of his paycheck on a new shoulder holster. "According to Mr. Guzman, Lewis then purchased a plastic pistol" from a local department store and brandished "the holster and plastic gun around town."

A confidential Bureau source of prior reliable information offered, "David Lewis is attempting in every way possible to make money out of his role in Garrison's investigation and is trying without success to sell his story to various news media for $1,000. Our source stated that he thinks Lewis should be locked up inasmuch he appears to be a dangerous mental case." Lewis received significant media publicity for his claims and likely inspired other feasible myths to emerge as well.  

The unproven claims of Martin and Lewis have misled some people and others have adopted them support improbable stories. Primary evidence displays the feeble nature of the assertions. Substantial verifiable problems reduce these mere rumors to proper form. They like some official and independent beliefs rely upon desire not verifiable facts.  

Sincerely,
C. A. A. Savastano  

TPAAK Facebook

References:

i. House Select Committee on Assassinations, Segregated Central Intelligence Agency files, Folder D, Garrison-DRE, Garrison Investigation Volume II, November 25, 1963   

ii. HSCA Report, Appendix X, Section XII, David Ferrie, p. 106

iii. HSCA Report, David Ferrie, p. 105

iv. Ibid, pp. 105-106

v. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Shaw/Allen FOIA cases, David William Ferrie-New Orleans Field Office, part 1, November 27, 1963 pp. 1-2

vi. HSCA, Segregated CIA files, Microfilm Reel 25, Folder D- Garrison Investigation Vol. II, February 21, 1967  

vii. Ibid

viii. Ibid

ix. Ibid

Primary Evidence Collections update

A manuscript regarding Lee Harvey Oswald by his associate George de Mohrenschildt entitled "I Am A Patsy" for your inspection. #JFK  http://tpaak.com/related-individuals-of-note

Primary Evidence Collection update

A manuscript regarding Lee Harvey Oswald by his associate George de Mohrenschildt entitled "I Am A Patsy" for your inspection. #JFK  http://tpaak.com/related-individuals-of-note

Primary Evidence Collections Update

Inspecting the CIA's 201 Records System and internal policies for navigating official intelligence files. #CIA #Evidence http://tpaak.com/the-201-system

Cuban Relations

                                                                                                   Cuban Communist Party Headquarters by Marco Zanferrari

In the Central Intelligence Agency files regarding Cuba under the Batista regime, Fidel Castro "manages to get himself involved in many things that do not concern him." "Beginning in 1948, the activities of Fidel Castro came to be of increasing concern to the Central Intelligence Agency and the United States Government (USG)."i  Despite the allegations of some officials, no direct link to Communism was established in Castro's history until after hostilities with the United States. "In fact, Agency support for the peaceful transfer of power from Batista to a democratically elected successor and amnesty for Castro and his followers...was proposed in a memorandum from the Inspector General in November 1957."ii Other methods had greater support in time.

The Agency began with assessing the Castro forces, "At least two agents were successfully placed in PSP ranks (Partido Socialista Popular), and in March 1958, one Agency officer managed to join the Castro forces in the mountains for a period of two weeks and to observe their tactics in combat."iii  Agency officer Alfred Cox suggested officials should undertake private support and diplomacy with the Castro government. "Col. J.C. King...met with William D. Pawley on 18-19 November 1958 to discuss a plan which would have Pawley travel to Cuba to meet with Batista in an attempt to convince him to bow out gracefully." Yet this seemingly peaceful intervention attempted to award the country not to Castro's groups but a more pliable junta. Undoubtedly, Castro would never agree to such arrangements.iv  

Colonel Joseph Caldwell King and the Western Hemisphere (WH) Division utilized the CIA's Havana Station. "What WH hoped to accomplish, presumably, was that they could organize these anti-Batista and anti-Castro dissidents and get them armed in time so that they could prevent Castro from taking over the government if Batista should suddenly resign or decide to flee the country."v "On 31 December 1958, Paramilitary Division reported to WH Division that a Helio Courier was already in place in Key West...a sterile C-54 (airplane) had been requested from Europe; and the Office of Logistics would have an arms load rigged for a drop by 2 January 1959."vi  Officials pursue wholly opposing policies to deal with the Castro regime simultaneously. If discovered these actions could lead to military confrontation or perhaps even similar clandestine revenge.

Fidel Castro's forces then seize control of Cuba."Ambassador Philip W. Bonsal arrived in Havana on February 19, 1959 determined to break the mold of previous U.S. ambassadors...for the next twenty months, Bonsal would work tirelessly to build a constructive relationship with Cuba's new revolutionary government..." Bonsal hoped to build international relations founded upon "mutuality of interest."vii He sought to find common ground and realized the revolution was a virtual assurance, Bonsal pushed for rapprochement with Castro. Strategically it was foolish to make so close an enemy in the same hemisphere. Bonsal hoped Castro received the official "soft-glove" approach. However, some military and intelligence leaders were not supportive of peaceful solutions.

Castro's ever increasing commitment to socialistic change was viewed as a threat to the over a billion dollars in US assets. Castro's revolution gained traction with crimes revealed during Batista's rule. "Hardly a Cuban does not have a relative who was killed during Batista's reign of terror."viii The corrupt dictator executed thousands, all while Batista accepted a fortune in repeated Mafia bribes. Castro prior condemned these actions as tyrannical, yet history often repeats itself.

The Castro regime executed hundreds of these former Batista officials to ensure the revolutions success. This action secured his powerbase and removed potential rivals. American officials decried Castro's purge, Castro labeled the charge a "campaign of lies".ix  Repeated political and internal official agendas intensified, Castro had disastrous conversations with then Vice-President Richard Nixon. During one meeting, Nixon tells Castro to cut off alliance with any Communist leaders or the United States would "cut off economic aid."x   

In November of 1959, General Charles Cabell regarding Fidel Castro's Communist status offered, "Our conclusion, therefore, is that Fidel Castro is not a Communist, however he certainly is not anti-Communist."  "If it should be established that the Cuban government is Communist-led or Communist-dominated, or if that government cannot be swayed from adopting measures which intentionally or unintentionally accomplish Communist objectives, the question of direct attacks against Castro will be re-examined...Under no circumstances would any asset be appraised of this contingency planning. In fact any disposition to undertake violent action should be promptly and emphatically discouraged pending a change in policy at the policy at the policy-making level."xii The Eisenhower administration did not initially embrace a violent overthrow of the Cuban regime. 

In December of 1959, Agency Western Hemisphere Chief Colonel J.C. King sent a memo to Allen Dulles the Director of Central Intelligence. Its "specific objective" is "The overthrow of Castro within one year, and his replacement by a junta friendly to the United States which will call elections 6 months after assumption of office...thorough consideration be given to the elimination of Fidel Castro." Deputy Director for Support L.K. White noted in his diary "There was considerable discussion of the situation in Cuba, and the Director requested Dick Bissell to organize a special task force to insure that we were attacking the situation from all possible angles."xiii  

The Agency Western Hemisphere Division created WH Division Branch 4 (WH/4) "as an expandable task force to run the 'proposed Cuban Operations." Western Hemisphere Branch 4 had "40 persons, with 18 at Headquarters, 20 at Havana Station, and 2 at Santiago Base." Officials appoint former Operation P.B. Success principal Jacob D. Esterline to head the new branch created by J.C. King. However, another version of the story credits Richard Bissell with Esterline's appointment.xiv  By 1960, officials circumvent King in many future decisions related to agents within his division.    

"As 1960 began General Cabell, the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence, held a joint briefing on Cuba for the Department of State and the Joint Chief of Staff. Cabell "discussed the need for programs aimed at Castro -- psychological warfare, political action, economic action, and para-military (sic) action, all of which had been conducted in some degree during the past year."xv  

"The policy decided on by the US Government in March 1960 called for the displacement of Fidel Castro..." American leaders expand displacement to include Castro's possible assassination. "Because the policy makers feared censure by the United Nations...the myth of 'plausible deniability' was the caveat that determined the CIA would be the principal implementing arm for the anti-Castro effort."xvi "It also makes clear that various US corporate interests played an active (sometimes overactive) role in support of the anti-Castro efforts of the Government."xvii  

Officials produce dozens of failed plots against the Castro regime in the following years. The Mafia, Central Intelligence Agency, and dozens of anti-Castro Cuban groups fail to displace the rogue leader. His tenuous political future without a strong ally forces Castro to rely upon Soviet Communist support. The prior unfounded accusations became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Amid the failed policies, official fears become a reality for the Kennedy administration.

Sincerely,
C.A.A. Savastano

References:

i. Central Intelligence Agency file, Bay of Pigs History Volume 3, Evolution of the CIA's Anti-Castro Policies 1950-January 1961, George Washington University, pp. 1-3, gwu.edu

ii. Ibid, p. 4

iii. Ibid, p. 6

iv. Ibid, pp. 8-10

v. Ibid, pp. 13-14

vi. Ibid

vii. William M. LeoGrande and Peter Kornbluh,  "Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations between Washington and Havana", UNC Press Books, October 13, 2014, pp. 10-12

viii. Ibid, p. 12

ix. Ibid, p. 13

x. CIA file, Bay of Pigs History Vol. 3, p. 22, gwu.edu

xi. Ibid, p. 27

xii. Ibid, p. 28

xiii. Ibid, p. 32

xiv. Ibid p. 31

xv. Ibid p. 30

xvi. CIA file, Bay of Pigs History Vol. 3, Foreword pp. I-III

xvii. Ibid, p. 1

Our Appreciation

Our special thanks to Alan Dale, Jefferson Morley, and JFK Facts for mentioning "Two Princes And A King". The book is discussed in their latest episode of JFK Facts Online.  ‪#‎TPAAK‬ ‪#‎JFK‬ http://jfkfacts.org/jfk-facts-online-31-may-2016

Primary Evidence Collections Update

We are pleased to offer a new section of the Primary Evidence Collections, the Improbability Vault. Our first offering is a review of the National Enquirer's claim about Rafael Cruz, evidence, and the JFK case. #JFK #Myth