16: Find Me Someone to Kill Castro
Pawley’s reaction to Castro taking control of Cuba was filled with thoughts of violence. Not only did it threaten his investments but embarrassed him personally by showing the folly of his buffer-government plan. He told a reporter in Miami that he would personally pay any amount to anyone who assassinated Castro. Then retracted his angry comment within days. In lieu of contracting an assassin, he began helping CIA Director Allen Dulles organize thousands of exiles fleeing Cuba to make sure the communist rebels in Cuba would be confronted by a force more ruthless than the enemy.1
On February 23, 1959, CIA Director Allen W. Dulles wrote to Pawley, thanking him for his good letter of February 18. “J.C. [King] has brought me up to date on his recent talks with you. As you know, we are running into difficulties in finding a resting place for the person about whom you telephoned me but I shall be working with State on that. I shall speak to Foster about your letter when next I see him. I know he will sincerely appreciate your thoughts. On a whole, he is making as good progress as could be expected and well tolerating the treatment he is receiving.”
In April 1959 Castro visited the United States for eleven days, giving the most optimistic Americans hope that he would not become a total surrogate for the Soviet Union.2 But when Castro returned to Cuba, he put a limit on private land holdings with the state expropriating the remainder under a policy of Agrarian Land Reform. That summer, President Urrutia resigned, and Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado became the country's president.3
On July 27, 1959, Marcos Diaz Lanz (MDL), who was on Raul Castro’s list of
government officers to be purged, escaped from Cuba to Florida with the assistance of Bernard 
After the CIA’s Bernie “Reichardt established contact with MDL” in August of 1959, Martha Tharpe of the CIA’s Western Hemisphere/4/Public Affairs division’s became Barker’s case officer. Barker then received hundreds of dollars a month to serve as “local representative of Cover Group working with numerous contacts at all levels in sensitive political action project under direction of Senior Case Officer on Project JMARC” which was overall Cuban operations against Castro. In 1962, the CIA contract with Barker (aka Spencer O. Terteling aka The Mule aka cryptonym AMCLATTER-1) was extended for one year by a representative of William K. Harvey, Chief, Task Force W.5
Barker had been born in Cuba to Americans. He served in World War II in the Air Force and was held as a Prisoner of War in Germany. After returning to Cuba and serving in the Cuban National Police, he joined the FBI. When Castro came to power, he aligned himself with the CIA and supported José Miró Cardona as the future Cuban leader.6
Another person Tharpe talked to regularly was a former OSS operative in Burma, Mitchell Livingston WerBell III, who spoke to her about General Pedraza and Batista after getting the cold shoulder from the CIA’s Deputy Director General Charles Cabell and being told that the U.S. “would not support any revolutionary activities by General Pedraza. WerBell also let it be known to that he “wanted to go to the Dominican Republic soon, and would like the CIA to pick up his expenses.” Over the years ahead, WerBell would attempt to trade information and weapons in both the Caribbean and Thailand.7 His Sionics company also would develop a silencer for war weapons, M-16s, M-14s and M76 submachine guns.8
In September a memo detailed the need to get a visa for the wife of Marcos Diaz Lanz, who was ill with an ulcer. “I phoned Reichardt in the afternoon and caught him in his office. He told me he had talked with Bill Pawley on the phone and will lunch with him next week.” The same day the memo was written, September 9th, “Reichardt suggests we bring together PDL [Pedro Diaz Lanz], MDL and [Ricardo] Lorie with some who have money such as Julio Lobo, Cardenas, Malone, and/or Figuere.”9
At Pawley’s invitation, the Chief of the Western Hemisphere Division visited him in his office on September 9, 1959. After recounting his history “with KUBARK [the CIA],” Pawley voiced his displeasure with those who did not have his views on Cuba and let it be known he is “a staunch believer in the value of a certain kind of dictatorship for certain Latin American countries. He seems particularly to be a very staunch supporter of the regime in the Dominican Republic. In this connection he invited me to go with him to the Dominican Republic as his guest on one of his early visits. Except that Headquarters might see some obstacle to doing this, I should like very much to take him up on this invitation.”
The conversation turned to Emilio Nunez Portuondo who had visited Pawley in Miami last week. “I then told Mr. Pawley that I had heard that Portuondo, during his visit to Miami, had been implying in conversations that he had gained support in the U.S. Departments of State and Defense.” Pawley pressed him for names but “Portuondo would mention no names.” The head of the CIA’s WHD questioned what “sort of relationship I should attempt with Mr. Pawley. For example, he is apparently a frequent visitor to the Dominican Republic and talks directly with Trujillo. Also he has a great many interests there; his brother resides there permanently; and he tells me he has a rather large group of geologists at work in the Dominican Republic. By these means, Mr. Pawley surely acquires a good deal of information. Is he passing this information regularly to [REDACTED] or others and, in light of the answer to that question, how aggressively should information be solicited from Mr. Pawley?”10
The names of the geologists that Pawley works with were not revealed. But one who was active in the Dominican Republic at that time was the Russian-speaking George de Mohrenschildt, a member of the Dallas Petroleum Club where Texas oil barons gathered.11 (The geologist later would befriend a much-younger Lee Harvey Oswald who had learned to speak Russian as a Marine radar operator in Japan at Atsugi air base where U-2 reconnaissance planes departed to spy on the Soviet Union. In 1959, Oswald “defected” to Russia for a few years before returning to the U.S.)12
As fall arrived in Washington, DC, nine sugar company representatives met with U.S. Ambassador to Cuba Philip Bonsal; Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Mann; Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs Roy Rubottom; William Wieland; and others from the State Department regarding their properties in Cuba. Also in attendance was Sam H. Baggett, Vice President of United Fruit Company.13
While Castro weighed heavily on Pawley’s mind, so did the well-being of General George C. Marshall who suffered a series of strokes. The Pawleys visited with Katherine shortly before her husband passed away at Walter Reed Hospital on October 16, 1959.14
That October, the CIA’s Western Hemisphere Division was granted Covert Security Approval to enable contact with William D. Pawley.15 He was given the cryptonym QDDALE.16
FOOTNOTES:
1 “William D. Pawley Kills Himself.” The Miami Herald, January 8, 1977. Page 1.
2 “Fidel Castro's Visit.” The New York Times, April 15, 1959. Page 32
Fidel Castro arrives in Washington today on an eleven-day visit to the United States that holds great possibilities for good or ill.
3 “The Strongman Speaks.” Time, July 27, 1959.
4 “Watergate and the White House: The 'Third-Rate Burglary' That Toppled a President.” U.S. News & World Report, August 19, 1974.
5 NARA 104-10145-10363 ~ “Third Agency Coordination, Subject: Marcos Diaz Lanz 201-259716.”
AMCLATTER-1 was Bernard Barker and AMCLATTER-5 was Alberto de Jesus Alberty Garcia. Cryptonym Project. Mary Ferrell Foundation website. http://www.maryferrell.org/wiki/index.php/CIA_Cryptonyms#_AM
NARA 104-10194-10059 ~ 8/16/1960 CIA “Contract Amendment—Spencer O. Terteling (AMCLATTER-1).
NARA 180-10145-10362 ~ “Personnel File Bernard Barker, Spencer O. Terteling, Terminated 7/31/1966.” From: Gerard Droller, C/WH/4/PA
NARA 104-10260-10404 ~ 7/31/1959 Memorandum “Confirmation of Verbal Request for Assistance in the Evacuation from Cuba of Marcos Diaz Lanz.” To: Chief, Security Support Division, Attention Mr. Sid Stembridge. From J. C. King, Chief WH.
NARA 104-10237-10063 ~ 3/23/1961 CIA Office Memorandum. “Subject: Request for Renewal of AMCLATTER- 1 Contract.” To: WH/4/Personnel Attention: Mr. Martin, From: Martha Tharpe, WH/4/PA.
6 “Bernard Barker 1917-2009: Bernard Barker Watergate 'plumber' was a hero to exiles.” The Miami Herald, June 6, 2009
7 NARA 1993.08.11.14:48:36:15005 ~ 3/3/1976 Memorandum. “Subject: Mitchell Livingston Wer Bell III.” To: Associate General Counsel, OGC, Via Deputy Director of Operations.
8 “Mitchell Livingston WerBell, Anti-Communist Arms Dealer.” AP, The New York Times, December 18, 1983, Page 52.
9 NARA 104-10167-10119 ~ 9/9/1959 Memorandum for the Record. “Subject: Conversation with Reichardt, 4
September.” From: WH/3/AC
>> Also references: AMCHITTER
NARA 104-10145-10363 ~ “Third Agency Coordination. Subject: Marcos Diaz Lanz 201-259716.” 10 From Miami [REDACTED]. To: Chief, Western Hemisphere Division.
Mr. Pawley was very cordial and began the talk recounting for me the history of his association with KUBARK [CIA’s cryptonym for itself]. He also spent a good deal of time voicing opinions of [REDACTED] and its policies, which are not very good. Since Mr. Pawley’s opinions are probably well known to [REDACTED] and others, there is no purpose in reciting these here...[he] is also a staunch believer in the value of a certain kind of dictatorship for certain Latin American countries. He seems particularly to be a very staunch supporter of the regime in the Dominican Republic. In this connection he invited me to go with him to the Dominican Republic as his guest on one of his early visits. Except that HEADQUARTERS might see some obstacle to doing this, I should like very much to take him up on this invitation.
At one point in the conversation, Mr. Pawley mentioned Portuondo’s name and I remarked to him that I knew Portuondo had visited Miami last week. Mr. Pawley said he knew this because Portuondo had been to see him ... Mr. Pawley said, “That big colored Cuban brought him here.” ... when I siggested that this might be Manolo Benitez, he said, “Yes that’s the man.” He said that Benitez had come to see him a couple of weeks ago to try to solicit his support for anti-Castro activities, and ... he was expecting Portuondo in Miami soon. Mr. Pawley had told Benitez to bring Portuondo to see him when he arrived. When I remarked that Benitez and Portuondo seem to me to be very strange bedfellows, Mr. Pawley agreed but said they gave the appearance of working closely together. I then told Mr. Pawley that I had heard that Portuondo, during his visit to Miami, had been implying in conversations that he had gained support in the US Departments of State and Defense. Mr. Pawley said that he had experienced the same thing ... [and] pressed him for the names ... but Portuondo would mention no names.
Based on this single interview, a question arises in my mind as to the sort of relationship I should attempt with Mr. Pawley. For example, he is apparently a frequent visitor to the Dominican Republic and talks directly with Trujillo. Also he has a great many interests there; his brother resides there permanently; and he tells me he has a rather large group of geologists at work in the Dominican Republic. By these means, Mr. Pawley surely acquires a good deal of information. Is he passing this information regularly to [REDACTED] or others and, in light of the answer to that question, how aggressively should information be solicited from Mr. Pawley?
11 “George de Mohrenschildt.” Staff Report of the Select Committee on Assassinations, U.S. House of Representatives, Ninety-fifth Congress Second Session, March 1979.
This probe seemed justified in view of the controversy that continues to surround the relationship, and the additional speculation that was caused by the apparent suicide of de Mohrenschildt in 1977 on the day he was contacted by both an investigator from the committee and a writer about Oswald.
1958 - Returned to Yugoslavia to develop drilling venture using Yugoslav labor for John Mecom of Cardwell Tool Corp. Visited Poland for 10 days. Visited Dominican Embassy in Washington, D.C., to discuss oil project with Ambassador.
March 1963 - Went to Haiti to arrange geology contract with Haitian Government. Stopped over in Dominican Republic
George de Mohrenschildt testified before the Warren Commission that one evening when he and his wife visited the Oswalds at their Neely Street address in dallas, Marina Oswald exclaimed that Oswald had bought a gun and showed the gun to Jeanne de Mohrenschildt.(45) De mohrenschildt testified that this took place around Easter in the spring of 1963 and that the occasion of the visit was to take an Easter present or toy to the Oswald's daughter.(46)
June 1963-Went to Haiti. Stopped over in Dominican Republic.
April 1964-Went to Dominican Republic from Haiti to get Bureau of Mines information. Went to San Juan, P .R.
See http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/jfkinfo4/jfk12/hscademo.htm#III
12 10/31/1959 Telegram. From: Moscow [Signed by Freers]. To: Secretary of State. House Select Committee on Assassinations JFK Exhibit F-534.
Lee Harvey Oswald, unmarried age 20 PP 17333242 issued sept 10 1959 appeared at emb[assy] today to renounce American Citizenship...applied in Moscow for Soviet citizenship following entry USSR from Helsinki Oct. 15. Mother’s address and his last address US 4936 Collinwood St., Fort Worth Texas. Says action contemplated last two years. Main reason “I am Marxist”. Attitude arrogant aggressive. Recently discharged Marine Corps. Says has offered Soviets any information he has acquired as enlisted radar operator.
NARA 104-10001-10138 ~ 3/17/1964 Telegram. “Comment Regarding Article Alleging Oswald was Interviewd by CIA Employees.” Subjects: Press Clipping; Scott, Paul; Freers, Edward; Oswald and CIA; Allen, Robert S.; Snyder, Richard. From: RI/AN. To: Chief, CI/R&A. Pages 3 & 4 of 5.
b. That despatch [No. 234 of 2 November 1959] contains no statement or ineference that Richard E. Snyder of the US Embassy in Moscow, who talked to Oswald on 31 October 1959, has CIA connection ... The only other US official whose name was mentioned in that State Department despatch was E L. Freers who signed the despatch as Charge d’ Affairs, ad interim.
c. Richard E. Snyder ... entered on duty with CIA on 8 November 1949 as a GS-9 ($4600.00 per annum) ... he apparently resigned 26 September 1950 ... Nelson Brickham, an SR Division staff employee, was in contact with Snyder for about one year (1956-1957). Brickham used Snyder as a spotter at Harvard where Snyder was studying Russian and had access to other students who might be going to the USSR. There is no record of POA, OA or CSA action in that connection. In March 1959 (probably just before Snyder’s departure for Moscow), State requested that he be given two weeks of the OBS Course (probably Orr’s training in Soviet Order of Battle).
d. Edward L. Freers was never an employee of CIA. He has been an employee of the Department of State since 1941 and has served in various countries. In 1952, while a “Peripheral Officer” with the State Department in Rome, OPC requested “liaison clearance” on him; the clearance was granted in April 1952. The interest was dropped in 1955.
Edward Louis Freers was the State Department’s Moscow, Director, Personnel Security Division, Office Soviet Union Affairs. See NARA 104-10106-10839 for Freers job status.
NARA 1993.06.18.16:24:35:030000 ~ 11/13/1959 Handwritten [2-Page] Letter. “Requesting US Citizenship [be Revoked] From Oswald.” To: Embassy Moscow.
Attachment to: SC-01836-78. “Subject DDS&T Interim Reply to HSCA Request, 8 May 78, OLC 78-1573.” Misc Documents From AARC CIA Collection, Box 113. Page 163 of 430. Mary Ferrell Foundations website.
Detachment C advance party of security and communication personnel departed the U.S. for Atsugi, Japan on 20 February 1957, the second echelon of administrative personnel departed 4 March, and the main body of the detachment with two U-2 aircraft and equipment began deployment on 15 March.
NARA 104-10300-10063 ~ 11/9/1959 Telegram to State Department. “Subject: Oswald Intends to Renounce US Citizenship.” To Secretary of State. From: Tokyo, MacArthur.
USAF Staff Sergeant John E. PicTachikawa Air Base, called at Embassy November 6, concerning news reports that his half-brother, Lee Harvey Oswald, 20 years old, intends to renounce US citizenship and become Soviet citizen.
13 “Memorandum of Conversation, Department of State, Washington, September 24, 1959 Meeting with American Sugar Interests Regarding their Properties in Cuba.” Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958-1960, Volume VI: Cuba Page 605.
o William, F. Oliver, President, American Sugar Refining Company o John A. Nichols, President Cuban American Sugar Company
o B. Rionda Braga, President, Francisco Sugar Company
o Michael J. P. Malone, Manti Sugar Company
o Frank G. Brown, Jr. VP, Punta Alegre Sugar Corporation
o Philip Rosenberg, President, and Warren Lee Pierson, Director Vertientes-Camaguey Sugar Company
o W. Huntington Howell, First VP, West Indies Sugar Corporation
o Lawrence Crosby, Vice-Chairman, Atlantica del Golfo Sugar Company
14 October 1959 (UNDATED) Handwritten Thank You Note from Mrs. George Catlett Marshall to Edna and Bill.
15 NARA 104-10122-10070 ~ “Memorandum for: Deputy Director of Security (Investigations & Operational Support.” From: Desmond Fitzgerald. Attention: ID/1, Mr. Coleman. Subject: William D. Pawley 20 February 1964.
16 NARA 104-10049-10372 ~ 10/2/1959 CIA Dispatch - Report re Fabio Freyre. Subject Report of Contact with QDDALE, 2 October 1959. From: Miami WHD Representative, Patrick I Karnley. To: Chief, Western Hemisphere Division.REFERENCES: UFGT-7664, attached UFGT-4162, attached UFGT-6961, attached
1. It is requested that Subject be granted a Covert Security Approval for use by JMWAVE on a continuing basis. The references reflect that Subject has been in contact with the Agency for a number of years and that the Western Hemisphere Division was granted a CSA in October 1959 to enable their contact with him.
2. Refer any questions to M. K. Holbik, SAS/Security, ext. 5909
[signed by M.K. Holbik for] Desmond Fitzgerald, Chief, SAS
....Rubottom was at lunch so he talked to Bill Snow and passed him this information, again not identifying his sources. I noted that QDDALE also took the time to preach Snow a little sermon about the danger to US interests which would accrue if something isn’t done to change Castro’s ways. During his conversation with Snow he also told him that he was discussing other matters with KUBARK, so Snow may be inquiring of you what it is we are talking to QDDALE about.
10. QDDALE again said that it was a shame that he didn’t have this discussion on tape. I informed him that we were ready to go ahead and survey his office with a view of placing the equipment as soon as possible. I agreed with him tentatively that a technician would be here to survey the premises on Saturday, 10 October.
11. QDDALE called me a few days after my visit with him on 25 September to inform me that the name of the British official with whom the Freyre group had discussed the matter of getting an unihabited island as a staging area...was Col. Morris Hill.....not only would the British Government not entertain such a notion, but Hill was off base in even discussing the matter with the group and in not reporting their proposal to U.S. authorities.
12. This matter of a British island had been mentioned to me before by George Davis of the FBI...This information was passed to QDDALE and was greatly appreciated.
Labels: AMCLATTER-1, Bernard Barker, Castro, CIA, Cuba, Dulles, Fiorini, Hunt, Marcos Diaz Lanz, Oswald, QDDALE, Sturgis, Task Force W, Tharpe, United Fruit, Watergate, William Harvey, William Pawley
posted by David Price Cannon @ 2:37 PM
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