40000A
104-10066-10076
2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 D-CA
JERK
3
July 14
MEMO FOR FILE
SUBJECT C :
OTS (late TSD) and Jim McCord's Cuban Activities
1 Ben Colling phoned to say that one of the fellows in jail
is still around, and after he got out he inquired around and got no
indication that McCord was ever involved. None of the other OTS people
have any recollection of McCord's involvement.
-
2. I said that I was sure that the man who was rolled up
might not have any idea of McCord's involvement, if indeed he was
involved. If McCord's involvelement was merely headquarters planning
and no releasing operation was ever undertaken his role might never
surface. However, we had been told that planning did involve TSD
people at the time, along with Pecurity. For instance, I knew that
the Security man with TSD at the time had a job of hand-holding with
the families of the three men; there may be some TSD record of that.
which would lead to someone who would know.
D
3. Colling was pulled out of a staff meeting to talk to me and
said he would call back later.
.SDB
RETURN TO CIA.
Background Use Only
Do Not Reproduce
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20 September 1960
MEMORANDUM FOR: DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
SUBJECT
07.
Summary of[S]ESCALADE
Audio Operation
Against the New China News Agency in Havana
1. In May 1959, the New China News Agency (NCMA) opened
an office in Hayana in the El Medico Building which is occupied
partly by business concerns and partly used for residential apart-
ments. Shortly thereafter, the Havana Station obtained the con-
currence of Ambassador Bonsal and Miss Carolyn O. Stacey, an
Embassy employee, to mount an audio operation against NCNA through
the wall of the adjacent apartment in which Miss Stacey lived. - In
November 1959, the FE Division sent one case officer and one TSD.
technician to Havana, and the installation of a microphone and tape
recorder was completed in Miss Stacey's apartment on 29 November
1959
2. By June 1960, it had become evident that two other rooms
occupied by NCNA possibly housed communication equipment anė“
were used for conferences. At that time Brya PMills] FE Division
case officer, went to Havana and explored the possibility of improving
the operation, He managed to lease an apartment directly over the
NCNA office and arranged for a stay-behind agent to occupy this space,
3. In August 1960, a team of three TSD technicians who were
in Havana on a separate SR Division operation agreed to install the
additional equipment required for the NCNA operation. A second FE
Division case officer, Robert Neet, came down to Havana; and he,
together with the technicians, installed & probe microphone and tape
recorder in the apartment obtained by Milla] over the NCNA office.
About this time the equipment was removed from Miss Stacey's
apartment, with the exception of the plastic probe which was left
in the wall and plastered over.
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4. As an additional security precaution to provide a safe
haven, and after consultation with the Acting Chief of Station, a key
to an apartment in the same building leased by Mrs. Marjorie
Lennox, an Embassy secretary, was obtained, Mrs. Lennox was
told that access to her apartment was needed for photographic
surveillance purposes,
5. The Station was then faced with the probability that time
and security would work against holding indefinitely the lease to
the apartment over NCNA since the owners of the building were
cancelling sub-lessors' contracts and recalling leases. It was,
therefore, decided to install transmitters and switches in order to
permit continued monitoring of the target from a distant listening
post. Another three-man team of TSD technicians consisting of
David L. Christ (alias Carswell), Walter E. Szuminski (alias
Taransky) and Thornton J. Anderson (alias Danbrunt) documented
as tourists had been sent to Havana to install audio equipment in the
Chinese Nationalist Embassy before it was due to be turned over to
the Chinese Communits.. This operation aborted, This team was
then sent to work on the installation of the transmitters in the apart-
ment over the NCNA office.
:
6. At 2400 hours on 14 September, Christ, who with the
other technicians was working in the target apartment, failed to keep
a scheduled appointment with Neet. At 0100 hours on the 15th of
September, the apartment of Mrs. Lennox was entered into and
searched by Cuban authorities, and she was taken into custody. At
1540 hours' on 15 September, Neet, the stay-behind agent and his wife-
were picked up by the Cuban authorities and detained.
7. As of today the agent remains in the custody of the Cuban
authorities. His wife has been released and is still in Havana, Neet
was released 1715 hours 16 September and has subsequently returned..
to Washington where he is being debriefed. Mrs. Lennox was
subsequently released and has also returned to Washington where she
is being debriefed, The three TSD technicians remain in confinement,
They have been seen in confinement but not contacted by an Embassy
officer when he first attempted to secure the release of Mrs. Lennox.
Christ was last seen by Neet when they were jointly interrogated
the morning of 16 September. At that time Christ did not appear
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to have been maltreated.
8. According to articles in the Cuban papers the three
technicians were arrested while in the apartment over the NCNA
office and completing the installation of the equipment. The
press article adds that the key to Mrs, Lennox's apartment was
found on one of the technicians who identified the apartment to -
which it belonged. All Cuban press releases have referred to the
men by alias and have not identified them as Government or Agency
employees. It is unclear at present what story had been agreed
upon by the technicians and station personnel to be used in the event
they were caught. (While being interrogated with Neet, Christ
indicated that Neet was his boss, and Neet consistently denied any-
knowledge as to why he was being held.) The sub-lease for the
apartment in which the men were caught is in the name of the stay-
behind agent with the original lease being in the nama of Mills] the
FE Division Case Officer.
9. Initial information indicated that the three technicians would.
be charged with espionage "against the people of China". Subsequent
press releases have been unclear on this point. An attempt by Consul
Hugh Kessler to contact the three men at 1730-hours on 17 September
was unsuccessful. He was not permitted to see them but was told
they were in custody.
10. The three technicians travelled to Cuba as tourists. under
very light commercial cover, two of them working for a company in
New York and the third, one in Baltimore. In each case the cover
company consists of a telephone answering service and a name on the
door. Telephone messages and mail are picked up periodically by an
Agency contract employee. The men were provided with this cover
as well as unbackstopped home addresses for use when entering or:
leaving Cuba as tourists since the filling out of the landing card
requires this information. Subsequent to their detention the home'
addresses have been partially backstopped so that inquiries will
indicate that someone with this alias name had lived in the apartment
house in question. Insofar as the cover companies are concerned,
efforts are being made to provide a backstop to withstand inquiries
from the press should the Cubans reveal this information. In view
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of the thinness of the cover, it is uncertain whether this will succeed,
:11. A cleared and witting law firm in New York has been briefed
by Mr. L. Houston on the situation with the thought that inquiries
received by the cover company could be referred to the firm of
lawyers from whom no comment would be obtained by the press or
other inquirers. The law firm has been briefed on the entire situa-
tion so that they may be in a position to act if any action by them
appears desirable or feasible. It would not appear that much support
of any kind can be obtained from the law firm or the law firms in:
Cuba which are associated with them,
12. Insofar as the families are concerned, one of the technicians..
is a bachelor presently on home leave between two tours in Japan]
His father, a cook in a diner in the Boston area, has been contacted.
by the Office of Security, and he will get in touch with Security if.
he receives any inquiries on this matter, Security, by the same
token, will keep in touch with him as the Cubans reveal their inten-
tions and course of action.
13. The wives of the other two technicians have been told what
has happened and are being contacted at least once daily by TSD.
staffers and their wives who have been briefed on the situation. A:
conference with the two wives was held in TSD on 19 September to go
over the whole situation and determine if there were any personal
problems on which the Agency could be of help. For the time being
the wives are telling their neighbors that their husbands are on a
trip. This story will be adjusted depending on what course of action.
the Cuban Government takes, whether the aliases remain unbroken
and whether recognizable photographs of the individuals are released:
to the press. The two wives so far have taken the bad news exceedingly
well.
Distribution:
-DCI - 2
DĐCT.!
WH
☑
.3.
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DD/P
COPS 1
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05
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CI
I
RUDOLPH E. GOMEZ
Acting Chief," WH
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20 Septe her 1966
Septe
02
MEMORANDUM RESTESCALADE
record
There is a folder of sensitive non-CS/material pertaining to this
operation, retired under Black Tape wrapping, Job #57-86/78, restricted
to Offices of DCI, DDCI, DDP, C/WH, C/WH/PL, C/WH/C, C/CI, C/TSD, Director
of Security and General Counsel. China Operations is not cited as an
k
originator, addressee, or info recipient of any of this sensitive
material..
Viviou
1334:
WH/RMO
SECRET
·06593
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= c k sc
Q DE
Atte
C G
RELEASE CONTINGENCY OPI: 6e-a
11
CHART OR MAY REGURENCE:
Sectional wroceutical d
A squad.
TASK ORGANIZATION:
Det. 1, 1045th Operational Evation and Tordating Graphy Major
Billy B. Campbell, Comander.
1. SITUATION:
Daniel I. Carewell (line), Bustees H. Tumbruus (Alis) and Biwind
R. Taransky (Alius) a TD sa ployees who were granted by
Cuban authorities in September 1981 and who are ou serving ten year seutua-
ces. forts are being made to sure their release. See their release
may coner without advance notice D at a variety of ploto, . Ha,
Miami,
Mexico City, Switzerd, bull, atu, it is operative that a.
contingency plan be formallested to bare the da@ure roma of these
employees.
;
The controlling Punter in all phase of the releese procedure is
that these employees were in 1 or alls and best during the entire
perici slave their embur their i
enter stouter apparently
have brea rinteiual, Therefore santial that there nidase by
maintained until outh of the logs are nod to Ageung da
trel and then bees in
a quickly a pode
ble.
For planning purposes that at pelato #111 or vice, Macleo
City or "othes arven "..
2. MISSION:
Det. 1, 104th stationel Elation and Toy Osten provide
black air transp * 00s to the designated sap
kral.
3.
EXECUTION?
A. look
quest of, 1080p
Sending the ale podla
dmabhán (lar at the
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3. Request for black transport should india:
1. Request that RELEASE CONTINGENCY OPLAN 62-2 be implemented.
2.
Port of entry.
3. Date, Local time, and air@leld desired for pick up,
4. Desired destination.
5. Other requirements, ie,, stratebarn or bunks in the event
subjects are hospital cases.
6. Name, organization end salephone number of requesting party.
% Name and telephone rucher of KUBARK oxtants et loading
and off-iowling points.
C.
The following personnel are knowledgeable and charged with the
responsibility of activating While plan:
1. Major Richard I. Skinner, PC/ASD/DO/P
Organization: Air Support Divisios, DD/P
Home Phone: JB 3-1409
2.
3.
Office Phone:
Sterile Numbers № 8-5235, EX 3-8515
ఔనe:sits 6862, 7354, 7367...
Rel Line 1958
Mr. Robert Marrero
Organization: Air Support Division, DD/P.
Home Phone: JA 4-3898
Office Phone: Same as 1.
Major Billy B. Campbell, Commander, Dat. 1,
Organization: Das. 1, 105th Cparational Evaluation and
Home Phone:
Training Cro, Hu Air Force Base, Floridu..
662737
Office Phone: Eglin Air Force Deau, Florida 631590
Major Kenneth R. Burton, Cg Officer, Deb. 1.
Organization: Dat, 1, 105h Operational Evaluation and
Training Group, Egila Air Foove Ease, Florida
6626
Home Phone:
Office Phone: Eglin At: Fome Bese, Florida 631213
S-E-C-R-X-T
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5
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3
D. Det i furnish 1 C-54 and are in steniby expacity until
further notice. Standby capacity is heroin defined as espability to
position the eircraft at any port of entry la east, south or southwest
U. S. from Easton to Los Angeles within 35 bours,
B. Assurring the subjects will be released in Havana or Mexico
City, Det, 1 will prepare missim Polders for Elights from most
probable porte of entry to Isolation and Andrews Air Ferta Base,
Distribution:
026. & 1 CI Stazz
3
3
MS
TE
3
mmmmmmmm
3
C/FE
C/TSD
CCG
c/wa
3 - DPD/DDR
03
RICHARD I. SKINNER
1180