(404-10196-10275 .o CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY This material containg informatie affecting the National Defense.of ue Yuma s States within the meaning of the Espionage Lawa, Titie 18, USC Secs T3 and TH, the tracamiasiong of rerelation of which in ene sraaner to an unauthorteed person te prokitited by law. SECRET : NO FOREIGN DISSEM CHXI 316/00693-~-64 COUNTRY Cuba ; REPORT NO. SUNECT Jose FERNANDEZ DATE DISTR, 21 August 1964 . . NO. PAGES 3 - REFERENCES . pate of 1964 - . INFO, pace g Washington, D.C. ; DATE Acq, August 1964 FELD REPORT NO. THIS 1S UNEVALUATED CNFORMATION. SOURCE GRADINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT ($ TENTATIVE. source.-A former Cuban IS officer who served with the Cuban Intelligence Service until April 1964. Headquarters Comments The following report is one of a series containing personality information provided by the source and includes suppiémental information from the records of this Agency. It is requested that the addressees take no action on any of the individuals mentioned in the personality reports without first checking with this Agency. Source identified a photograph of Comandante Jose FSRNANDEZ and said that his nickname is “El Gallego.” FERNANDEZ is the chief of all army training schools from cadets up. He is not connected wath Cuban Intelligence.!, 2,3,4,5,6, Headquarters Comments 1. In a report dated 1] May 1960, from an untested source, ‘ it was reported that one Jose FERNANDEZ, possibly identical with the above Subject. was a Cuban Ambassador on an : arms buying missions in Rome. 2. Ina June 1962 a Cuban national, untested, whose father was an old army friend of Jose FERNANDEZ, aka “El Gallego,” reported the following information: FERNANDEZ is Chief of Artillary Schools in Habana Province; he frequently gives lectures on artillery weapons at a School for Members of the Western Army $ (La Escuela para los Miembres de Ejercito Occidente). § . : ' 40 2 SECRET atten] 2, 1 NO FOREIGN DISSEM eon a ; | STATE “| ota ARMY | NAWY Ala 1 Nsa { i OCR FRI 2 SE EAST Ae ERENT PRIMI IEA ENE IERS FERRED geben ja ec Bs. 3 e s 4 PROJECT ( AMMUG i) -_.-_-_CSC1-316/00693- hs I |eooromarine] nee a2 rerts WH/SA 7 (1), WE 1 (2), C14, RID je | FAMK : is, 3PI | soe
14-00000 .- SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM 7 ~2- He was a captain in the army during BATISTA’s time and was in prison for his party in the 4 April Movement until Bis release by CASTRO. FERNANDEZ was not known to be a Communist and, at the time of this report (1962), was not considered to be one. He attended artillery schools in the United States (dates and places unknown) and speaks English-well. He is well educated and weil — trained for the- position he holds. He <s often referred te as "El Gallego Fernandez." FERNANDEZ allegedly was éhief of the operation against the invaders of ‘ Playa Giron in April 1961. He was described as having . been born about 1921, being six feet one inch tall, 185 pounds, huving light grayish eyes, light brown hair, a fair complexion, white even teeth, and an oval face. He speaks with a Castillian accent. A fairly reliable source, in a report dated 17 July 1962, stated that Major Jose Ramon FERNANDEZ was the Chief of the Seccion Preparacion y Organizacion Combativa (Section for the Preparation and Organization of Warfare - SPOC), the ' Cuban Army's key man for defense against invasion, and the” F military brains of the country. He had access to all secret information. FERNANDEZ received his ims tructions exclusively from Fidel and Raul CASTRO with whom he is in personal contact. He received his military education in the United States. He is intelligent and reportedly not a Communist. A Cuban national, untested, reported in September 1962, that the facilities of the Military Academy at Camp Managua were being utilized as a training center for officers, officer- candidates and non-commissioned officers. Major Jose FERNANDEZ, aka “El Gallego," has an office on the ground floor of the first building as you enter the camp. FERNANDEZ and a General Enrique LISTER prepared all the training schedules, pumphlets, and training aides, as well as joint exercises in which air ground (armor and infantry) have participated. In a l+ November 1962 report, an untested source said that Comandante ‘(fnu) FERNANDEZ is the only Cuban official who 1s completely within the confidence of the Soviets with respect to the military fortifications of the Habana area. Met a report dated 18 May 1963, stated that an unidentificd “usually reliable source" said that Major Jose Ramon FERNANDEZ, known as "El Gallego,” is the one who made the preparation for CASTRO's trip to the | Soviet Union in February 1963. FERNANDEZ arrived in Habana from Moscow two days before CASTRO's surprise departure. SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM