404-10224-10220 —, re . . . oN { UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE : - ~ FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION A In Reply, Please Mefer te . = . File Ne CO , a Miant, Florida “ : APR 10 GO CONFIDENTIAL oo te Se yt ERE GF POUR NEGR Sem i oo RES EJERCITO CUBANO ANTLCOMUNISTA i (FRENTE’ ESCAMBRAY) ~ ot .  & - (CUBAN ANTI-COMMUNIST ARMY) ‘ [ (ESCAMBRAY FRONT); INTERNAL SECURITY. - CUBA; oo - REGISTRATION ACT ~ CUBA; . NEUTRALITY MATTER. | On April 4, 1963, Mi T-1, who has furnished re- liable inforwation in the past, obtained information from ‘ a pouree who is involved with American criminal elements in New York and Miaml, who obtained information frou. an ; unknown source, whose vellability is unknown, but who Le ‘ in a position to furnish some information concerning thie t matter. vol- A gepasc. i It. was reported that in the-Late evening hours of ! April 3, 1963, Frank Anthony Sturgis’, also known 43 Frank - 4 Movini, an Aserican soldier of fortune involved in Cuban fre | vovoluctonary activittes, reportedly stated that until re- i cently, the "Violy Itt" had been located in Neples, Florida, under Florini's control. Fiorini continued that an infiltra- tioa misston was planned by Plocini and Evelio Duque (matro-~ i nyaie; nace unknown), «nerein Duque and his men would infiltrate inte Cubs toe engage in guerrilla activities against the Cuban ,  CONEYDENTIAL Grove Lb Exeluded from automatie downgrading and declassification. : : Rh ln AGP EE
14-00000 CONFIDENTIAL ~ RE: EJEACITO CUBANO ANTICOMUNISTA ——— Covern=zent, and Fiorini would Later supply them by air- ‘plene from the United States. Duque was described as a8 Cuban exile residing in Milani, Florida, who is active in eati-Castro activities. Des — wo : : Fiorini claimed to have arranged for the use o£ the boat "Violyn LIL," and made the arrangemonce with the owner, Alexander I. Rorke, Jr., free lance newspaper man, Wao has been periodically involved in Cuban revolu- ticnery activities. Rorke agreed to allow Fiorini uae of the boat Lf, in return, Rorke's organization, U. S$. Freedom Plentera, would receive credit for any success accomplished by Florini. ‘Later, this boat was moved to Marco, Florida, on the Culf of Mexico side of Florida. ‘Thereafter, Rorke changed his aind and wanted the boat back, but Fiorint clziaed he did not know where.the boat was, or where it had gone. eae time later, the “/£colyn LIL" and another large vers lefe the Florida area. ‘ after the "Violya III" left froma somewhere on the Cost of Florida, Frank Florini, along with airplane t Bill Johnson and Jerry Buchanan, an American adventurer, a small bost and met the "Violyn LIZ" and the othor ect at sea, The small boat loaded on to the two lar- tc gasoline and food, Jerry Buchanan, at that time, —_ ake ns Mw eo oo mo at o. Rot MF fay oO cere) Q G2 raig a CONPIDENTIAL 2a
14-00000 CONFIDENTIAL RE: EJERCITO.CUBANO ANTICOMUNISTA: 2 ; i { boardc.. the "Violyn III." The two larger boats then oe . departed for an unknown destination, Floriat and Johnson “- returned to Florida in the small boat. ~ On April 3, 1963, MM T-3, who has furnished reliable inforcation in the past, obtained sone Laformation from an untested zource with contacts in the Bahamas, who obtained dutoraatic.. from an unldeatified percon. He advised that it waa Xxeported that several hours after Plorini was arrested on Norman Key, British authorities in the Bahamas atopped and boarded the "Violyn ILL" and arrested some thirteen Cubana and Jecry Buchanan who were aboard, : res . wo / On April 4, 1963, MM T-3 advised that the British authorities released the "Violyn LLL" and the crew, and in- i ctxructed them to proceed to Miamt, The other boat which ~ originally accompanied the "Violyn Lil," nage of thia boat unknown, escaped and was being sought by the British and the _ United States Coast Guard. , bo, | | | CONFIDENTIAL i ‘ . ~3-
14-00000 he had been in radio contact with the above-mentioned uniden= tified boat, and it was tied up at an island in the Bahamas, exact location of which was not disclosed. The boat was re- vis and heard the U. S. Coast Guard planes " Fiorini claimed he | _ CONFIDENTIAL _ ! . ORE: EYERCTTO:CHBAto A ANTICOMUNISTA on p< ° Cn April. hy 1963, Florint reportedly claimed that. mo oo i } portedly -ca mouflaged - £lying above in an effort to locate it. could supply this unidentified boat with fuel and food, if requested by this boat, and that he had available an Aero-~ Commander airplane in Miami and two fast powerboats lqcated somewhere north of Miami. It was not known what manner of radio communication was used by Fiorini to contact the un=~ identified boat. | [ | | | Oa April 4, 1963, local newspaper, radio stations i: and television stations in Miemi, Florida, reported thet the “Violya ILL" had departed from Nassau and was cnroute to | MLomi with a U. S. Coast Guard escort. Miami Attorney Charles | R. Asheznn made press announcements that the crew of the "Vio- tya {LL" would not return to the United States. | | | i In the early morning hours of April 5, 1963, MI Te3 advised that Ashmann claimed the "Violyn III" would rendez~ vous with che other unidentified boat and would complete its inciltrction mission to Cuba. On April 5, 1963, IN T-4, 4 representative of another Government agency, advised that on the afcernoon-of April 4, 1963, the "Violyn ILI" left Nassau, Bahamas, on a general course ©¢ , for the United States, and at that date was at the north tip of CONFIDENTIAL i aro asres oe ; »
14-00000 CONFIDENTIAL RE: EJERCITO CUBANO ANTICOMUNISTA pre BI?2Z24 Andros Island in the Bahamas. Because the "Violyn IIL" was in shallow water, the U. S. Coast Guard discontinued “7 its surveillance of the "Violyn ILI" by boat, and the sur- veLlllence was taken over by U. S. Coast Guard. aircraft. . At about 8:20 P.M., the "Violyn ILL" turned off its running lights and had not been seen by the Coast Guard. since that time. MM T-4 reported that there is a Sigma-type Cuban fishing boat whieh was stopped near Willia coast of jmdvews Island on April 5, 1963. Sigma boat was possibly the boat that was. supposed to rendez- vous with the "Violynn III" for an ms Key off the MM T-4 said this infiltration mission in- to Cuba. There is an airplane landing strip at Williams Key- waich could not be used because soncone had placed a great quaatity of rocks and driftwood on the runway. On April 5, 1963, Mr. Chester A. Investigations Branch, Imnaigratt Woish, chief, on and Naturalization Service, ilami, advised that the "Violyn IIIT" had just arrived at the ceawall, Key Biscayne, Miaml. The Cubans aboard were to be taken by INS authorities to INS detention facility at Opa Locka, Florida, where interviewa were to be conducted, and any Unitcc States citizens on board were to be taken by INS | authorities to INS Headquarters in Miami, where these indi- . viduals would be interviewed for any possible violations of Federal law concerning U. 5. passport regulations. Property of FBI - This document is loaned to you by the FI, and neither it nor its contents are to be distributed outside the agency Co which loaned. CONFIDENTIAL =5¥-
14-00000 . bert ux? , ao An. ‘UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU or INVESTIGATION WASHINGTON 2% Ke. . 4 fp | April 8, 1963 MICROFILM &O Y) _ ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES APR 171983 IC. MIGRO--SE The 'Violyn III," a boat utilized by pert Anticommunist Army, Escambray Front, in its anti-Castro activities, was recently captured by British authorities together with a number of anti-Castro raiders, The boat and the anti-Castro raiders have subsequently returned. to Miami, Florida, wo In this connection en informant who has furnished | reliable information in the past on April 4, 1963, advised, . 50°78 that during the previous evening Frank 4nthony Sturgis, who op -2 ‘, is more commonly known as Frank Fiorini, « former Castro i supporter and an American soldier of fortune who has been . engaged in anti.Castro endeavors since his break with the Castro regime, stated that until recently the "Violyn Il" had been located at. Naples, Florida, under Fiorini's control, én infiltration mission had been planned by Florini and Evelilo Duque, leader of the Cuban Anticommunist Army, Escambray Front, whereby Duque and his men would infiltrate into Cuba and would later be supplied by Fiorini by plane from the United States, Fiorini stated he had acranged with Alexander I, Rorke, Jr., a free-lance newspaperman who has been involved in anti-Castro activities, for the use of the "Violyn IIi," Rorke permitted the use of this boat but stated that he wanted his organization, the U, 5, Freedom Fighters, to receive some of the credit for any Successes achieved, Rorke subsequently changed his mind and wanted the boat back but Fiorini claimed that it had depdrted and that he did not know where it was, A. SCY fel Reease
14-00000 ¢ of. #NTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES of a Sometime. later the "Violyn ITI" cand aneghep: boa t yyeke the Florida area. On the day of the departure of these - vessels, Fiorini, Bill Johnson, a pilot, and Jerry Buchanan, an adventurer, rented a small. boat and made a rendezvous with the other two boats at Sea. Buchanan transferred to one of these two vessels and gasoline and food supplies which had been on the small boat were loaded. aboerd these two vessels, Fiorint and Juhnson then returned to Florida in the rented ; boat. and the other two continued on their way, acl? aa LSubsequently Fiorini, Johnson and Jose Maria j ".£?Gonzalez Hernandez;“a Cuban radio operator, proceeded to Nassau, Bahamas, rented a plane and flew to Norman Key in the Bahamas, Immedtately thereafter this group was arrested by British authorities who sent them back to Miami, Florida. Several hours after Fiorini was arrested on Norman Key, the British stopped and boarded the "Vielyn III" and arrested Buchanan and a number of Cubans who were aboard, On fpril 4, 1963, the British released the "Violyn IL" and its crew with instructions that they should proceed to Miaml, The other boat escaped, fr, ACL aT hs ob Groep Awe A> Cl htad rwhcammuncsl Ming, € stan bea ar On April 4, 1963, Florthi claimed he had been in radio contact with the boat that hed escaped and that it was then docked at an island in the Bahamas, Fiorini did not ‘disclose the exact location of the boat but claimed he could -6upply it with food and fuel if requested and that he hed an airplane and two fast power boats available in the Miami area, a2
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