JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM . : ; AGENCY INFORMATION Released under the John ; Kennedy AGENCY : CIA Wssassination Records RECORD NUMBER : 104-10112-10145 Ollection Act of 1992 RECORD SERIES : JFK (44 USC 2107 Note). AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 80T01357A ase#:NW 53294 Date: DOCUMENT INFORMATION po-14—-2017 AGENCY ORIGINATOR : CIA FROM : CHIEF OF STATION, HABANA TO : CHIEF, WHD TITLE : A MEMO ON BACKGROUND BIO INFORMATION * DATE : 01/30/1958 N PAGES : 4 SUBJECTS : WITHHELD JFK ASSASSINATION BIO INFORMATION DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER CLASSIFICATION : SECRET RESTRICTIONS : 1B CURRENT STATUS : RELEASED IN PART PUBLIC - RELEASED WITH DELETIONS DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 06/22/04 COMMENTS : JFK41 : F4 : 20040112-1033639 (R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED 104-10112-10145 HW 53294 DBocld:32399317 Page 1
. . ee ea . ; (WHEN -FILLED IN) , : > 1 an INSTRUCTIONS: ° Use officer designations in the “TO” “Lam Number each comment to correspond with the number in the “TO” column. Draw a line across the. ‘sheet under ieach comment. Bach officer should date and initial (check mark insufficient) before further routing. This Routing,and Record sheet should ‘NOT be removed from the attached RECORD document. + H i ;OFFICER’S™ “INITIALS HW 53294 Docld:32399317 Page 2?
jase ATR DISPATCH NO. _HKH=A-H193 HW 535294 ¥ "(SPECIFY AIR OR SEAPOUCH) . Field File No. 23-88/2-153 TO > Chief, WHD 7} 7 DATE: 30 January 1955 ____ FROM : Chief of Station, Habana THRO: Chief. of Station, SUBJECT: GENERAL— © Operational os Chief of Station, Panama SPECIFIC— Arthur G. VAIVADA References? (a) HKH-W-2380, 16 October 1957 (b) HRS-W-1326, 19 august 1957 “1. In a conversation with the writer on 23 January 1958 Mr. and Mrs.. Arthur G. VAIVADA volunteered information that may be of interest to Head -quarters in.regard to paragraph 3. of reference. |) . - 2, ‘When VAIVADA-said:that he hoped his wife’s immigration:visa =... application could be successfully processed at the time of his transfer ~ from Cuba, Mrs. VAIVADA remarked that one reason for delays she experienced when she applied for that visa in San Jose, Costa Rica, on ) April 1957 (see HRS-A-2938, 3 September 1957) could be a security clearance problem oe she had had in 1913 while employed ata U.S. Government Post Exchange in the Panama Canal Zone. When the writer inquired to what she referred, Mrs. VAIVADA said that her supervisor, the officer in charge of the Post Exchange, had accused her of being a Nazi sympathizer. When World War II terminated, and she prepared to quit her employment in the Post Exchange, she asked for evidence that she had been a satisfactory employee. It was at this point that she had difficulty in obtaining a statement to that effect from her supervisor, owing to his belief that she was pro-Nazi. 3. When the writer showed his surprise, ‘Mrs. VAIVADA continued the explanation by saying that a color line existed in Panama at that time. She mentioned a ferry-boat connecting the Republic of Panama with the Canal Zone which she and one of her two sisters (who also worked in the Post Exchange) had used daily to go to and from work. . White persons used the upper. deck, © Ncolored" persons the lower deck. She further mentioned that the Post Exchange maintained two payrolls, a "Silver Roll" for "colored" employees and a "Gold Roll" for "whites", Since she is dark skinned, her supervisor placed her on the "Silver Roll" and she had also to use the lower deck on the ferry-boat. Her sister, being blond-haired and white skinned, was placed on the "Gold Roll", That is, her two sisters having white: skin, blond hair and blue eyes, were classed as whites while she was classed as "colored" owing to her dark coloring. Despite: explanations of her fanily. background made to her supervisor by her sister and herself, the supervisor refused to ; re-classify her. Angered at this distinction, Mrs. VAIVADA, who said she was ~ something of a leader among the fenale employees at the Post Exchange, began a campaign among them to get their organized support of her cause. She did SEERET CLASSIFICATION MARS 1989 51-28 A 20 (160 56/ etc Poe ee 2 -- Soe  COPREC TOES a ae en ee ete Se - cnet sete neeetinte ek Liam ee rhein Se dacbaameinnenaans tn ani tambien DoclId: 32399317 Page 3 meet Sy,
HW 535294 ts + v . . * on ta Qe . HKH-A-,193 “ 30 January 1958 not mention details nor the success of this campaign, but said that it resulted in bringing down upon her head the wrath of her supervisor, who made’ an official investigation of her and had her reported as a'dangerous labor agitator having pro-Nazi sympathies". le At this point VAIVADA related that he was then courting Mrs. VAIVADA and had had difficulty with his commanding officer as a result. He said that one day, in an effort to clear Mrs. VAIVADA with her supervisor, he telephoned to the latter. As soon as he mentioned Mrs. VATVADA’s name the officer became agitated, warned VAIVADA to be wary of Mrs, VAIVADA, and repeated to him the story of her pro-Nazi sympathies and agitation activities. VAIVADA said he. hung up and did not press the matter. He said that he had kmown his future wife long enough by then to be personally satisfied that the allegations against her were . false. 5, Finally, in the conversation Mrs.. VAIVADA said that her father. . and his parents were of German ethnic origin, and she demonstrated a knowledge of the German language. 6. The writer met and began working with VAIVADA in August 1955, and during this entire time the latter has never mentioned a former marriage of his wife. Having frequently seen and conversed as well with Mrs. VAITVADA since that date, it is difficult for the writer to picture her as having been a ballet dancer. She is under five feet in stature, is very plump, with thick lips and distinctly yellow-brown skin. Mrs. VAIVADA impresses the writer as having considerable shrewdness and, in his view, could conceal facts.if shebelieved they, would damage her hmsband, to whom.she.is.completely loyal. It was evident from the above conversation that Mrs. VAIVADA believes Wér“19h3 Post Exchange difficulties have adversely affected her immigration visa application. That she volunteered the information appears to be a point in her favor, howevere a 7. The matter of Mrs. VAIVADA’s visa application deserves mention now inasmuch.as it is clearly. the VAIVADA’s intention to re-open the . application in June 1958, or at such time as VAIVADA’s transfer from Cuba becomes effective. The writer cannot judge whether the events of 193 have or have not prejudiced her application; perhaps Station San Jose can investigate to determine this. for Headquarters’ and Station San Jose’s information, the visa application was initially made by VAIVADA himself in Habana in February 1957. At that time VAIVADA named himself as his wife’s sponsor, but the consular officer handling the case turned the application down owing to insufficient financial means on VAIVADA’s part because. VAIVADA was, for security reasons, unable to show his regular KUBARK . employment and the more than adequate financial status he derives from ite SECRET DoclId: 32399317 Page 4
a cepe kt eam Sy ete 30 January 1958 VAIVADA then asked an intimate service friendd sufficient means, who resides in PBPRIME, to act as his wife’s sponsor. The friend did so, sending the required affidavits to the Habana Consulate. Inasmuch as replies) to consular queries sent to Panama and Costa Rica had not been received, and the switch in sponsors made by VAIVADA appears to have. caused the consular officer some concern about. the case, no action was taken on the application by the time VATVADA was TDY’d to PBPRIME for training and had sent his wife and-children to San Jose. This consular. officer had a reputation for creating difficulties when none existed, and it is to that extent unfortunate that VAIVADA’s case was assigned . to him; he has since, however, retired and wuld have no part in this case in the future. Mrs. VAIVADA then re-applied for the visa in San Jose on ) April 1957, as outlined above. Since VAIVADA is again planning to send his family to San Jose while he is carrying out his mission in ‘Oriente Province beginning in March 1958, it is probable that Mrs. VAIVADA will re-open. her. application in San. Jose. .. ... . , ; —_ James R. Palinger Distribution: - - Washington 1 - San Jose 1- Pmama , 2 - Files JRP/mfm 28 January 1958 Melati canneries HW 53294 DoclId:32399317 Page 3