Document date: 04/17/2018
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY : NARA

RECORD NUMBER : 176-10036-10054

RECORD SERIES: National Security Files

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

ORIGINATOR :

FROM :

TO :

TITLE :

DATE : 10/18/1962

PAGES : 4

SUBJECTS :

DOCUMENT TYPE :

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000

OPENING CRITERIA:

• 10/1/1962-11/12/1962. Box 1

COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 51: Cuban Subjects: intelligence materials

49061

DooId: 32629771

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COP

14r-76-335

SANITIZED 12K.01.051:1.114

18 October 1962

Fil

Ba (1)

1. According to OPLA-0174 IN 25921, 20 Sept 62, an untested

source reported driving in an easterly direction on Avenida 23.

Marianao, Habana, on 12 September 62, when he encountered a con-

voy of 20 Soviet-driven trucks pulling canvas-coyered 65-70

feet long trailers, proceeding west towards Ciudad Libertad.

Upon arrival at Ciudad Libertad, the militia jeep escort lead-

large missiles which extended over the end of the trailer.

silhouette of what source believed were four fins on the trail-

ing edge of the missile.

silhouette, which resembled a SURFACE-TO-SURFACE SS-4 "SHYSTER" .

SEESSE

TTW/Intel R/Comment: The SS-4 "SHYSTER" is a single stage,

vertically launched, liquid propellant, medium range ballistic

missile with a range of 500 to 700 nautical miles.

In March 1962 two amphibious tracked carriers were

observed

at the military garrison of Jovellanos, Matanzas

Province.

Uncovered rockets were visible on the carriers

where canvas covers had been rolled up and secured with straps

at the side of the rockets.

(Field Comment: Source identified

the above rocket in a technical manual as a FROG rocket

fying the identification by saying that altho the rocke quali-

mounted on a tracked amphibious carrier, it did not appear to

5 October 62) •

TFW/Intel R/Comment: The FROG (Free Rocket Over Ground) is an

unguided field artillery rocket mounted on a modified JS tank

chassis, sometimes confused with the SS-1 guided SURFACE-TO-

The FROG has a range of 70,000 yards or 64,000 meters.

(OPLA-0174, IN-25921, 20 September 62) •

3. At 1100 hours 9 August 62 an untested source observed

numerous Soviet vehicles between Placetas and La Esperanza,

Las Villas Province, proceeding northwest on the Central Highway.

The vehicles in the convoy consisted of 20-25 large Soviet

trucks and Low-Boy type trailers, about 15 of which were trans-

porting JS model tanks, one "tank-like vehicle of tracked

mobility with long canvas-covered rectangular object mounted

on top of tank frame, possibly identifiable as a JS tank

chassis modified for

transport of ROCKETS or SURFACE-TO-SURFACE

MISSILES, or Bridge-Laying purposes." All convoy personnel

were apparently young Soviet types.

(TFW/Intel R/Comment:

A canvas-covered tank chassis would have

approximately the same configuration for a bridge-laying unit, FRoG

Rocket, or SS-1 "SCUD" Surface-to-Surface GM.

The SCUd is a single

stage, solid propellant, GM mounted on the modified chassis of the

JS tank series.

The "SCUD" has a maximum range of 75 to 100 nautical

miles; the nearest us austint is the o

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LonG

4.

Two flat-bed trailers were joined together in order

to transport a 1,000 mile range rocket.

The vehicles departed

Santiago de Cuba

(no date

given) in the direction of Palma

Soriano, Oriente

• Province. (TDCS-3/525,272, 16 October 1962)

5.

On 4 or 5 duly 1962 an untested source reported ob-

serving a cleared area approximately 50 meters square, at SOROA,

Pinar del Rio Province.

Along steel object constructed of

girders, was on the flatbed of a trailer truck, and one end of

the object was attached to the trailer bed, while the other end

was attached to a heavy chain & hook suspended from a truck-

mounted crane parked nearby. The object appeared as if it might

be a launcher of some type, and was approximately 50 feet long.

More than a dozen "cylindrical metal tubes, approximately 30'

s°cy type, an

100-K-3/18, 30", ideAugese 9 the ground near the elect.

In August 1961 an untested source had reported a missile or

rocket-launching site and a large underground storage room or

tunnel on the ranch of Dr.. Jose

"Pepe" Avita,

near Soroa, in

one of three high hills in the immediate area.

(00-K-3, 193,688, 18 August 1962)

6.

On 19 September 1962, according to an untested source,

large Intercontinental Rockets, over 20 meters long, were un-

loaded from the ship.

(Headquarters Comment: It is

more likely

that source observed

SA-2 missiles being offloaded.)

7.

At 0700 hours 18 September 1962, and at 1200 hours

17 September 1962,

trains stopped at the

Victoria de las Tunas

(Oriente) railroad station.

On each occasion the trains were

transporting equipment "which looked like missiles, and other

equipment which might have been big generators. R

The missiles

were described as "about 25 to 30 feet long, and about 3 to

32 feet in diameter."

The missiles were in open flatcars, and

• on no

each car was carrying two of these missiles.. On 17 or 18

There was no way

to determine the destination of the trains.

September two farmers were overheard talking in Tunas de Zaza

about a rocket base being constructed at Las Mercedes, near

Niquero.

(TFW Field Comment: Sources were shown pictures of

the ss-4, which appeared in the Army Tech manual.

The sources

the weapon they saw was somewhat similar to

the 3s-4, however, was only about 25 to 30 feet long and had a

much blunter nose

section.

(UFG-1657; 9 October 1962):

2

SEGRET

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SECRET

(TFW/Intel/R Comment: The SS-4 "SHYSTER" is a single stage,

vertically launched, liquid propellant, medium ballistic missile,

similar in many ways to the US Redstone. The SS-4 SHYSTER has

a range of 500 to 700 nautical miles.)

..?8.

According to The Cuban Report, published by the Students

Revolutionary Directorate, 28 September

1962, Miami, "one of the

principal Soviet strongholds in Matanzas Province, is in the

Yumuri Valley, about I mile from the north coast of Matanzas

Province,

and about 5 miles west of the City of Matanzas.

Its

construction was begun about a year and a half ago..."

In some

of these tunnels can be found some equipment about 70 feet long

and 8 or 10 feet in height.

Their description forces us to

believe that they are ballistic missiles of intermediate range

(IRBM) of great destructive power...

SECRET

2-a

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SECRET,

9.

Soviet Bloc personnel were reported working in the

highlands of Palenque, between Elena sugar central and Paso

del Medio, and in the

upper slopes of Pan de Matanzas, north

of Paso del Medio and south of Corral Nuevo, in Matanzas

Province. (CS-3/491,937, 3 November 61) •

10. Arms storage facilities in Matanzas Province are at

the Figueres

(CS-3/480,839, 17 July 61.)

11.

A missile base was reported approximately 2-1/2 km

southeast of Caraballo, between the railroad from Caraballo to

Bainoa, and the road from Caraballo to Aguacate,

Matanzas Province. (CS 3/49,288, 31 October 61).

12. Approximately 300 meters

west of the Chirino highway,

the "Manolo Laureiro"

Mines have been converted into storage,

deep pits dug, a tunnel constructed, and a concrete roof

erected over the excavation, subsequently covered with trees

and brush . (CS 3/484,775, 25 August 61) .

13. In the now inactive MARGOT Mines (Minas de Margot)

the tunnels have been enlarged and reinforced with concrete.

These tunnels have been ventilated with modern equipment and

have an independent electrical plant. (The Cuban Report

supra) .

14. There is a missile base in Camarioca,.

Matanzas

Province, covering Miami. (The Cuban Report, ibid).

15.

There is a missile base on the Buenavista farm, on

the road leading from the sugar mill Trinidad (Trinidad

Central) to the city of Trinidad, south coast of las Villas

Province.

It is geographically on the nearest z and most

direct distance from Cuba to the Panama Canal. (The Cuban

Report, ibid).

3

SECRET

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