OPERATIONAL MONTHLY REPORT FOR THE PERIOD 1-31 MARCH 1964
Originator: CIA
From: COS, MEXICO CITY
To: WITHHELD
Document date: 04/23/1964
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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4104-10246-10023

2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

RETURN TO CIA

Background Use Only!

Do Not Reproduce

DISPATCH

CLASSIFICATION

SECRET

P7Y26T

PROCESSING ACTION

MARKED FOR INDEXING

O MAY 1964

TO

Chief, KURIOT

Attn: Peter T. SWINEHART

XX

1t:50.

Chief, WH Division

NO INDEXING REQUIRED

ONLY QUALIFIED DESK

CAN JUDGE INDEXING

FROM

Chief of Station, Mexico City

MICROFILM

SUBJECT

AQUATIO/Operational Monthly Report for the period 1-31 March 1964

ACTION REQUIRED - REFERENCES

Action Required: FYI

Presented below is a report of the operational and support activities of

Gregory D. PARMUTH and Hugh I. FRANCOTTE for the above mentioned period.

1. General Summary of Events

Highlights for the month of March consisted of the following major

activities: one operational photographic assignment, utilizing the LIFIRE truck,

was carried out by PARMUTH and FRANCOTTE; Joseph M. RESCIGNO and

Harvey E. MULFORD requested PARMUTH and FRANCOITE's support in

mounting a major audio operation; a concealment compartment in a piece of

luggage was successfully opened and reclosed; FRANCOTTE completed an

inspection of all photographic basehouses presently covering Soviet and Satellite

Embassies here in Mexico City; a ZRKNICK letter was opened and resealed.

Station print production totaled 1, 174 for the month.

2. TDY

None

(continued)

Enclosures:

A-G Memoranda, h/w

H Identity u/s/c

10B1

§ Excluded to colomatic

Distribution:

(*- KURIOT, w/encls

1 - WH, w/o encls - Ic i'd

CROSS REFERENCE TO

DISPATCH SYMBOL AND NUMBER

HMMA-23302

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DATE

23 April 1964

HQS FILE NUMBER

50-6-18

#16146

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3. Training

None.

4. Photographic Operations

On IU March 1964, PARMUTH and FRANCOTTE were requested

by Phineas F. SLINKARD to photograph a high level officer of the Communist

Party, as he

entered the front gate of the Polish Trade Commission.

to be a combined photo-audio operation, as Joseph M. RESCIGNO was also

attempting to obtain an audio tape of the meeting that was to take place inside

the building. The LIFIRE truck was readied and tested prior to the operation.

The vehicle was then driven to the target'area by Gregory D. PARMUTH and

parked in the vicinity of the target house. RESCIGNO and FRANCOTTE were

positioned in the rear of the truck, RESCIGNO operating the audio equipment

and FRANCOTTE utilizing the Turret Camera Concealment device.

However,

after having been parked on location for the entire afternoon and the target

person failing to appear, SLINKARD was forced to cancel the operation.

b. On 16 March 1964, Phineas F. SLINKARD alerted PARMUTH and

FRANCOTTE that their support, and the LIFIRE truck, would be required in

mounting a high priority audio operation planned for the night of 17 March.

PARMUTH and FRANCOTTE were involved in this operation for the remainder

of the week. SLINKARD originated and forwarded a special report to Head-

quarters at the conclusion of this operation. Please refer to HMMA-23189

dated 26 March 1964 for specific details.

5. Station Support

24 a. On 4 March FRANCOTTE inspected the (passport camera installation

at the Mexico City airport The inspection was conducted by Identity A, whom

FRANCOTTE had previously been introduced to by Gregory D. PARMUTH.

then, FRANCOITE has been meeting Identity A on a regular basis, at which time

film cassettes are exchanged and the related passenger manifests are given to

FRANCOTTE by Identity A.

b. On 5 March PARMUTH and FRANCOTTE inspected the[LiHABIT

basehouse. The Station is quite satisfied with the photographic coverage

supplied by(LiHABIT/1, and no problems can be foreseen in the immediate future.

FRANCOTTE is also meeting (LIHABIT/1 on a regular weekly basis.

On the night of 9 March, PARMUTH and FRANCOTTE visited the

LIMOPE basehouse.. The entire evening was spent with LIMOPE/1 and LIMOPE/2,

discussing the selection of a more adaptable lens and camera, suitable to the

particular needs of LIMOPE/Z. Since the 80" Mirrortell lens was

still in position

at the basehouse, but had not been used, it was decided to remove this lens from

the area until such time as it was again needed. The window in the target

installation, in which this photographic operation was centered around, has not

been opened in months and LIMOPE/2 has been devoting his full time to photo-

graphing all individuals entering the front gate of the target house. LIMOPE/2

is presently using a Leica camera and 135mm telephoto lens. This does not

render sufficient coverage, and FRANCOITE is, now attempting to replace that

equipment with a longer lens and a SLR camera:

FRANCOTTE is now meeting

LIMOPE/1 regularly once a week.

d. Approximately 80 feet of microfilm was exposed on 12 March to

fulfill a monthly requirement originated by the Chief of Station.

e. On 13 March a visiting IDYer from JMWAVE presented a suitcase

to FRANCOTTE and requested that he dismantle a concealment device contained

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inside, remove the contents, and restore the piece of luggage to its original

condition.

This particular suitcase had been hand carried from Cuba and had

to be returned to that country. The request was successfully completed in two

hours.

f. FRANCOTTE was recently introduced to Andrew E. MERTON,

Chief of Base, Merida, who was on a short TDY trip to Mexico City. MERTON

presented a number of photographic problems to PARMUTH and FRANCOTTE,

which he has encountered in Merida.

Numerous suggestions and recommendations

were made during the course of the discussion, and several pieces of photogra-

phic equipment were loaned to MERTON. Plans were also discussed concerning

a small one-man darkroom to be constructed at Merida. FRANCOTTE plans to

TDY to that area in the near future, where an "'on the spot" assessment can be

made of the Base's photographic requirements and problems.

On Z1 March FRANCOTTE fulfilled a monthly Mexican postage

stamp requirement for KURIOT Headquarters per HMMW-12393 dated 11 March 1964.

h. FRANCOTTE was called upon on 26 March to phatograph a file of

documents for the ODENVY office, relating to the Oswald investigation now

being held.

The move to the new Embassy is scheduled for the night of 6 April

1964. During this reporting period, PARMUTH and FRANCOTTE have spent

many hours in the new laboratory attempting to effect "last minute changes"

and install the new Pako print washer and drier. Once the new laboratory is

organized and the new cabinets arrive and are installed, FRANCOTTE will

photograph this new facility and forward a detailed set of prints to Headquarters.

6. Secret Writing Activity

During this month, three SW messages were received from LICHAP/1

and all developed well.

One outgoing SW message was written using the scorch

system to fulfill a request given to FRANCOITE by Lawrence F. BARKER.

7. Flaps and Seals Operations

FRANCOTTE was requested to open and reseal one ZRKNICK letter,

but not to process its contents per instructions contained in DIR-005599. All

other instructions in this cable, and pertaining to this particular operation, were

followed by FRANCOITE. One other piece of correspondence was opened and

resealed during this reporting period.

8. Operational Disguise Activities

During this reporting period, Lola M. CAPOZZI was called upon on

six occasionsto provide disguise support to four persons involved in the audio

operation mentioned in paragraph 4b. Existing supplies were utilized and no

issuance of materials was necessary. Details of each meeting and support given

are covered in separate memoranda and forwarded as attachments to this dispatch.

These memoranda should be forwarded to KURIOI/Disguise for retention in their

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9. Miscellaneous Statistics

a. Number of Operational Targets Surveys completed during the month:

0.

b. Number of IDY trips completed during the months o.

c. Photographic equipment issued for operational use: 0.

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d. Photographic equipment repaired 0.

e. Number of people trained in photographic techniques/equipment: 0.

10. Production Figures on Jobs Processed

a. Black and White: 49 jobs.

b. (1) Total prints: 1,174.

(2) 35mm. microfilm: 225 feet.

(3) 16mm microfilm: 700 feet.

(4) 35mm cassettes: 26.

(5) 120 size roll film: 1.

(6) Sheet film (all types): 9.

sch.

(7) Miscellaneous: 0.

b. Color: O jobs.

c. KURIOT Station Support

(1) Secret Writing: 3 messages developed.

(2) Flaps and Seals:

2 opened and resealed.

(3) Chemical Harassment: 0.

Millar Curtis

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