19-Jan-62
Agency: ROCKCOM
Originator: CIA
Document date: 01/19/1962
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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178-10002-10479

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

8/27/201

AGENCY :

RECORD NUMBER :

ROCKCOM

178-10002-10479

RECORD SERIES :

ASSASSINATION FILE

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: ASSASSINATION MATERIALS--MISC. ROCK/CIA (7)

Document Information

ORIGINATOR :

FROM:

TO :

TITLE:

CIA

19 JANUARY 1962

DATE: 01/19/1962

PAGES:

5

SUBJECTS :

KENNEDY, ROBERT

DOD

CIA

CARIBBEAN SURVEY GROUP

ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES

DOCUMENT TYPE: MEMORANDUM

CLASSIFICATION: Top Secret

RESTRICTIONS: Consulted

CURRENT STATUS : Withhold

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 07/14/1993

OPENING CRITERIA:

COMMENTS :

NO JOINT STAFF OBJEGTION

TO DECLASSIFICATION

CRES CONCURRENOS OF

DATE:

MAR

2016

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178-10002-10479

PROPERTY OF

19 January 1262

THE WRITE HOURE OFEING

Notified at 1015 of meeting In Mr. Bob Kennedy's office

at 1100

attended by Lansdale, Woodward (State), Helms (CIA),

Wilson (USIA), Craig (DOD) at 10th anu Constitution, 1100,

MI. Kennedy's office.

Personnel actually attending the

meeting were: Lansdale, Craig, Hand, Patchell, Molanis, (CIA),

Helms,

(CIA), Wilson. State Department representative failedi

to report. Neeting opened with Lansdale overing 32 tasks

given various departments. Reported to Mr. Kennedy that the

project was in slow motion. We must get things off dead

center.

Ventioned there were many taskings, some of which

may or may not work. It is high time the US Government gave

this project and the tasks involved a fair trial. It 1s

high time the United States gets busy. Something to be

generated in the form of assets, etc. around the Caribbean

basin.

Lansdale reported that

at the Special Group meeting

yesterday, General Taylor asked If the tasks had been

accepted by various departments. Lansdale had replied that

most had been accepted but not all.

One task was the

defection of top Cubans in the Castro regime. This is a

39

thing CIA could handle and must. US got a MIG aircraft

that

way once. Lansdale will be adding

tasks from time to

time.

Deadlines in, the plan issued and distributed

yesterday

were developed carefully not haphazardly. As we become

ready in any phase we should push ahead. Lansdale expressed

his concern regarding the absence of State representative at

the meeting. He does not feel that State realizes the

importance of this project. State should give this project

more emphasis. Lansdale mentioned Interrogation Center

Opa-locka and ask MI. lichanus to give lir. Kennedy a brief

report..

Requirements have been developed and submitted

to J-5, Joint Staff which 1s considering the support

required from the military. Il CIA people are involved..

Plan is that CIA peonle will absor military personnel.. The

interrogation Center will be ruary on schedule, but this

mous not mean

that an undereround can be put into Cuba

IXCLUND CEOM CDS

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THE WHITE HOUSEOFFICS

simultancously, He must first get the mass of information

before we can develop the necessary dope for underground.

Detailed information for establishment of successful under-

ground is necessary. Mr. Wilson indicated that as the

Interrogation Center gets information avallable, USIA

can use it for broadcasts, news items, etc. The Attorney

General asked what is being done with the people, i.e., refugees

who have already escaped from Cuba. McMands replied CIA

trying to get people particularly who have come out since

October. Mr. Kennedy feels that the people who have escaped in

the last 6 months are important. His view is that we must

find the key Communist informers in each village and

province who back the Communist regime. We must find out

how the operation was conducted

months ago. How it is

conducted now. What changes. What those changes imply.

We must determine those people who

are potential assets,

those unfriendly to Castro.

Mr. Kennedy stated that

money is no object.' Melands reported that US has a base

of 400 Cubans with knowledge. Mr. Kennedy referred to a

recent project involving placement of 3 operators into

FORD

Cuba recently which were picked up within 3 days. He

stated that if the United States had known the facts

or had full information, we could have avoided this

failure. Mr. Kennedy indicated that people involved required

for the Interrogation Center

as interrogators, etc. should

be no objection. We will get the people no matter where

they must come from. We must cause Castro trouble that

is meaningful. Lansdale brought up necessity for military

personnel operating in the Interrogation Center wearing

civilian clothes. Mr. Kennedy did not comment on this.

Neither did Mr. Mclanus. USIA feels that Interrogation

Center will be very useful to the USIA. Lansdale brought

up the necessity for getting names of relatives of Cubans

who have bean persecuted or exocuted by the Communist and

propoganda in Cube. tr. Kennody concluded the necting by

sumartzing the situation as follows:

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scue oceant docino derom

THE WHITE MOUSE OFFICE

He stated how the project Caribbean Survey Group got

started.

Immediately following the April fiasco, the US

government had to lie low for obvious reasons. During this

interim period first. the middle class refugees and then the

farmer refugees stated out. General concensus of these

refugees that a strong feeling is cropping up against

Castro within Cuba but also the Cuban military is getting

stronger day by day and Castro's control is drawing tighter

and tighter. Time is decidedly in Cuba's behalf. With this

in mind the government decided to do something. General

Lansdale was told to make an appraisal

at a meeting at.

the White House. Two week survey was made and Lansdale

reported to the President in late November. Results were

that Lansdale was directed to go ahead. A major effort

was definitely worthwhile. A real drive and real effort can

provide meaningful results. We must cause Castro. trouble

and worry regarding the retention of his control of Cuba.

This will not

give him time to cause trouble in other

Latin American countries, since he will be busy trying to

assure his official and personal survival.

When the President had asked President Diem of South Vietnam

what he wanted most from the United States, he indicated

he wanted General Lansdale. This

caused a competition

between

state, Defense, and the White House. state wanted

Lansdale in Southeast Asia. Mir. Kennedy felt sure that

State wanted Lansdale in Vietnam because Diem wanted him

there - and for no other reason. Mr. J. E. Kennedy wanted

him working onthe Caribbean Survey Group. This project

has priority and General Lansdale was placed on it.

Initially, Mr. Kennedy had hoped we could get something

going to harass the work of the Cubans in harvesting their

We still have the problem of interfering with the

a. FORD

sugal'.

sugar harvest.

This project is-first priority of all projects under way

by the United States of Anerica. Tinn, effort, manpower,

dollars are not to he spared. The President his Indicated

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that Castro cannot be tolerated and the final chapter to

this has not boen written. lir. Bob Kennedy indicated that.

J. F. Kennedy made this report at an NSC

meeting.

Bob Kennedy will be watching conduct and the progress of this

project. The group will be required to rake periodically

reports to the 5412 Group. If it does not 80, you the

members of the Caribbean Survey Group

are responsible.

Imagination, ideas, thoughts and these are to be forwarded

to General Lansdale. These are important to the project.

Nembers of this group must not wait and react only to

Lansdale's guidance they must produce ideas and thoughts of

their own.

"The big bird is on your shoulders, you members of

the group. There is no question but that you must see

absolutely nothing stands in the way. We must do

job now. We cannot stand by and set on our --.

We must get going now.

This is not a 3 or 4 year project

but an immediate. one that must show results now. Bach

of you as Senior representatives of your department has

full authority. Mr. Rusk, Kr. NeCone, N'T. lcNamara all

understand this. You have absolute authority in your

respective agencies where this project

is involved, and if

you are held back on anything by blocks within the Departments

I want you to tell me or General Lansdale and he will tell.

me. I will see that the blocks are moved. There will be

no excuses if the project is not successfully accomplished."

After the above orientation by Mr. Bob Kennedy,

there is no

doubt in my mind but that the Caribbean Survey Group has

the full backing of the President of the United States.

1214

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i.."

10 Tenuary 1902

Subject:

Prepared and dispatched memorandum den. Lansdale.

situation at Quantanamo.

see copy In Record.

Prepared Memorandum for Record of the conference with

Ir. Bob Kennedy.

070139

LIBRAR,

FORD

PROFEATY oF

THE SITE MOJOE

Orffer

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