BACKGROUND ON MEXICO STATION SUPPORT ASSETS (COVERAGE OF SOVIET AND CUBAN EMBASSIES).
Originator: CIA
From: GOODPASTURE, A., CIA
To: LEADER, JOHN, IG STAFF
Document date: 02/10/1977
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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

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10 Feb 77

Source:

Notes made by A. Goodpasture

for John Leader, IG Staff

Suoject:

Background on Mexico Station Support Assets

(Coverage of Soviet and Cuban Embassies)

1.

‹Unilateral coverage. From the time the lexico Station was opened in

April 1947) (by Bill Doyle) until arrival of Win Scott as COS in 1956, Charles

Anderson III (still in LA/HQ) had developed a support apparatus to d

exoloit leads from the Soviet Embassy. This umbrella type project (LIFEAT)

consisted of multi line phone taps, three photo sites, a mobile surveillance

team and a mail Intercept operation.

a. Fhone taps were placed by an employee of the telechore company

natiot in its to.

who was handled by David WIISTED (pseudo): The number of lines

tapped was i tried of

by availability of a listering post nearby

(since the taps were not made in the main central) and English/

Spanish (Soviet, Polish, Czech, etc) transcribers. Generally

these agents (mostly Mexican or Mexican American) were related

which the station at that time felt was good security in that

if they talked about shop, they would talk to each other.)

b.

Three photo sites were handled by Arderson with the help

of Harry Mahoney (retired, living in Chicago) and IDY ISD

people checking the best type of canera, film, and concealment

devices. These had sub-cripts under LIFEAT (LIMITED, LILYRIC,

and LICALIA) •

LINITED was a fixed site bang opposite across

the street. fron the front gate of the Soviet Encassy which had

both a vehicle and foot entrance.

The Soviet gate was on the

Northl'est corner.of their compound and LIMITED vas diagonally

across a double barrelled street on the Southeast

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that block. LIMITED was

the first base and it operaied strictly on an

er erinental basis in the early stages.

I trink the lexi Station bought

one storey

this property. (a/Spanish Colonial stone house) through LINOUSINE (check to

be sure). Later this house began to fall apart. This base was closed when

the Station got word that the shoto of "uniden nan" was being released to the

public by the Warren Conmission. The photo operators were noved to another apt

nearby. The property was sold (under an operational agreement with LIMOUSINE

for a long term lease on the top floor of a new apartment blding to be built

on this site). LILYRIC was planned as an alternate photo base to LIMITED.

It was in an upper storey (3rd floor -check) on the sane side of the street

as LINITED but in the middle of the block South.. It had a slanted view of

the front gate of the Soviet Enbassy. The agents in LIMITED

and LILYRIC (both

Mexican fanilies) as far as we knew, were not acquainted with each other.

LILYRIC waS

a rented

apartment. LICALLA, the third photo site, was located

in one of a row of four houses on the South side of the Soviet Embassy compound

which the Mexico Station purchased in about 1958 (check date), also using

LINOUSINE as the purchaser (check). This site overlooked the back garden of

the Soviet Embassy compound. The purpose of this operation was to get good

identification photographs of the Soviet personnel no at thet time were largely

unidentified in Mexico Station records). The three photo sites were handled by

(Pamon Alvarez) (Mexican citizen of U.S. mother who taught elecentary level at

the American School). (Ranon collected the film pellen

him from LNITED

and LILYRIC three tines a week. fis sister's husband, Carlos (Mexicar docto=)

developed and printed the film into 8x10 contact print strips.

The master plan

'tuit

vas for LICAILA film to le processed inside, ISD nan from 1957 to I959 (larger

Folt - resigned) could not handle the volume and as the unprocessed film began

to accumulate, the inside CO (l'ahoney) became disgusted and took the film out

for damon's jorather-in-law to process

(probably early 1959). Thus Ramon became

the handler for all three photo

bases.

A sensitive staff D monitoring operation

ISEGET

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was run out of another one of these houses (crypt for the four houses was

LT UST, 1, ete). This was hardled by Glen WIDDEN (outside TSD officer) ana

Mahoney using HQ TDY teams for monitoring. This opsration was also separate

from LICALLA. The two houses in between were rented to unsuspecting tenants.

c. robile surveillance was developed by Anderson and later placed

• under lahoney and Joseph Sancho. This tean consisted of a half

dozen or so agents who used three to for late model cars and a

panel truck (which could be used on stake_outs for photo covera:e).

The plan was to activate this group by radio (Iron LIMITED BASE)

Soviet

when soreone of interest left the embassy gate ard stay with them

until they made their neetings.. These agents knew about the LEITED

BASE because they had LIlITED photos for identification purcoser..

This worked fairly well until about the middle of 1958 (check date)

when

one of the surveillance agents

got too close to his target and

was arrested by the Mexican transit police and turned over to the

Mexican Secret Service. By the time the Station could arrange through

a cleared attorney to bail him out (Judd Austin of the Gockrick,

Little and Riquelme firm), the agent. had identified Sancho (who was

evacuated across the border at Nogales by Bob Shaw) and the inside

phone number of Mahoney (who was subsequently replaced by Louis

Puckett). As a result of this flap, the LIFEAT project was broken

up into several others. The agents were not changed but were given

Frank

new crypts. /Estancona ard Peggy laggard) replaced Andersón in handling

the unilateral phone taps. Puckett repleced Nahoney and handled the

surveillance team (LIENTRAF) and the photo bases through Qunon.

d. LIBIGHT was the crypt used for a(unilateral (originally) mail

intercept handled by Charlie Anderson III, (The agent (Mexican) had

a seni official status and arranged to obtain selected letters fron

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a sub-agent in the postal sysiem (I think at tre airport),

His case officers

Alfonso Spera,

were later/Puckett, Rovert Feldmann, and Alan White.'

2. (LIaison coverage was unreliable and insecure as characterized by the nature

of the Mexican services at that time. The Mexican DES (Direction of Federal

Security) with which we dealt was a hip pocket group fun out of the inistry

Of Gov rnment. This iinistry spent a major part of its time on control of

foreigners and political Investigations. Their azents were vicious, venal,

(corrupt extortionists. (Robert Melberg established contact with one of them

Levine De Leon (later LIFIRE group) in äbout 1950 or 51. He gave them sone

training la group of about five surveillance types) an travel control working)

the airport as well as file searches of names from DFS Hatrs) where the files

were poorly organized and often inaccurate.. Now and then, however, sore useful

infornation was developed but it could not be derended upon. (Melbers was

replaced by Phil Roettinger. (resigned and remained in Mexico), Mahoney, Thomas

Hazlitt, and Robert Feldmann Ane After The Ether)

During 1958, Win Scott met socially some of the chronies of the

Mexican President elect, Adolfo Lopez Kateos, During this period, the U.S.

Ambassador Robert C. Hill (reflecting the policy of then Sec State J.F. Dulles)

was energetic in organizing groups to "fight cormunism". One of these seeds

grew into a proposal (Miguel Alenan (ir. son of forner lexi President), acting

for Lopez lateos, made to Win Scott for a joint telephone tap operation,

project (LIENVOY) went through about four distressing years of a shakedown.

The Mexican in control (LIELEGANT) was inexperienced, old, and greedy. His

son (LIENVOY-2) was a masterpiece of deceit and corruption. LIELEGANT also

i min.

manipulated control over the principal agent of LIBIGHT mail intercept

first case officer was Alfonso Spera inside with Turner Smith (retired) outside

and John

TSD training officer for surveillance and head of the listening

post where thirty telenhone lines vould connecó as vell as a transcription room

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staffed cy Mexican army officers. Initially the station tried to miet every

derand made ly the fexicans, Both/Smith and John had language difficulties and

personal problems associated with being outside the station so that the Mexicans.

were virtually uncontrollajle, spend. & money as they pleased, squirrelling away

equipment st enornous costs, and neglecting their part of the bargain in the

production of transcripts or placing taps which we wanted, Spera was replaced

by Jack Brady who found himself in the same pincer novement of havirg Scott

approve a request by LTELEGANT that Brady had turned down by the son, biEivOY-2,

Finally when the cost became exhorbitant and there was little to show for it,

the project was revarped.

Smith and John returned to the U.S. and were replaced

by a TSD officer, Charles Flick, who was out inside the listening post to naintain

Brady was reassigned to other duties pendirg a transfer.

the equipment./ Scott took over the project as case officer meeting with LUELEGANT.

He designated Ann Goodpasture to meet dailing with Flick for routine supervision

of the listening post, pickirg up transcripts and tapes. Goodpasture had no

dealings with the Mexicans except when Scott was ill or out of town. Generally,

all decisions were made by Scott. This was about late 1961.

3. "y memory is a little vague about the origins of the Cuban Embassy but I

think the staff first developed fron a pro-Castro group celebrating on New

Years eve 1959. As I recall, it was a rakeshift arrangerent of volunteers

through most of 1960 and 61 with. Tom Hazlitt producing voluminous reports on

their activities and recruitirg agents right and left anong Cuban nationals in

Mexico City.

4 Personnel assignments. Of interest to us now is who was in hexico during

the period prior to Oswald's visit and the subsequent investigation by the

Warren Conmission. To deternine who vas there and what they were doing I

have gro:ped persons together chronologically with areas of their assignment

covrring from 1950 to 1969 so that footler nanes pop up, one can tell what

period they were in Mexico and

their assignments it

nat the time.

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8/50-6/69

COS

DCOS

Winston M. Scott (deceased)

7/56 - 7/58

Alfonso Rodriguez (ratired)

10/58 - 12/62 Warren Dean (retired)

6/63 - 9/65

Alan White (retired) -

10/65 - 1969 Stanley Watson (retired in Mexico)

COVERT ACTION

Prior to 1952

Howard Hunt (retired)

1254 - 7/55

Williard Hill (resigned)

: 12/56 - 9/61

Stannard Short (retired)

Chief

9/61

- 3/64

David Phillips C/(retired) -

8/62 - 9/64

(Gunnar Beckman) Asst -

2/64 - 6/65

Janes Flannery C/ (retired) -

9/64 - 11/66 Harold Dalghren Asst

10/65 - 1967 • Stanley Watson C/(retired)

68 Don Heate

68 - 71: Joseph SmithC (retired in Vexico)

CUBA OPERATIONS

56 - 4/62

Thomas Hazlitt Chief

2/60 - 4/62 (Jack Stewart) (retired Costa Rica)

4/63 - 4/65 Bob Shaw Chief -

9/63 - 7/65 Ray Swider-

10/63 - 5/65 Lorna lackay (natived) -

8/66 - 6/65 David Phillips Chief (netied) -

9/65 - 19/68 Joseph Piccolo

10/65 - 12/67 Peygy Maggard

SOVIET TARGET

6/57 - 10/59 Louise Lyon (retued) 6/62 - 1/67 Prentice Marheine (ps)

9/59- 8/65 /Herbert Manell Chief -

(retired ?)

9/59 - 8/65 Earbera Manell-

5/64 - 7/65

William

Outside CO

Bright

• 4/65 - 11/67 Cynthia Hausmann

6/65 - 7/67 Alice Pittinger

7/65 - 4/69 Paul Dillon Chief

SOVIET TRANSCRIBIPS

6/56 - 8/53

Morris Gordon (resigned)

6/58 - 6/63 George ilisko -

6/63÷70

Boris Tarasoff (retfred in Mexico) -

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SUPPORT ASSETS

Unilateral phono taps

(1949 - 1961

Charles Anderson III Chief

4/55 - 4/60 Peggy laggard) Asst

4/56 - 1/62

Frank Estancona Chief

2/60 - 10/64 Thomas Keenan

9/64 - 12/67 Ilichael Farmer

49-71: Outside CO

David WILSTED (ps)

retired in Mexico. *

(Unilateral photo. Cubans

6/59 - 4/04

Robert Zambernardi (resigned lexico)

7/59 - 6/62 Richard Spathar TSD (retired)

(Unilateral photo Soviets

3/54 - 4/59

Harry T. Mahoney

(retired Chicago)

5/57 - 8/64

A. Goodpasture (alternate. CO -

and internal routing)

6/58-6/63

Louis D. Puckett (retired)

6/63 - 10/64, Thomas Keenan Robert 16165

Feldmana

65 - 66

Willian Bright

813,63.

56 - 68 Outside Agent

Ramon Alvarez, (resigned in Mexico)

Cubana. Opl reposting

Traine.

(Liaison phone taps

1959 - 1969

Winston Scott (deceased)

1959

- 1960

Alfonso Spera

(retired)

1959 - 1960 Turner Smith (outside, now retired)

1959. - 1960

John

(Training rept resigned)

1960- 1961

John Brady (retired)

1962 - 1908 A. Goodpasture

1961 - 1971

Charles Flick (outside TSD Staff Agent - retired) -

Liaison, surveillance

(Prior 1954 Robert lelherg (retired)

3/54-4159

Harry lishoney (retired)

4/59 - 1961- Thomas Hazlitt

12/02 - 9/67 Robert Feldnann

TSD Outside unit

4/53 - 12/63

6/59-4/54

Glen Widden (retired)

Joseph. 1:. Resigno (ps) Unit blown and closed duvn

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About nid 1962 (check date) LiVO! outside lexi rept asked

for the telephone numoers of the Soviet, Cuban, and Satellite Ecbassies.

With this forewarning, LIFEAT (unilateral coverage) vas disconnected. However,

as I recali, the Mexicans connected 5 Cuban lines, 5 Soviet lines, 3 Gzech,

2 Polish, and 1 Yugoslav line. The basehouse listening post had a live

monitor who made short sumnaries of interesting conversations for a daily

resume which was received each day arourd 8 a.m. (passed by Flick to Goodrasture

to get to Scott before 9.a.i., Later (when the reel was completely recorded)

full transcripts were typed ard passed to the station in the same way, however,

there was usually a time lag of a day or so. Those transcripts which had

Russian or another language besides Spanish or English went out of the listening

post the day after the transcript (of other conversations on the reel) was

typed. These reels were taken to another location where they were translated

and typed. In the case of the Russian translations, Boris Tarasoff usually ran

about a week behind the date of the conversation because of the volume of

Pussian conversations among the embers of the Soviet Erbassy. During this

period (fall of 1963) the reels were probably being brought into the station

and carried to Boris by one of the people from the Soviet Section or they may

have been carried to him by Flick but I think I brought the reel in and gave

it to Herbert Manell to take to Boris. (Herbert lanell and his wife Berbara)

handled all of the processi:g of Soviet transcripts. My job involved screening

the photographs as soon as we learned that the man calling himself Oswald was

probably an American.

However, here again there was a backlag because the

photos were ricked up three times a week but the ones ricked up were usually

for dates a few days prefiously because the doctor processed the film on a

night tine basis. Photographs were made usually until one roll was used but

later ve got it changed to one day coverage on each roll - in other words the

operators, cleared the camera each day whether there was anytizaxags a full

roll of film exposed.

Instructions were to cover office hours, chotograph each

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new Soviet and family, all foreigners and foreign licence plates.

Human

error did occur but generally the agents were

conscientious.

The Cuban

embassy coverage had more sophisticated equipment (a pulse camera) but it

frequently develoced rechanical difficulties.

Bob Zambarnerdi and Spathar

(I think) handled this film - pick up and delivery. Lorna l'ackay screened

the film inside the station.

I am certain that the Oswald call came to our attention from the

Soviet line. It was picked up and taken to

Boris for a translation because

the caller was trying to speak Russian. Any delay was

caused by waiting to

compare the photographs with the typed transcript. There were no copies of

transcripts every made in languages other than Spanish or English because Win

Scott could read only those two languages and ke cersonally screened the

transcripts for operational leads he wanted pursued.

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3

(4) Sor Ent gate

1- LIMITED

2. LILYRIC

3. LICALLA

Phate Basis.

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