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

## Page 1

1704-10050-10005

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

REPRODUCTION

PRIORED

(SECRET-

10 Feb 77

Source: listes 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 Mexico Station vas opened in

April 1947 (by Bill Doyle) until arrival of Win Scott as COS in 1955, Charles

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

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

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

team and a nail intercept operation.

a. Thone taps were placed by an employer if the telephone company

who was handled by David WILSTED (pseudo). The number of lines •

tapped was lirited by a

noy availability of a listening

singost rearby

(since the taps were not made in the naincentra

and English/

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

Generally

these agents (mostly!

anar Mexican American) were related

(which the

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 TDY ISD

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

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

and LICALLA). LIMITED was a fixed site bang opposite across

the street fron the front gate of the Soviet Enbassy which had

both a vehicle and foot entrance. The Soviet gate was on the

Northliest corner.of their compound and LIMITED was diagonally

across a double barrelled

street on

the Southaa

(SECRET

Lü0Ü164

REPRODICTION

PROHIBAED

SECRET

A-3)

13

---

## Page 2

13-00000

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

SEGRET

that block. LIlITED was the first base and it cheraied

strictly on an

oarinentel basis in the early stages. I think the lexi Station bought

one storey

this property. (a/Spanish Colorial stone house) through LINOUSIE (check to

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

the Station got word that the photo of "uniden man" was being releasea to the

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

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

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

on this site). LILYRIC was planned es an alternate photo base to LINITED.

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

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

the front gate of the Soviet Einbassy. The agents in LITED and LILYRIC (both

lexican failies) as far as we knew, were not acquainted with each other.

LILYRIC was a rented apartment. LICALIA, the third photo site, was located

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

which the lexico Station purchased goal

about 1953 (check date), also using

LOUS I as the jurchger hide This site overloured the back garden of

the Soviet Enbassy compound.

The purpose of this operation was to get good

identification photographs of the Soviet

personnel (who at that time were largely

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

Ramon Alvarez (Mexican citizen of U.S. mother who taught elerentary level at

the American School). Ramon collected the film

eatendenbitten from LITTED

and LILYRIC three tines a week. His sister's husband, Carlos (flexican doctos)

developed ard printed the film into 8x10 contact print strips. The master plan

CAS POT LIGAILA PELE do i8 pocessed naide, 79D nan ron 1957 to 1959 (sarper

Holt - resigned) could not handle the volume and as the unprocessed filn began

to accumulate, the inside CO (l'ahoney) becane disgusted and took the filn out

for Ramon's brother-in-law to process (probatly early 1959). Thus Razon became

the handler for all three photo bases.

A sensitive staff D monitoring operation

SECRET

0000165

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

14

---

## Page 3

13-00000

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

-3 =

SECRET,

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

LIMUST,1, cte). This was ha:dled by Glen WIDDal (outside ISD officer) and

lakoney using HQ TDY teams for monitoring. This opsration vas also separate

fron LICALLA. The two houses in between vere rented to unsuspecting tenants.

c. Mobile surveillance

vas developed by Anderson and later placed

under liahoney and Joseph Sancho. This team consisted of a half

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

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

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

Soviet

when soneone of interest left the/Embassy gate ard stay wiüh then

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

BASE because they had LIITED photos for identification

purposes.

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

one of the surveillance agents got too close to his target ard

was

arrested by the Mexican transit police

and turned

over to the

Mexican Secret Service.

Station could arrange through

a cleared attorne

bana bit out (Juad Austin

of the Goodrich,

Little and Rique

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

Fuckett. As a result of this flap, the LISAT project was broken

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

new crypts. /Estancona ard Peggy Maggard replaced Andersón in handling

the unilateral phone taps. Puckett replaced Mahoney and handled the

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

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

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

a semi official status and arranged to obtain selected letters fron

TSECRET

.e..-

0000166

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

15

---

## Page 4

13-00000

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

a sub-agent in the postal system (I think at the airport,.

0=1icers

Alconso Spera,

were lster/Puckett, Rovert Feldmann, and Alan White.

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

of the Mexican services at that tire. The Mexican DES (Direction

of Federal

Security) with which ve dealt was a hip pocket group run out of the Ministry

Of Gov rnment.

This inistry spent a major part of its time on control of

foreigners and political investigations. Their agents vere vicious, venal,

corrupt extortionists. Robert iielberg established contact with one of them ge

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

training (a group of about five surveillance types) in travel control working

the airport as well as file searches of names from DES Egtrs where the files

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

Information was developed but it could not be, defended upon.

Yelberg was

replaced by Phil Roettinger, (resignedant remadred in Mexico), ilahoney, thoras

Hazlitt, and Roder Feldman, Eni

ite. this ather)

During 1958, INe'Scott met socially some of the chronies of the

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

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

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

grew into a proposal Miguel Aleman (jr. son of forner lexi President), acting

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

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

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

son (LIE: VOY-2) was a masterpiece of deceit and corruption. LIELEGANT also

manipulated control over the principal agent of LIBIGHT mail intercept. The

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 telephone lines would connect as vell as a transcription room

0000167

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

16

---

## Page 5

13-00000

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

SECRET

staffed ij a ican army officers.) Initially the station tried to met every

denand made ly the lexicans. Both Snith and John had language difficulties and

personal problems associated with beirg outside the

station so that the Mexicans

were virtually uncontrolla:le, spend: € acney

as they pleased, squirrelling away

equipment at enormous costs, and neglecting their part uf the bargain in the

production of transcripts or placing taps which

we

wanted.

Spera was replaced

by Jack Brady wno found himself in the same pincer novement of having Scott

apcrove a request by LIELEGANT that Brady had turned down by the son, LIE/Or-2.

Finally when the cost became exhorbitant and there was little

to

show for it,

the project was revamped. Smith and John returned

to

the U.S. and were replaced

by a TSD officer, Charles Flick, who was put inside

the listening post to maintain

Brady was reassigned to other duties rendirg a transfer.

the equipnent./ Scott took over the project as case

offices meeting with LIELEGANT.

He designated Ann Goodpasture to meet dailing with Flick

jot routine supervision

of the listening post, picking up transgrints aga

tapes.

Goodpasture had no

dealingswith the lexicans except when Scott was ill

or out of town.

Generally,

all decisions were made bi

colt, Ints was about late 1961.

3. My menory 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 makeshift arrangement of volunteers

through most of 1960 and El with. Ton Hazlitt producing voluminous reports on

their activities and recruiting agents right and leit anong Cuban nationals in

Mexico City.

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

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

Warren Conission. To deternine who was there and what they were doing I

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

as the

covering from 1950 to 1969 so that sorters names pop up, one can tell what

thos

period they were in Mexico and

their assignments

nat the time.

_ SECRET,

- 0000168

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

17

---

## Page 6

13-00000

- REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

- 1

„SECRET.

8/56-6/59

COS

DCOS

Winston #. Scott (deceased)

. 7/56 - 7/58 Alfonso Rodriguez (retired)

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

6/63 - 9/65

Alan White (retired)-

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

COVERT ACTION

112/32 + 11,95

oward hunt (retired

illiard Hill (resignec

12/55 - 9/61

Stannard Short (retired)

Chief

9/61 - 3/64 Davia

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)

66

68

Don Heath

68

- 71

Joseph SmithC (retired in Vexico)

CUBA OPERATIONS

56 - 4/62 Thomas Hazlitt Chief

2/60 - 4/62 Jack Stewart (retired Costa Riga

4/63 - 4/65

Bob Shaw Chief -

9/63

- 7/65

Ray Swider =

10/63 - 5/65 Lorna Hackay

8/63 - 6/65 David Philli

9/65 - 19/68 Joseph Piccol

Fired,-

10/65. - 12/67 Peygy Haggard

PROMOTED

SOVIET TARGET

6/57 - 10/59 Louise Lyon (tued?

9/59- 8/65

Herbert Kanell Chief-

159 - 8/65 Barbara kanell.

164 - 7/66 • Hilliam Brign

4/05 - 11/67 Cynthia Hausmann

6/05 - 7/67.

Alice Pittinger

7/65 - 4/69 Paul Dillon Chief

SOVIET TRANSCRIBEPS

6/56 - 8/58

Morris Gordon (resigned)

6/58 - 6/53

George Hisko -

6/63 - 70

Boris Tarasoif (retired in Mexico) -

6/62 - 1/67 Prentice Marheine (ps)

(retired ?)

Outside CO

SECRET,

0000169

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

18

---

## Page 7

13-00000

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

•7

SUPPORT ASSETS

Unilateral phono taps

1949 - 1961

Charles Anderson III Chief

5/55 - 4/60

Peggy laggard Asst

4/56 - 1/62 Frank Estancona Chief

2/60 - 10/64 Thomas Keenan

9,64 - 12/67 Michael Farmer

49-71 ? Outside Co

David WILSTED (ps)

retired in Mexico

Unilateral photo Cubans

6/59 - 4/64

Robert Zambernardi (resigned lerico)

7/59 - 6/62

Richard Seathar TSD (retired)

Unilateral photo Soviets

3/54 - 4/59 Harry I. Mahoney

(retired Chicago)

5/57 - 8/64 A. Goodpasture (alternate C0 -

and internal routing)

6/58 - 6/63 Louis D. Puckett (retired)

6/63 - 10/64 Thomas Keenan = Robert

65 - 66

Willian Bright

56 - 68

Outside Agent

Ramon Alvarez, resigned in Mexico)

Eubama. gleepsing.

Tricial.

Liaison phone taps

1959 - 1969 Winston Scott (deceased)

1959 - 1960

1959

Alfonso Spera

(retired)

- 1960

Turner Smith (outside, now retired)

1959 - 1960

John

(Training rept resigned)

1960- 1961

John Brady (retired)

1962 - 1968 A. Goodpasture -

1961 - 1971 Charles Flick (outside TSD Staff Agent - retired) -

Liaison - surveillance

Prior 1954 Robert l'elberg (retired)

3/54 - 4/59 Harry liahoney (retired)

4/59 - 1961

Thonas Hazlitt

12/62 - 9/67 Robert Feldnann

TSD Outside unit

4/58 - 12/63

Glen Hidden (retired)

6/59-4/54

Joseph. 1. Resigno (ps) Unit blown and closed dul

0000170

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

19

---

## Page 8

13-00000

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

SECRET

country

About nid 1962 (check date) Litroy outside lexi rept asted

the telephone nuners of the Soviet, Cuban, and Satellite Enbassies.

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

as I recall, the Mexicans connected 5 Cuban lines, 5 Soviet lines, 3 Czech,

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

nonitor to made short summaries of interesting conversations for a daily

resume which was received each day around 8 a.u. (passed by Flick to Goodcasture

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

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

there was usually a time lag of a day or so. Those transcripis which rad

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

post the day after the transeript (of otter conversations en the reel)vas

tiped. Shese reels were taken to another locatin there biey were trendlated

about a rei tatana to date see arrant on tesse of the volume of

Russian conversations amous

he-Lembers 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 Manell and his wife Barbara

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

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

probably an Anerican. However, here again there was a backlag

because the

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

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

night time basis. Fhotographs were made usually until one roll vas used but

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

"tin

operators cleared the camera each day wretcer there was anglings a full

roll of film exposed. Instructions vere to cover office hours, photograph each

0000171

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

20

---

## Page 9

13-00000

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

" SECRET

-

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

error did ocour but generally the agents were conscientious.

The Cuoan

embassy coverage had more sophisticated equipient (a pulse caera) but it

frequently develored rechanical difficulties. Bob Zambarnardi and Scathar

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

the film inside the station.

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

Soviet line. It was picked uj 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

transcriots every made in languages other than Spanish or

English because Win

Scott could read only those two languages ard he

res soral1

screened the

transcripts for operatioral leads

T00.

NIC TIN

hai diet

33

0000172

STURET,

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

21

---

## Page 10

13-00000

3

Phate Baske

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

REPRODUCTION

PROHIBITED

SECRET.

PROCUCTION

MONED

3. LICALLA

(- LIMITED

2. LILYRIC

(4) Sor Emb gate

SECRET

0000173

---