Originator: HSCA
Document date: 08/22/1978
Document type: SUMMARY

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180-10110-10124

2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

AGENCY: HSCA

RECORD NUMBER: 180-10110-10124

RECORD SERIES: SECURITY CLASSIFIED FILES

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: 155-JFK

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FROM:

TO :

TITLE:

HSCA

DATE: 08/22/1978

PAGES:

2

SUBJECTS :

CIA, ADMINISTRATION

DOCUMENT TYPE: SUMMAR Y

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 1A

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW:

06/13/1997

OPENING CRITERIA:

COMMENTS:

Box 5.

v9.1

HW 50955

DooId: 32263529

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0021ot

Interview of Doug Gupton, 8/22/78.

Douglas Gupton was interviewed by Dan Hardway and Gaeton Fonzi at

9?45 AM at CIA Headquarters at Langley. He was shown the letter of release

(omnibus) and stated that he understood it.

Mr. Gubton said that he was born on 5/9/29 and that he is currently

retired and living in Herndon, Virginia.

Mr. Gupton stated that he was an operations officer of the CIA in

1963 assigned to either the Covert Action division or the Uraguay/Paraguay

desk: Mr. Gupton said that he left Miami in mid 1961, one or two months

after the Bay of Pigs.

Mr. Gupton stated that he subsequently worked on

the Covert Action Guidance staff which provided support for CA projects.

He stated that Mexico City CA projects would habe been reviewed by the

CA Guidance Staff.

Mr. Gupton stated that he had used the name "Doug Gupton" as an

operational alias

from approximately 4/60 to 6/60. Mr. Gupton said that

people in the Miami station would have known him by his true name but that

others outside of the station would have known him by his alias. He did

not use any alias other than Gupton during this time. He stated that the

use of more than one alias was uncommon but that it could have happened.

Gupton guesses that he has used maybe 3 or 4 aliases in his career and

that not all of them were registered.

He said that the use of 200 or

more aliases would be "damned peculiar."

Mr. Gupton served with the CIA from 12/51 to 6/30/78. Prior to 1960

Gupton worked in Venezuela. He stated that he did not know Joseph B. Smith

or Frank Fiorini Sturgis.

He did know E. Howard Hunt.

Mr. Gupton stated that he was in charge of propoganda operations in

the JMWAVE station.

He said that he was often meeting Cuban agents directly

and that he also had a couple of Case Officers wou worked for him.

provided guidance for those CO/s. He pointed out that his efforts were

limited to propoganda.

Mr. Gupton stated that he was not involved in radio

Swan at all; that operation was handled directly out of Washington by

David Phillips.

Gupton stated that Roberto Espin did not work on Radio

Swan but that he did do radio propoganda for a cousin of Raul Castro's wife.

These were commercial broadcasts from Miami on Agency purchased time. Mr.

Gupton said that he gave Espin "general guidance" but gave him pretty much

free reign otherwise.

Mr. Gupton. stated that he communicated with Dave Phillips, his boss in

washington, by telephone and cable. He said that Phillips visited Miami

quite often.

Mr. Gupton said that his relationship with his Case Officers was informal.

He said that he would discuss: things with them rather than exercise formal

leadership.

Mr. Gupton was asked about the control the CO's exercised over the various

Cuban groups. Gupton said that there was a mutuality of interest and that the

exiles had a good respect for the U.s. and realized that we were their only

hope for the future. Gupton added that most of the exiles were sincere

patriots.

Mr. Gupton recalled the DRE and stated that he often met with the leader

of that group. He could not recall having met Salvat but does remember hearing

of him.

Gupton said that he was personnally in contact with dozens of Cubans

ranging from representatives in media, labor, students, women, politics, etc.

Mr. Gupton said that with some of the CUbans he had daily contact. He said

he was in contact with Espin on the average of three times a week.

met occassionally but more with Bender.

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Gupton-2

Gupton does not recall either Hunt or Phillips ever using the name

"Knight"

.. Gupton stated that he never met agents together with Phillips

and that he does not recall hearing Phillips use any name other: than his

own.

Gupton did discuss his problems with Phillips but more often with the

Chief of Station.whom he thinks was Bob Reynolds. Gupton said that his main

concern was to keep Phillips informed and that he tried to solve his problems

himself.

• Gupton said that he did not work with San Jenis.

•Gupton stated that Ross Crozier was one of the Case officers who worked

for him.

He said that he saw Crozier daily.

He does not remember that

Crozier handled the DRE. He said that he would know what Crozier was doing

in general but not in detail. He said that there were periods when Crozier

would disappear for several days.

Gupton said that he was aware of the leaflet drops over Cuba after they

had occured.

He was not involved in the operation which Phillips had ran

out of Washington.

Mr. Gupton pointed out that not all the propoganda was

coordinated in that Phillips did a lot of things on his own out of Washing-

ton that he did not let Gupton in on.

Gupton stated that he had never met

Pedro Diaz Lanz.

Gupton stated that there were two sets of operations.

His operations were ran out of Miami and he kept Phillips informed. Phillips

ran a second set of seperate operations personally out of Washington and

he did not keep Gupton briefed on these operations. Gupton said that the

FRD also ran independent propoganda operations. Gupton stated that Phillips

used many of his old contacts from Havanna in his personal operations during

the Bay of Pigs. He said that one of these people was Luis Conte-Aguera.

sat that one i tres c

Gupton.said that Phillips did not.do his trouble shooting for him and he does

not recall Phillips ever using the name Maurice Bishop.

When confronted

generally with Crozier's story Gupton said "Well, maybe I did. I don't

remember." Gupton said that the sketch of Bishop did not look like anyone

he knew. He said that he had never heard the name Bishop in Miami.

He does not know Paul Bethel but remembers the name.

He does not

know Companda... He did not meat Ted Shackly until he became chief of the

Division.

He said that the name Salvador Diaz Verson was familiar and

also that of Jerry Buchanon but he does not remember that they were ever

used by the Agency. Gupton did state that Hal Hendrix was a friend of

Phillips.

Gupton said that Phillips met him in Havanna and that Phillips

often used him to place articles in the Miami News.

Mr. Gupton stated that he had never heard of Celluma Fantasma.or

Alpha 66.

Gupton stated that he did not know Max Lesnick.

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