MEMO: WALTER E. SZUMINSKI
Originator: CIA
To: C/HRG
Document date: 03/18/1994
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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

18 March 1994

Memo to: C/HRG

Subject: Walter E. Szuminski

1. Szuminski, David Christ and Thornton Anderson were

arrested and imprisoned in Cuba (1960) under the names of

Edmund Taransky, Danial Carswell and Eustace Danbrunt; their

true names were

not blown at that time. In 1963 Christ's

pseudo (Carswell) was linked to the three tramps picked up

Dallas after the assassination. During investigation,

Christ was interviewed by HSCA staffers.

2. The initial approach (August 1993 release) was to

rotect szuminski and Anderson plus not link Christ an

Carswell.

'he result was a large number of DIFs. in Christ'

Security

File. In the DIF-Review, Carswell was acknowledged

as Christ's pseudo, and Anderson and Szuminski's true names

could be released as long as not linked with pseudos (see

Name List).

4. Before names are listed as "release" on the Name

List,

they are checked against a variety of

sources: ces,

Security, retiree card file (HRG), CIRA list, personal

knowledge of HRG reviewers and coordinated with DO

reviewers. There was apparently a lot of discussion over the

release of true names.

HRG's position was that given HSCA

interest in both Carswell in Dallas and the possible tie

time in Cuba and assassination, Christ can be considered a

JFK figure.

Since he had been an was overt employee since

1963, retired overt and is now dead, most of the documents

on him are releasable.

Anderson and Szuminski also retired

overt and are open members of CIRA.

5. There is no file on Szuminski in the JFK

collection.

I located 9 items which mention Szuminski by

true name or pseudonym in the four volumes of David Christ's

file (Box 40, volumes 25) :

1 hand written (true name)

1 cable reporting arrest (pseudonym)

3 memos discussing arrest (pseudonym)

2 memos with reference to imprisonment (true name)

2 copies of a memo with both true name and pseudonym

(true name is deleted on 1 copy & left in on the other)

Copies of the items are attached.

6. There are numerous memos on Agency contact with

Mrs. Christ during the imprisonment. I have attached one

for your information.

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The four volumes on David Christ covers his entire

with the agency.

In addition to details on the Cuban

operation and imprisonment, subjects include clearances,

cover, security violations

and assignments.

Many of the

memos on Christ are signed by a John C. Mertz.

He is on our

release list, but there is no information on source for

release.

We assume that name are at least checked with CCS.

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Meeting with Walter Szuminski

18 March 1999s.u.)

I met with him in your office -- told him I did not have a

file or documents to show him today.

We were searching the

files and may be able to show him something next week. He

offered to some background on the Cuban operation and the

calls he had received.

First he gave me the

story of the Cuban imprisonment and

their return.

He said that D. Christ was interviewed by

HSCA in mid-1970s to see if there was any connection between

their time in Cuban and the assassination (Christ told him

about the interview). The story of their imprison was

public knowledge but only with pusedos.

He mention the

classified article in the Studies which was with true name.

Last month he received a call from D Christ's window & son -

- they had received a call from Allen J Weberman

iscA had been released and that true names were included. I

mentioned that we would not have releasel an HSCA document.

Two weeks ago Szuminski received a similar call ("was he the

Szuminski who was imprisoned in Cuba with Christ and

released through Donovan's efforts). He told Weberman he

had wrong person.

Yesterday he received another call asking

if he was aware that his name is in the national archives.

The callers referred to both the CIA JEK releases and a FOIA

release.

My impression was that his name was also released

in an FOIA but if the researcher was using Lesar's file he

may have confused the two.

I talked a little about the law and the balancing test for

disclosure (public vs national security, etc.). Also said

that the link of Carswell to 3 tramps in Dallas made Christ

Since Christ became an overt employee in

1963, retired overt and was dead much of the information on

him was subject to release. Because of the Cuba

imprisonment there are documents on, or that mention,

Szuminski and Anderson in Christ's file.

Szuminski said he also retired overt. He mentioned Christ

son who has a firm in Reston that has done work for the

Agency -- "negative publicity could hurt him".

He said he wanted to see what was out so he would know how

to deal with the calls.

He also made a couple of comments

about suing but doubted he could.

Told him we would get back to him next week.

He said we

could reach him through his wife (Elise S., OIT, 874-5256 or 3

(Cuban Ops, Maris Wood, 39756.2

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