A Mission on the CIA Raider Ship Rex

JM/WAVE CIA station at University of Miami, Fla. South Campus

Bradley E. Ayers – The Zenith Secret (p. 18, 27 -34)

Monday morning we met the station chief, Ted Shackley. As we sat in the outer office, waiting a little nervously, I saw that they had missed no detail on setting up the false front of Zenith Technical Enterprises. There were phony sale and production charts on the walls and business licenses from the state and federal governments. A notice to salesman, pinned near the door, advised them of the calling hours for various departments. The crowning touch was a certificate of award from the United Givers’ Fund to Zenith for outstanding participation in its annual fund drive...

I was eventually given three separate cover identities, each for use under different, special circumstances. One was the Army civilian employee ID/ cover under my true name. The second was to be used in any internal CIA communications, reports, memos, accounting records, etc. – anything that would go into the agency files. I was to identify myself and sign-off as Anthony P. Darguzis, supposedly a fictional name. Later, I learned the CIA used the London telephone directory to come up with this and other pseudonyms for in-house purposes.

At JM/WAVE, I was given another operational cover identity, to be used in external activities while working with the Cuban exiles, in any capacity. This was Daniel B. Williams who would be listed as a legitimate employee on a variety of corporations set up to cover covert operations against Cuba. A plausible personal history was fabricated and memorized for use with both the Army cover and the covert operational cover. Cover documents, IDs, drivers licenses, etc. were produced by the agency cover branch and appeared to be absolutely legitimate. (p. 265)

Outside agents were American or Cuban CIA employees who were not cleared for entry into the undercover headquarters. These employees were either too “hot” because of exposure to exiles or did not have the proper security clearance. Contact with these persons was always made clandestinely on the outside, using individually assigned operational cover; in my case, the Paragon Air Service cover.

The Rex and the Leda were converted WWII Naval vessels configured and maintained by the JM/WAVE Maritime branch for use in the station’s covert paramilitary operations against Cuba. Each vessel had an American case officer that managed the crew, coordinated missions, arranged dockage in the U.S. and elsewhere undercover, and dealt with all the financial details associated with the operations of the ships. The Operations and Maritime Branches were closely intertwined but often at odds.

Sometime later I learned that the Plantation Key complex (used for training) had, in fact, been a base for paramilitary operations prior to my occupancy, apparently by commandos directly under Morales’ control. The site had a good, small seaside basin for securing V-20s. It had been vacated because neighbors had become suspicious.

(Gordon Campbell was Ted Shackley’s assistant chief of station and in charge of the maritime operations.)

The only way I could maintain a secure contact with Gordon Campbell,...was to go ashore to the pay phone at Black Point...Gordon Campbell gave me several Miami-Homestead area phone contact numbers to use for secure communications with him...One number I tried was answered by a women with the greeting, “Mr. Bishop’s office.” I concluded I’d either dialed incorrectly or Campbell had given me the number by mistake, or I may have erred in recording it when he gave it to me. However, several times when talking casually with (Shackley’s secretary) Maggie, she dropped the name Bishop when referring to Campbell. I didn’t know what to make of it, but I ceased using that number for the contact with Mr. Campbell.

...Despite objections, Ted Shackley accepted my recommendations almost to the letter. Ted informed me that I was to be permanently assigned to the training branch to set p and supervise a new program. Two weeks later I was on a V-20, speeding through the darkness, about to intercept a large mother ship lying at anchor some several miles off Islamorada. Our Cuban operator expertly turned the craft and came about on the lee side, then maneuvered it beneath the overhanging hull of the looming vessel. We were surrounded by blackness. Silently, a line was thrown from the deck above us and cargo net was dropped over the side. We clambered up and over the cold, slippery rail of the Rex, a converted Navy World War II patrol craft.

As the V-20 sped back toward the Florida coast, the full implications struck me. We were on our way to Cuba.

The roar of the departing V-20 was quickly swallowed by the sounds of the sea and the noise of the larger ship’s diesels as they throbbed to life. I looked back for a moment. The lights of Miami glowed to the north. South, toward the Straights of Florida and the Communist island, there was only dark, open sea. To the east I could see Alligator Reef and the slowly moving lights of a large tanker in the shipping lanes of the Gulf Stream, miles from our position. It seemed unreal, as if I were standing on the edge of the world…. I was watching off the port bow, and soon the blink of the signal light from the smaller sister ship – the decoy vessel that would accompany us to Cuba – dotted the blackness. It was her acknowledgment that we’d weighed anchor and were under way. She would follow us at a distance of ten miles, using her small radar receiver. Radios would be used only in the event of an emergency...

After checking on the team members – they were now asleep – Marcus took me down to the galley and introduced me to Captain Luis and his first mate Enrique. The captain, a stocky, distinguished looking man in his late 40s, wore a gleaming .38-caliber revolver holstered on is belt. Enrique was thin and rangy, with the look of the sea about him, the deep lines etched in his leathery, tanned skin told of a lifetime of sailing.

Captain Luis spoke excellent English, and since he had been on many similar missions, I was most interested to share his firsthand knowledge of Castro’s defenses. For the next hour we sipped bitter Cuban coffee as he explained in great detail the modus operandi of the Komar-class coastal patrol boats supplied to the Cubans by the Russians. I was amazed to find that he even knew the names of the Cuban commanders and crew members of some of the fast, heavily armed Soviet crafts. His information on the frequently changing routes and schedules of the coastal patrols was less than 24 hours old. He also knew the exact locations of the powerful coastal searchlight and gun placements in the are the team would be infiltrating.

I had to admire the CIA’s ability to secure such operational intelligence and disseminate it to Captain Luis; there were always two or three operations taking place simultaneously, in one phase or another. Despite the thorough knowledge of the enemy’s defenses at sea, he and Marcus had only sketchy information on Castro’s shore surveillance. They knew that the Communists used radar, lookouts, and foot patrols with dogs, and had a network of civilian informers, mainly loyal fishermen and coastal residents. The specifics were supposed to have been part of the intelligence given to Marcus by the CIA case officer who had briefed the team, but the case officer apparently had forgotten to include this information. It would be a touch and go situation once the commandos had gotten past the patrol boats.

It was well past midnight when I went below to my small, shared cabin in the forward part of the ship and in minutes I was asleep. Awakened to the same monotonous engine throb that had put me to sleep I realized we were rapidly approaching Cuba, and tonight we would launch the operation.

I joined Captain Luis on the bridge, and for nearly an hour he explained the mechanics of the reclaimed World War II vessel. He showed me the elaborate electronic navigation gear and communications equipment that had been installed by the CIA. I was startled to learn that, despite all the equipment, the captain was navigating by dead reckoning alone, and only an occasional cross checking by LORAN (a worldwide, long-range, commercial air-sea navigation system). Except for the usual multilingual banter coming over the standard commercial ship-to-shore radio, no other equipment was on. I asked Captain Luis how the station contacted him to give him last minute information or instructions and I learned that the special high frequency radio was turned on only for limited periods at specific intervals.

The captain showed me the 40mm deck cannons mounted fore and aft and two .50 caliber machine guns set amidship. These weapons, and the small arms available to the eight man crew, were the ship’s only defenses. All of the heavy guns and ammunition were encased in innocent looking plywood boxes that had quick release devices to permit easy access...

Below the main deck, the pealing bulkheads were wet with condensation and pipes were leaking. Captain Luis and I walked through the ship and he introduced me to each crewman….When the captain finished showing me around, I concluded that the Rex was a noisy, leaking relic, continuously in need of repair, but otherwise seaworthy.

After the noon meal, the team went back to their cabin to rest; they would remain there until supper, when we would gather for a final briefing. In the midafternoon, Capt. Luis calculated our position: we were on schedule, somewhere between Cuba and the Dry Tortugas. By dusk, we would reach the drop point...

Instruments and sampling probes had been dropped overboard and were being trailed behind the ship, in accordance with our cover role. The ship would remain on its present course and speed until it reached the drop off point near the village of Dimas, southwest of the Cayou Jutias beacon, at midnight. The vessel would be approximately three miles off the Cuban coast at a time when the two Cuban patrol boats covering the area would be farthest away. As the minesweeper continued to move slowly, the team would launch the rafts, get aboard, start the silent engines, and release their lines to the mother ship. All this had to be done in complete blackout and as quietly as possible.

There would be no turning back, even in the event of discovery, because once the team released the tow line, the mother ship would continue under way to clear the area. Using a compass and visual landmarks on the coast, the team would make its way across the shallow coastal shelf to their landing point.

Hopefully the silent engines would work, but if they failed, the men would paddle the rubber rafts. Meanwhile, the smaller decoy vessel would move to a point some five miles off Sancho Pardo Bank and, with lights ablaze and engines running loudly, would attract the attention of shore lookouts and the Cuban patrol boats. The decoy vessel would be in international waters, so there was little the Communists could do but keep it under surveillance and, we hoped, be distracted from the team and us.

Tension mounted as the briefing continued. We wer all sweating profusely in the small, closed, place. The commando team leader, visibly nervous, drew on the back of a nautical chart a rough sketch of the coastline near Dimas. He spoke in Spanish and the team and Marcus translated for me. The launching and the boarding of the rubber rafts were routine; each man knew his assignment. The silent engines would be mounted and started immediately while the boats remained in tow. When the ship reached the drop point, Captin Luis would momentarily rev the engines as a signal to release the lines. The two rafts would then proceed shoreward. Once inland, the team would locate a safe hiding place and stay there until dawn.

At first light, the team would bury the cache of containers in the mangroves that fringed the shoreline. Then two of the men would move several hundred yards inland to observe the raod that ran along the coast from Dimas to the village of Baja. If the team was detected, Castro’s men would probably use that route to reach the area; approach from the sea by any sizable boat was impossible because of the shallow water. In addition, the team might be able to pick up some valuable information while watching the road. When it was sufficiently dark, the team would reassemble, uncover their rubber boats, and, this time using only paddles, row back to the rendezvous point. Besides using the compass on the return trip, they would have an RDF receiver to home in on the mother ship.

Captain Luis would have the mother ship in the vicinity of the rendezvous point for one hour, from 0200 to 0300. If for some reason contact was not made, we would return at the same time the following night. After that, the team would be presumed lost. The decoy vessel would play essentially the same role during the recovery phase as it had during the drop, and, of course, would take us back to Florida.

All illumination on board the ship had now been extinguished, and there was only stifling heat and eerie redness of the blackout lights. In the equipment room, Marcus and I helped the men secure their gear. They wore dark clothes, heavy work shoes, and either dark blue baseball-type or wool watch caps. They carried compasses, machetes, entrenching tools, rope, canteens, and ammunition pouches attached to standard Army pistol belts. Two men carried light packs, one containing rations and the other containing a small, specially developed long-range radio transreceiver. With the receiver, they could talk with the mother ship and, under optimum conditions, with CIA reception stations at various locations throughout the Caribbean.

The team leader wore a .45 caliber pistol in a shoulder holster, while each of the other men carried a standard M-3 .45-caliber submachine gun and four clips of ammunition. All labels and identifying marks had been removed from the equipment.

When they finished dressing, Marcus checked the men again, and then gave each a small emergency survival kit containing fishing gear, water-desalination and purification chemicals, secret writing materials, Cuban money, morphine, and a special capsule containing a painless, rapidly acting lethal poison. The contents of the kit would be used at the discretion of the individual, depending on the nature of the emergency. There was no question about the morality of this procedure.

I was troubled by the loose, careless way them men wore their equipment. It could easily be lost and was hazardous in other ways as well. I told Marcus to have the men jump up and down in place. He looked at me quizzically but passed on my instructions to the team. The clank of metal against metal filed the cramped room. We securely taped the loose straps and buckles, then Marcus handed me a .45-caliber pistol in a shoulder holster and buckled a similar weapon around his waist.

The deck was black. In the distance to the west, lightning flickered and a roll of thunder could be heard over the low growl of the diesel engines. To the south, beacons and scattered lights marked the coast of the Communist island. Off our stern, the bright lights of the decoy vessel were visible. The team moved to the stern and, with the help of the crew, began to uncover the rubber boats. Talking loudly, cursing, and the clanking of the deck fittings were quite audible over the drone of the ship’s slow-turning engines. Marcus tried to quiet the men, but they persisted in their talking. Captain Luis shrugged, as if to say it was impossible to keep them quiet. I believed him. But I was sure the Cuban patrols would have heard us by now.

We all worked to slide the heavy neoprene rafts gently over the rail and lower them to the water so that they’d land right side up. Two of the commandos were lowered to the rafts...I looked at my watch; time was slipping quickly….We seemed close to the shore, and I was tense, expecting to hear the first burst of machine gun fire that would signal our discovery.

Finally the cargo net was cast over the side and the remaining team members clambered over the rail and down to the rubber boats. Marcus, the captain and I watched from the stern as the two small boats became dark blobs trailing a hundred feet behind us in the phosphorescent wake...The Cuban coast was very near; the captain had violated the three-mile limit and we were within one mile of the shore. We watched the tow line go slack; then the rafts were lost in the darkness...

The Rex Blows Collins Radio CIA Cover

CIA raider ship the Rex, leased to Collins Radio for "electronic and oceanographic research," was used to deposit anti-Castro Cuban commandos in Cuba, a botched raid that made news on the front page of the November 1, 1963 New York Times, blowing the CIA cover of Collins Radio company of Richardson, Texas.

Zenith Tech was the cover for the CIA JMWAVE company that employed the Cuban commandos. The book Zenith Secret was written by Bradley Ayres, the US Army Ranger who trained the Cuban commandos for their missions into Cuba.

CIA's Collins Radio Cover Blown

The use of Collins Radio as a cover company for covert CIA activities was effectively blown by the New York Times November 1, 1963 page one cover story that featured a photo of the CIA Cuban raider ship Rex, which docked near the President’s Florida home at Palm Beach. The accompanying news article noted that the Rex was registered out of Bluefields, Nicaragua, was previously owned by the Somoza family and was leased to the International Division of the Collins Radio Company, which was based in Richardson, Texas.

In their book Deadly Secrets (Thunders Mouth Press, NY 1992) William Turner and Warren Hinckle go into details about the CIA’s supposed to be secret Caribbean fleet and interviewed some of the crew members engaged their missions. They note that Gordon Campbell was in charge of the CIA’s maritime operations in the Caribbean, working under cover of Marine Engineering and Training (MET) corporation in Homestead, Florida, which was incorporated in 1962 to conduct “offshore surveys.”

Gordon Campbell’s role as chief of the CIA’s maritime operations out of Florida was confirmed by Bradley E. Ayers, a U.S. Army Ranger trainer who was assigned to the CIA’s JM/WAVE station to train anti-Castro Cuban commandos. It is reported that Gordon Campbell brought the sailing and operational orders to Captain Alejandro Brooks, the skipper of the Rex, the flagship of the CIA’s Caribbean fleet.

The problem here, as later determined by Jeff Morley and David Talbot, is that Gordon Campbell officially died in 1962, and therefore could not have delivered the orders to the Rex for their October 1963 mission. Nor could he have been known to Ayers at the time of the assassination.

“In addition to being an operational cover, MET was used for recruitment and training of CIA seagoing commandos. Cuban frogmen used in CIA infiltrations were signed up by the company and sent north for advanced underwater demolition training at a secret base called Isolation Tropic, located at an old Navy seaplane port on the Pasquolank River near Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

The Rex was berthed within walking distance of the Kennedy family home, a fact that, in September 1963, “made the president furious” when he learned the Rex was docked in West Palm Beach while he was there.

With a crew of forty Cuban exiles, the Rex flew the blue and white Nicaraguan flag. An ex-US Navy patrol craft of 1940 vintage, the former sub chaser was taken out of mothballs at Glen Cove and painted dark blue. Reconditioned with oversized searchlights, elaborate electronic gear and a crane aft deck for lowering 20-foot speedboats, the Rex’s twin 3,600 horsepower diesel engines gave her a respectable speed of 20 knots. They said it cost the CIA $500,000 a year to keep the Rex running, along with her sister ship Leda, another of four similar ships and dozens of smaller vessels that made up the CIA fleet, ostensibly overseen by Gordon Campbell.

The Rex was officially owned by the Belcher Oil Company, which was primarily in the business of refueling cruise ships. Turner and Hinckle wrote that, “Belcher’s books showed it acquired the ship from the Somza-owned Paragon Company, a poor relation to the Paragon Air Service, Inc., a CIA dummy corporation. Belcher, in turn, leased the Rex to Collins Radio International of Dallas for ‘electronic and oceanographic research.’ Collins was a division of Collins Radio of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a major defense contractor that more than once provided cover for CIA operations. The Rex’s dockage fees were paid by neither Belcher Oil nor Collins, but by a third outfit called Sea Key Shipping Company, which operated out of a post office box. When she left port, the Rex gave as a destination the Caicos Island in the outer Bahamas; she returned to port only ‘from the high seas.’ Normal customs and immigrations inspections were waived for the Rex. She came and went mysteriously from West Palm Beach, only a ship that passed in the night.”

“The Cuban seamen of the Rex were paid $300 a month,” Turner and Hinckle report. “Their checks were written on the account of a commercial fisheries company. Most of the crew had experience in the Cuban navy or merchant marine. They had been recruited by a team of former Batista naval men working for the CIA. Political trustworthiness was as much a job requirement as seamanship, and the crew were subjected to polygraph tests designed to ferret out any creeping Castro sentiments….At sea between West Palm Beach and Miami, the Cuban crew brought up the guns from below decks and secured the Rex’s heavy artillery – two 40 mm naval cannon, a .57 recoilless rifle, two 20 mm cannon, and two .50 caliber machine guns – in their topside mounts. The oceanographic research vessel was now a man-of-war.”

On October 21, 1963, “the Rex had a special mission which would bring it a dangerous half-mile from the Cuban shore, well within the red zone of Castro’s coastal defense.”

Off Elliot Key, they met two black rubber rafts, with twelve men dressed in black who boarded the Rex. “They were members of the Commandos Mambises, the elite of the CIA’s anti-Castro commandos. They took their name from the determined guerillas who had fought Cuba’s war of independence against Spain. Their emblem was the Lone Star of Cuba. They were the Green Berets of the Secret War. The Commandos Mambises numbered fewer than fifty, mostly men without families to miss them. Their leader was Major Manuel Villafana, a Cuban General Patton known for his spit and polish sternness, who had commanded the Bay of Pigs air force. Major Villafana insisted that the CIA pay his men little; he wanted them motivated by hate, not money.”

The orders they received for the mission on the night of October 22, 1963 their target was in Pinar del Rio Provenance at the west end of the island, near the Cape Corrientes lighthouse. The Cape Corrientes lighthouse was inexplicitly dark that night.

Two 20-foot fiberglass speedboats with 100 horsepower inboard, muffled motors, and double bottom hulls for near shore amphibious operations had rear mounted steering columns. Called “Moppies,” they each had two .30 caliber Browning machine guns and a radio. For this mission, high powered rifles and C-4 explosives were transferred from the Rex to the speed boats, which set off towards the Cuban shore in the dark.

“They moved in to the mouth of a high banked river where they were to rendezvous with two Mambises who had been infiltrated a week earlier. Once near the shore, they inflated black rubber rafts with silent running outboard motors and signaled with an infrared blinker. The wrong code came back however, they recognized a trap and opened fire at the riverbank with M-3 grease guns. “The shore instantly lit up red and blue as machine guns on both banks opened up on the fleeing rafts. One raft was torn apart by tracer bullets, spilling the dead and dying into the water. Before the other raft could reach the sea, the Moppies were speeding back towards the Rx with Cuban patrol boats in pursuit. The abandoned commandos turned toward shore where Castro’s militia awaited them.”

“In the lead Moppie, the steering wheel had been shot away. Quatermaster Luis Montero Carrazana held the steering column in a death grip. He was suddenly framed in the searchlight of a Russian P-6 patrol boat, and for him the Secret War was over. The other Moppie headed for deep sea and the spot in the night where the Rex had been. The Moppie pilot keep speeding until he reached international waters, where he stopped a merchant ship by firing his machine gun across its bow and was rescued. The Rex itself had vanished.”

“Captain Brooks made for the open sea, then doubled back to the shoreline, running with lights out. Two Cuban helicopters dropped cluster flares to illuminate the sea where the Rex had been headed out to sea. Pepe: ‘As we cleared the head I saw the running lights of the freighter, and I knew right away what was going to happen. The freighter ran right into the light of the flares. The Cubans thought it was us. They opened up on her.’”

The ship was the J. Louis, a 32,500 ton American owned (Daniel Ludwig) freighter flying the Liberian flag. It held a cargo of bauxite from Jamaica, and was heading for Corpus Christi, Texas. At 12:40 a.m. five Cuban MiG-21s strafed her, although no one was injured. The Captain radioed an OSS, “Unarmed freighter under MiG attack off coast of Cuba.” U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom jets from Key West, Fla. Responded, but were called back before reaching Cuba.

The Rex was followed by two Cuban gunboats, and broke radio silence to request advice. Zenith Tech. responded, “Do what you have to do.”

The Rex's Captain Brooks made a run for Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula off Cozumel Island, played a cat-and-mouse game with the Cubans for two days, then headed for Key West, taking in tow a Catalina amphibian with engine trouble, on another CIA mission.

“It was business as usual in the secret war,” Turner and Hinckle concluded, as the Rex limped back into the safe confines of West Palm Beach.

While the U.S officially protested the MiG attack on the unarmed freighter, Castro spoke in Havana over radio and television on October 30th. He announced the capture of five more infiltrators and saboteurs – “agents of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.”

One of the captured Cubans confessed that he had landed from the Rex with a boatload of arms, including high powered rifles that were to be used to kill Cuban leaders. “The CIA,” he said, “organized all arms shipments.”

According to Carlos Bringuier, who Oswald was arrested with in New Orleans, wrote in his book Red Friday (Hallberg & Co. Chicago, 1969), “Castro also announced that two Canadian pilots were apprehended on October 24, when a search of their plane found large amounts of grenades and explosives. On October 31, Havana radio announced the execution of three more Cubans at the eastern city of Camaguey. They were: Guillermo Padron Hernandez, Fermin Gonzalez Mena and Rolando Cabrisas Sousa. Another ‘CIA Agent’ Armando Borroto, 15 years old, was sentenced to a life prison term.”

In his October 30th broadcast, Castro claimed to have captured two motor launches from the Rex, and the New York Times confirmed that indeed, two motor launches were in fact missing from their divots. J. Sonny Jaudon, port operations director said of the Rex, “It comes and goes at various intervals. We don’t ask any questions, and they don’t volunteer any information.” J.A. Belcher, when questioned, said, “I don’t know if it had any connection with the CIA, but I don’t see how it could.”

The sister ship of the Rex, the Leda, out of Greytown, Nicaragua, was registered to Lake Cay Company, Inc., which was supposed to be engaged in ‘oceanographic surveys.’ Her captain, Gasper Brooks, a brother of the Rex skipper. Another CIA ship, Explorer II, was owned by Explorations, Inc. of Miami Shores. Smaller motorcraft with inboard engines, called Swift boats, were registered to Ace Marine Survey, “the president of which was a New Orleans public relations man who did work for such CIA sponsored groups there as the Friends for a Democratic Cuba. Anyone checking Ace Marine Survey’s Miami address found it to be smack in the middle of the Miami river.”

On November 1, 1963, the New York Times ran the front page story that included a picture of the Rex, and the fact that the boat was leased to the Collins Radio Company, “for electronic and oceanographic research.”

Peter Dale Scott (In The Death of Kennedy and the Vietnam War, Government By Gunplay, Signet, 1979) wrote: “The description of ELINT or electronic intelligence activities (familiar to all who have read about the Pueblo incident off North Korea) suggests that one intelligence activity – ELINT – provocative but undoubtedly authorized – had been used as a front for another (gunrunning from the United States)¸ which had recently been prohibited by President Kennedy.”

Professor Scott also calls attention to the letter to the editor of the New York Times from Harold W. Thatcher, of Forty Fort, Pa., dated November 7, 1963 and published on November 20th, that “argued once more, as did some Congressmen of the period, that: “One of the very first steps ... should be to strip the CIA immediately of all operational and policymaking powers and confine it to its original function – namely the gathering of information.”

The October 22-30, 1963 mission of the Rex was botched. It appears that the commando team had been penetrated by Castro Cubans, the scout group had been captured, and the Cubans were waiting at the drop off point to capture those being sent in. Five men were caught, some confessed and some were executed, two boats were taken by the Cubans, and the Collins Radio corporate cover for the CIA had been blown. In addition, the mission called into question the legality of such domestic covert operations being run from the U.S. shores.

There have been reports that the commando Mambises used in the raid were trained in part at the Lake Ponchartraine camp that Oswald had tried to infiltrate and was shut down by the FBI in the summer of 1963.

Individuals associated with this mission also floated the story that President Kennedy was killed by a team of assassins who were sent to Cuba to kill Castro, but were captured and turned by Castro to kill Kennedy.

These commandos, the Mambises, were at war, not only with Castro, but with Kennedy, who closed down their camp, complained about their boat, and was blamed for warning Castro about the details of their mission, leading to the capture and execution of their comrades. They most certainly had the means, motive and opportunity to kill Kennedy, and it appears that they succeeded in doing so.

It would later be revealed that the Collins Radio company not only leased the Rex and supplied the electronic equipment used in the raids on Cuba, but they also provided the radios used by the US Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC), Air Force One and the presidential fleet of planes (Special Air Missions - SAM), but also employed Carl Mather, the good friend of slain Dallas policeman J.D. Tippit, whose car was seen at the site of Tippit's murder with Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin of the President, behind the wheel.

Although the use of Collins Radio as a cover for intelligence activities was blown by the New York Times on November 1, 1963, and should have been discontinued, Collins was still being used as a cover for the National Recon Office (NRO) in the early 1990s when the new NRO HQ was being built in Virginia and its true use kept hidden from those within the government itself, including the director of the budget, Leon Pinetta, current Secretary of Defense.

THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE - November 1, 1963

CASTRO SAYS C.I.A. USES RAIDER SHIP

He Asserts Cuba Captured Small Boats From Vessel –
Miami Owner Denies It

By The Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 31 – Premier Fidel Castro charged last night that the Central Intelligence Agency was operating a raider ship called the Rex, and that shehad been used in a sabotage mission against Cuba. He said two small boats from the Rex and several C.I.A. agents had been captured.

Primer Castro described the Rex as a 150-foot diesel vessel flying the Nicaraguan flag. He said she was based in West Palm Beach.

A vessel called the Rex, 174 feet long, returned to Palm Beach Monday and was tied up today at the Port of Palm Beach. She flies the Nicaraguan flag and carries large search lights, radar and a crane on the stern. Two motor launches were missing from their davits.

The port director, Joel Wilcox, said, “The dockage is paid by the Sea Shipping Company from a post office box. I know nothing of the Rex’s activities.”

Oil Man Claims Ship

J. A. Belcher, a Miami oil company executive, told The Miami Herald that the Rex belonged to him, but denied that it had participated in raids against Cuba.

He said he bought the vessel from the Paragon Company, identified by the Miami Herald as a Nicaraguan firm formerly owned by the family of Luis Somoza, an ex-President of Nicaragua.

Mr. Belcher told the Herald that for most of the year he had leased the Rex for electronic research to the international division of the Collins Radio Company of Dallas. He said the ship’s captain, identified as Alexander Brooks, had told him the Rex had never been in Cuba’s waters.

Premier Castro, in a radio and television broadcast, said that the captured agents might face death sentences.

In his three-hour speech, the Premier accused the C.I.A. of “stepping up its activities against Cuba in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Flora.”

He accused the Central Intelligence Agency of murdering workers, landing weapons and infiltrators in Cuba, hiring saboteurs and using postal packages to send explosives into Cuba.

“This was the kind of aid the United States sent to Cuba after the hurricane,” he said.

“They thought they had their opportunity after the hurricane. This explains and justifies Cuba’s rejections of the United States offer of aid.”

There are two other mysterious vessels of Nicaraguan registry operating out of ports of Florida’s southeast coast. One sometimes changes color.

The Leda is tied up at Port Everglades and the Port of Fort Lauderdale, 45 miles south of Palm Beach. She is registered from Greytown, Nicaragua, which is now known as San Juan del Norte.

A Miami man who knew a crewman on the Villaro said today, “She was a funny ship. She changed colors all the time. Sometimes the hull would be blue with a green deck. Other times it was gray with an orange deck. My friend said she was working in oil exploration.”

Coast Guard headquarters in Miami said it had no listing for any of the ships or their companies.

Carries Crew of 5

WEST PALM BEACH. Oct. 31. (UPI) – The port operations director of the Port of Palm Beach, J. Sonny Jaudon, said today that the Rex was registered out of Bluefields, Nicaragua, and carried a Spanish-speaking crew of at least five.

Asked if the Rex belonged to the C.I.A., Mr. Jaudon would say no more than, “It could be.”

“The Rex comes and goes at various intervals and uses the port here,” Mr. Jaudon said. “We don’t ask any questions. And they don’t volunteer any information.”

DPD Captain Pat Gannaway finger Oswald?

Dallas, Nov. 22 (UPI)- Police today seized Lee H. Oswald, identified as chairman of a "Fair Play for Cuba Committee," as the prime suspect in the assassination of President Kennedy. Police said Oswald, 24, was accused in the slaying of a Dallas policeman shortly after the shooting of the President.

Police Capt. Pat Gannaway said the suspect was an employee in the building where a rifle was found. Gannaway* said the suspect had visited Russia and was married to a Russian. This was not immediately confirmed.

*David Lifton Notes, 8/16/06: In retrospect, it now seems clear that Gannaway, of the DPD Intelligence Division, was an important player.

From: No Case to Answer – Ian Griggs (JFK Lancer, 2005) A Retired English Detective’s Essays and Articles on the JFK Assassination (1993-2005, p 3-4)

SPECIAL SERVICES BUREAU

This was the first of the specialized departments. It operated under the command of Captain W. P. (‘Pat’) Gannaway who was supported by six Lieutenants, 34 regular Detectives, 14 Patrolmen who were temporarily assigned to the bureau and four female civilians (one stenographer and three clerk-typists). The 14 ‘temporarily-assigned’ men were what we in the UK would call Aides to CID or TDCs (Temporary Detective Constables). More of them shortly.

Captain Gannaway (at that time known as ‘Mr. Narcotics’) had been in charge of the notorious 1957 undercover operation and raid that culminated in stripper Candy Barr being arrested for possession of half an ounce of marijuana. For this offense, she was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, actually serving less than three years before being paroled.

Initially, I had some difficulty in working out what the Special Services Bureau actually did. I established that 18 officers, including Captain Gannaway and one of the female civilians, were mentioned in the Warren Commission 26 Volumes. Indeed, eight of them testified before the Commission and three of them had their names as titles of Commissoin Exhibits. Careful study of the appropriate testimony, together with other DPD documents in m passion enabled me to work out the purpose and responsibilities of the Special Service Bureau.

It was basically a covert surveillance and intelligence-gathering unit which, was well as the Criminal Intelligence Squad (CIS), included the Vice Squad and Narcotics Squad, etc. Its regular officers were plain-clothes detectives. The temporarily-assigned Patrolmen (who operated in plane clothes) were there for one of two reasons. Some were genuinely ‘on trial’ or undergoing training prior to being appointed full-time detectives. Others had been drafted in from the uniform branch to undertake basic covert surveillance work in areas where their faces would not be known. A similar system exists in the UK and probably other countries today.

The Warren Commission testimony of Lieutenant Jack Revill (who became Assistant Chief in 1982) is very revealing in describing the duties and responsibilities of the Special Services Bureau. He stated: “I am currently in charge of the criminal intelligence section.” Later he outlined the overall task of the bureau. “Our primary responsibility is to investigate crimes of an organized nature, subversive activities, racial matters, labor racketeering, and to do anything that the chief might desire. We work for the chief of police. I report to a captain who is in charge of the bureau – Captain Gannaway.”

Lieutenat Revill later indicated that he had been assigned to an investigative panel set up to determine how Jack Ruby had gained access to the City Hall basement where he had shot Oswald. This type of enquiry was obviously also the responsibility of the Special Service Bureau.

For a very revealing account of the functions of the CIS, see Philip H. Melanson’s article “Dallas Mosaic” published in the Third Decade, vol. 1, no 3, March 1985, pages 12-15. Among other things, Dr. Melanson mentions that “the spooky little unit was physically removed from the rest of the DPD and was headquartered in a building on the state fairgrounds.” (Vol. IV HSCA, 597.) The use of the word ‘spooky’ may or may not be a deliberate clue to something rather sinister.

Dallas City JOHN F. KENNEDY ARCHIVE - BOX 18

14. Criminal Intelligence Report, by D. K. Rodgers. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill regarding car driven by Marguerite Oswald, mother of Lee Harvey Oswald, (Original Signed), 06/15/66. 00003700 1 pages 18 03 014 3700-001.gif
15. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Lee Harvey Oswald and Roman Harten, (Original Signed), 05/26/66. 00003701 2 pages 18 03 015 3701-001.gif 3701-002.gif
16. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Michael and Ruth Paine's sale of their home at 2515 W. 5th Street, Irving, Texas, (Original Signed), 05/24/66. 00003702 1 pages 18 03 016 3702-001.gif
19. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill investigating the purchase of the ambulance and furniture at 1026 N. Beckley by Leon H. Hough. Attached is a letter from Virgil Stuart, Chief of Police, City of Saint Augustine, Florida, (Original Signed), 06/08/65. 00003705 3 pages 18 03 019 3705-001.gif 3705-002.gif 3705-003.gif 4. Criminal Intelligence Report, by J. L. Beasley. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning surveillance of the home of Michael R. Paine, 2515 W. 5th Street, Irving, Texas, (Original Signed), 04/08/65. 00003709 1 pages 18 04 004 3709-001.gif
Box 18, Folder 4
6. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning surveillance at the home of Michael Paine, (Original Signed), 01/08/65. 00003711 1 pages 18 04 006 3711-001.gif
7. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning observation of certain cars at the residence of Michael Paine, (Original Signed), 01/07/65. 00003712 1 pages 18 04 007 3712-001.gif
8. Letter, by Anonymous. Letter claiming information regarding the assassination, (Original), 10/26/64. 00003713 2 pages 18 04 008 3713-001.gif
9. Criminal Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning George De Mohrenschildt. Attached is a photocopy of a background report on De Mohrenschildt, (Original Signed), 09/03/64. 00003714 10 pages 18 04 009 3714-001.gif 3714-002.gif 3714-003.gif 3714-004.gif 3714-005.gif 3714-006.gif 3714-007.gif 3714-008.gif 3714-009.gif 3714-010.gif11. Intelligence Report, by Jack Revill. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway regarding criminal intelligence preparations for the visit of the President in regards to extremist and subversive groups, (Carbon Copy Signed), 02/05/64. 00003716 2 pages 18 04 011 3716-001.gif 3716-002.gif
12. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Gerald Ford and Lee Harvey Oswald's diary, (Original Signed), 07/08/64. 00003717 1 pages 18 04 012 3717-001.gif
13. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with attached Dallas Morning News clipping dated June 18, 1964 with headline: "Did Oswald have LBJ in mind?", (Original Signed), 06/18/64. 00003718 1 pages 18 04 013 3718-001.gif
14. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with attached Dallas Morning News clipping dated June 18, 1964 with headline: "FBI 'offer' to Oswald claimed", (Original Signed), 06/18/64. 00003719 1 pages 18 04 014 3719-001.gif
15. Letter, by Noah V. Dillard. Letter concerning the assassination, (Original), 06/12/64. 00003720 1 pages 18 04 015 3720-001.gif
16. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning a post card sent to Chief Curry. Post card and letters mentioned in report are attached, (Original Signed), 06/05/64. 00003721 4 pages 18 04 016 3721-001.gif 3721-002.gif 3721-003.gif 3721-004.gif
20. Intelligence Report, by Jack Revill. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway regarding statements between Chief J. E. Curry and Gordon Shanklin, (Original Signed), 05/20/64. 00003725 1 pages 18 04 020 3725-001.gif.
22. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Gary Taylor's relationship with Lee and Marina Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/18/64. 00003727 2 pages 18 04 022 3727-001.gif 3727-002.gif
23. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Lev Aronson's relationship with Lee and Marina Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/17/64. 00003728 1 pages 18 04 023 3728-001.gif
24. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Teofil Meller's relationship with Lee and Marina Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/17/64. 00003729 2 pages 18 04 024 3729-001.gif 3729-002.gif
25. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Max Clark and Lee and Marina Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/17/64. 00003730 1 pages 18 04 025 3730-001.gif
26. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Lee and Marina Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/17/64. 00003731 1 pages 18 04 026 3731-001.gif
27. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Lee and Marina Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/17/64. 00003732 2 pages 18 04 027 3732-001.gif 3732-002.gif
28. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Lee and Marina Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/13/64. 00003733 2 pages 18 04 028 3733-001.gif 3733-002.gif
29. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Lee and Marina Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/13/64. 00003734 1 pages 18 04 029 3734-001.gif
30. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Lee and Marina Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/12/64. 00003735 1 pages 18 04 030 3735-001.gif
31. Memorandum, by L. D. Stringfellow. Memorandum regarding misfiled reports, (Original Signed), 05/15/64. 00003736 1 pages 18 04 0313736-001.gif
32. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill regarding Thomas M. and Natalie Ray and Lee Harvey Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/10/64. 00003737 1 pages 18 04 032 3737-001.gif
33. Report-typed, by an unknown author. Report of an account of a witness linking Oswald and Ruby, (Photocopy), date unknown. 00003739 7 pages 18 04 033 3739-001.gif 3739-002.gif 3739-003.gif 3739-004.gif 3739-005.gif 3739-006.gif 3739-007.gif
Box 18, Folder 5
1. Handbill, by Edward F. Bray. Handbill concerning the Warren Commission and Justice for the Crew of the Thresher, (Original Signed), 03/15/65. 00003740 3 pages 18 05 001 3740-001.gif 3740-002.gif 3740-003.gif
2. Intelligence Report, by V. J. Brian. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning information from FBI Agent Hosty regarding Lee Harvey Oswald, (Carbon Copy Signed), 04/20/64. 00003742 1 page 18 05 002 3742-001.gif
3. Intelligence Report, by Jack Revill. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway concerning information from FBI Agent Hosty regarding Lee Harvey Oswald, (Original Signed), 11/22/63. 00003743 1 pages 18 05 003 3743-001.gif
4. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning mail sent to Mrs. J. D. Tippit includes the Joesten Report and a letter to Mrs. Tippit from Maria Luisa Marin, (Original Signed), 04/14/64. 00003744 7 pages 18 05 004 3744-001.gif 3744-002.gif 3744-003.gif 3744-004.gif 3744-005.gif 3744-006.gif 3744-007.gif
5. Criminal Intelligence Report, by V. J. Brian. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning attempts to photograph Billy Lovelady, (Original Signed), 04/10/64. 00003745 1 pages 1 8 05 005 3745-001.gif
6. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill investigating link between Oswald and Ruby, (Original Signed), 04/03/64. 00003747 2 pages 18 05 006 3747-001.gif 3747-002.gif
7. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill includes photocopies of Fort Worth Public School records and other information Marguerite Oswald sent to Attorney General Waggoner Carr, (Original Signed), 04/01/64. 00003748 40 pages 18 05 007 3748-001.gif 3748-002.gif 3748-003.gif 3748-004.gif 3748-005.gif 3748-006.gif 3748-007.gif 3748-008.gif 3748-009.gif 3748-010.gif3748-011.gif 3748-012.gif 3748-013.gif 3748-014.gif 3748-015.gif 3748-016.gif 3748-017.gif 3748-018.gif 3748-019.gif 3748-020.gif 3748-021.gif 3748-022.gif 3748-023.gif 3748-024.gif 3748-025.gif 3748-026.gif 3748-027.gif 3748-028.gif 3748-029.gif 3748-030.gif
8. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Ruth Paine and information regarding the name of Hidell, (Original Signed), 02/27/64. 00003749 3 pages 18 05 008 3749-001.gif 3749-002.gif 3749-003.gif
12. Criminal Intelligence Report, by V. J. Brian. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning an investigation regarding Pat Lawrence, an employee of the Texas School Book Depository, (Original Signed), 02/17/64. 00003753 2 pages 18 05 012 3753-001.gif 3753-002.gif
13. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Ruth Dean, (Original Signed), 02/18/64. 00003754 2 pages 18 05 013 3754-001.gif 3754-002.gif
14. Criminal Intelligence Report, by M. H. Brumley. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Ray Edward Lewis, (Original Signed), 02/18/64. 00003755 1 pages 18 05 014 3755-001.gif
15. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Ruth Dean, (Original Signed), 02/18/64. 00003756 1 pages 18 05 015 3756-001.gif
16. Criminal Intelligence Report, by T. T. Wardlaw. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Pierce Allman, (Original Signed), 02/18/64. 00003757 1 pages 18 05 016 3757-001.gif
17. Criminal Intelligence Report, by O. J. Tarver. Report to CaptainW. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Edna Case, (Original Signed), 02/18/64. 00003758 1 pages 18 05 017 3758-001.gif
18. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning Terrence Ford, (Original Signed), 02/18/64. 00003759 1 pages 18 05 018 3759-001.gif
19. Criminal Intelligence Report, by V. J. Brian. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Pat Lawrence. This one is slightly different than another report by the same officers, (Original Signed), 02/17/64. 00003760 2 pages 18 05 019 3760-001.gif 3760-002.gif
20. Criminal Intelligence Report, by O. J. Tarver. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Madie Bell Reese, (Original Signed), 02/17/64. 00003761 1 pages 18 05 020 3761-001.gif
21. Criminal Intelligence Report, by P. M. Parks. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning Eddie Piper,(Original Signed), 02/17/64. 00003762 2 pages 18 05 021 3762-001.gif 3762-002.gif
22. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning school records of Lee Harvey Oswald. Attachments included, (Original Signed), 01/28/64. 00003763 5 pages 18 05 022 3763-001.gif 3763-002.gif 3763-003.gif 3763-004.gif 3763-005.gif
25. Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal.Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill listing names and addresses of employees of the Texas School Book Depository, (Carbon Copy Signed and Annotated), 11/22/63. 00003766 3 pages 18 05 025 3766-001.gif 3766-002.gif 3766-003.gif
26. Intelligence Report, by Bob K. Carroll. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Lee Harvey Oswald's application to the Allright Parking lot 1208 Commerce, (Original Signed), 01/27/64. 00003767 2 pages 18 05 026 3767-001.gif 3767-002.gif
27. Intelligence Report, by Bob K. Carroll.Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Lee Harvey Oswald's application to the Allright Parking lot 1208 Commerce, (Original Signed), 01/23/64. 00003768 2 pages 18 05 027 3768-001.gif 3768-002.gif
28. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Lee Harvey Oswald driving Jack Ruby's car, (Original Signed), 12/11/63. 00003769 1 pages 18 05 028 3769-001.gif
29. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with attached Chicago Tribune clipping dated November 26, 1963 with headline: "Mexico paper says Oswald went to reds", (Original Signed), 12/11/63. 00003770 1 pages 18 05 029 3770-001.gif
30. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with attached Fort Worth Star Telegram clipping dated January 9, 1964 with headline: "Mrs. Oswald hits quotes attributed to son's widow", (Original Signed), 01/09/64. 00003771 1 pages 18 05 030 3771-001.gif
31. Criminal Intelligence Report, by T. T. Wardlaw. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning the observation of Ruth Payne at the home of James Herbert Martin attempting to visit Marina Oswald, (Original Signed), 12/23/63. 00003772 2 pages 18 05 0313772-001.gif 3772-002.gif
35. Intelligence Report, by V. J. Brian. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning James Martin, (Original), 12/02/63. 00003776 2 pages 18 05 035 3776-001.gif 3776-002.gif
36. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning observation of employees at a Texaco station, (Original Signed), 11/30/63. 00003777 1 pages 18 05 036 3777-001.gif
37. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning telephone booths at Seven Eleven store, (Original Signed), 11/30/63. 00003778 1 pages 18 05 037 3778-001.gif
38. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning the observation of a car registered to Cecil D. Efenbien at 4106 Lomita, (Original Signed), 11/30/63. 00003779 1 pages 18 05 038 3779-001.gif
41. Memorandum, by L. D. Stringfellow. Memorandum to Lt. Jack Revill concerning an anonymous caller with information about Lee Harvey Oswald, (Original), 11/27/63. 00003782 1 page 18 05 041 3782-001.gif
42. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning flowers sent to the family of Lee Harvey Oswald for his gravesite, (Original), 11/29/63. 00003783 3 pages 18 05 042 3783-001.gif 3783-002.gif 3783-003.gif
43. Criminal Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning the arrest of Lee Harvey Oswald at the Texas Theater, (Original Signed), 11/23/63. 00003784 1 pages 18 05 043 3784-001.gif
Box 18, Folder 6
5. Intelligence Report, by M. H. Brumley. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Jack Ruby, (Original Signed), 09/11/61. 00003790 1 page 18 06 005 3790-001.gif
6. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W.P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning possible connection between Oswald and Ruby, (Original Signed), 12/02/63. 00003791 2 pages18 06 006 3791-001.gif 3791-002.gif
7. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning the investigation of possible loans for Jack Ruby, (Original Signed), 12/03/63. 00003792 2 pages18 06 007 3792-001.gif 3792-002.gif
8. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning information regarding Oswald and Ruby living in the same apartment building in Oak Lawn, (Original Signed), 12/03/63. 00003793 1 page 18 06 008 3793-001.gif
9. Criminal Intelligence Report, by M. H. Brumley. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning information from Los Angeles Police Department regarding a heart attack suffered by a Mr. Waters (fnu) at the time Ruby shot Oswald,(Original Signed), 12/04/63. 00003794 1 page 18 06 009 3794-001.gif
10. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning a telephone informant suggesting the police check with the Mexican council concerning Ruby and that an employee of Jack Ruby lived next to the residence of Ruth and Michael Paine, (Original Signed), 12/09/63. 00003795 1 page 18 06 010 3795-001.gif
11. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with attached Chicago Tribune clipping dated November 26, 1963 with headline: "Agents link Ruby to slain Chicagoans", (Original Signed), 12/11/63. 00003796 2 pages18 06 011 3796-001.gif 3796-002.gif
12. Criminal Intelligence Report, by T. T. Wardlaw. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with photocopied pages from Ruby's notebook of dancers and musicians, (Original Signed), 12/23/63. 00003797 16 pages 18 06 012 3797-001.gif 3797-002.gif 3797-003.gif 3797-004.gif 3797-005.gif 3797-006.gif 3797-007.gif 3797-008.gif 3797-009.gif 3797-010.gif 3797-011.gif 3797-012.gif 3797-013.gif 3797-014.gif 3797-015.gif 3797-016.gif
13. Criminal Intelligence Report, by M. H. Brumley. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill listing names, phone numbers and other information obtained from business cards and/or other items in Jack Ruby's car, (Original Signed), 01/09/64. 00003798 9 pages 18 06 013 3798-001.gif 3798-002.gif 3798-003.gif 3798-004.gif 3798-005.gif 3798-006.gif 3798-007.gif 3798-008.gif 3798-009.gif
15. Criminal Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Donald Roy Tabon, (Original), 01/10/92. 00003800 4 pages18 06 015 3800-001.gif 3800-002.gif 3800-003.gif 3800-004.gif
16. Criminal Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Marion T. Steenson, (Original), 01/10/92. 00003801 3 pages 18 06 016 3801-001.gif 3801-002.gif 3801-003.gif
17. Criminal Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Billy Ray Wilson, aka Breck Ray Wall, (Original), 01/17/64. 00003802 3 pages 18 06 017 3802-001.gif 3802-002.gif 3802-003.gif
Box 18, Folder 7
2. Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning the location of Bonnie Louise Kellough aka Bonnie Hethcoat, (Original Signed), 01/23/64. 00003806 1 page 18 07 002 3806-001.gif
3. Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Warren Edgar Coffman, (Original Signed), 01/23/64. 00003807 2 pages18 07 003 3807-001.gif 3807-002.gif
4. Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Edwin Parrish Carrell, (Original Signed), 01/23/64. 00003808 2 pages18 07 004 3808-001.gif 3808-002.gif
5. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Nat Jaffers, (Original Signed), 01/24/64. 00003809 1 page 18 07 005 3809-001.gif
6. Criminal Intelligence Report, by D. N. Boyd. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Ralph Paul, (Original Signed), 01/24/64. 00003810 3 pages18 07 006 3810-001.gif 3810-002.gif 3810-003.gif
7. Intelligence Report, by M. H. Brumley. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill listing names, addresses and phone numbers of associates of Jack Ruby, (Original Signed), 01/27/64. 00003811 4 pages 18 07 007 3811-001.gif 3811-002.gif 3811-003.gif 3811-004.gif
8. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Norman Earl Wright aka Earl Norman, (Original Signed), 01/27/64. 00003812 1 page 18 07 008 3812-001.gif
9. Criminal Intelligence Report, by V. J. Brian. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Doris Fay Warner, (Original Signed), 01/27/64. 00003813 3 pages 18 07 009 3813-001.gif 3813-002.gif 3813-003.gif
10. Criminal Intelligence Report, by V. J. Brian. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Edwin or Edward M. Baldoza, (Original Signed), 01/27/64. 00003814 2 pages 18 07 010 3814-001.gif 3814-002.gif
11. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Anthony Francis Caterine, aka Paul or Tony Caterine, (Original Signed), 01/27/64. 00003815 1 page 18 07 011 3815-001.gif
12. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Pio Emil Bellocchio and Jack Ruby with attached photocopies of information, (Original Signed), 01/27/64. 00003816 4 pages 18 07 012 3816-001.gif 3816-002.gif3816-003.gif 3816-004.gif
13. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning Graham Robinson E. Koch, (Original Signed), 01/27/64. 00003817 3 pages 18 07 013 3817-001.gif 3817-002.gif 3817-003.gif
14. Note-handwritten, by an unknown author. Cross reference transferring 25-32 to 2992-1, (Original), 06/18/64. 00003818 1 page 18 07 0143818-001.gif
15. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Kay Helen Coleman, aka Kathy Kay, former dancer at the Carousel Club, (Original Signed), 01/28/64. 00003819 1 page 18 07 015 3819-001.gif
16. Criminal Intelligence Report, by D. N. Boyd. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Pauline Alice Hall, possible defense witness for Ruby, (Original Signed), 01/28/64. 00003820 2 pages 18 07 016 3820-001.gif 3820-002.gif
17. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Alice Nichols and Jack Ruby. Attached is a copy of a deposition given by Nichols to Henry Wade, (Original Signed), 01/28/64. 00003821 8 pages 18 07 017 3821-001.gif3821-002.gif 3821-003.gif 3821-004.gif 3821-005.gif 3821-006.gif 3821-007.gif 3821-008.gif
18. Criminal Intelligence Report, by D. N. Boyd. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Beedie C. York, aka Joe York, (Original Signed), 01/28/64. 00003822 2 pages 18 07 018 3822-001.gif 3822-002.gif
19. Criminal Intelligence Report, by D. N. Boyd. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning observation at the Lucas B & B Cafe of Ruby and Oswald together, (Original Signed), 01/28/64. 00003823 1 page 18 07 019 3823-001.gif
20. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning Madelyn Rogers Blaney, (Original Signed), 01/28/64. 00003824 2 pages 18 07 020 3824-001.gif 3824-002.gif
24. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning observation at the Lucas B & B café of Ruby and Oswald together, (Original Signed), 01/30/64. 00003828 1 page 18 07 024 3828-001.gif
25. Criminal Intelligence Report, by D. N. Boyd. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning observation at the Lucas B & B Café of Ruby and Oswald together, (Carbon Copy Signed), 01/28/64. 00003829 1 page 18 07 025 3829-001.gif
26. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with attached photocopy of New York Times clipping dated January 25, 1964 concerning Jack Ruby Defense Fund Committee,(Original Signed),01/29/64.00003830 1 page 18 07 026 3830-001.gif
27. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning telephone 'toll calls' from the residence of Eva Grant, the Carousel Club and the Vegas Club, (Original Signed), 01/29/64. 00003831 10 pages18 07 027 3831-001.gif3831-002.gif 3831-003.gif 3831-004.gif 3831-005.gif
28. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Albert McVight, (Original Signed), 01/30/64. 00003832 1 page 18 07 028 3832-001.gif
29. Memorandum, by Henry Wade. Memorandum titled "undeveloped lead" concerning a possible connection between Jack Ruby and Lee Harvey Oswald, (Original), 01/27/64. 00003833 1 page 18 07 029 3833-001.gif
30. Criminal Intelligence Report, by P. M. Parks. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning Bob Pagent, (Original Signed), 01/30/64. 00003834 1 page 18 07 030 3834-001.gif
31. Intelligence Report, by Bob K. Carroll. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning George Senator, friend of Jack Ruby, (Original Signed), 01/31/64. 00003835 2 pages18 07 031 3835-001.gif 3835-002.gif
32. Criminal Intelligence Report, by M. H. Brumley. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning possible connection between Ruby and Oswald, (Original Signed), 01/31/64. 00003836 2 pages18 07 032 3836-001.gif 3836-002.gif
33. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning the possible application for employment by Lee Harvey Oswald at an Allright Parking Lot, (Original Signed), 01/31/64. 00003837 1 page 18 07 033 3837-001.gif
34. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Ruby parking at an Allright Parking Lot, (Original Signed), 02/04/64. 00003838 1 page 18 07 034 3838-001.gif
35. Criminal Intelligence Report, by P. M. Parks/ Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning William Earl Patrick O'Donnell, see also box 18 folder 01 item 001 for a photograph of O'Donnell,(Original Signed),02/04/64.00003839 2 pages 18 07 0353839-001.gif 3839-002.gif
Box 18, Folder 8
1. Criminal Intelligence Report, by P. M. Parks. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning William Earl Patrick O'Donnell, see also box 18 folder 07 item 035, (Original Signed), 02/04/64. 00003840 3 pages18 08 001 3840-001.gif 3840-002.gif 3840-003.gif
2. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Doyle E. Lane, (Original Signed), 02/05/64. 00003841 2 pages18 08 002 3841-001.gif 3841-002.gif
3. Criminal Intelligence Report, by V. J. Brian. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning information on Milton Turlington and Cecil Hamilton, (Original Signed), 02/07/64. 00003842 2 pages18 08 003 3842-001.gif 3842-002.gif
4. Criminal Intelligence Report, by P. M. Parks. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning Brenda Ray aka Bronson, (Original Signed), 02/10/64. 00003843 1 page 18 08 004 3843-001.gif
7. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with attached Fort Worth Star Telegram clipping dated January 9, 1964 with headline: "Morris says Warren should quit panel", (Original Signed), 01/09/64. 00003846 2 pages 18 08 007 3846-001.gif 3846-002.gif
8. Criminal Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with attached application for employment for Connie Trammel, (Original Signed), 02/10/64. 00003847 4 pages 18 08 008 3847-001.gif 3847-002.gif 3847-003.gif 3847-004.gif
9. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning threats against Jack Ruby by Darrel Whitsell, (Original Signed), 02/11/64. 000038481 page 18 08 009 3848-001.gif
10. Criminal Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Earl Ruby presenting a check signed by Ralph Paul to a member of the Ruby defense team, (Original Signed), 02/11/64. 00003849 1 page 18 08 010 3849-001.gif
11. Criminal Intelligence Report, by P. M. Parks. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning criminal background check on Marlyne Moon., (Original Signed), 02/11/64. 00003850 1 page 18 08 011 3850-001.gif
12. Intelligence Report, by Bob K. Carroll. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Cecil Hamlin raising money for Jack Ruby, (Original Signed), 02/12/64. 00003851 2 pages18 08 012 3851-001.gif 3851-002.gif
13. Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow.Report to Captain W. P.Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning potential jurors, (Original Signed), 02/12/64. 00003852 2 pages18 08 013 3852-001.gif 3852-002.gif
14. Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow.Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning an interview with Claude Hallmark, employee of Allright Parking Lot and a telephone conversation by Jack Ruby to KRLD Radio,(OriginalSigned),02/13/64. 00003853 2 pages 18 08 014 3853-001.gif 3853-002.gif
15. Letter, by Cecil Greenhow. Handwritten letter to William F. Alexander, (Original), 02/15/63. 00003854 9 pages18 08 015 3854-001.gif 3854-002.gif 3854-003.gif 3854-004.gif 3854-005.gif 3854-006.gif 3854-007.gif 3854-008.gif 3854-009.gif
16. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Anita M. Hudgins, operator of Nita's Place, a restaurant frequented by both Jack Ruby and Lee Harvey Oswald, (Original Signed), 02/18/64. 00003855 1 page 18 08 016 3855-001.gif
17. Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning the arrest of James Collin Cole in 1957 at the Vegas Club. Attachments indicated in report are not present, (Original Signed), 02/14/64. 00003856 1 page 18 08 017 3856-001.gif
18. Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning an interview with Fred Bieberdorf concerning an examination of Jack Ruby, (Original Signed), 02/14/64. 00003857 1 page 18 08 018 3857-001.gif
19. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Karen Lynn Bennett. Missing persons reports from Fort Worth Police Department attached, (Original Signed), 02/14/64. 00003858 5 pages 18 08 019 3858-001.gif 3858-002.gif 3858-003.gif 3858-004.gif 3858-005.gif
20. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning prospective jurors in the Ruby case, (Original Signed), 02/13/64. 00003859 8 pages18 08 020 3859-001.gif 3859-002.gif 3859-003.gif 3859-004.gif 3859-005.gif 3859-006.gif 3859-007.gif 3859-008.gif
21. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning prospective jurors for the Ruby case, (Original Signed), 02/15/64. 00003860 16 pages 18 08 021 3860-001.gif 3860-002.gif 3860-003.gif 3860-004.gif 3860-005.gif 3860-006.gif 3860-007.gif 3860-008.gif 3860-009.gif 3860-010.gif 3860-011.gif 3860-012.gif 3860-013.gif 3860-014.gif 3860-015.gif 3860-016.gif
22. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Dewey Groom, owner of the Longhorn Ranch nightclub with poor quality photocopies of liquor license papers, (Original Signed), 02/17/64. 00003861 8 pages 18 08 022 3861-001.gif 3861-002.gif 3861-003.gif 3861-004.gif 3861-005.gif 3861-006.gif 3861-007.gif 3861-008.gif
23. Cover To Bound Notebooks - Back, by an unknown author. Back cover Intelligence File on Jack Ruby 1963-64, (Original), date unknown. 00003862 1 page 18 08 023 3862-001.gif
Box 18, Folder 9
1. Cover To Bound Notebooks - Front, by an unknown author. Front cover intelligence file on Jack Ruby 1964-1978, (Original), date unknown. 00003863 1 page 18 09 001 3863-001.gif
2. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning a background investigation of Joyce Lee McDonald, (Original Signed), 02/17/64. 000038642 pages 18 09 002 3864-001.gif 3864-002.gif
3. Letter, by Cecil Greenhow. Handwritten letter to William F. Alexander, (Original), 02/23/64. 00003865 8 pages18 09 003 3865-001.gif3865-002.gif 3865-003.gif 3865-004.gif 3865-005.gif 3865-006.gif 3865-007.gif 3865-008.gif
4. Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning an investigation of Donald Glass, includes attachments, (Original Signed), 02/18/64. 00003866 3 pages18 09 004 3866-001.gif 3866-002.gif 3866-003.gif
5. Criminal Intelligence Report, by T. T. Wardlaw. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Sandra Sue Kramer, a Kelly Girl assigned to the Texas School Book Depository, (Original Signed), 02/18/64. 0000386 1 page 18 09 005 3867-001.gif
6. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning Marjorie Ruth Norman, (Original Signed), 02/19/64. 00003868 1 page 18 09 006 3868-001.gif
7. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill concerning Arthur J. Wilson, (Original Signed), 02/20/64. 00003869 1 page 18 09 007 3869-001.gif
8. Intelligence Report, by Bob K. Carroll. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding arrest reports referencing the Carousel Club and the Silver Spur Club, (Original Signed), 02/21/64. 00003870 2 pages18 09 008 3870-001.gif 3870-002.gif

9. Criminal Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning the purchase of Jack Ruby's gun, (Original Signed), 02/25/64. 00003871 2 pages18 09 009 3871-001.gif 3871-002.gif
10. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning James B. Cone, (Original Signed), 02/25/64. 00003872 3 pages18 09 010 3872-001.gif 3872-002.gif 3872-003.gif
11. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning William Stokes, (Original Signed), 02/26/64. 00003873 2 pages 18 09 011 3873-001.gif 3873-002.gif
12. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning William B. Nelms, (Original Signed), 02/26/64. 00003874 2 pages18 09 012 3874-001.gif 3874-002.gif
13. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Harold W. Hodges, (Original Signed), 02/26/64. 00003875 2 pages18 09 013 3875-001.gif 3875-002.gif
14. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Hubert Clyde Savage, Jr., (Original Signed), 02/26/64. 00003876 2 pages18 09 014 3876-001.gif 3876-002.gif
15. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Joseph Edwin Power, Jr., (Original Signed), 02/26/64. 00003877 2 pages18 09 015 3877-001.gif 3877-002.gif
16. Intelligence Report, by Bob K. Carroll. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill regarding Howard Leatherwood's arrest at the Carousel Club in January 1962, (Original Signed), 02/27/64. 00003879 2 pages18 09 016 3879-001.gif 3879-002.gif
17. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning additional information on Kay Helen Coleman, (Original Signed), 03/05/64. 00003881 1 page 18 09 017 3881-001.gif
18. Criminal Intelligence Report, by V. J. Brian. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning two people picketing the Dallas County Courthouse. Photograph mentioned in the report is not included, (Original Signed), 03/09/64. 00003882 1 page 18 09 018 3882-001.gif
19. Criminal Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning army training of soldiers to shoot with the middle finger on the trigger, (Original Signed), 03/11/64. 00003883 1 page 18 09 019 3883-001.gif
26. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with attached Chicago Tribune clipping dated April 6, 1964 with headline: "Forbid Belli to practice, Texas asked",(Original Signed),04/06/64.000038901 page 1809026 3890-001.gif
Box 18, Folder 10
6. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning prospective jurors for the Ruby case, (Carbon Copy Signed and Annotated), 02/15/64. 00003901 16 pages 18 10 006 3901-001.gif 3901-002.gif 3901-003.gif 3901-004.gif3901-005.gif 3901-006.gif 3901-007.gif 3901-008.gif 3901-009.gif 3901-010.gif 3901-011.gif 3901-012.gif 3901-013.gif 3901-014.gif 3901-015.gif 3901-016.gif
7. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning prospective jurors in the Ruby case, (Carbon Copy Signed and Annotated), 02/13/64. 00003902 8 pages 18 10 007 3902-001.gif 3902-002.gif 3902-003.gif 3902-004.gif3902-005.gif 3902-006.gif 3902-007.gif 3902-008.gif
8. Criminal Intelligence Report, by D. N. Boyd. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Ralph Paul and Jack Ruby, (Original Signed), 11/30/63. 00003903 1 page 18 10 008 3903-001.gif
9. Criminal Intelligence Report, by D. N. Boyd. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning the arrest of Anthony Rizzo in Arlington, Texas., (Original Signed), 11/30/63. 00003904 5 pages 18 10 009 3904-001.gif 3904-002.gif 3904-003.gif 3904-004.gif 3904-005.gi
10. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Edward Baumgartner, (Original Signed), 12/03/63. 00003905 1 page 18 10 010 3905-001.gif
11. Criminal Intelligence Report, by M. H. Brumley. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Johnny O'Dell and a statement threatening the President, (Original Signed), 12/03/63. 00003906 1 page 18 10 011 3906-001.gif
12. Criminal Intelligence Report, by F. A. Hellinghausen. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway and Lt. Jack Revill investigating anti-semetic and anti-Irish literature received by Harvey Baker in the mail, (Original Signed), 02/21/64. 00003907 1 page 18 10012 3907-001.gif
13. Intelligence Report, by M. H. Brumley. Photocopy of jurors list,(Photocopy), 05/19/64. 00003908 3 pages18 10 013 3908-001.gif 3908-002.gif 3908-003.gif
14. Criminal Intelligence Report, by H. M. Hart. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Jack Ruby's car at Gibb's Garage and Lee Harvey Oswald, (Original Signed), 05/15/64. 00003909 2 pages 18 10 014 3909-001.gif 3909-002.gif
15. Intelligence Report, by M. H. Brumley. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill with attached poor quality photocopies of prospective jurors and witnesses for Jack Ruby murder trial, (Original Signed), 05/19/64. 00003910 26 pages18 10 015 3910-001.gif 3910-002.gif 3910-003.gif 3910-004.gif 3910-005.gif 3910-006.gif 3910-007.gif 3910-008.gif 3910-009.gif 3910-010.gif 3910-011.gif 3910-012.gif3910-013.gif 3910-014.gif 3910-015.gif 3910-016.gif 3910-017.gif 3910-018.gif 3910-019.gif 3910-020.gif 3910-021.gif 3910-022.gif 3910-023.gif 3910-024.gif 3910-025.gif 3910-026.gif
Box 18, Folder 11
1. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning a letter sent to Lt. Revill regarding money paid to assassinate the President. Letter attached, (Original), 06/14/64. 00003911 4 pages 18 11 001 3911-001.gif 3911-002.gif3911-003.gif 3911-004.gif
2. Intelligence Report, by L. D. Stringfellow. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning a background investigation of John Kaplan, (Original Signed), 09/17/64. 00003912 2 pages 1811 002 3912-001.gif 3912-002.gif
3. Statement-typed, by Travis R. Benkendorfer. Statement concerning a conversation at the Midnight Lounge with Pixie Lynn regarding the Candy Bar Case, (Carbon Copy Signed and Annotated), 02/05/64. 00003913 2 pages18 11 003 3913-001.gif 3913-002.gif
4. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio. Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning James Minnick and possible use of Jack Ruby's car by Lee Harvey Oswald, (Original Signed), 12/14/64. 00003914 1 page 1811004 3914-001.gif
5. Criminal Intelligence Report, by W. S. Biggio.Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning a letter from J. White regarding the assassination of President Kennedy, (Original Signed), 01/07/65. 00003915 3 pages 1811 005 3915-001.gif 3915-002.gif 3915-003.gif
8. Criminal Intelligence Report, by R. W. Westphal.Report to Captain W. P. Gannaway through Lt. Jack Revill concerning Guy Everett Nice, includes photographs, (Original Signed), 04/21/65. 00003918 11 pages 18 11 008 3918-001.gif 3918-002.gif 3918-003.gif 3918-004.gif 3918-005.gif3918-006.gif 3918-007.gif 3918-008.gif 3918-009.gif 3918-010.gif 3918-011.gif

Happenstance, Coincidence & Enemy Action

Happenstance, Coincidence & Enemy Action - Recognizing each.

Three Time Hits – An investigative research technique – Wm. Kelly

“The intelligence profession does not exactly condition one to accept coincidence as an explanation for a sequence of events.” – David Atlee Phillips (Nightwatch, 1977)

In the course of my historical research into the assassination of President Kennedy I developed a research technique that proved efficient for coming to understand diverse but connected properties.

It first occurred to me during the summer after the final report of the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) was issued, along with a number of supporting volumes of documents and testimony that took a number of months to read.

It was while reading those records that I noticed on more than two occasions, the role of witnesses and subjects who worked for Collins Radio Company, a relatively obscure defense contractor.

I first came across Collins Radio while reading George DeMohrenschildt’s manuscript “I’m a Patsy!,” in which the sophisticated DeMohrenschildt mentions how he introduced Oswald to retired Admiral Chester Bruton, who worked at Collins Radio. DeMohrenschildt asked Bruton about getting Oswald a job at Collins, after all, he was a former Marine who worked in a radio factory in Russia. Over lunch however, Oswald’s distain for officers like Bruton precluded that from ever happening.

Then I read where J.D. Tippit’s good friend Carl Mather was at work at Collins Radio while someone who looked like Oswald was driving his car around Oak Cliff at the time of Tippit’s murder.

As I read this I still considered it just a coincidence, but then I learned about a November 1, 1963 New York Times newspaper report about the CIA ship Rex, which ran covert raids against Cuba, that was leased to Collins Radio, the same company Mather worked for and where the accused assassin once considered seeking employment.

That made me think of Ian Fleming’s remark, which he attributes to Auric Goldfinger, “Mr. Bond, they have a saying in Chicago, “Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, the third time it’s enemy action.”

At that point I opened a new file on the Collins Radio Company and began to acquire what appeared at first to be random entries that began to form a pattern of covert operational behavior, and the subject of a talk I gave at the 1994 COPA national conference in Washington D.C. [See: The Collins Radio Connections].

But that isn’t the end of it, as I applied the same techniques to other subjects that also appear, at first to be happenstance, but with the addition of more information, begin to take a more clear form even though they were intended to remain behind the scenes.

The Pan Am Bank of Miami and the International Rescue Committee are two other similar institutions that appear in three or more apparently unrelated areas of the assassination.

From Russia (with love) Oswald wrote three times to the International Rescue Committee seeking assistance in returning home from the Soviet Union. Founded by Leo Cherne, the IRC was also closely affiliated with the CIA’s “Operation Wringer,” originally established by German Nazi Gen. Reinhard Gehlen to interview and interrogate refugees from Communist countries. Cherne was also affiliated with some anti-Castro Cuban organizations involved in the assassination. Tom Doley was affiliated with Cherene and the IRC in Vietnam and Warren Commissioner Gerald Ford appointed Leo Cherne to the Presidents Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. There’s more to the IRC than meets the eye, but I haven’t had the time to find out what it is.

The Pan Am Bank is another. I first came across the Pan Am Bank of Miami in the HSCA (Vol. IX, p. 590) reports on Robert Ray McKeown, who was a personal friend of Castro and was offered a position in the government when Castro took over. McKeown had run guns to Castro in the mountains and Castro trusted him and even visited him in Texas to offer him a job.

Apparently learning about McKeown’s connection to Castro from news accounts, both Oswald and Ruby separately visited McKeown seeking weapons and access to Castro.

According to the HSCA report, “Regarding sources of income for the gunrunning operations, McKeown stated in an interview that he received money from his Cuban contacts in the office of an attorney who was counsel for Haiti and that the money was always bound in Pan American Bank wrappers.”

The HSCA also took the sworn testimony (Vol. V. p. 113) of Lewis McWillie, who Jack Ruby visited in Havana and deposited money in a Miami bank for McWillie’s casino bosses, the Fox borthers, upon his return.

McWillie himself was asked:
Q: From 1958 through 1961, did you ever return to the United States for visits?
A: Many times, yes. I used to bring money and deposit it for the Foxes.
Q: And where would that be deposited?
A: Sir?
Q: Where would that be deposited?
A: Well, I deposited money in the Pan Am Bank and I deposited money in the, I think it was a Miami bank, I don’t know….

Peter Dale Scott, in his book Crime and Coverup (p. 17) notes that, “…Batista’s investment ally Anselmo Alliegro, whose Miami bank (Pan American National) was allegedly used by Benton and McLaney for placement of worthless securities…” [Scott cites: Miami Herald, 9/18/49, p. 385/Gerth, pp. 259, 261]

Then there’s Antonio Veciana’s account of being recruited as an agent of “Maurice Bishop,” the shadowy CIA officer who Veciana saw with Lee Harvey Oswald in the Southland building in Dallas in the summer of 1963. According to the official report:
“Veciana specifically recalled meetings with Bishop because of their special nature. For instance, shortly after reestablishing contact with him in Miami, Bishop took Veciana to an office in the Pan Am Bank Building in the downtown section of the city. Veciana did not recall the exact floor of the building nor if there was any name on the office door. Bishop unlocked the office with a key, and in the presence of two men who were in the office, asked him to sign a piece of paper and take part in a ‘commitment’ ceremony. ‘It was like a pledge of my loyalty, a secret pledge.’ Veciana testified, ‘I think they wanted to impress on my responsibility and my commitment to the cause.’ Veciana could not identify the two men who were present with Bishop at this ceremony… ‘They were like spectators,’ he said….The (CIA) records indicate that Veciana was hired by the Agency even though his application was never signed.”

The Pan Am Bank of Miami, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Collins Radio are three organizations that came to my attention where additional documentary records and new witness testimony can be obtained, if anyone bothers to look.

Nexus & Elemination Assassinations

Larry Hancock’s new book on the assassination of President Kennedy Nexus, is unique in its approach. As Larry explained it – rather than following the evidence and clues from the scene of the crime – which inevitably leads to the pre-selected patsy, he looks at the killing of Kennedy from the top down.

As Jim DiEugenio wrote in his review of the book, “Larry Hancock’s new book Nexus has an interesting and rather unique idea behind it - the idea here was to trace the Kennedy assassination from a macroscopic view. That is, from the top down rather than from a typical detective story, which works from the bottom up. I thought it was a good idea, and something that, to my knowledge, had not been done before.”

The Detection of Murder – A Handbook for Police Officers, Detectives, Coroners, Judges and Attorneys, by William F. Kessler, M.D. and Paul B. Weston (1953, Greenberg), provides useful information for those involved in the investigation of murder.

Weston and Kessler classify motives for murder into seven specific groups – 1) Profit, 2) Elimination, 3) Revents, 4) Jealousy 5) Conviction, 6) Sadism and 7) Sex. Three of these possible motives are popularly attributed to the assassination of President Kennedy – conviction, revenge and elimination.

Conviction is the fixed conviction that anything, including murder, is necessary to carry out a plan, whether it be religious, political or personal in nature. As an example, they cites, “Anarchist excuse their crimes, their wanton slaughter of the innocent, because of their political beliefs.”

Because of the accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald’s defection to Russia, his Fair Play for Cuba Committee activities and his visit to the Cuban and Russian embassies in Mexico City, these incidents superficially imply that he was motivated by conviction, but he actually liked Kennedy, and those who attribute conviction as a motive for the assassin can only say that he was also crazy.

But no one who actually knew Oswald, other than Volkmar Schmidt [See: interview with Volkmar Schmidt], suspected he was crazy or violent, especially those who knew him best, such as his wife and Ruth Paine, who allowed him to sleep in her home the night before the assassination. Those who knew Oswald in Russia also say that he never exhibited any signs of being mentally unstable.

If told before the assassination that the President was to be killed by an assassin motivated by conviction, most people would assume that the killer would be right-wing fanatic, not a left winger, as Oswald is generally portrayed.

When Secretary of State Dean Rusk, aboard the Cabinet Plane over the Pacific, was told the President was killed by a leftist, he said that the ramifications of this would be felt for decades, and indeed they are still felt today.

Although the Warren Report did not attribute a specific motive for the assassination, it certainly pushes conviction as the most likely motive for Oswald, “He sought for himself a place in history” the Warren Report tells us, but this motive doesn’t fit since Oswald denied the deed. Oswald denied killing anyone, and claimed he was a “patsy” - someone set up to take the fall for a crime he didn’t commit.

If Oswald was the Patsy, and not the actual assassin, then speculation as to his motives are useless, and something that I deal with extensively in the essay on Oswald’s motives [See: Olwald’s Motives article].

If elimination of the President was the motive for killing him, then the investigation, according to homicide handbook, must be approached in a special and different way – from the top down.

When the answer to a persistent problem remains elusive after many attempts to solve it, a different and fresh approach from a different angle must be tried, and that’s what I thought of when I read of Larry Hancock’s approach to the assassination - “from the top down,” as that is the same approach that the homicide handbook calls for in the case of murders where elimination is the motive.

The Detection of Murder-A Handbook (p. 92-97) says that where Elimination is the motive, it is not the suspect but the victim who leads to the perpetrator of the crime.
“Removal of the person who happens to be ‘in the way’ is the determining factor in a great number of murders. In the true elimination murder the continued existence of the victim is inconvenient or dangerous to the killer.”

President Kennedy was certainly inconvenient to some and dangerous to others, and elimination is certainly a valid avenue of inquiry in is murder if only because no other motive could be established for his accused assassin, and if Oswald was, as he claimed to be, a “patsy,” then JFK was killed by other, professional assassins who go unpursued.

The handbook on homicide says that in almost every known case, murders motivated by elimination are carried out by professional “hit men,” who are hired by the actual perpetrator. “Professional killers do not usually kill for any other motive than elimination,” Weston and Kessler say, and “Murder is the method of discipline among the gangs of the organized underworld. It is also a regular technique of such business.”

Elimination killings they say, “are difficult to unravel. A body is found and police know several people who would profit from the elimination of the dead man, others who may have threatened to ‘get him,’ and some who may have thought of him as a man that ‘has to go.’ However, in over 90 percent of these killings the persons who have the motive for the killing never handle the gun that fires the fatal shots, nor drive the car that may be used in the killing. They are involved in the conspiracy and are guilty of murder because they procured the ‘trigger men’ who did the actual killing, but they have an alibi to prove they were many miles away from the scene of death at the time of the homicide.”

“There are few witnesses” in elimination killing, “and fewer that are willing to testify, and even this number is reduced by murder when it becomes known they are willing to ‘finger’ the killer.”

“The actual killers are not local boys, but are imported from some other town to do the killing. They return home as soon as the ‘job’ is completed. Cars are sometimes observed leaving the scene of a killing but later investigation shows the car to be stolen at one section of town and the registration plates stolen from still another neighborhood. And even when a suspect is picked up and viewed by the victim, if still alive, it’s generally a case of shake of the head or a curt, ‘never saw the guy before.’”

“There are few witnesses, fewer that are willing to testify, and even this number is reduced by murder when it becomes known they are willing to ‘finger’ the killer.”

Instead, consider the level of responsibility, from the triggerman, the get-a-way driver, the ‘button-man’ who eliminates the ‘stool pigeon,’ and the ‘bag man’ who pays off in cash, the ‘buffer’ who insulates them all from each other, to the ‘inside man’ who puts in the fix with the cops, the guy who gave the order to kill is pretty well protected by layers of insulation.

Covert operations operate pretty much the same way as the organized crime hit-man, except they use a different terminology - as a “cut-out” is used instead of a “buffer,” and things are done on a “need-to-know” basis.

As the Detective’s Handbook explains, in the case of murders where elimination is the motive, “One of the important factors in the initial investigation is to reconstruct the last hours, even the last days, of the deceased. Who saw him last? Whom did he eat his last meal with? Who spoke to him over the telephone in his last hours. Where he went and what he did in the period preceding death are what must be reconstructed. And it is the reconstruction of this period that most often reveals the true facts surrounding unexplained and unexpected death.”