“Yes, sir.”
[ EIGHTEEN ]
5 Degrees 27 Minutes 19 Seconds South Latitude
29 Degrees 17 Minutes 24 Seconds East Longitude
(The Bush, Near Lake Tanganyika, Kivu Province, Congo)
0240 21 November 1965
Warrant Officer (Junior Grade) William E. Thomas aligned the crosshairs of the light-intensifying sight mounted on his U.S. Springfield Rifle, Caliber .30-06 Model 1903A4, on the forehead of Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, M.D., who was standing in ankle-deep water on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, holding the line of a forty-foot pale blue launch.
“Bang, you’re dead, Ernesto,” he said softly, then moved his sight to the yellow forty-foot launch run aground next to the blue one. He wandered around the people in the boat until he came to the face he was looking for. It was on a man standing in the stern of the launch, next to the coxswain. He aligned the sight on this man’s forehead.
“Bang,” Thomas said. “And you, too, Captain Victor Dreke, sir.”
Ten minutes later, when even the amazing capabilities of the light-intensifying sight failed to give him anything more than a vague picture of two boats heading out into Lake Tanganyika, Thomas lashed the rifle to the tree and turned to the backpack radio lashed to the tree. He turned it on and put a set of earphones on his head.
“Helper Six, Hunter One,” he said, softly, into the microphone.
“Go, Bill,” Lunsford’s voice replied immediately.
“The people we are interested in departed the Congo aboard two launches at zero two four five hours,” Thomas reported. “They’re hungry and dirty, and I actually felt a little sorry for them.”
“What are you going to do now?”
Here lies Warrant Officer Junior Grade William E. Thomas, who was shot to death in the Congolese jungle by an illiterate Congolese soldier who mistook him for a Cuban.
“I thought I’d wait here until daylight, to see what happens.”
“You and Kelly?”
“Right.”
“Okay. Give us a call if anything turns up. And when you’ll be at the landing strip. I’ll send Portet back in the Beaver for you and Kelly.”
“Thank you. Will do. Hunter One, clear.”
XXVI
[ ONE ]
From The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 15, 1966:
MISS CECILIA TAYLOR BRIDE
Miss Cecilia Taylor was united in holy matrimony to Major George W. Lunsford by the Reverend Dr. Charles Chedister at the First Methodist Church of Bala Cynwyd during an afternoon service today.
Miss Taylor, a graduate of Temple University, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. Charles Taylor of Bala Cynwyd. Major Lunsford, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, is the son of Dr. and Mrs. H. Wilson Lunsford of Swarthmore.
The bride was given in marriage by her father. Miss Taylor’s matron of honor was Mrs. Marjorie Bellmon Portet. Lieutenant Geoffrey Craig served as Major Lunsford’s best man.
Following a reception at the Union League of Philadelphia, the couple departed on a wedding trip to Miami, Florida. They will reside in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Major Lunsford has been assigned as an assistant military attaché of the U.S. Embassy, and Mrs. Lunsford will assume duties as Deputy Chief of the Cultural Affairs Section of the embassy.
From the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger, January 17, 1966:
OUR BOYS IN THE SERVICE
Army Specialist Seven William D. Peters, son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Peters of 365 Weequahic Avenue, Newark, has been promoted to Warrant Officer (Junior Grade).
A 1961 graduate of Weequahic High School, Warrant Officer Peters entered the Army in June 1961. He is a qualified parachutist and a communications specialist.
He has recently been assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he will work in the communications section.
From The Washington Post, January 20, 1966:
ARMY WILL TRAIN ARGENTINES
By Charles E. Whaley
The Pentagon confirmed today that the Argentine government has asked for, and the U.S. Army will provide, a small group of U.S. soldiers, most likely to be selected from Special Forces units (Green Berets), to train Argentine troops in U.S. parachuting, mountain rescue, cold weather survival, radio communication and other special military techniques.
The group, which will “almost certainly not exceed twenty officers and men,” will depart for Argentina probably within thirty days.
[ TWO ]
SECRET
Central Intelligence Agency Langley, Virginia
FROM: Assistant Director For Administration
FROM: 2 February 1966 0405 GMT
SUBJECT: Guevara, Ernesto (Memorandum #87.)
TO: Mr. Sanford T. Felter
Counselor To The President
Room 637, The Executive Office Building
Washington, D.C.
By Courier
In compliance with Presidential Memorandum to The Director, Subject: “Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara,” dated 14 December 1964, the following information, provided by the FBI, is furnished:
From CIA Prague, Czechoslovakia (Reliability Scale Five).
SUBJECT arrived Prague 1650 GMT 1 February 1966 aboard Aeroflot Flight 9003 from Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika via Cairo. SUBJECT is using Cuban Diplomatic passports in name of Ramón Benítez. SUBJECT was met by Cuban ambassador and Czech officials and was taken by car to residence of Cuban ambassador.
Howard W. O’Connor
HOWARD W. O’CONNOR
SECRET
[ THREE ]
TOP SECRET
1520 GREENWICH 26 MAY 1966
FROM STATION CHIEF, BUENOS AIRES
TO DIRECTOR, CIA, LANGLEY
COPIES TO SOUTH AMERICAN DESK
MR SANFORD T. FELTER, COUNSELOR
TO THE PRESIDENT
THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON
A RIOT FOLLOWED A BEFORE-DAWN POLICE ATTEMPT TO BREAKUP A DISORDERLY STUDENT MEETING AT THE SCHOOL OF ECONOMIC SCIENCES ON AVENIDA CÓRDOBA IN DOWNTOWN BUENOS AIRES TODAY.
RIOTING STUDENTS, SOME CARRYING PLACARDS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF ERNESTO “CHE” GUEVARA, AND OTHERS RED FLAGS, PROTESTING A SHORTAGE OF UNIVERSITY FUNDS, OVERTURNED AND BURNED A CAR, SMASHED SHOP WINDOWS AND STREET-LAMPS AND THREW COBBLESTONES AT POLICE FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS.
IN A PRIVATE LUNCHEON CONVERSATION TODAY AT THE CIRCULO MILITAR WITH MAJOR G. W. LUNSFORD, LIEUTENANT GENERAL PASCUAL PISTARINI, COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE ARGENTINE ARMY, SAID “THE COMMUNIST SITUATION IS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL AND SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.”
C.B. TAYLOR
STATION CHIEF BUENOS AIRES
TOP SECRET
[ FOUR ]
SECRET
1710 GREENWICH 31 MAY 1966
FROM STATION CHIEF, BUENOS AIRES
TO DIRECTOR, CIA, LANGLEY
COPIES TO SOUTH AMERICAN DESK
MR SANFORD T. FELTER, COUNSELOR
TO THE PRESIDENT
THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON
Following are what are considered significant extracts from the speech given yesterday by lieutenant general pascual pistarini, commander-in-chief of the argentine army at ceremonies marking the 156th anniversary of the founding of the argentine army: “the army is an inseparable part of the national community, legally invested with the responsibility of assuring the domestic peace, and it must fulfill all of its obligations. THE ARMY DOES NOT ONLY REPRESENT A PHILOSOPHY, BUT IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AUTHORITY WITHOUT WHICH THERE CAN BE NO FREEDOM.”
C.B. TAYLOR
STATION CHIEF BUENOS AIRES
SECRET
[ FIVE ]
SECRET
1305 GREENWICH 29 JUNE 1966
FROM STATION CHIEF, BUENOS AIRES
TO DIRECTOR, CIA, LANGLEY
COPIES TO SOUTH AMERICAN DESK
MR SANFORD T. FELTER, COUNSELOR
TO THE PRESIDENT
THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON
1. AT APPROXIMATELY 0100 GMT (2100 BUENOS AIRES TIME) 28 JUNE 1966 TROOPS SEIZED RADIO STATIONS AND COMMUNICATION CENTERS IN BUENOS AIRES, AND THE PUBLIC WAS INFORMED THAT LIEUTENANT GENERAL PASCUAL PISTARINI, COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE ARGENTINE ARMY HAD “WITHDRAWN THE ARMY’S RECOGNITION OF THE MINISTER FOR WAR.”
2. AT 0440 GMT PRESIDENT ARTURO ILLIA, SPEAKING FROM THE CASA ROSADA, WHICH WAS GUARDED BY TROOPS OF THE SAN MARTIN REGIMENT OF GRENADIERS, ANNOUNCED THAT PISTARINI HAD BEEN DISMISSED AND HE WAS ASSUMING THE DUTIES OF COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMY.
3. AT 1105 GMT AIR SECRETARY BRIGADIER MARIO ROMANELLI ANNOUNCED THAT A JUNTA CONSISTING OF PISTARINI, ADMIRAL BENINO VARELA (CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS), AND BRIGADIER ADOLFO T. ALVAREZ (COMMANDER IN CHIEF, AIR FORCE) WERE EXERCISING “NATIONAL AUTHORITY” PENDING THE SWEARING IN OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL JUAN CARLOS ONGANIA AT NOON TODAY. ONGANIA WAS FORMERLY CINC OF THE ARMY.
4. DEPOSED PRESIDENT ILLIA IS BELIEVED TO BE UNDER HOUSE ARREST. IT IS BELIEVED THE COUP WAS ENTIRELY BLOODLESS.
C.B. TAYLOR
STATION CHIEF BUENOS AIRES
SECRET
[ SIX ]
SECRET
2205 GREENWICH 7 JULY 1966
FROM STATION CHIEF, BUENOS AIRES
TO DIRECTOR, CIA, LANGLEY
COPIES TO SOUTH AMERICAN DESK
MR SANFORD T. FELTER, COUNSELOR
TO THE PRESIDENT
THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON
1. ON 4 JULY AT THE INDEPENDENCE DAY PARTY AT THE AMERICAN CLUB OF BUENOS AIRES, LIEUTENANT GEOFFREY CRAIG WAS APPROACHED BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL RICARDO FOSTERWOOD, AIDE-DE -CAMP TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL PISTARINI, AND INFORMED THAT PISTARINI HAD ARRANGED FOR A MEMBERSHIP FOR HIM IN THE SAN JORGE POLO CLUB AND THAT HE HOPED HE WOULD ACCEPT.
2. ON 6 JULY FOSTERWOOD TELEPHONED CRAIG AND INVITED HIM TO PLAY IN “AN INFORMAL POLO MATCH” AT THE SAN JORGE CLUB AT 1300 LOCAL TIME 7 JULY 1966. ON ARRIVAL AT THE CLUB, CRAIG LEARNED THAT HE WOULD BE PLAYING WITH PRESIDENT ONGANIA, GENERAL PISTARINI, AND LIEUTENANT COLONEL GUILLERMO RANGIO, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF S.I.D.E.
3. FOLLOWING THE POLO MATCH, PISTARINI TOLD CRAIG THAT HE SHOULD TELL HIS UNCLE (OBVIOUSLY REFERRING TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL CRAIG W. LOWELL) THAT THE NEW ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO HONOR ALL ASPECTS OF THE ARRANGEMENT HE HAD STRUCK WITH LOWELL WITH REGARD TO GUEVARA.
4. FOLLOWING THE CRAIG/PISTARINI CONVERSATION, RANGIO GAVE CRAIG AN ENVELOPE WHICH CONTAINED THE MATERIAL QUOTED BELOW, AND “SUGGESTED” THAT CRAIG MAKE A HABIT OF TAKING A COCKTAIL EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY AT 1700 LOCAL TIME AT THE JOCKEY CLUB. CRAIG INFERS THIS IS BECAUSE THIS WOULD PROVIDE RANGIO AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH HIM IN WHAT WOULD APPEAR TO BE A SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCE.
BEGIN RAGIO INTEL
DEAR FRIENDS
I’M SURE YOUR ACQUAINTANCES IN THE CIA WILL BE INTERESTED TO LEARN THAT OUR FRIEND THE DOCTOR IS NOW “SECRETLY” RESIDING IN A LOVELY VILLA IN THE VINALES AREA OF PINAR DEL RIO PROVINCE, CUBA, WIDELY BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN THE PROPERTY OF A CIA AGENT.
IT IS NOW THE HEADQUARTERS OF A “SECRET” TRAINING CAMP BEING USED TO TRAIN A DOZEN CUBAN OFFICERS FOR SERVICE IN BOLIVIA.
THEY ARE:
DARIEL ALARCN RAMIREZ. (“BENINO”; 28; SERVED WITH OUR FRIEND IN THE SIERRA AND IN AFRICA.)
ELISIO REYES (“ROLANDO”; 26; SIERRA AND FORMERLY HEAD OF CUBAN NATIONAL POLICE INTELLIGENCE. )
ANTONIO PANTOJA (“OLO”; 33; SIERRA)
LEONARDO TAMAYO (“TAMAYITA”; 37; SINCE 1957, GUEVARA’S BODYGUARD)
RENE TAMOYO (“ARTURO”; 31; BROTHER OF LEONARDO; CLANDESTINE OPERATIONS FOR STATE SECURITY)
GUSTAVO DE HOED (“ALEJANDRO”; 29; SIERRA AND FORMERLY VICE MINISTER OF INDUSTRY)
MIGUEL HERNANDEZ OSORIO (“MANUEL”; 35; SIERRA)
ALBERTO FERNANDEZ MONTES DE OCA (“PACHO”; 31; WITH GUEVARA IN PRAGUE AFTER GUEVARA LEFT THE CONGO; SERVES AS HIS COURIER TO BOLIVIA)
OCTAVIO DE LA PEDRAJA (“MOROGORO”; 31; A PHYSICIAN; SIERRA AND CONGO)
ISRAEL REYES ZAYAS (“BRAULIO”; 33; SIERRA AND CONGO)
JUAN VITALIO ACUNA (“JOAQUIN”; 41; SIERRA; IS A COMANDANTE)
ANTONIO SANCHEZ DIAZ (“MARCOS”; 35; SIERRA; ALSO A COMANDANTE)
JESUS SUAREZ GAYOL (“RUBIO”; 33; SIERRA; VICE MINISTER FOR SUGAR)
IT WOULD APPEAR, TO JUDGE FROM THE BACKGROUNDS OF THESE PEOPLE, THAT, PROBABLY SMARTING FROM THE HUMILIATION IN THE CONGO, AND DETERMINED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN BOLIVIA, GUEVARA HAS RECRUITED THE BEST GUERRILLA FIGHTERS AVAILABLE IN CUBA. WE THINK IT IS
SIGNIFICANT THAT TWO OF THEM ARE COMAN-DANTES, A VERY SENIOR RANK IN THE NEW CUBA.
EXACTLY WHEN THEY WILL GO TO BOLIVIA IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME, BUT IT SHOULD BE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
BEST REGARDS
END RADIO INTEL
C.B. TAYLOR
STATION CHIEF BUENOS AIRES
SECRET
[ SEVEN ]
TOP SECRET
ARG 0019 2300 ZULU 30 AUGUST 1966
VIA WHITE HOUSE SIGNAL AGENCY
FROM: POLO SIX
TO: EARNEST SIX
AFTER-ACTION REPORT #1
REFERENCE US ARMY MAP SERVICE MAP 4774 BOLIVIA
1. DURING THE PERIOD 27 THROUGH 30 AUGUST, THE UNDERSIGNED TRAVELED TO LA PAZ, BOLIVIA BY US ARMY L23 AIRCRAFT, PILOTED BY 1LT GEOFFREY CRAIG AND WOJG ENRICO DE LA SANTIAGO. OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PARTY INCLUDED LIEUTENANT COLONEL GUILLERMO RANGIO OF THE ARGENTINE ARMY, WOJG JULIO ZAMMORO AND MISS CECILIA TAYLOR. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT WAS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO MAKE THE IDENTITY OF THE CIA STATION CHIEF BUENOS AIRES KNOWN TO LTCOL RANGIO.
2. CONFERENCES WERE HELD IN A SAFE HOUSE CONTROLLED BY CIA STATION CHIEF LA PAZ WITH A DELEGATION OF BOLIVIAN ARMY OFFICERS HEADED BY LTCOL ENRICO CUPULL, WHOM BOTH CIA STATION CHIEF LA PAZ AND LTCOL RANGIO CONSIDER “RELIABLE,” AND WITH WHOM WOJG ZAMMORO IS PERSONALLY ACQUAINTED. CIA OFFICERS, RANGIO, AND UNDERSIGNED STRONGLY EMPHASIZED THE POSITION OF THE US GOVERNMENT THAT GUEVARA MUST BE FRUSTRATED IN HIS EFFORTS TO TAKE OVER BOLIVIA, BUT KEPT ALIVE. CUPULL STATED THAT HE PERSONALLY DISAGREED WITH THAT POLICY, AND FURTHERMORE, THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO KEEP GUEVARA, OR ANY CUBANS, ALIVE “AFTER THEY START GUERRILLA ACTIVITIES.” CIA STATION CHIEFS LA PAZ AND BUENOS AIRES INTENDED TO SEPARATELY STRONGLY RECOMMEND DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS AT HIGHEST LEVEL TO ENSURE COOPERATION OF BOLIVIAN GOVERNMENT IN THIS REGARD.
3. THERE WAS, WITH EXCEPTION OF KEEPING GUEVARA ALIVE, A MEETING OF MINDS ON MEANS TO FRUSTRATE GUEVARA IN BOLIVIA. CUPUL WENT SO FAR AS TO STATE IT MIGHT BE A “GOOD IDEA” TO HAVE ZAMMORO REMAIN IN BOLIVIA, OR GO THERE SOON, WHERE HE COULD “EASILY ASSUME COVERT IDENTITY OF BOLIVIAN ARMY OFFICER.” CIA OFFICERS FEEL THIS WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA, BUT UNDERSIGNED DOES NOT FEEL HE HAS AUTHORITY TO MAKE THIS DECISION, AND WILL WAIT FOR GUIDANCE.
4. INTEL HAS SHARED BETWEEN RANGIO, UNDERSIGNED, CIA OFFICERS AND CUPULL, INCLUDING LIST OF PERSONNEL CUBANS ARE TRAINING FOR BOLIVIAN SERVICE. BOLIVIANS INFORMED US THEY ARE AWARE THAT GERMAN/ARGENTINE HAYDEE TAMARA BUNKE, “TANIA” WHO IS LIVING IN LA PAZ AS LAURA GUTIERREZ BAUER, IS A DEEP COVER CUBAN AGENT WHO IS UNDER SURVEILLANCE. THEY ALSO HAVE REGIS DEBRAY, A FRENCH JOURNALIST, UNDER SURVEILLANCE, AND REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN MEETING WITH MOISES GUEVARA (NO RELATION), A COMMUNIST MINERS’ LEADER KNOWN TO BE PREPARING TO CONDUCT REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITIES AGAINST THE BOLIVIAN GOVERNMENT. NO ACTION AGAINST EITHER IS PLANNED BY BOLIVIAN GOVERNMENT AT THIS TIME.
5. FINALLY, CUPULL STATED THAT A 1500-HECTARE (3700-ACRE) FARM (ACTUALLY WILDERNESS) IN THE SOUTHEAST OF BOLIVIA WAS PURCHASED, OSTENSIBLY FOR USE AS A PIG FARM, IN THE LAST FEW DAYS BY KNOWN BOLIVIAN COMMUNISTS, AND THAT THE PROPERTY WAS IDEALLY SUITED AS A BASE FOR GUEVARA’S OPERATIONS. AFTER ASSURANCES FROM CUPULL THAT DOING SO WOULD NOT CAUSE ALARM, WE OVERFLEW AND PHOTOGRAPHED THE FARM ON OUR RETURN TO ARGENTINA.
6. THE RIVER ÑANCAHAZÚ (WHICH IS DRY DURING THE SUMMER) RUNS THROUGH THE PROPERTY, ON WHICH ARE LOCATED A FEW PRIMITIVE FARM BUILDINGS AND LITTLE ELSE. IT IS AT THE EDGE OF A TROPI
CAL DESERT EXTENDING EASTWARD TO THE PARAGUAYAN BORDER. IT IS 150 MILES SOUTH OF VERA CRUZ, TO WHICH A DIRT ROAD LEADS. IT IS 150 MILES FROM THE ARGENTINE BORDER, AND 12 MILES FROM THE NEAREST TOWN, LAGUNILLAS. THE TERRAIN IS HILLY AND THERE ARE FEW ROADS CAPABLE OF TAKING ANYTHING BUT A JEEP. IT (AND THE AREA AROUND IT) IS IDEALLY SUITED FOR GUERRILLA EVASIVE OPERATIONS, BECAUSE OF THE TERRAIN, THE HEAVY FORESTS, AND THE LACK OF ROADS.
7. IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE UNDERSIGNED BE GRANTED PERMISSION TO OFFER TO UNOFFICIALLY TRAIN BOLIVIAN FORCES IN GUERRILLA DETECTION TECHNIQUES UTILIZING SPECIAL FORCES PERSONNEL PRESENTLY IN ARGENTINA. RANGIO BELIEVES CUPULL WOULD ACCEPT SUCH AN OFFER, ESPECIALLY IF IT WERE TO BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF ZAMMORO.
G.W. LUNSFORD, MAJ INF
TOP SECRET
TOP SECRET
EARNEST 0134 1405 ZULU 31 AUGUST 1966
VIA WHITE HOUSE SIGNAL AGENCY
FROM: EARNEST SIX
TO: POLO SIX
1. REFERENCE YOUR AFTER-ACTION REPORT #1
2. IN RE ZAMMORO MOVING COVERTLY TO BOLIVIA. YOUR CALL. DIRECTOR CIA CONCURS.
3. IN RE UNOFFICIAL TRAINING PROGRAM AS OUTLINED. PRESUMING CONCURRENCE OF RANGIO, APPROVED. DIRECTOR CIA CONCURS. ZAMMORO TO COMMAND. WOJG WILLIAM THOMAS BEING ASSIGNED OFFICE OF MILATTACHE US EMBASSY LAPAZ TO ASSIST.
FELTER, COLONEL, GSC
COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT
TOP SECRET
[ EIGHT ]
CONFIDENTIAL
ARG 0019 2125 ZULU 3 OCTOBER 1966
VIA WHITE HOUSE SIGNAL AGENCY
FROM: POLO SIX
TO: EARNEST SIX
SITUATION REPORT #16
Special Ops Page 81