[ FOUR ].

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1020 GREENWICH 7 AUGUST 1965.

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.

THE FOLLOWING RECEIVED FROM US ARMY OFFICER ASSIGNED US EMBASSY BELIEVED TO BE CONTROLLED BY MR. FELTER. IT IS RECOMMENDED THE INTELLIGENCE FOLLOWING BE REGARDED AS THE EQUIVALENT OF CIA RELIABILITY SCALE FIVE. IT IS TRANSMITTED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND VERBATIM.

START.

DEAR FRIENDS:.

AT 0630 6 AUGUST 1965, THE RUSSIAN FLAGGED VESSEL "FELIX ZDHERSINSKI" UNDER CHARTER TO THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT SAILED FROM MARIEL, CUBA FOR POINTE NEGRO, CONGO BRAZZAVILLE, WITH 200 CUBAN SOLDIERS FROM PITA CAMP 2 ON BOARD.

BEST REGARDS.

END.

J.P STEPHENS.

STATION CHIEF BUENOS AIRES.

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[ FIVE ].

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1905 GREENWICH 18 AUGUST 1965.

00101FROM STATION CHIEF, LeOPOLDVILLE.

TO DIRECTOR, CIA, LANGLEY.

COPIES TO SOUTH AMERICAN DESK.

MR SANFORD T FELTER, COUNSELOR TO.

THE PRESIDENT.

THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING.

WASHINGTON1. INTERCEPTED MESSAGE FROM GUEVARA IN LULUPLAT TO CUBAN EMBASSY IN DAR ES SALAAM REPORTS THAT CUBAN LED INSURGENT FORCES AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 GREENWICH 17 AUGUST 1965 SUCCESSFULLY AMBUSHED A CONGOLESE ARMY CONVOY ON ROUTE NATIONALE 16 APPROXIMATELY 25 KILOMETERS FROM ALBERTVILLE.2. REPORT STATES THAT CONVOY CONSISTED OF A LIGHT TANK, AN ARMORED TRUCK AND A JEEP WITH TRAILER; THAT SEVEN (7) PERSONNEL IN CONVOY WERE KILLED, AND ALL VEHICLES SET ON FIRE; AND THAT OTHER CONVOY PERSONNEL ESCAPED INTO BUSH.3. REPORT STATES THAT ALL KIA WERE WHITE MERCENAIRES AND ALL WERE BELIEVED TO BE U.S. CITIZENS.4. INFORMATION FROM COLONEL SUPO REPORTS THAT MAJOR HOARE'S MERCENARY FORCE REPORTS AN OVERDUE CONVOY IN THAT AREA CONSISITNG OF A FRENCH PANHARD ARMORED CAR (NOT A TANK); A STAKE BODY TRUCK WITH METAL REINFORCEMENT; AND A JEEP WITH A TRAILER. HOARE STATES NO REPEAT NO U.S. CITIZENS IN HIS MERCENARY FORCE.5. MAJOR LUNSFORD REPORTS THAT ALL REPEAT ALL OF SPECIAL FORCES DETACHMENT 17 PERSONNEL ARE ACCOUNTED FOR AND THAT NONE REPEAT NONE OF HIS MEN WERE ANYWHERE NEAR THE SITE OF THIS INCIDENT.6. A CONGOLESE REACTION FORCE IS EN ROUTE TO THE SITE OF THE REPORTED INCIDENT.

C.R. TAYLOR.

STATION CHIEF LeOPOLDVILLETOP SECRET.

[ SIX ].

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HELP0073 2220 ZULU 27 AUGUST 1965.

VIA WHITE HOUSE SIGNAL AGENCY.

FROM: HELPER SIX.

TO: EARNEST SIX.

AFTER ACTION REPORT #14.

REFERENCE MAP BAKER 111. REFERENCE MY AFTER-ACTION REPORT #52. HAVING BEEN ADVISED BY MATA HARI THAT APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED (200) CUBANS WHO HAD DEBARKED FROM RUSSIAN VESSEL "FELIX ZD-HERSINSKI" IN POINTE NOIRE, CONGO BRAZZAVILLE 21 AUGUST 1965 HAD SURREPTITIOUSLY CROSSED CONGO RIVER INTO THE CONGO IN GROUPS OF APPROXIMATELY TWENTY (20) DURING THE PERIOD 22-24 AUGUST, AERIAL SURVEILLANCE OF ROUTE 39 WAS BEGUN AS OF 0001 ZULU 24 AUGUST.3. AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 ZULU 25 AUGUST 1965 1LT GEOFFREY CRAIG FLYING RECONNAISSANCE IN AN L19 NEAR SURINO, KATANGA PROVINCE, CONGO OBSERVED A FOUR TRUCK CONVOY ON ROUTE NATIONAL 39 SUSPECTED TO BE THE CUBANS EN ROUTE TO JOIN GUEVARA IN LULUPLAT.4. THIS INTEL WAS FURNISHED TO THE CONGOLESE REACTION FORCE AT KAMINA, ADVISED BY MSGT WILLIAM THOMAS, AND AT APPROXIMATELY 1210 ZULU 25 AUGUST 1965 THE CONVOY WAS INTERDICTED APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES EAST OF SURINO, IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE INTERDICTION REPORTED IN AFTER ACTION REPORT #5.5. ONE HUNDRED NINETY-SEVEN (197) CUBANS AND A SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITY OF SMALL ARMS AND OTHER MATeRIEL WERE SEIZED BY THE REACTION FORCE. THE CUBANS WERE TAKEN BY SURPRISE AND IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT THEY HAD BEEN STOPPED TO EITHER LULUPLAT OR CONGO BRAZZAVILLE.6. CONGOLESE AUTHORITIES HAVE INFORMED THE UNDERSIGNED THAT IF INVESTIGATION REVEALS THE ALLEGED CUBANS ARE IN FACT ARMED FOREIGN NATIONALS IN THE CONGO WITH THE INTENT OF OVERTHROWING THE GOVERNMENT BY FORCE, THEY WILL BE DEALT WITH UNDER INTERNATIONAL AND CONGOLESE MILITARY LAW, WITH APPROPRIATE REPORTS TO BE MADE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE AT THE TERMINATION OF THE CURRENT STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY.CRAIG FOR HELPER SIXSECRET [ SEVEN ].

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1035 GREENWICH 2 SEPTEMBER 1965FROM 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.

WASHINGTONTHE FOLLOWING RECEIVED FROM US ARMY OFFICER ASSIGNED US EMBASSY BELIEVED TO BE CONTROLLED BY MR. FELTER. IT IS RECOMMENDED THE INTELLIGENCE FOLLOWING BE REGARDED AS THE EQUIVALENT OF CIA RELIABILITY SCALE FIVE. IT IS TRANSMITTED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND VERBATIM.STARTDEAR FRIENDS:A DELEGATION FROM THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE REVOLUTION OF THE CONGO, HEADED BY PRESIDENT GASTON SOUMIALOT, ARRIVED IN HAVANA 1600 HAVANA TIME 1 SEPTEMBER AND AT 1900 MET WITH RAUL CASTRO AND OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS (NOT FIDEL).IN A SOMEWHAT HEATED CONFRONTATION SOUMIALOT ACCUSED CUBANS OF NOT MAKING GOOD ON THEIR PROMISE TO SEND "SEVERAL HUNDRED, AS MANY AS FIVE HUNDRED" TRAINED SOLDIERS TO HELP WITH THE REVOLUTION. RAUL CASTRO REPLIED THAT THEY HAD SENT ALMOST 400 SOLDIERS SO FAR, AND HAD RECEIVED WORD THAT A COLUMN OF 200 CUBAN SOLDIERS HAD LANDED IN PUNTA NEGRE CONGO BRAZZAVILLE 21 AUGUST AND THAT THE CUBANS COULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM THEREAFTER; GETTING THEM TO THE WAR ZONE WAS RESPONSIBILITY OF CONGOLESE.RAUL CASTRO ASKED FOR AN EXPLANATION OF FAILURE OF ATTACK ON (UNIDENTIFIED) HYDROELECTRIC PLANT, STATING HE HAD BEEN INFORMED BY CAPTAIN DREKE THAT SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF REVOLUTIONARIES HAD REFUSED TO FIGHT. SOUMIALOT STATED THAT DREKE WAS A LIAR, WHEREUPON CASTRO TERMINATED CONFERENCE.BEST REGARDSEND J.P STEPHENS.

STATION CHIEF BUENOS AIRESTOP SECRET.

[ EIGHT ].

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HELP0099 2220 ZULU 18 SEPTEMBER 1965.

VIA WHITE HOUSE SIGNAL AGENCY.

FROM: HELPER SIX.

TO: EARNEST SIXINTELL REPORT #191. ON 1 SEPTEMBER 1965 THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CONGO PUBLISHED A NOTICE TO MARINERS THAT ANY VESSEL ENTERING CONGOLESE WATERS OF LAKE TANGANYIKA WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE WILL BE PRESUMED TO HAVE HOSTILE INTENT AND WILL BE DEALT WITH ACCORDINGLY. UNCONFIRMED REPORTS INDICATE SEVEN (7) LAUNCHES HAVE BEEN DEEMED TO HAVE HAD HOSTILE INTENTION AND WERE SUNK BY CONGOLESE COAST GUARD VESSELS AND/OR AIRCRAFT.2. ON 14 SEPTEMBER MATA HARI ADVISED UNDERSIGNED THAT THREE HIGH-RANKING CUBAN OFFICIALS, (FIRST NAME UNKNOWN) PADILLA; (FNU) COLMAN; AND DIONOSIO OLIVA HAD ARRIVED IN DAR ES SALAAM VIA AIR FRANCE FROM CAIRO AND WERE TAKEN TO THE FARM AT MOROGORO.3. ON 15 SEPTEMBER ASA INTERCEPTED AND DECRYPTED RADIOTELETYPE MESSAGE FROM MOROGORO TO "TATU" (GUEVARA) SIGNED OLIVA STATING HE AND COLMAN AND PADILLA WERE LEAVING FOR KIGOMA IN MORNING AND LOOKED FORWARD TO SEEING HIM IN VERY NEAR FUTURE.4. ON 17 SEPTEMBER ASA INTERCEPTED AND DECRYPTED MESSAGE SIGNED BY OLIVA, SENT BY LANDLINE FROM KIGOMA TO MOROGORO AND RELAYED TO TATU AS RADIOTELETYPE. PERTINENT EXTRACT "HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY LOCAL OFFICIALS THAT TRANSITING LAKE TANGANYIKA IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF FASCIST AERIAL SURVEILLANCE. CAN YOU COME TO KIGOMA?"5. ON 17 SEPTEMBER ASA INTERCEPTED AND DECRYPTED MESSAGE FROM LULUPLAT TO CUBAN EMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM SIGNED TATU. PERTINENT EXTRACT "ADVISE OLIVA (1) TATU CANNOT COME TO KIGOMA (2) THERE IS ALWAYS AN ELEMENT OF RISK IN A WAR OF LIBERATION."CRAIG FOR HELPER SIXSECRET [ NINE ].

TOP SECRET.

1035 GREENWICH 4 OCTOBER 1965FROM 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.

WASHINGTONTHE FOLLOWING RECEIVED FROM US ARMY OFFICER ASSIGNED US EMBASSY BELIEVED TO BE CONTROLLED BY MR. FELTER. IT IS TRANSMITTED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND VERBATIM.STARTDEAR FRIENDS:BY NOW I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE THAT DR. FIDEL CASTRO HAS READ TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE DR. ERNESTO GUEVARA'S LETTER TO HIM, ANNOUNCING HIS RESIGNATION, IN THE FOLLOWING WORDS: "I FORMALLY RESIGN MY POSITIONS IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PARTY, MY POST AS MINISTER, MY RANK OF COMMANDER, AND MY CUBAN CITIZENSHIP. NOTHING LEGAL BINDS ME TO CUBA."WE HAVE BEEN WONDERING HERE IF THIS, ESPECIALLY THE LAST SENTENCE, SUGGESTS THERE IS CONCERN THAT DR. GUEVARA'S ACTIVITIES IN THE CONGO WILL FAIL, POSSIBLY SOON, AND THAT DR. CASTRO WANTS TO DISTANCE HIMSELF AND CUBA FROM DR. GUEVERA, AND HAVE WONDERED IF YOU ALSO HAVE BEEN THINKING ALONG THESE LINES.ON THE OTHER HAND, IT MAY SUGGEST THAT DR. GUEVERA WISHES TO DISASSOCIATE HIMSELF FROM A CUBAN FAILURE IN AFRICA AND RETURN TO THIS CONTINENT AS AN ARGENTINE WHO WAS SUCCESSFUL IN AIDING DR. CASTRO, AND NOW WISHES TO LIBERATE THE REST OF SOUTH AMERICA.BEST REGARDSEND J.P. STEPHENS.

STATION CHIEF BUENOS AIRESTOP SECRET.

[ TEN ].

SECRET.

HELP0111 2005 ZULU 10 OCTOBER 1965.

VIA WHITE HOUSE SIGNAL AGENCY.

FROM: HELPER SIX.

TO: EARNEST SIXINTELL REPORT #221. AT 0900 ZULU 10 OCTOBER 1965 ASA INTERCEPTED AND DECRYPTED THE FOLLOWING RADIO MESSAGE FROM "SIKI" (CAPTAIN OSCAR FERNANDEZ MELI) BELIEVED TO BE IN VICINITY OF FIZI, KATANGA PROVINCE TO "MOJA" (CAPTAIN VICTOR DREKE) IN LULUPLAT:BEGINFOR MOJA: THE SOLDIERS ARE ADVANCING ON FIZI AND THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP OR EVEN DELAY THEM. WE ARE MOVING FROM FIZI TO LUBONDJA. I WILL TRY TO DESTROY THE BRIDGES. TELL TATU MY TRIP WAS A FAILURE. SIKI.END2. COLONEL SUPO HAS ADVISED THE UNDERSIGNED THAT A RECONNAISSANCE TEAM OF FIVE (5) CONGOLESE PARATROOPS (ADVISED BY SSGT LEANDER KNOWLES) MOUNTED IN TWO JEEPS ARMED WITH .30 CALIBER BROWNING MACHINE GUNS ENTERED THE VILLAGE OF FIZI AT APPROXIMATELY 1115 ZULU 10 OCTOBER 1965, AGAINST NEGLIGIBLE RESISTANCE, AND THAT AS OF 1210 ZULU THE VILLAGE IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF CONVENTIONAL CONGOLESE TROOPS.3. AT 1205 ZULU THE RECON FORCE BEING ADVISED BY SSGT KNOWLES CAME UPON A GROUP OF INSURGENTS ATTEMPTING TO PLACE DEMOLITIONS CHARGES ON THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE LUVIDJO RIVER. THE INSURGENTS FLED ON SEEING THE RECON SQUAD APPROACHING.

PORTET FOR HELPER SIX.

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[ ELEVEN ].

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HELP0114 1905 ZULU 12 OCTOBER 1965.

VIA WHITE HOUSE SIGNAL AGENCY.

FROM: HELPER SIX.

TO: EARNEST SIXINTELL REPORT #241. FOLLOWING RECEIVED FROM SSGT LEANDER KNOWLES 1605 ZULU 12 OCTOBER 1965. KNOWLES IS ADVISING RECONNAISSANCE TEAM OF CONGOLESE PARATROOPS IN VICINITY OF LUBONJA, KATANGA PROVINCE.BEGINFOR HUNTER SIX: PATROL ENTERED LUBONJA UNOPPOSED 1530 ZULU. AWAITING SUPO'S TROOPS TO OCCUPY. INSURGENTS AND CUBAN ALLIES ABANDONED SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITIES OF WEAPONS, INCLUDING MORTARS, AND ONE HIGHLY INTOXICATED CUBAN CORPORAL, AS THEY WITHDREW. KNOWLES, SSGT.ENDCRAIG FOR HELPER SIXSECRET [ TWELVE ].

SECRET.

HELP0117 1905 ZULU 14 OCTOBER 1965.

VIA WHITE HOUSE SIGNAL AGENCY.

FROM: HELPER SIX.

TO: EARNEST SIXINTELL REPORT #271. PERTINENT EXTRACT OF ASA DECRYPT OF RADIOTELETYPE MESSAGE FROM "TATU" (GUEVARA) IN LULUPLAT 1505 ZULU 14 OCTOBER 1965 TO CUBAN EMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM FOLLOWS:BEGINCONCERNING FALL OF LUBONJA: OUR MEN'S ATTITUDE WAS WORSE THAN BAD. THEY LEFT WEAPONS THAT WERE UNDER THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, SUCH AS MORTARS, IN THE HANDS OF CONGOLESE AND THEY WERE LOST. THEY DIDN'T SHOW ANY FIGHTING SPIRIT. LIKE THE CONGOLESE, THEY THOUGHT ONLY ABOUT SAVING THEIR OWN SKINS, AND THE RETREAT WAS SO DISORGANIZED THAT WE LOST ONE MAN AND STILL DON'T KNOW HOW, BECAUSE HIS COMRADES DIDN'T KNOW IF HE GOT LOST, WAS WOUNDED OR WAS KILLED BY THE ENEMY. I HAVE DISARMED ALL THE CONGOLESE WHO SHOWED UP HERE. TATU.ENDHELPER SIXSECRET [ THIRTEEN ].

TOP SECRET.

HELP0119 0855 ZULU 16 OCTOBER 1965.

VIA WHITE HOUSE SIGNAL AGENCY.