Comandos
Mambises - a CIA infiltration team designed to set up an intelligence network
and a resistance organization inside Cuba during 1963.
A Major CIA Covert Op related to the Dealey Plaza Operation -
[Thanks to Bill Simpich for putting this together]
Members of the team were
captured on 10/21/63 when they were deposited on a Cuban beach by the Rex.
Castro paraded the captured Mambaises on Cuban TV and denounced the attempts to kill him.
The New York Times ran a picture of the Rex on the front page of their November 1, 1963 issue and reported that the Rex was owned by Somoza of Nicaragua and "leased" to Collins Radio of Richardson, Texas.
Warren
Hinckle and William Turner, Deadly Secrets (Thunder's Mouth Press, New York:
1992), p. 152
"(Gordon)
Campbell was in charge of the CIA's naval operations in the Caribbean...Captain
Alejandro Brooks watched him from the open bridge of the Rex...the 174-foot Rex
was the flagship of the CIA's secret Caribbean navy. She was an ex-US Navy
patrol craft of early 1940s vintage, formerly engaged in the business of
subchasing...the CIA's navy included a sister ship to the Rex, the Leda, plus
another four similar ships of the line, and a dozen smaller vessels, all well
armed...(the Belcher Oil Company) 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 twelve commandos on
10/21/63 were all members of the Commandos Mambises, "a wholly owned
creation of the CIA, and a crash creation at that. They were trained at a CIA amphibious
base near New Orleans...(the) imperative to 'do something' was authorized by
President Kennedy on June 19 - a greatly escalated program of sabotage aimed at
petroleum facilities, railroad and highway transportation, and electric power
and communications facilities in Cuba. This led to the CIA's launching its
Caribbean secret navy and the creation of the Commandos Mambises. A measure of
the White House green light was that for the first time the CIA was allowed to
violate the sanctum sanctorum and target previously off-limits installations
that had been owned by American companies. It was a major escalation of the
Secret War."
"Mambises
first materialized on evening of August 18, 1963 when (Rafael) Pupo made rounds
of Guatemala City press offices handing out release about strike against oil
storage tanks at strategic port of Casilda. Their leader, Angel Orozco Crespo
was captured and later executed. Other raids carried out on October 1 in Cayo
Guin and October 22 at port of Isabela de Sagua. Also on October 22, Mambises
unit attempted a landing from the Rex on Pinar del Rio Province. Set off a
firefight and strafing of freighter J. Louis by MIGs. US charged that Cuba had
attacked the J. Louis without provocation, but Castro reported that four of the
Rex crew had been captured, described the Rex and named her home port in West
Palm Beach...The Rex was harbored at West Palm Beach and the Leda at Port
Everglades. Captains of the vessels were brother Alejandro Brooks (Rex) and
Gaspar Brooks (Leda). Both flew the flag of Nicaragua...those captured were
Alberto del Busto, Luis Montero Carranzana, Dr. Clemente Inclan Werner, and one
not identified by name."
The five
sabotage raids led by the CIA were said to take place on August 18, August 19,
September 30, October 21, and December 23.
Jesus
Arboleya, The Cuban Counterrevolutionaries (Ohio University, 2000), p. 131
"Manuel
Villafana, who had been head of the Cuban Air Force in exile, was chosen to
lead (the Comandos Mambises in 1963). The Comandos in reality consisted of an
elite paramilitary group trained in New Orleans that was to operate with the
support of the Agency's fleet."
Re
10/21/63: "Some (Bay of Pigs) veterans were assigned to the 'spook ship'
Rex, a 175-foot converted US Navy patrol boat that made hundreds of clandestine
voyages to Cuba. Flying the Nicaraguan flag, the Rex operated out of West Palm
Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It carried the latest radar and sonar
equipment, five cannons, several .30 caliber machine guns and two 20-foot
speedboats. Its skipper reportedly was Eugenio Rolando Martinez, a Miami real
estate salesman and CIA agent who made more than 300 nocturnal runs to Cuba.
(He was taken off the official CIA payroll in 1972, the day after he was caught
in the Watergate break-in.)...On the night of October 21, 1963, the Rex sent
its twin speedboats ashore at the western tip of Cuba. The landing was observed
by a militia patrol and the six men in the first boat were captured as soon as
they hit the beach. The second launch was sunk by a Cuban gunboat as it raced
back to the Rex. Cannon fire from the Rex drove off the Cuban vessel. The men
in the water were hauled aboard the spy ship. Next morning, a US Navy submarine
surfaced near the Rex off the Bahamas. Five Cubans - four dead, one wounded -
reportedly were transferred to the sub, which then submerged and headed to
Florida."
See 4/24/75, Paul Meskil, "A Mission to Cuba: Tale of the
Doomed Raiders", NY Daily News.
Fabian
Escalante, JFK: The Cuban Files (Ocean Press, 2006), p. 244
"October
22 (1963): During the night, Cuban airplanes intercepted and attacked two V-20
pirate launches as they were attempting to land arms and saboteurs in Cuba on
the southern coast of Pinar del Rio province. The Cuban aircraft also located
and attacked the 'mother ship' that had transported the launches. The enemy
action was frustrated in a coordinated air force and coastal defense action.
CIA agents Clemente Inclan Werner, chief of security in actions organized
against Cuba from the Rex vessel, and crew members Luis Montero Carranza and
Roberto Lizano Rodriguez were captured. Spokesmen from the Comsandos L stated
that Cuban counter-revolutionary groups under CIA direction were given every
assistance in their anti-Cuba actions, citing the case of the Mambi Commandos
(note: Comandos Mambises), who had engaged in attacks on Cuba from points in US
territory." His capture is verified in this CIA
memo: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=138561&relPageId=2&search=%22clemente_inclan%22
10/24/63
cable from Mexico City to Director: "'Gonzalez' and 'Buenrostro' (sic)
have been in custody (of) Mexi Navy since late afternoon 23 Oct. Both wounded
in legs. Receiving adequate medical attention at Cozumel Naval Base...Madrid
should stand by however should WAVE or HQS wish (to) attempt contact with
Cubans with message from 'Captain Wally' in order (to) advise Cubans on their
third and new cover story..."
10/26/63
cable from Mexico City to Director, slugline RYBAT TYPIC AMGLOSSY: After the
American embassy in Merida got a request for help from AMGLOSSY, Mexico City's
response was "Mexi suggests base take no action pending WAVE/DIR
instructions. Due (to) some recent info that AMGLOSSY Cubans now under Castro
control Mexi suggests that normal answer as outlined...be sent..." There
is a note saying that "Mr. Tilton SAS notified."
10/26/63
cable MEXI-6684 from Mexico City to Director: "Mexi in telecon (with)
Chief of Base Madrid morning 26 October. Agreed he will use Madrid exile relief
leader as method (of) funding AMGLOSSY Cubans in Cozumel. ASAP (the Chief of
Base) will send exile leader with about five thousand pesos 'from Mr.
Wally'...Madrid making every effort (to) investigate unknown Cubans Islas Mujeres
to ascertain if they AMGLOSSY types. LITEMPOS still unable to report when they
can move AMGLOSSY Cubans to Madrid or Mexico City."
"Airmailing
to Pieper address 3 Nov edition of newspaper Hoy containing detailed account
confessions captured Rex expeditionaries."
11/8/63
press conference with CIA agents captured in Cuba. They were identified as
Clemente Inclan Werner (note: AMSIGH-2), Luis Montero Carranza, and Roberto
Lizano Rodriguez. Inclan Werner said, "The US citizen working with the
infiltration group was my chief, his name is Hank...a US citizen whom I
understand was a retired naval officer was in charge of the ship. His name is
Wally...Later this Wally was promoted and another US citizen took over the
ship. His name was Bob...(at page 5): The main plan of the group was to
establish an intelligence network...over radio through a radio operator who was
brought to the CIA base in the United States. As a secondary mission, the team
was to set up a resistance organization..." (at page 9): Werner explained
that he was a lawyer for the university until he left Cuba in 1960 and had been
previously active in the MDC...(at page 14): Inclan served on the team as an
interpreter and security officer...the ship's captain was Alejandro Brooks.
1/29/64
contact report #38 from AMWORLD: "The remaining members of the AMGLOSSY
team have applied for jobs with AMWORLD. They told AMYUM-19 that they were sent
over by (CIA) since we had no further use for them. It is planned to use them
as instructors or as cadre."
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