Documents / FOIA release

Official History of the Bay of Pigs Operation- Volume 2- Part 1

Central Intelligence Agency · 179 pages · text from the file's own layer

This is Volume II, Part 1 of the CIA History Staff's Official History of the Bay of Pigs Operation, a Top Secret history dated October 1979 and approved for release in July 2011. It looks at how the Agency took part in shaping US foreign policy toward Guatemala and Nicaragua during the anti-Castro program. It covers dealings with President Ydigoras Fuentes and Roberto Alejos, training sites such as Retalhuleu, cover stories, and negotiations with the Somoza brothers for an air base and port. It contains no UFO material.

  • p. 71 …formalized (16 November 1960), then J. C. King, Chief, Western Hemisphere Division, prepared a memorandum for…
  • p. 76 …C. King, "J. C., this kind of ... " "No, no," he said. "I don't think I…
  • p. 88 …however, was prepared by Colonel J. C. King, Chief, WH Division, not by Thomas A. Parrott…
  • p. 89 …King must have ignored Esterline's warning; but the DCI failed to support King's Plan…
  • p. 117 …of State of the trip and Col. King had informed Thomas Mann. 9/*. In a meeting…
  • p. 120 …to Chief, WH Division (Col. J. C. King) that Robertson be brought into the JMARC program…
  • p. 138 …discuss Project JMATE with President Somoza. Col. King, in speaking of Whelan r~marked as follows…
  • p. 160 …2. Memo for DCI from J. C. King, 29 Feb 60, sub: What We Are Doing…
  • p. 163 …35. Memo for DCI from J. C. King, 21 Oct 60, sub: Observations on Briefing of…
  • p. 167 …TRAV. Memo for DDP from J. C. King, 28 Oct 60, sub: Employment of U.S…
  • p. 169 …10 Jan 61. MR from J. C. King, 11 Jan 61, sub: Meeting to Discuss Proposed…
  • p. 173 …Irving G. CADICK (P) from J. C. King, 2 Dec 60, sub: Letter of Instruction. Ibid…
  • p. 175 …IN 1797). 42. Memo from J. C. King for DCI, 19 Jan 61, sub: Visit of…
as the Agency's principal contact with President Somoza.
In August of 1960 Robertson wrote to the Agency from
Nicaragua indicating that a business venture in which
he had been involved was terminating. A former contract
employee, he asked if there was any need for his services
at this time. His letter went forward froml ~
to the DDCI, General Cabell; and it ended up with the
Deputy Director for Plans who suggested to Chief, WH
Division (Col. J. C. King) that Robertson be brought
into the JMARC program for operations in Nicaragua. 12/
With the concurrence of Chief, WH/4, Jake Ester-
line, Col. King prepared a Letter of Instruction (LOI)
for Robertson on 2 December 1960. The LOI confirmed
Robertson's verbal orders to proceed to Nicaragua as
coordinator of JMATE activities in that area. Among
other of the operational duties and responsibilities
Robertson was told:
You will have authority over all JMARC
personnel and responsibility for the coor-
dination of all JMARC activities, including
JMTIDE, as set forth in Para 11. You will
be the sole JMARC official in contact with
the President of Nicaragua and authorized
to be in Nicaragua. 13/
Although cautioned concerning the responsibilities'
of the US Ambassador in Nicaragua and the relationship
~~RET

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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 179 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.