282. McCone’s notes for discussion with Helms and Harvey, March 161

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SUBJECT

  • Notes for Discussion with Helms and Harvey concerning MONGOOSE

1. (tape did not pick up dictation first part of tape)

—housing, food, employment, general conditions, etc.

b. Civilian political attitude—resistance to versus support of regime, discussed, willingness to revolt, apathy, etc.

c. Attitude of higher officials at city, province or government level.

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d. Information on military installations—location of military units, dispersal of equipment, etc.

e. Specifics on proposed sabotage operations.

3. How will the agents be equipped—with arms—communication equipment, etc.?

4. Will agents co-mingle with population, live in communities covertly or hide out and operate at night? Will they operate in groups or singly? And will they communicate with one another or each individual or group communicate directly and if so, by what means?

5. Will they recruit guerrilla organizations? If so, are agents selected on a basis of having available to them possible “in place” guerrilla bands.

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6. What are the agents’ plans for circumventing a new registration and rationing plan of the Castro regime? How would they obtain food?

7. What is the probable group resupply problem? Is it a question of supplying the agents or providing supplies, arms, equipment, etc., for guerrilla bands recruited by the agents? What is the probable timing of the supply or operation? When will it start? How extensive will it become under the existing plan?

8. How will they monitor success or failure of the agent teams—how do we know if and when they are “rolled up”?

9. What will be the extent of attribution by captured agents—will U.S. government be clearly identified—will CIA be clearly identified or identified by suspicion?

10. What are CIA’s plans for keeping the training and dispatch of the agents away from the Florida press corps—will trainees be free at any time during training and prior to placement—will “safe-house” trainees be permitted freedom—what will be done with rejected trainees or surplus trainees—in other words, how are we going to avoid leaks and gossip?

John A. McCone
Director
  1. Operation Mongoose. Secret. 2 pp. CIA, DCI (McCone) Files: Job 80–B01285A, Box 2, Memo for the Record, 29 November 1961–5 April 1962.