Office of the Historian

129. Telegram From the Commander in Chief, Atlantic (Dennison) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff0

Norfolk, April 18, 1961, 6:06 p.m.

182306Z. Bumpy Road. Exclusive for General Gray info RAdm Clark from Dennison.

A.
JCS 994317 DTG 181949Z Notal.1
B.
CTG 81.8 182212Z.2
1.
Have ordered Phibron 2 with BLT 1/6 embarked to move to an area bounded by latitudes 21 and 21-30N and longitude 80 and 81W. He will paint out markings on boats and be prepared to evacuate CEF forces if directed.
2.
TF 24 including Northampton and Independence with attack air group CVG 7 aboard proceeding southward at 24 kts to Mayport area for possible further movement south.
3.
Phibron 8 with BLT embarked ordered to expedite arrival at GTMO Opare ETA 222300Z.3
4.
COMKWESTFOR ordered to sanitize 6 F3 H2 equipped with air to air missiles to be available first light 19 April.
5.
CTG 81.8 (Clark) reported results eyeball recco by reference B.
6.
COMFAIRJAX undertaking on urgent basis to obtain covert high alt A3 D photo recco of objective area. This to be done 18 April if possible but good result unlikely because of poor late afternoon light.
7.
Appreciate the need to do all possible to minimize evidence of our participation but point out that all US aircraft are exclusively USN types and will be recognized as such.
8.
New subject. I too have been operating in the dark which has been generated by not being completely advised of CEF operations, the sudden laying on of requirements which could have been forecasted, and no intelligence assessment of situation within Cuba. My own assessment based on a very high degree of ignorance is that CEF operations are not going well and that if result is either inconclusive or total collapse we may expect strong retaliatory effort probably against Guantanamo.
9.
It is inevitable that our participation will gradually become known to a degree at least by many people including those in Castroʼs government. Time is not on our side and it is certainly important to do all possible to tip the scales in favor of CEF. Have no suggestions at this time beyond continuing measures I have outlined above.
  1. Source: Naval Historical Center, Area Files, Bumpy Road Materials. Top Secret; Operational Immediate; Bumpy Road. Exclusive for General Gray from Admiral Dennison. Repeated for information to CTG 81.8, Exclusive for Clark from Dennison.↩
  2. Document 123.↩
  3. Document 127.↩
  4. April 22, 6 p.m.↩