Cryptonym: AMSPARK
A cable from JMWAVE on December 7, 1963, contained the slug AMSPARK and requested a trace on Marino Leon Fernandez Salinez, a ranch administrative officer from Oriente Province. Another cable from JMWAVE on December 9, 1963, mentioned "material requested by 1 Jan for Ops DAEDALUS, LEMNOS, AMCRUEL, AMSPARK, AMSAKI, AMOZON, and 4 EA for AMBANTY." A cable on December 11, 1963, stated that the "AMSPARK team began PM (paramilitary) caching training 10 Dec."
A dispatch in June, 1964, stated that AMDENIM-1 had suggested that AMSEED-3 (Dionisio Pastrana Moreno) be placed in charge of the AMSPARK team. A fight between AMSPARK-2, an area guide, and AMSPARK-3, over A-3's "Batistiano background" was mentioned. The dispatch later noted that ANDENIM-1 apparently felt closest to AMSPARK-2. AMBIG-3 (Ricardo Adelis Cobos) was also used as a guide in 1964. AMBIG-3 worked with AMSEED-3.
104-10171-10121: DISPATCH: PROGRESS REPORT 30 SEPTEMBER 1963
10/14/63: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Special Affairs Staff: "1. SUMMARY: AMDENIM/1 (Alberto Fernandez Hechevarria) has continued throughout the reporting period to be of considerable value to the Station as a result of his above average educational background, understanding of both the Cuban problem and Americans, and his experience with operations. He is currently serving as translator for the AMSPARK team at ISOLATION (CIA's Camp Peary, also known as "The Farm"), and has been responsible for the spotting and development of five radop candidates...3. The need for radio operators to operate ratlines and the previous shortage of radio operators, led to placing a requirement on A-1 in July to overcome this shortage. He was equipped with a tape recorder and trained in the administration of the commo aptitude test. On this basis he was able to handle this test independently, and was soon able to come up with five candidates. Four of these have been in training since August. The fifth was assigned to the AMSPARK team and is currently at ISOLATION in training with them. The four novice radops have been named the AMHAMs and will be utilized to provide communications for ratlines being developed by fishermen into various parts of the target area. The AMHICK operation represents the current prototype for these operations. 4. A-1 had been pressing the Case Officer ever since October 1962 to assemble an infiltration team for Oriente Province out of several agent candidates he had available in the WAVE area. These included a variety of former Oriente Province residents ranging from mulatto coffee planation laborers to sugar industry management types specializing in accounting. The AMSPARK team was assembled from these people and taken to ISOLATION following basic training in the WAVE area." (CONTINUED BELOW).
104-10171-10121: DISPATCH: PROGRESS REPORT 30 SEPTEMBER 1963
"The team currently contains two radio operators, AMSPARK/3 and AMTOBY/16 on the basis that if one is disqualified for any reason, a second radio operator will be available. This group has been closely instructed in using only their aliases and making no reference to their area of operations so that the extra radio operator can be utilized elsewhere without representing a security risk for the team in the event he is not needed by the team. This team finishes their training at ISOLATION 11 October 1963, and will have approximately two additional months of training, consisting primarily of communications and tradecraft, prior to infiltration... - - - Page 7: "15. PLANS: The training experience that A-1 is receiving at ISOLATION as translator for the AMSPARK team will increase his usefulness in the training of other agents locally. It is planned to use him in this manner to a considerable extent. This was one of the primary reasons for sending him to ISOLATION with the AMSPARK team. He will also continue to spot and develop fishermen assets for ratlines into the target area, to manage the AMHAM radops, and assist with infiltration preparations for the AMSPARK team...AMDENIM/13 (Joaquin Powell Rubio) will continue to assist A-1 and the case officer with the development and management of ratline operations. AMTRIGON-2 (probably Roberto Herrera) is currently being considered for inclusion with an Oriente Province team."
1993.08.04.16:38:02:870028: JMWAVE CABLES, WAVE 8600 - 8699.
12/07/63: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: Slugline RYBAT TYPIC AMSPARK: IMMEDIATE ACTION: "1. Request traces Marino Leon (Fernandez) Salinez born about 06 Jiguani, Oriente ranch administrative officer living Donato Marmol 311, Bayamo, Oriente married to Borgas (Dieguez) Maprupe (?) DPOB unknown. Children Manuel born about 34, and Maria born about 36 both living Elizabeth New Jersey latter with husband Gillermo Felix del Corazon de Jesus (Utset) Pereda. 2. JMWAVE traces negative."
1993.08.04.16:41:08:870028: JMWAVE CABLES, WAVE 8700 - 8797.
12/09/63: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: Slugline TYPIC LOGS COMMO: ..."4. Material requested by 1 Jan for Ops DAEDALUS, LEMNOS, AMCRUEL, AMSPARK, AMSAKI, AMOZON, and 4 EA for AMBANTY."
12/11/63: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: Page 3: ..."A. TRAINING...2. AMSPARK team began PM caching training 10 Dec."
104-10172-10101: DISPATCH: PROGRESS REPORT ON AMDENIM-1 - PERIOD 1 OCT 63-31 MAY 1964
06/24/64: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Deputy Chief, WH/SA: "1. Upon his return from ISOLATION (CIA's Camp Peary, also known as "The Farm") with the AMSPARK Team, AMDENIM-1 (Alberto Fernandez Hechevarria) indicated that his preferred preoccupation was going to be the Team and that he did not again care to become involved in broadscale recruitments and the development of operations...It seems he had been unwilling to let the SPARK team leader run the team in training and it wasn't until the chief instructor asked him to stick to translating that he settled down...2. The first incident to show that Subject was not really limiting himself to the Team was a voluntary presentation he made on the molasses industry wherein he provided information that a PBPRIME (U.S.) company was actually beating the blockade of Cuba by dealing with a British subsidiary...The results of the effort were reported as successful by Subject himself wherein he relayed letters he had received from contacts who advised that customers of the PBPRIME company were actually stopping orders. A further indication of his continued involvement on a full-time basis was his suggestion that AMSEED-3 (Dionisio Pastrana Moreno) be contacted at his duty post with ODIBEX (U.S. Army) and advised of our desirability of putting him into the target area as soon as possible. This was done and upon his separation AMSEED-3 was put in charge of the AMSPARK Team...4...His activities on behalf of the AMSPARK Team throughout their preparations were constructive and imaginative. He worked out internal contacts and emergency plans with genuine interest and in a professional manner. 5...On this particular attempted infiltration the Team was stopped by a faulty radar on the Intermediate Craft and thus, after unprecedented efforts to make repairs so far from Base, the operation was aborted and the team returned to the JMWAVE area." (CONTINUED BELOW)
104-10172-10101: DISPATCH: PROGRESS REPORT ON AMDENIM-1 - PERIOD 1 OCT 63-31 MAY 1964
"Subject was for the most part kept away from the Team on their return by keeping him busy with other things, but his influence was present in AMSPARK-2 who eventually precipitated a fight with AMSPARK-3 over the latter's Batistiano background. 6. A careful check of the cause for this split revealed that AMSPARK-3 had been unwilling to accept AMSPARK-2's support of AMDENIM-1's point of view and had thus requested the C/O to do something about it. Since AMSPARK-2 was the only area guide he remained with the team and a replacement for the other man was found...8. The AMSPARK Team again headed for Oriente in March and this time they were successfully infiltrated...9. With the AMSPARK area now fully alerted it became necessary to locate a guide for a different entry point in Oriente. Subject was provided with a number of leads among fishermen refugees and quickly sorted them out and came up with AMBIG-3 (Ricardo Adelis Cobos) who had previously been cleared and then not used due to the press of other business. The new guide was quickly recleared and put with AMSEED-3 (Dionisio Pastrana Moreno) and for the most part kept busy with training and other preparations. Subject was pleased with the continued effort to create an operation in Oriente, but he was disappointed that AMSPARK-2 was even temporarily out of the act as this removed from the center of activity the man to whom he felt closest. The launching of the IGNITE team, which was the new operation to infiltrate the AMSPARK Team Leader, pleased him..."
"Record: AM...Mary's Comments: AMADDER, AMANCHOR, AMART, AMATHENA, AMBANG, AMBANTY, AMBARB, AMBASE, AMBEACH, AMBIDDY, AMBLOOD, AMBOA, AMBUD, AMCANOE, AMCHALICE, AMCLATTER, AMCOG, AMCONCERT, AMCOVE, AMCROAK, AMCROW, AMCRUEL, AMCRUZ, AMDEAD, AMDOT, AMEREBUS, AMFAUNA, AMFOR, AMFOX, AMHALF, AMHAM, AMHICK, AMHIM, AMHINT, AMHOLY, AMILIAD, AMJUDGE, AMKHAN, AMKNOB, AMKNOCK, AMLAME, AMLASH, AMLEMNOS, AMLEO, AMLIE, AMLILAC, AMLISP, AMLUNY, AMLYRIC, AMMICE, AMMILL, AMMING, AMMUG, AMORP, AMOT, AMOZON, AMPAL, AMPAR, AMQUAR, AMRALLY, AMRIPE, AMROD, AMRUSTY, AMSAKI, AMSAUCE, AMSCOPE, AMSCROLL, AMSHATTER, AMSOUR, AMSPARK, AMSPELL, AMSTASH, AMSTONE, AMSTRUT, AMSUM, AMSUMAC, AMSWEEP, AMTABBY, AMTHRILL, AMTHUG, AMTRUNK, AMTURVY, AMWARM, AMWEE, AMWHIP, AMWORRY, AMWORLD, AMWREN, AMYUM."