Cryptonym: AMTRUNK-18
A memo by Reuben A. Hannula in late 1963 listed Diaz as among the AMTRUNK contacts in northern Matanzas Province. Candido Diaz was "a 32-year-old commercial fisherman who lives at Cristina and San Juan de Dios Streets in Cardenas, Matanzas Province. Candido Diaz fishes with Oscar Diaz (note: no relation) in the Bay of Santa Clara area...Candido Diaz owns a 1951 Chevrolet, green body and white top, which has been used by AMICE-27 (note: Dr. Nestor Moreno) and AMICE-14 (note: Miguel A. Diaz Isalgue) on the first leg of their infiltration trip into Havana."
AMTRUNK-18 was arrested for counter-revolutionary activity during early 1966. AMTRUNK-18 was a fisherman and was known as "Valentin" in a S/W message.
Arrested with AMTRUNK-18 were three others - Antonio Diaz Torres, fisherman, Marti, Matanzas (note: a relation of Pedro Diaz Torres?), Esmerado Montalvo aka Aldito, taxi driver, Guipuzcoa, Matanzas, and Frank Fundora Fraga, ex-owner and present manager of Salt Works on Cinco Leguas Key, Matanzas. According to a dispatch in October, 1964, Frank Fundora Fraga (IDEN A - Page 9) was a long-time friend of AMTRUNK-16: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=110985#relPageId=5&tab=page
104-10234-10105: IDENTITY PAGE
Undated CIA document: "AMTRUNK-5: (REDACTION). AMTRUNK-9: Orozco Basulto, Modesto. AMTRUNK-10: Ramon Tomas Guin Diaz. AMTRUNK-11: Pedraza, Carlos. AMTRUNK-13: (REDACTION). AMTRUNK-15: (REDACTION). AMTRUNK-18: Candido Diaz. AMTRUNK-20: Enrique Herrera Aro. AMICE-14: Pascasio Lineras Lopez. AMFAUNA-1: David Cabeza Coupau. AMFAUNA-3: Hortensia Orizondo Meneses."
104-10215-10221: DISPATCH: AMTRUNK PROGRESS REPORT, PERIOD 1-30 NOVEMBER 1963
12/17/63: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Special Affairs Staff: Page 4: Memo for the record from Reuben A. Hannula: SUBJECT: AMTRUNK Contacts in Northern Matanzas Province: The following is a listing of the AMTRUNK contacts in northern Matanzas Province which was obtained by Reuben A. Hannula from AMICE-14 (Miguel A. Diaz Isalgue) and AMTRUNK-7 (Pedro Diaz Torres) and 8:...2. Candido Diaz: Candido Diaz (no relation to Oscar above) is a 32-year-old commercial fisherman who lives at Cristina and San Juan de Dios Streets in Cardenas, Matanzas Province. Candido Diaz fishes with Oscar Diaz in the Bay of Santa Clara area. His wife, Sobeida, is about 20 years old. They have a 2-year old son. Candido Diaz owns a 1951 Chevrolet, green body and white top, which has been used by AMICE-27 (Dr. Nestor Moreno) and AMICE-14 on the first leg of their infiltration trip into Havana..." - - - 03/20/64: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Special Affairs Staff: Subject: TYPIC/Operational AMLASH Cache Recovery Plan: Candido Diaz was IDEN B: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=67931#relPageId=4
05/11/64: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Deputy Chief, WH/SA: Page 2: ..."It should be pointed out that the cache recovery plan entails a rather complicated chain of communications, from AMTRUNK-10 to AMTRUNK-11 to AMTRUNK-15 to AMTRUNK-18, a fisherman in the AMTRUNK infil/exfil area who will actually recover the cache. AMTRUNK-10 has been given an open code which he can use in a commercial cable to tell WAVE when the cache is recovered..."
104-10216-10168: S/W LETTER NO 9 FROM AMTRUNK-11 RCVD WAVE 9 JUNE PLUS 10 JUNE PHONE CALL
06/11/64: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: Slugline RYBAT TYPIC AMTRUNK MHAPRON: "S/W letter No 9 from AMTRUNK-11 received WAVE 9 June plus 10 June phone call to AMICE-14 mother who lives with IDEN A of Ref B indicates S/W supplies for AMTRUNK-10 and 11 delivered to A-11 9 June as per Ref A plan. From context of letter appears A-11 in touch with other 3 AMTRUNKS needed to recover AMLASH cache, i.e. AMTRUNK-10, 15 and 18. Also indication A-10 'situation not good' but A-11 does not elaborate. Text of letter follows by dispatch."
104-10234-10175: CABLE: S/W LETTER NUMBER 13 FROM AMTRUNK-11 RCVD WAVE 29 JUNE
Possibly circa July 1964: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: Slugline RYBAT TYPIC MHAPRON AMTRUNK AMLASH: "1. SW letter Number 10 from AMTRUNK-11 received 29 June indicates steps taken recover AMLASH cache emplaced by AMTRUNKS March 64. A-11 reports AMTRUNK-15 in contact with AMTRUNK-18, that cache located and 'will be brought out piece by piece.' 2. WAVE Comment: Since A-11 not told location of above cache, would appear AMTRUNK-10 has received WAVE S/W Messages six or seven both of which transmitted instructions for recovery first AMLASH cache. Assume A-10 used S/W supplies delivered by A-11 to develop messages and then sent A-11 Cardenas with cache recovery plan to be passed AMTRUNK-15 and AMTRUNK-18. Next WAVE S/W message to A-11 will attempt clarify above."
104-10216-10206: DISPATCH: TRANSMISSION OF S/W MESSAGES TO AND FROM AMTRUNK NETWORK
08/17/64: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Deputy Chief, WH: Page 9: ..."On the 24th I was in Cardenas. Horacio (A-15) was in Havana so I was unable to get information on Valentin (AMTRUNK-18)..."
Undated: This is another SW message mentioning AMTRUNK-18. The name is readacted this time. Is it Valentin again or another name?
104-10216-10314: DISPATCH: SUBJECT - AFTER ACTION REPORT, OPERATION AMTRUNK IX, 3-9 OCTOBER 1964
10/26/64: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Deputy Chief, WH/SA: Page 4: ..."12...Although he had been successful in reaching IDEN A and enlisting his cooperation, AMAGREE-1 was well aware that because of the increased activity in the area he might not be able to remain there until the weekend to contact AMTRUNK-18. He therefore decided to put all of his eggs in one basket and attempt to salvage something from the operation. 13...If the reports of AMTRUNK-15's arrest were true, IDEN A should attempt to ascertain from AMTRUNK-18 whether or not he had a means of contacting AMTRUNK-11. If AMTRUNK-18 did have a way of contacting AMTRUNK-11, IDEN A should give the oil can device to A-18 for passing to A-11. 14. AMAGREE-1 had already written the directions for recovering the AMKHAN-2 dead drop in Havana Province. He gave these to IDEN A with instructions for passing them to AMTRUNK-18 who could then contact IDEN D, a taxi-driver in the area, and ask IDEN D to attempt to recover the materials in the dead drop. If successful in recovering these items, IDEN D should pass them to A-18 who in turn would give them to IDEN A for safekeeping until the AMTRUNKs return to the area..." - - - Page 9: "IDEN Sheet: IDEN A - Frank Fundora Fraga: Administrator and past owner of Salt Works on northern Cinos Lagoon Key, NE Matanzas Province...IDEN D - (Unintelligible) Montalvo aka 'Aldito': Taxi driver in (Unintelligible) near Marti, Matanzas..."
104-10309-10000: CABLE: UNTIL KUBARK HAS OBTAINED CLEARER INSIGHT BONA FIDES
09/07/65: Cable from Director to JMWAVE (Orig: S. L. Darling, WH/C/MO/FI-CI): TYPIC AMTRUNK AMLASH AMWHIP: "1. Until KUBARK (CIA) has obtained clearer insight bona fides AMLASH-1 from intensive interrogation and re-LCFLUTTER AMWHIP-1 per Ref A, must assume entire AMLASH-1/AMTRUNK-10 complex controlled or DSE monitored. 2. Desire therefore JMWAVE defer consideration possibility recontact AMTRUNK-18 or any AMTRUNK ratline contacts per para 6 Ref B pending clarification DSE role this network."
Late 1964-October 1965 - STEAMER VII-VIII - planned for a duration of 20 days and was to entail establishing the ratline and sending AMTRUNK-21 to Havana to accomplish his objectives and to set up facilities for his MHAPRON partner, AMTRUNK-22, to be used on later infil. Team members brought back wild tale about how remainder of AMTRUNK cache (see AMTRUNK VIII) was 'returned to the US'. AMTRUNK-18 said a person who identified himself only as 'Bobby', a perfume salesman living in Varadera (note: Varadero?) had transferred the AMLASH cache to a boat from the US in late 1964. According to AMTRUNK-18 'Bobby' was a former CIA asset who re-infiltrated Cuba (circa 1963) with all necessary documentation to establish himself legally in area. Only clue to Bobby's identity is fact he in possession AMLASH cache recovery plan which was either given to him willingly by AMLASH-15 or extracted thru DSE investigation. The true names of AMLASH-15 and AMLASH-18 were passed to Cubela in Paris in Feb. 1965."
104-10234-10409: ASSETS ARRESTED IN AMLASH CASE
3/9/66 cable from JMWAVE, slugline TYPIC AMTRUNK AMLASH MHAPRON: "In addition recent arrest AMLASH-1 and AMTRUNK-10, refugee reports from Cardenas, Matanzas area indicate four former AMTRUNK internal assets, AMTRUNK-18 and IDENS A, B and C arrested for counter-revolutionary activity during early 66. With Dec 65 arrest AMTRUNK-11 reported (WAVE 8471) and late 64 arrest AMTRUNK-15 (WAVE 6745, 1/4/65 & WAVE 7302, 1/19/65), all principals AMTRUNK network during 63-64 since rolled up. AMTRUNKS 10, 11, 15, 18 and REF A/WAVE 8471, former ratline thru which AMLASH cache emplaced Mar 64 (UFGA 14496, 3/30/64) to have been passed Havana..." Arrested with AMTRUNK-18 was IDEN A - Antonio Diaz Torres, fisherman, Marti, Matanzas. IDEN B - Esmerado Montalvo aka Aldito, taxi driver, Guipuzcoa, Matanzas. IDEN C - Frank Fundora Fraga, ex-owner and present manager of Salt Works on Cinco Leguas Key, Matanzas. The first two of these IDENs are further identified in 1994.04.26.11:46:50:000007 - page 72.
104-10225-10009: CIA FILE ON ( )SHELL-5.
03/08/68: AMSTALK-1 Damage Report: Page 3: ..."Internal Assets Exposed:...AMTRUNK-18."