Cryptonym: AMTRUNK-7
A dispatch in October 1964 mentioned that AMTRUNK-7 had been terminated in July 1964. A CIA memo in 1976 stated that Pedro Diaz Torres was terminated in July, 1964, due to an earlier disciplinary issue. The memo also mentioned that Diaz had been used as an area guide and boatsman on an infiltration operation into Cuba in July, 1963.
However, a dispatch in January, 1966, stated that AMTRUNK-7 was again part of the AMTRUNK Operation. In terms of AMTRUNK-7's salary, a dispatch in April 1964 noted he earned $200, and the dispatch in January 1966 stated A-7's payment was now $500, more than double what it had been in 1964. The memo in 1976 mentioned above also noted that Diaz was rehired in March, 1965, as a guide for an infiltration operation. Pedro Diaz Torres was declared surplus to requirements by the CIA in May of 1966. Unfortunately, Diaz was executed, probably around December, 1969, after he and seven other colleagues went on an infiltration operation to exfiltrate their families, and was presumably captured.
Moreover, Orlando Vega Herrera told the FBI in an interview in February, 1965, that he was currently residing with Pedro Diaz Torres. Herrera was also a SNFE member and follower of Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo. According to an interview with the FBI in February, 1965, following his termination from the CIA in July, 1964, Pedro Diaz Torres made a successful trip into Cuba in August-September 1964. He was able to secure the escape of a cousin, Antonio Diaz Molina, of Marti, Matanzas. This was alluded to in the dispatch of October, 1964, which stated AMTRUNK-7 had made an independent trip into Cuba in September, 1964.
04/24/63: Interview of Pedro Diaz Torres by SAs Peter J. Nero and William Mayo Drew, Jr.: "Pedro Diaz Torres was interviewed at the Detention Facility of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), located at Opa-Locka, Florida, Air Base...Diaz stated he was born July 11, 1939, at Marti, Matanzas, Cuba. He said he arrived in the United States on July 18, 1962, at Key West, Florida, in a small boat, and that he had been active in the anti-Castro movement in Cuba. He said he was a fisherman by occupation, and that his last Miami address was 362 West Flagler Street, Apartment #9, Miami, Fla. Diaz advised he left the United States the last time on October 3, 1962, in a boat of the Second National Front of Escambray (SNFE) named 'Santa Elena.' He said one Ernesto Diaz was the pilot, and there were two other members of the SNFE aboard. They proceeded out into international waters, and subsequently made a rendezvous with a 'Sigma' type boat also belonging to the SNFE. Thereafter, they proceeded to a small key in the Bahama Islands. Diaz said he did not know the name of the key or its location. Diaz advised he remained at this key from October of 1962, until the early part of April, 1963, when he and other members of the SNFE were arrested by British authorities and taken to Nassau. He said that while he was at this key, he had not participated in any attack against Cuba or against any boat in Cuban waters. He said he worked at the SNFE camp on this key, doing general housekeeping duties, and he was not personally aware of any of the details of any attacks staged by the SNFE. Diaz stated he had no information regarding the origin of funds, arms or supplies in the possession of the SNFE, and he did not care to relate anything regarding the activities of SNFE members while they were at their base in the Bahama Islands..." Diaz's INS number was A12 822 066.
9/14/63 memo: "Tony (Antonio Diaz) and Cando (Candido Diaz) arrived at 2000 hrs on the 10th. We received more information on the area and we agreed with them on the time and place where Jose Lopez (AMTRUNK-10 - a note says 'should be AMTRUNK-9) would be picked up. They took David (Pardo - the alias for Miguel Diaz) (AMICE-14) and Carlos (AMTRUNK-7) in the boat, to dry land, leaving Tomas (AMTRUNK-8) in charge of the boat with Jose." (page 22 of 24): September 1963 AMTRUNK Progress Report: "The AMTRUNK team was picked up by the British destroyer "Caprice" at Cay Sal on the afternoon of 23 August approximately 20 minutes before the (CIA) boat 'Matusa Times' reached them. The cover story given to the Brits was that they were a group of refugees fleeing from Cuba...AMICE-27 (Dr. Nestor Moreno) used the name 'Leon Lopez'; AMICE-14 (Miguel A. Diaz Isalgue) used the name 'David Pardo'; AMTRUNK-7 used the name 'Carlos Menendez'; AMTRUNK-8 used the name 'Rodrigo Fernandez Lopez'; AMTRUNK-9 (Modesto Orlando Orozco Basulto) used the name 'Jose Lopez'...the majority of the talking was done by the team leader AMICE-27." (p. 10): At the time of their landing, they first touched base at the farm of Antonio Garcia and Francisco Garcia, where they left for a series of destinations. (p. 20): The group called into Jorge Volsky/AMTRUNK-1 on the evening of 8/23/63.
104-10077-10246: CABLE: APPRECIATE PHOTOGRAPHS FORWARDED REFS ON AMICE-14 AND
12/04/63: Cable from Director to JMWAVE: Slugline RYBAT TYPIC AMTRUNK MHAPRON: REFS. A. UFGA-12602. B. UFGA-12603. C. UFGA-12604. D. UFGA-12605. "Appreciate photographs forwarded Refs on AMICE-14 (Miguel A. Diaz Isalgue) and AMTRUNKS 7, 8, and 9 (Modesto Orlando Orozco Basulto). Encourage obtaining and forwarding to HQs photos all agent personnel and MHAPRON (worldwide program for the penetration of the power centers and armed forces of the Cuban regime) targets when possible."
12/12/63: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: "SUPDATA: AMICE-14 (Miguel A. Diaz Isalgue), from AMTRUNK-7 with para 1 from Humberto (REDACTION), member of a DRE-sponsored infiltration team, who obtained the information from unidentified local fishermen and para 2 from Irene (REDACTION) the widow of Juan (REDACTION) who received the information in a call from Magdalena (REDACTION), the mother of Lazaro (REDACTION). Please protect subsources." - - - Page 2: "1. As of 5 December 1963, the Northern coastal area of Matanzas Province, particularly that in the vicinity of Rio Palma (N 23-04, W 80-54), was under militia surveillance. 2. As of 9 December, many persons had been arrested in Marti, Itabo, and Maximo Gomez, Matanzas Province, and militia were all along the coastline in this area..."
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 2: ..."The decision was made during the same week of 18 November to bring into the operation two radio operators who had recently completed their basic radio training. During the December operation, one of the radio operators, AMAKA-1 (note: alias Antonio Garcia), would accompany AMICE-14 (Miguel A. Diaz Isalgue) and the two boatmen, AMTRUNK-7 and AMTRUNK-8, on the Boston Whaler to provide rapid communications between the AMTRUNK infil/exfiltration area and JMWAVE...In preparation for December, AMICE-14, AMAKA-1, and AMTRUNK-7 and -8 received maritime refresher training and ran additional tests on the 16' 7' Boston Whaler during the week of 25 November..." - - - 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 and AMTRUNK-7 and -8: 1. Oscar Diaz Jabiela-Garcia: Oscar Diaz is a 52-year old commercial fisherman who has lived all his life in Marti, Matanzas Province. His wife, Emilia Torres Diaz, is AMTRUNK-7's aunt. They have five children: Antonio Diaz Torres, 26 years old who works with his father as a fisherman; Ramona, age 27; Angel, age 24 who is in the U.S.; Mercedes, 15 and Rosa, 12. Oscar Diaz and his son Antonio own and operate an 18 ft. boat with an inboard 12 hp motor. The boat is called 'El Chino' and operates throughout the Bay of Santa Clara..."
104-10216-10148 DISPATCH: TRANSMITTAL OF OPERATIONAL PLAN FOR AMTRUNK VII
1/22/64 dispatch: Primary function is as a coastal guide, with limited formal education. Extensive maritime and weapons training, with three days of instruction in basic tradecraft principles. - - - 04/14/64: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Special Affairs Staff: I. OPERATIONAL ACTIVITY:..."Four of the AMTRUNK team members participated in this operation: AMICE-14 (Miguel A. Diaz Isalgue), team leader; AMAGREE-1, radio operator; and the team guides, AMTRUNK-7 and -16. Although fired upon by a patrol craft early in the infiltration phase, the operation was partially successful in that the AMLASH (Rolando Cubela Secades) cache of weapons and explosives was emplaced..." - - - Page 2: ..."3. OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES: Salaries...AMTRUNK-7 $200.00..." https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=24801&relPageId=2
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: ..."The majority of these contacts had been established originally by AMICE-14 (Miguel A. Diaz Isalgue) and AMTRUNK-7, the former being prohibited from participating in further infiltration operations and the latter having been terminated...11. WAVE had heard that AMTRUNK-15, the intermediary contact between AMTRUNK-18 in the infil/exfiltration area and AMTRUNK-11 (Carlos Pedraza Aguilar) in the Matanzas/Havana area, had been arrested attempting to flee Cuba in a small boat around the time of Hurricane Cleo. This information had come indirectly from AMTRUNK-7 who since his termination in July 1964 had made an independent trip into Cuba in early September..."
104-10073-10127: ARRIVAL OF CUBAN ANTI-CASTRO GROUP IN PUERTO RICO
02/02/65: Memorandum from Justin F. Gleichauf, Chief, Miami Field Office (By: San Juan Resident Agent) to Chief, Contact Division (For: Support Branch): "1. On 26 January 1965, the motor vessel El Mameye, used by anti-Castro Cuban refugees, arrived at Joyuda, Puerto Rico and the crew turned themselves over to US Customs authorities at Mayaguez. Aboard the vessel were the captain, Jose Antonio Mouriz Febles, radioman Sergio Lopez Ruiz de Parras; and three guerrilla fighters - Eduardo Rodriguez Padron, Orlando Vega Herrera, and Pedro Diaz Torres, all Cubans...3. The men stated that a group (passage obscured) Eduardo Rodriguez Padron, Jose Antonio Mouriz Febles, Angel Banos Pantoja, and Noel Salas Santos, left Joyuda, Puerto Rico originally on July 4, 1964 on the El Mameye for the Dominican Republic where a base had been established at Punta Presidente, on the northern coast of that island. On 6 October 1964, another group composed of Pedro Diaz Torres, Orlando Vega Herrera, Roberto Pineda Escalante, and ten or eleven unnamed Cubans left Anasco, Puerto Rico for the Dominican Republic...7. During the interrogation, the men stated that they had expected to hear by radio from Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo within five days after he had landed in Cuba. They stated he had landed at Baracoa, but would not provide details of this landing. When they did not hear from Menoyo as expected, they became panicky..."
02/04/65: Interview of Pedro Diaz Torres by SA Wendell W. Hall, Jr. at Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico: ..."Diaz advised that he was born July 11, 1939, at Matanzas, Cuba, and arrived in the United States July, 1962, by small boat from Cuba at Key West, Florida. He advised that while in Puerto Rico at this time he is living in Apartment 904, Darlington Apartments, Santurce, Puerto Rico. Diaz advised that he had been in Cuba on one occasion, and made two additional attempts to enter Cuba since he first arrived in the United States. All trips were made during 1964. In August - September 1964, he made a successful trip into Cuba and spent ten days in hiding in his home town of Matanzas. He was able to secure the escape of a cousin Antonio Diaz Molina, of Marti, Matanzas. Diaz stated that he had been associated with the SNFE for sometime and was among those members of the SNFE arrested in the Bahamas in 1963. Diaz stated that he came to Puerto Rico in October, 1964, and went to a house in Anasco where he met others from the SNFE, including Orlando Vega Herrera, Sergio Lopez Ruiz de Porras and Roberto Pineda Escalante. On October 6, 1964, the 'Mameyes' returned from the Dominican Republic and picked them up. The captain of the ship was Jose Mouriz Febles and he had two members of the crew with him. They left Anasco for their base in the Dominican Republic on October 6, 1964, and the boat had about fourteen people including the captain and crew. Diaz stated that he had remained in the camp from their arrival on October 6 or 7 until they left on January 24, 1965. They returned to Joyuda, Puerto Rico, on January 27, 1965, and learned of the capture of their leader in Cuba on their arrival in Puerto Rico. He stated that Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo and his three companions were landed in Cuba on December 28, 1964. He further stated that no one in the base knew which persons were going to go on the trip to Cuba before the boat left..."
02/04/65: Interview of Orlando Vega Herrera by SA Wendell W. Hall, Jr. at Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico: ..."His permanent address in the United States is 1046 NW 3rd Street, Miami, Florida. Vega stated that he had made one trip to Cuba since his first arrival in the United States during 1963 and with the SNFE. Vega stated that he had been with the SNFE for some time and was among those members of the SNFE arrested in the Bahamas in 1963. He stated that he has received no support, aid or assistance from any agency of the United States Government either presently or in the past. Vega stated that he came to Puerto Rico in October, 1964, and went to Anasco, Puerto Rico, where he met others from the SNFE. On arrival of the 'Mameyes' from the Dominican Republic, they boarded and proceeded to their base in the Dominican Republic. He stated he remained there until January 24, 1965, when they again boarded the 'Mameyes' and retuned to Joyuda, Puerto Rico, arriving on January 27, 1965. He is presently residing with Pedro Diaz Torres in Apartment 904 of the Darlington Apartments, Santurce, Puerto Rico. Vega stated that while in Anasco, Puerto Rico, neither he nor his companions engaged in any type of training and had no arms of any type. They did have clothing and radios but no other type of equipment."
01/27/66: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, WH: 1. OPERATIONAL ACTIVITY:..."As now constituted, the AMTRUNK complex is composed of the following: AMICE-14 (Miguel A. Diaz Isalgue), P/A; AMAKA-1, Team Leader; AMAROMA-2, Radop; AMTRUNK-7, Guide; and AMLUNT-2 (Duney Perez Alamo) and AMTRUNK-24 and -21, MHAPRON (worldwide program for the penetration of the power centers and armed forces of the Cuban regime) recruiters..." - - - Page 2: ..."2. OPERATIONAL EXPENSES: Salaries...AMTRUNK-7 $500.00..."
104-10310-10114: MEMORANDUM: SSC REQUEST (SFNE)
05/14/76: Memorandum from Raymond A. Warren, Acting Chief, Latin America Division to The Review Staff (Attention: Seymour Bolten) via SA/DDO: Page 7: "Pedro Diaz Torres: POA 29 August 1963, OA February 1964. Used as an area guide and boatsman on an infiltration operation in July 1963. Terminated July 1964 because of earlier disciplinary problem. In PROP1Q dated 12 August 1963 Diaz reported that he was a member of the SNFE from mid-1962 to early 1963 (apparently until he was picked up by CIA). Rehired March 1965 as a guide for an infiltration operation. Declared surplus in May 1966 when the infiltration op was rolled up. Report dated December 1969 states that Diaz and seven colleagues went on an infiltration mission (not connected with CIA) to exfiltrate their families. Diaz was executed."