Cryptonym: CITASTE
Although the TASTE element of the cryptonym appears in many locations, the CI digraph has been carefully protected. However in one location the redactor failed to remove it. This happened in a document (104-10315-10035) that concerned preparations for a meeting of Allan Dulles, Jake Esterline, Nixon's aide General Cushman, Vice President of U.S. Steel, Walter Donnelly, and William Pawley, in Pawley's Miami home on 1 April 1960.
The New York Times obituary to Donnelly on November 13, 1970, stated that while at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service he worked for the FBI, and also later worked for the Department of Justice for a year.
104-10061-10115: LIST OF NAMES RE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION
02/15/78: CIA document: Page 24: ..."CITASTE: Walter Donnelly, J. ..."
This version is in the MFF data base and the CI digraph is redacted.
Page 250: ..."On 21 March 1960, four days after formal approval of the anti-Castro program, Jake Esterline met with Pawley to plan a meeting to be held in Pawley's Miami residence which would include the DCI, Col. King, Gen. Cushman, and Walter J. Donnelly, Vice President of United States Steel and former ambassador to Venezuela as well as Mr. Pawley..."
104-10220-10115: CABLE: RE PONCHAY TELEPHONE CALL
03/23/60: Cable from Director to Caracas (Orig: J. Esterline, WH/4): "1. Station please pass to CITASTE: re Ponchay (Jake Esterline) telephone call CITASTE New York, meeting with Galbond (J. C. King), QDDALE (William Pawley) and Ponchay will take place Miami 2 and 3 April if date still convenient CITASTE. QDDALE requests CITASTE plan stay with him. 2. Station authorized reimburse CITASTE travel. QDDALE identity follows." Releasing Officer: (Signature) for J. C. King, C/WHD. Coordinating Officer: AC/WH/1: Edwin Terrell. Authenticating Officer: J. D. Esterline, C/WH/4.
https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/2022/104-10315-10037.pdf
04/08/60: Memo for the record from J. D. Esterline, C/WH/4: SUBJECT: Review of the Cuban Operation and Examination of Possibilities for Hemispheric Support from Liberal Governments: TIME & PLACE: QDDALE's (William Pawley) Home: 2245 Hours, 1 April 1960: PARTICIPANTS: DCI; C/WHD; General Robert Cushman, Vice Presidential Military Aide; Mr. Walter Donnelly, Vice President of U.S. Steel; and Mr. William Pawley, Industrialist: (This record is not in the MFF data base): "1. The DCI opened the meeting by stating that everybody present should be aware of the fact that Fidel Castro and his Communist-oriented regime must be removed from power in Cuba. He said the necessary approval had been given for an operation and that the chosen instrument will be a 'government in exile'...2. The DCI said that the government in exile had not yet found a seat of government, but that consideration is being given to Venezuela, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Mexico...Mr. Donnelly suggested that consideration might be given to Canada. The DCI said that in many ways Canada would be a good choice, but indicated that relations with Canada on other matters are such that Canada probably would not be used. The possibility of using Colombia or Mexico was then mentioned...Regarding, Colombia, both C/WHD and Mr. Donnelly said that the recent elections in Colombia, which came as somewhat of a surprise, cast serious doubt on the use of Colombia for this purpose...7. The question of whether oil sanction could be an effective weapon against Castro was mentioned. The DCI and C/WHD stated that they anticipated no immediate action in this area. The oil companies have recognized the fact that sooner or later Cuba will turn to the Sino-Soviet bloc for oil. Donnelly speculated that Castro is, in fact, playing the United States off against the Soviets in the matter of oil importation and that the only limiting factor in this gambit is the probable fact that the Soviets will want cash for oil they deliver..."
104-10048-10117: FRANK ANTHONY STURGIS: ACTIVITIES AND BIO
During Jan. 1961, "Subject claims to be awaiting repair of aircraft that he and DIAZ will fly under direction of ALLEN DULLES and/or CIA...(during Dec. 1962) Fiorini offered his services to Felipe Vidal Santiago (former Cuban Naval Attache in Caracas who defected from (Castro) government) but Vidal told him that he (Fiorini) couldn't participate."
104-10306-10011: DCI (MCCONE) MEMO FOR THE RECORD 06 APRIL - 08 JULY 1964.
01/01/64: CIA-DCI FILE: Page 4: ..."Item #: 71. Date of Meeting: 17 June. Participants: DCI, Peter Grace, Walter Donnelly, Col. King, FitzGerald. Subjects Covered: at residence M/R to be prepared by FitzGerald."
https://www.nytimes.com/1970/11/13/archives/walter-j-donnelly-dead-at-74-with-foreign-service-25-years.html
11/13/70: Obituary to Walter J. Donnelly in the New York Times: Titled: "Walter J. Donnelly. Dead at 74; With Foreign Service 25 Years: Walter J. Donnelly, who during his 25 years with the Foreign Service won distinction as one of this country's leading experts on Central and South American affairs, died yester day of a heart attack in Bogota, Columbia. He was 74 years old and had lived in Caracas. Venezuela. Mr. Donnelly served as Ambassador to Austria and High Commissioner for Austria from Sept. 20, 1950, to Aug. 1, 1952, when he succeeded John J. Mc Cloy as High Commissioner for West Germany. He resigned at the end of 1952 to be succeeded by James B. Conant, former president of Harvard. President Harry. S. Truman praised Mr. Donnelly's service in Austria. At the beginning of 1953 Mr. Donnelly became associated with the interests of United States Steel Corporation in Central and South America. He retired in January, 1966...Mr. Donnelly then studied on a scholarship at the George town University School of Foreign Service from 1919 to 1921. On another scholarship he attended George Washington University and studied Latin American history at the University of Caracas in 1921. While at Georgetown he worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and after his return from Venezuela he was a special agent for the Department of Justice for a year...In April, 1947, Mr. Donnelly was named Ambassador to Costa Rica, and that August Ambassador to Venezuela...In 1954 he was created Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Sylvester by Pope Pius XII. He held the Medal of Freedom from the United States and decorations from Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil and Cuba..."
https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/donnelly-walter-joseph
Walter Joseph Donnelly (1896–1970): "Career Foreign Service Officer. State of Residence: District of Columbia. 1. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Costa Rica): Appointed: April 10, 1947. Presentation of Credentials: June 27, 1947. Termination of Mission: Left post on October 15, 1947. 2. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Venezuela): Appointed: September 20, 1947. Presentation of Credentials: December 1, 1947. Termination of Mission: Left post on September 2, 1950. Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned on December 9, 1947, after confirmation. 3. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Austria): Appointed: September 20, 1950. Presentation of Credentials: October 25, 1950. Termination of Mission: Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on November 28, 1951. 4. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Austria): Appointed: November 16, 1951. Presentation of Credentials: November 28, 1951. Termination of Mission: Left post on July 19, 1952. Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned February 21, 1951, after confirmation."