Cryptonym: WITHRUSH
Documents from 1961 to 1970 stated that anti-Castro Cubans such as Fausto Gomez Gomez, Acelo Pedroso, Francisco Bartes (AMSERF-1), Juan Peron, Santiago Mendez, Antonio Soto Vasquez and Angel Hernandez Rojo (AMCRUMP-7) were associated with the WITHRUSH project. 180-10145-10158, p. 1: Eduardo Whitehouse was active in WITHRUSH during 1964-65.
104-10177-10226: CIA FILE ON MORALES NAVARETTE, RICARDO
The "WITHRUSH Personnel Cable Locator" is the title of a worksheet. There is also a column for employees "nominated for WITHRUSH". At page 105, a 6/10/66 cable from the Special Operations Division states: "although realize REDACTED already possesses OA (operational approval) for former (CIA) use, HQS prefers discontinuing recruitment attempts for WITHRUSH program. Prefers make general practice avoid recruiting pilots who have had any former intelligence connection or whose history reflects derog information..."
104-10220-10082: REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OR INVESTIGATIVE ACTION: ACEIN PEDROSO AMORES
7/29/61: Request for approval was made to use Acelo Pedroso for ordnance and tech in the Congo with the project WITHRUSH.
104-10110-10272: CABLE RE FRANCISCO BARTES, JUAN PERON, AND SANTIAGO MENDEZ
12/6/63 cable WAVE 7720 from Director to JMWAVE, slugline CHAPPIE WITHRUSH PBRUMEN, ref WAVE 7591: "Francisco Bartes, Juan Peron, and Santiago Mendez departing NY via Pan Am 150/7 without Congo visa. Please meet...(Bartes) received U512 from ODURGE/INS in New Orleans and (Peron and Mendez) received (US) multi entry documents Miami."
104-10220-10088: MEMO: RID TRACES ON THRUSH PROGRAM
08/19/64, Memo from Chief, Air Branch, SOD to CI/OA (extremely faded print, best guess, N.B, C-Numbers excluded): "RID traces were reviewed and no derogatory information was found on the following subjects: MISHOU, Leighton - 201 Number - 747485; (Unintelligible) Thomas - 757484; BLANCO, Gomez - 292113; BLAZQUEZ, dol Pozo - 757750; CERECEDA, Coira - 283378; DE SOSA Chaban - 285621; FILPES, Sanchez - 328695; (Unintelligible) Penodo - 298061; FORNELL, Y. - 757053; GARCIA, Acosta - 287473; GOMEZ Gomez - 283486; (Unintelligible) Blanco - 290318; SIERRA Rey - 288237; TORRIENTE Iglesias - 291377; (Unintelligible) Alonso - 353651; (Unintelligible) Villaviernoio (sp) - 284512; (Unintelligible) Dominquez - 282139; FERNANDEZ Alvarez - 286854; GARCIA Pujol - 287150; GARCIA Fernandez - 284168; (Unintelligible) - 280604..." Ginebra-Groero - 283485 (rest mostly unintelligible).
104-10220-10065: REQUEST FOR CANCELLATION ACELO PEDROSO AMORES
11/17/64 memo to Chief, CI/OA from SOD/AF/OPS: "(Acelo Pedroso Amores) served as an ordnance technician for Project WITHRUSH in the Congo." 201-297748. C-90515. Subject was no longer needed for the project.
104-10130-10431: PROJECT ((DELETION))
5/20/65 memo from Robert Gambino, Security Officer, Special Operations Division to Chief, Alien Affairs, OS: Goal was to hire Antonio Soto Vasquez, OS# 242369, for employment in the Congo for Project WITHRUSH. Soto was one of the 11 arrested in Lacombe, Louisiana on 7/31/63. Another projected hire was Mario A. Ginebra-Groero Perez (201-283485), who along with Fausto Gomez Gomez (201-285486) was a candidate with Sturgis' friend IUSTEER-1 (201-283488)
https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/104-10189-10021.pdf
"On 27 May 1965 SOD/AB/OPS/3 requested a POA on Subject to permit his use as a pilot in Leopoldsville, the Congo, in Project WITHRUSH. The POA was granted on 20 July 1965. A PRQ II, filled out on 9 September 1975, shows that Bartes' file did not indicate that he knew personally any WOFIRM case officers except Roberto MEDELL, principal agent in Miami for the WITHRUSH project."
104-10182-10007: CIA FILE ON EDUARDO JULIUS WHITEHOUSE INSUA.
6/10/65 cable from Director to JMWAVE, slugline CHAPPIE WITHRUSH PBRUMEN: "Although realize REDACTED already possesses WITHRUSH OA for former (CIA) use, HQS prefers discontinuance recruitment attempts for WITHRUSH program. Prefer make general practice avoid pilots who have had any former intelligence connection or whose history reflects derog information even if not substantiated after LCFLUTTER examination."
104-10221-10007: CIA FILE ON ANTONIO SOTO VAZQUEZ.
6/22/65 memo from Chief, IUPAGAN to Chief, KUCURL, re Helicopter Flight Training for WITHRUSH: "The primary purposes of this program was to prepare two WITHRUSH pilots (IDEN A and IDEN B) to operate a 47GB31 Bell Helicopter under simulated tactical conditions involving rescue and reconnaissance operations...IDEN B - Mr. Antonio Soto Vasquez."
104-10164-10002: BARTES-CLARENS, FRANCISCO ANTONIO.
2/1/66 cable from JMWAVE to Director: "...exceptionally high evaluation by (Cuban) flight evaluators in Miami of Bartes (B) and Navarro (N)...WAVE concentrated on multi-engine procedures based on proposed usage of (Bartes)."
104-10104-10049: MEMO: CRIMINAL PROSECUTION - ALPHA 66
07/01/70: Memo from Wesley B. Laybourne, Acting Chief, WH/COG, to Office of General Counsel (Attention: Mr. John K. Greaney): "1. a. Angel Manuel Hernandez Rojo: DPOB: 4 October 1933, Havana, Cuba, Recruited: 23 March 1964, Terminated: 30 April 1965. Hernandez, a former DRE boat operator, was an active ACSI source before his termination and release for Agency recruitment as captain of an Agency support vessel. At his own request, Hernandez was terminated in April 1965. Following termination, he was appointed Chief of the MDC Military Department. In December 1965 Hernandez, a former Cuban pilot, was reemployed as a pilot in the (WITHRUSH) program. Following an accident in the Congo, Hernandez was returned to the U.S. in early 1966 and was terminated for incompetence in handling his assignment. He reportedly became involved in exile activities against Cuba shortly after his return..."