Pseudonym: Cordova, Maximo de
In addition, the Cuban exile and member of Comandos L, Ramon Font Saumell, claimed that Comandos L had contacts with CIA officers using the war names "Frank" and "Maximo" (by meeting) and by letters, "Walter" and "Norman." The "Maximo" referred to here may have been Maximo de Cordova (who was probably Miami CIA officer, Tony Sforza). Sforza is also known to have used the alias "Frank Stephens."
Furthermore, a letter from "Joe" to "Maximo" was written at the end of November, 1962. It is possible that "Joe" was AMPAL-1 (Alec Resnick, who used the alias "Joe Anderson"), while "Maximo" may have referred to Maximo de Cordova. The handwritten notes alongside this letter indicate that they were those of a CIA officer (mentions of "PW", "CI", "PM" etc).
104-10312-10362: LIST OF NAMES: WILLIAM (RIP) RUTHERFORD
"Maximo de Cordova. Army officer. Got out in 1954. Worked with Department of Army, Intelligence Division, since that time. All Europe, Mexico, and Latin American experience. Inventory officer for twelve years." There were three other aliases on this list: William (Rip) Rutherford (Rip Robertson), Mickey Kelly (Mickey Kappes) and Alan Barton (possibly also known as Martin Laurenkus, whose true name was Rudy Enders). These may have been the four CIA officers who were part of Operation TILT.
1994.06.24.14:27:01:220005: Reel 70, Folder H - AMBUD MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES
11/30/62: Memorandum from Joe (Note: Possibly AMPAL-1, Alec Resnick, who used the alias "Joe Anderson") to Maximo (Note: Possibly Maximo de Cordova): Mention of an alleged Soviet base on the farm of Felipe Sixto (also a grocer) in Pinar del Rio Province in Cuba. (Handwritten: "Vague" alongside this paragraph). Second paragraph mentions Dr. Jose Rafael y Rafael (again, see complete para 1) had told Joe that a few days earlier Andres Nazario Sargent and "Roger" left for Cuba. They were said to be aiding Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo and his group who were alleged to be in a difficult position on a Key in the north of Las Villas Province (they required food). However, the boat carrying Nazario Sargent was damaged and they had to be helped back to Palm Beach. (Handwritten: "CI" alongside this paragraph). Third paragraph mentioned a meeting between Jose Rafael y Rafael and AMBUD-1 in Miami. Dr. Rafael informed A-1 that Juan Adler, Ignacio Mendoza and himself had visited Leonidas Plaza, ex-colonel of Ecuador army and brother of ex-president of Ecuador about ten days ago. (Handwritten alongside: "PM Security PW"). Fairly lengthy section mentioning Leonidas Plaza, Dr. Rafael's work with the resistance in Cuba to Castro, and the latter's link with Gonzalo Miranda, who belonged to Cuban Navy and was currently serving a 20 year sentence. Plaza had secured a interview with Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Relations, Falcon Briceno, on the formation of a Cuban government in exile. Dr. Rafael informed AMBUD-1 of this and told A-1 he refused to back the plan. (Handwritten alongside: "Check PW REDACTION who unknown Miro"). Last paragraph mentioned Pedro Muina and Manuel Quiza of Comando L-66. (Handwritten alongside: "CI").
104-10312-10361: CABLE: OP INVOLVING SOVIET DEFECTORS WHICH MR. WILLIAM PAWLEY HAS DISCUSSED
Based on the undated list of four names above, all of the names on that list appear to be aliases. "Pawley 65 foot yacht Flying Tiger will depart Miami 1800 hours 5 June. Aboard yacht will be Pawley's captain Luis Paez Guerra who Cuban national but long time trusted employee. (CIA) will have Donald F. Mazutis alias Mike Kelley (note: true name Mickey Kappes) and Marvin A. Laurenkus alias Alan Barton (note: true name Rudy Enders) on board Pawley yacht. This yacht due arrive Hogsty reef 0600 hours 8 June. Yacht will anchor reef area...(CIA PBY - PBY is an abbreviation for 'US Navy medium to heavy twin amphibious aircraft - used for maritime patrol, water bomber, and search and rescue') under dry lease to Pawley will arrive Hogsty Reef 0630 hours 8 June and land in protected area Hogsty Reef. (Aircraft) will contain Pawley, Martino, Spencer from LIFE, Irving G. Cadick alias William Rutherford, Oliver Fortson alias Maximo de Cordoba and eight Cubans. Party will be transferred by RB-12 from (aircraft) to Pawley yacht. Entire party will board Pawley yacht, take Cuban craft in tow, and head for launch point. (Aircraft) leaves area. Pawley yacht, surveilled by LEDA radar...goes from reef to launch point which 25 miles off Cuba in commercial sea lanes...Here Cubans loaded into their craft. Once they in their craft they passed ammo in boxes and while being covered by arms on Pawley yacht Cubans are then cut loose at 2200 hours 8 June for trip to Cuba. Cubans on mission will be Ernesto Duenas (201-298397), Eduardo Perez/AMDENIM-11 (201-294665), Rene Lamoru...Dennis Rigal....Luis Cantin...Rolando Rodriguez...Tomas Vaguero...Francisco Hernandez. Once Cubans hit Cuba they go exfil point pick up Sovs...once pickup (with Cuban craft)...(aircraft will) bring Sovs, Cubans, Pawley, Martino, Life rep, Cadick and Fortson back to Miami. Fortson will then debrief Sovs in Russian to extent possible once they on Pawley yacht and (aircraft)...if no show 10 June op aborts."
104-10312-10355: NOTE: MISS PAWLEY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE COULD ARRANGE TO
6/6/63 re memo where Miss Anita Pawley is asking for a telegram to Willam Pawley letting him know "have secured Max as your translator as requested". This apparently refers to the TILT operation that took place at this time.
Peter Kornbluh, The Pinochet File, p. 21
As seen below, Sforza was also known as "the Argentine". Cordoba is the second largest city in Argentina. Kornbluh writes: "Two of the four member 'false-flag' team who served as a liaison with (Chile 1970 coup plotter General Roberto) Viaux and his group can now be identified as Anthony Sforza and Bruce McMasters. McMasters was based out of the CIA's Mexico City station; Sforza was a legendary deep cover agent who had spent twenty years operating in Europe, Latin America and Asia pretending to be a Mafia-connected smuggler and using the alias Henry J. Sloman...Sforza passed himself off as an Argentine with connections to Latin American business." Also see p. 15: "The small elite unit of four special agents - known as 'false flaggers' or the 'illegal team'...chosen for their ability to assume non-US nationality...operated under extreme deep cover, posing as Spanish-speaking Latin Americans..."
104-10312-10180: MEMO: DISCUSSION, TILT
6/13/63 memo from Rip Robertson to Ted Shackley and Bob Moore: Rip was concerned that LIFE magazine "possibly could back up with hard evidence" that the CIA "was sponsoring the show"; "Rip, Mickey, and Rudy (note: Rip Robertson, Mickey Kappes, and Rudy Enders) were old friends and had worked together previously". The note adds that "Max handled them well on the question of what the interrogation procedures would be".
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/book/Ramon-Font-Saumell.pdf
Page 163 (Spanish to English translation): ..."Since August 25, 1963, when we made an exhibition to the American government signed by Tony Cuesta, Military Chief and Roberto Vale, Command Coordinator L, we had contacts with several CIA officers, which we met only by their war names as Frank and Maximo, and Walter and Norman by their letters and reading them one realizes that they were only you wait and wait, for this and for the other, when something was crystallizing, they removed the officer from link and put another and had to start over..."