Pseudonym: Howard
A memo from Michelle Combs, ARRB Special Assistant for Research and Review, mentioned that "during the period December 1962 to April 1964, Mr. Joannides was assigned as a covert action officer at JMWAVE serving as deputy and then chief of the station's cover action branch. During this time period, Mr. Joannides was the case officer for the Cuban exile group Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil (DRE)." The memo also noted "there is also no indication that Mr. Joannides may have used or been known by the name 'Howard' during his contacts with the DRE, although personnel files typically would not reveal this information one way or another."
The memo also confirmed that George Joannides used the pseudonym of Walter D Newby. Due to the fact that Joannides was the acknowledged case officer of the DRE from the dates mentioned above, it is probable that Howard was an alias used by George Joannides when communicating with the DRE.
104-10170-10016: CABLE RE WALTER D. NEWBY INTRODUCED AS REP TO HANDLE AMSPELL AFFAIRS.
12/07/62: Cable from JMWAVE to Director: GYROSE: "Pursuant to recent Reuteman (Theodore Shackley) discussions at HQs Walter D. Newby (George E. Joannides) was introduced by Nelander to AMHINT-53 (Luis Fernandez-Rocha) Dec 4 as new KUBARK (CIA) representative who would handle AMSPELL (DRE) affairs. Newby explained proceeding ZRMETAL (Washington, D.C.) arrange personal affairs would resume contacts AMSPELL week Dec 10."
1994.04.12.15:48:50:530005: Reel 26, Folder F - DRE.
Undated DRE document: "TO: Howard. FROM: Information Department: The Cuban Student Directorate (Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil) wishes to inform public opinion that: For already several months the Castro Communist regime has been working vigorously on the construction of a fleet aimed at protecting the Cuban Communists against commando attacks, transporting guerrilla fighters trained at Minas del Frio to different locations in Latin America, and situating an aggression or offensive weapon in the Caribbean area. Lately, the disappearance of several fishing boats and other types of vessels has been reported. We recently denounced these activities in the July 14th issue of our Trinchera newspaper...According to our denunciation, the Cuban Government invested the amount of 15 million pesos to cover the construction of 70 Lambda and 18 RO-60 boats. On April 1st, the Soviet ship Baku arrived in Havana with a large load of war and technical material which was deposited in an old warehouse at the Casablanca dock. Lastly, this material was distributed throughout the several locations in the island dedicated to the construction of such boats. Further on we wish to present to the public opinion several photos taken from the Press Office of the Joint Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Armed Forces. Soviet made torpedo boats manned by Cuban officers are shown operating in the high seas...but to prove that these activities continue despite the suspension of the U-2's reconnaissance flights and the declarations stating that all type of war material jeopardizing the security and peace of our hemisphere has been withdrawn from Cuban soil."
1994.04.12.15:45:39:630005: Reel 26, Folder B - DRE.
Circa late June 1963: "TO: Howard. FROM: Information Department": Mention of a Colonel Alexander Mriannov (?).
1994.04.12.15:45:39:630005: Reel 26, Folder B - DRE.
Circa late June 1963: "TO: Howard. FROM: Information Department": Another document on Soviets in Cuba.
104-10170-10144: DISPATCH: TYPIC/OPERATIONAL - DRE EXPLANATION RE SEE MAGAZINE ARTICLE
09/25/63: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Special Affairs Staff: Page 3: "TO: Howard. FROM: Fernando Garcia Chacon. Subject: 10 million dollars offering made by Mr. Luis Fernandez Rocha for the death of Castro: A magazine of dubious reputation recently published an article written by a man supposedly called Luis Gutierrez accompanied by a document signed by our Secretary General Luis Fernandez-Rocha, offering 10 million dollars reward for the death of Fidel Castro. Certainly, what stated in this article is false. Mr. Fernandez-Rocha has had no connection with it or made such a deal. The person that wrote the article is named like a former member of the D.R.E., Mr. Luis Gutierrez. However, both names are common in Cuba, just like John Smith in the U.S. At the same time, we state that Mr. Luis Gutierrez, former member of D.R.E., has had nothing to do in this matter since he has completely abandoned this type of activities. Lastly we wish to state that it is completely impossible for Mr. Luis Fernandez-Rocha to offer 10 million dollars since it is by all well known that he does not have such an amount of money."
104-10018-10074: POSSIBLE USE OF DRE TAPE
12/13/63: Dispatch from COS, JMWAVE to Chief, Special Affairs Staff: Page 6: "FROM: DRE. TO: HOWARD."
02/07/78: HSCA memorandum from Fonzi and Gonzales to G. Robert Blakey: Subject: Interview with Juan Manuel Salvat Roque..."He said that after Ross Crozier ('Roger') was removed as the CIA’s liaison with the DRE in November, 1962, he met a number of other CIA officials. First there was 'Vincente' or 'Riccardo' (he is not certain), then there was 'Howard,' then 'the Colonel' and then 'Pablo.' The latter is the only one whose true name - Fogarty - he can recall. Fogarty he recalls as a short fellow who came from Chile and is now retired. He was the DRE’s last contact with the CIA. He does not recall any contact of the DRE with E. Howard Hunt. He thinks there may have been some contact with Frank Fiorini in the purchase of arms but he does not know the details..."
104-10330-10105: MF: CIA-IR-21, MONTHLY OPERATIONAL REPORTS FOR THE DRE
01/20/98: CIA memorandum from Senior Reviewer, JFK Project, J. Barry Harrelson to Executive Director, ARRB, T. Jeremy Gunn (handwritten at top: "Morley/Howard"): ..."4. The identity of 'Howard'. With reference to your request for information on 'Howard', we, like you, have no clear understanding about the use of this particular name on DRE messages. The phrase, 'To Howard' was used as the addressee of several DRE prepared memoranda. We first attempted to identity if, in fact 'Howard' was an actual person. The name was not found to be a pseudonym. It also was not found to be a registered alias. It also is not the true name of any case officer associated with the DRE operation at the time the DRE documents were written. Following review of those data bases, knowledgeable case officers were queried suggested that the use of 'To Howard' might have been nothing more than a routing indicator to ensure that the documents got to the correct CIA office/officer or that the sender was someone known to the recipient..."
03/03/98: Memo from Michelle Combs, Special Assistant for Research and Review to Jeremy Gunn, ARRB Executive Director: "In response to ARRB's informal request for additional information and records...CIA provided access to the Office of Personnel file for Mr. George E. Joannides. I have examined the personnel file for Mr. Joannides for the period 1961-64 and 1978-79. Mr. Joannides appears in documents in the CIA Sequestered Collection under his pseudonym Walter D. Newby. During the period December 1962 to April 1964, Mr. Joannides was assigned as a covert action officer at JMWAVE serving as deputy and then chief of the station's cover action branch. During this time period, Mr. Joannides was the case officer for the Cuban exile group Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil (DRE). The descriptions of his duties and accomplishments in the personnel file are very general and contain no specific reference to his relationship with the DRE. There is no mention of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in the file and no information relevant to the assassination in the file. There is also no indication that Mr. Joannides may have used or been known by the name 'Howard' during his contacts with the DRE, although personnel files typically would not reveal this information one way or another. During the period mid-May 1978-January 1979, Mr. Joannides was assigned to work for Scott Breckinridge, the CIA's principal coordinator to the ...(HSCA) as a focal person to keep track of the status of HSCA requests, particularly to the Directorate of Operations. In this role, Mr. Joannides developed and maintained a log and records of HSCA requests and CIA responses and handled day-to-day follow up to HSCA requests. Several performance evaluation reports from the 1962-64 time period and a memoranda from Scott Breckinridge on Mr. Joannides' duties during the 1978-1979 time frame were designated assassination records and are being processed for release."
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/revelation-1963-6353139
04/12/2001: Article in the Miami New Times by Jefferson Morley: Titled: Revelation 19.63..."Joannides was 40 years old then, a native New Yorker who had attended City College and St. John's University School of Law in Queens. Recruited for the CIA in 1951, he'd spent eleven years in Greece and Libya, confounding communists and influencing local politicians. He was a cosmopolitan man, fluent in French and Greek, competent in Spanish. He wore tailored suits, spun bilingual puns, and enjoyed Greek pastries. He and his wife, Violet, and their three children lived in suburban anonymity on SW 65th Avenue in what is now the Village of Pinecrest. Luis Fernandez-Rocha, now a doctor at Mercy Hospital, recalls his initial meeting with 'Howard,' as the CIA man called himself. Howard spoke confidently, with a New York accent, and wore an ornate pinky ring. In Fernandez-Rocha's view he compared favorably with the DRE's previous handler, Ross Crozier. '[He] was a great human being, but he was a sergeant,' Fernandez-Rocha says. 'When I was dealing with this guy Howard, I was talking to a colonel.' Howard was always available, Fernandez-Rocha adds. The agent would meet him anywhere from 'three times a week to once every two weeks. We used to have a cup of coffee at a Howard Johnson's on U.S. 1'..."