Pseudonym: Smitham, Paul
104-10183-10040: CABLE: SMITHAM REF AMWHIP/1 ON 6 AND 7 JUNE
06/08/63: Cable from Rome to Director (note handwriting above bar: Appears to mention "Stephen Something"): CITE ROME 9337: Slugline KEYWAY PBRUMEN AMWHIP: REF DIR 44488: "1. Smitham met AMWHIP/1 (Carlos Tepedino Gonzalez) on 6 and 7 June. Knows no one at target installations Rome except Amparo Chaple Trujillo. Plans contact later. Knows Amado Blanco and wife slightly. Plans obtain letter introduction to installations from friend Jose Venegas (see Lapogo reporting) studying Prague, connected commie union Internacional Estudiantes. 2. Offered use IDEN A as mail drop. Because delay setting up shop leaving Rome 8 or 9 June for Milan, Geneva, Paris and Madrid. Expects return Rome 14-15 June for 20-30 day stay, will contact Smitham on return. 3. IDEN C ref to remain Rome three months then expected return monthly. SUBJ offering introduce him to Smitham. Was advised to postpone pending developments. 4. SUBJ just hired IDEN B. We checking further. Request traces. AMWHIP-1 opening jewelry store Rome." - - - Identities of cable: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=108125#relPageId=2
104-10183-10039: CABLE: 1. NO TRACES. 2. MANY TRACES HER HUSBAND
06/14/63: Cable from Director to Rome (Orig: Withheld, WH/4/A): Slugline KEYWAY PBRUMEN AMWHIP: REF ROME 9337 (IN 55801): "1. No traces Karin Espinosa. 2. Many traces her husband Miguel Angel Espinosa Bravo, born 29 Sept 1902 Havana, former Cuban AMB Norway. DIPL career began 1931 when assigned Rome as third SECTY. Later served Madrid BRUS Berlin MEXI. Told ODACID (U.S. State Department) officer in Jan 60 could no longer support Castro govt but did not intend resign for economic reasons. Arrived Buenos Aires May 61 as Cuban exile and became member anti-Castro group there. Other info available if desired by Rome station. Smitham met AMWHIP/1 (Carlos Tepedino Gonzalez) Rome. Latter offered use of new business WH cover and said he hired Karin Espinosa."
104-10183-10037: CABLE RE: REQUEST SMITHAM ASK AMWHIP FOR DATE HE SENT
06/18/63: Cable from Director to Rome (Orig: W. Wainwright, SAS/EOB): Slugline KEYWAY PBRUMEN AMWHIP: REF: DIR 44488 (IN 55801): "1. Request Smitham ask AMWHIP (Carlos Tepedino Gonzalez) for date he sent letter to 'Thompson's friend' in PBRUMEN (Cuba). Also remind him to save copy of letter for Thompson. If AMWHIP agreeable, offer send copy to Thompson via 'secure channels.' 2. FYI, letter is activation effort to reluctant dragon agent now PBRUMEN, who met Paris by Thompson (William Wainwright) and Wallace A. Growery (Earl J. Williamson) last summer. Agent is good friend AMWHIP who was instrumental in arranging contact."
104-10247-10248: CABLE-AMWHIP 1 CALLED SMITHAM FROM MILALN 22 OCTOBER 1101 HOURS
10/22/63: Cable from Rome to Director: Slugline TYPIC AMWHIP AMLASH: "1. AMWHIP-1 (Carlos Tepedino Gonzalez) called Smitham from Milan 22 October 1961 1101 hours. Said he and AMLASH (Rolando Cubela Secades) leaving for Geneva same day where AMWHIP staying home Juan Ventura tel 345732. Have met with Venegas. 2. Message from Nicholas passed AMWHIP per ref. AMWHIP will comply. C/S Comment: *Re message to pass AMWHIP-1 from Nicholas."
104-10183-10007: DISPATCH: MEETINGS WITH AMWHIP AND IDENC OF REF A
11/15/63: Dispatch from COS, Rome to Chief, WE (Attn: Italian Branch) (Info: COS, Bern; Chief of Base, Geneva): "1. Arrangements were made by Paul T. Smitham for a meeting at 1300 hours on 1 November 1963 of AMWHIP/1 (Carlos Tepedino Gonzalez). Walter L. Bunce, and himself. AMWHIP/1, who appeared half an hour late, was taken to an excellent lunch. Bunce gave AMWHIP/1 his true name, as well as address and telephone number, for the following reasons...2. After linch all three went to Bunce's apartment. AMWHIP/1 said that he had seen Jose Venegas Valdespino in Milan...At a later meeting, on 4 November 1963, AMWHIP/1 said that Venegas had telephoned him that day to say that he was leaving for Havana on 14 November 1963...4. AMWHIP/1 asked Bunce and Smitham whether assistance could be provided for a friend of his who wants to travel to the United States (Miami), Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. The friend, a widower about 53 years old, is named Pascual Volpe. He lives in Padula, the province of Salerno...Paul T. Smitham/Walter L. Bunce
04-10521-10032: DISPATCH-MEETING OF 23 OCTOBER 1964 WITH AMWHIP/1 AND AMWHIP/2.
11/03/64: Dispatch from COS, Rome to Chief, WE (Attn: C/WE/4): "1. On the evening of 24 October 1964 Smitham received a telephone call from AMWHIP/1 (Carlos Tepedino Gonzalez), who said that he and AMWHIP/2 (Juan Ventura Valner) would be in Rome until the morning of 27 October at the latest. An appointment was made for a meeting at the Hilton Hotel at 1200 hours on 25 October. Smitham and Bunce kept the appointment...In this event, Bunce will request biographic data on the wife, make an assessment, and forward a recommendation to Headquarters. If the trip to Geneva does become necessary, we shall of course notify Bern and Geneva in advance. Walter L. Bunce."
104-10183-10117: DISPATCH: KEYWAY/PBRUMEN/DEVIGIL AMWHIP/1.
12/14/64: Dispatch from COS, Rome to Chief, WE: ..."4. During a meeting of 11 December 1964 with DEVIGIL/27 Bunce mentioned the presence of AMWHIP/1 (Carlos Tepedino Gonzalez) in Italy in such a way as to suggest that we had known about it all along but that it was merely a pleasure trip. In point of fact, however, AMWHIP/1 did not get in touch with Smitham or Bunce during his 28 to 30 November stay in Rome. 5. On 10 December 1964 AMWHIP/2 (Juan Ventura Valner) telephoned Bunce's home from his store here, and arrangements were made for Bunce to pick him up there the following evening because AMWHIP/2 wanted to take Bunce and wife to dinner. When Bunce arrived on 11 December, AMWHiP/1 was also at the store. Bunce talked with AMWHIP/1 for ten minutes, during which time AMWHIP/1 mentioned that he hoped to go to Paris about 15 December 1964 and then to New York but made no mention of his earlier visit to Rome. Bunce then asked him (unintelligible) if he had not been in Rome one to two weeks earlier. AMWHIP/1 said that he had not. Bunce said that he was surprised because he had information that AMWHIP/1 had stayed for two days and nights in a hotel on the Piazza Barberini. Looking quite flustered, AMWHIP/1 said that he could not understand how this fact had slipped his mind. Of course he had been here! Bunce pointed out that the coverage here in Rome is obviously efficient and that he should bear this fact in mind...7. Bunce asked whether AMWHIP/2 has any reason to suspect that Identity A (Carmen Silvia Villarello Tabares) works for the PBRUMEN (Cuban) IS or has any connections, direct or indirect, through which information which she obtains from AMWHIP/1 might be relayed to the PBRUMEN IS or government. AMWHIP/2 answered that he does not think so...Walter L. Bunce." Also see 104-10183-10116, two days later.
104-10216-10117: DISPATCH: SUBJECT - AMWHIP/1 AND AMLASH/1
03/25/65: Dispatch from COS, Rome to Chief, WE (Attn: Chief, WE) (Info: COS, Madrid; COS, Paris; COS, Withheld): Page 2: ..."Same true for AMLASH/1 (Rolando Cubela Secades), on whom request HQs reading re loyalties. To date only Bunce and Smitham exposed to AMWHIP/1 (Carlos Tepedino Gonzalez). But since both are liaison officers, DEVIGIL security can be affected by theirs. Future ops needs may require other exposures. 3. Request HQs pouch summary of op with stress on security aspects. Walter L. Bunce."