Pseudonym: Licari, Peter
104-10174-10050: CABLE: ARRIVING HAVA 1415 HOURS 27 DECEMBER
12/22/59: Cable from Director to Habana: "1. Peter N. Licari and wife arriving HAVA 1415 hours 27 December nal flight 851. Request representative double room Hotel Nacional and contact by Olien (James Noel) or representative after 1700 hours. Return flight scheduled 30 December nal 850. 2. Edward G. Tichborn (Henry Preston Lopez) will arrive HAVA for assessment Cuban political scene from approx 20 Jan to 4 Feb. He may be used if Station so desires for follow-up of any development consequent upon Licari meetings..."
104-10260-10410: CABLE - AT FIRST MEETING NIGHT 27 MARCH, CONCURRED EARLIEST POSSIBLE MEETING.
03/28/60: Cable from Director to Havana: ..."2. Station again suggests that time ripe for return visit to Havana of Peter N. Licari in representation of the 'group' and prepared to discuss plans and answer questions much as Langtry did with AMWAIL (Agrapucion Montecristi) and AMCHIRP (Ramon Barquin Lopez of the MRP)..."
104-10261-10017: MEMO:MEETING WITH DR MANUEL ANTONIO VARONA ON 5 MAY IN NEW YORK CITY
05/06/60: Memo for the record from Withheld, DC/WH/4: ..."12...(I didn't bring up the concept of a government-in-exile or any of the attendant legal problems, so we didn't discuss this. In my view it would be better for the Bender-Carr group to raise the point)...14...For example, Sanchez should never attend a meeting of Cubans and their American advisors, e.g. Mr. Bender (Gerard Droller) or Mr. Carr, for the reason that to Sanchez Arango this would appear to be servitude on the part of the Cubans towards the Americans...16. In connection with his entry at Idlewild on 4 May, Varona asked Carr for some help when Carr called him later in the evening. Carr in turn referred him to a gentleman named Leon Dennen who lives at 77 Park Terrace...However, I suggested we check with Carr to find out how this man got into our operation. 17...I told Varona very frankly that certain activities were not within my province but there was a group that I was aware of, headed by Mr. Carr (whose name incidentally Varona had mentioned to me first), that this group was completely reliable and well-intentioned and did have the proper contacts with our government and that he should have no reservations about working with this group...The subjects that I 'avoided' were paramilitary and the question of conversion of pesos for dollars. He didn't bring up the point and we talked about so many other things that I decided to leave this one for the attention of the Bender-Carr group, as it looked like a good opportunity for them to help Varona out and thereby establish that much more rapport...PARAMILITARY: 19. We did not discuss this subject at great length as I had very carefully drawn a line between the activities in which I had a legitimate interest as a United States' Government official and those which could best be handled in conjunction with private groups, i.e. the Carr-Bender group (see paragraph 17)..."
104-10167-10018: AMHAWK WILL GO TO ISSUE PUBLIC STATEMENT IN HIS OWN BEHALF
05/26/60, Cable from Miami to Director: Page 3: ..."7. Considerable disagreement among our Cubans re PM activities. AMBIDDY (Manuel Artime Buesa)/QDCOVE (Ricardo de la Lorie) eager to move at once and use planes destroy sugar fields. AMHAWK (Manuel Antonio [Tony] de Varona) in favor 'invasion' on fairly large scale from third country. Nobody seems like our approach at moment. Parlett (Gerard Droller) temporized and suggested AMHAWK prepare paper this matter for discussion next week between Licari/Bender/AMHAWK only. Bender (Gerard Droller) might bring his 'military expert' to meeting. Suggestion accepted and waters calmed..."
Thomas G. Paterson, Contesting Castro: The United States and the Triumph of the Cuban Revolution, p. 218. Oxford University Press, 1994.
Dec. 1960: "CIA contact (Robert Rogers/true name Al Cox) huddled with (Justo Carrillo/AMWAIL-1) in Miami, and on 12/21/60 another CIA contact Willard Carr discussed the Isle of Pines expedition with Carrillo at the Hotel Commodore in New York City. Head of an aluminium company and former college classmate of CIA director Allen Dulles, Carr explained how an airfield in Merida, Mexico would be used so that the Carrillo forces could take off without fear of interception by US customs agents."
104-10274-10071: CABLE: AS YOU KNOW FARLETT, OLIEN, LICARI ENGAGED DISCUSSIONS AMBANG-ONE
03/07/61: Cable from BELL to JMWAVE (Orig: G. Droller, Unit: WH/4/PA): "1. As you know Parlett (Gerard Droller), Olien (James Noel), Licari (Willard Carr) engaged discussions AMBANG-1 (Manuel Ray Rivero) and AMDIP-1 (Tony Varona, full name Manuel Antonio de Varona Loredo) for purpose establishing revolutionary council. To our knowledge no other activities authorized. Will advise you progress our negotiations next few days. 2. FYI: Miro, Rojas, Salazar-Sanchez in touch Morton Downey. Undoubtedly these debating various possibilities establish provisional govt. Latest info from Miro indicates Downey wants see Bender (Gerard Droller). Bender Miro 7 Mar telecon failed confirm ref..."
3/7/61 Memorandum for the Record by Gerard Droller (pseudonym Frank Bender): "Carr described as senior partner in Bender (Gerard Droller) group to assume role of primary negotiator in establishment of revolutionary council. Mr. Carr agreed and he came to Washington where he was fully briefed and brought up to date by Mr. Droller and Mr. Noel." Note that the same meeting is described in 104-10274-10071 above, except that meeting refers to Parlett (Gerard Droller), Olien (James Noel) and Licari (instead of Willard Carr). This is documented proof that Licari was actually Willard Carr. Also see marginalia at page 83 - "Willard Carr may be Licari."
104-10228-10429: CABLE: FOLLOWING UP CONVERSATION WITH MIRO CONCERNING PROPAGANDA
03/25/61: Cable from BELL to JMWAVE (Orig: D. Phillips, Unit: WH/4/PROP): "1. Following up Licari conversation with Miro concerning propaganda matters in general, Licari should obtain Miro's approval have fish symbol adopted by revolutionary council. WAVE should brief Licari history and provide sample. Licari can make it clear to Miro that he seeking agreement in principle not blanket approval all PROP pieces now labeled. Individual items can be approved or disapproved. 2. FYI: Licari only: HQs has large quantities fish prop on hand. 3. Appreciate reply soonest."
Peter Wyden, Bay of Pigs (New Press, 1979), p. 116
Early April 1961: "Time was running out for arguments and indecision. So was Bissell's patience. The landings were now scheduled for early April. He called Jim (Noel) into his office and said, 'I want you to go down to Miami. You're replacing Howard Hunt. You know these people. I want them together. They've got to be together. We've only got a week to put them together and then another week when this thing is going to take place. You go down there and do whatever is necessary.' As his assistant, Jim was to take along Will Carr, a New York engineer who had spent much of his life in Mexico, spoke Spanish without accent and showed skill when he ran delicate free-lance errands for the Agency in Latin America. Bissell knew Carr as 'quite a persuader.'"
104-10228-10279: MEMORANDUM:CONVERSATION WITH MR. DROLLER AT JMFIG,18 APRIL, 0930 HOURS
4/18/61: Memorandum for the Record by Howard Hunt: "With Mr. Carr (probably Willard Carr/Peter Licari) also at JMFIG (the Opa-locka air station) and listening via an extension phone, I told Mr. (Gerald) Droller that Mr. (Tracy) Barnes and I had spent time with Mr. (Arthur) Schlesinger the day before on which occasion I had begun to explore the idea of moving the Revolutionary Council outside the United States and to a zone where there was some observable military activity - this at Mr. Droller's previous and urgent request. I told him that a number of us thought JMADD might be the ideal transitional site and that I sent an OPIM cable (from BELL to Guatemala) to consult President Ydigoras about the matter. Following my return from the White House I told him I had been informed by Mr. (Richard) Drain that a high-level turn-down on GUAT had been received and that Col. King had been in telephonic conversation with him and Mr. Carr...(I believe) Secretary Rusk himself had made the negative decision. I told Mr. Droller that what news we had from the beachhead was far from encouraging...Mr. Droller said it was impossible for anyone not present to conceive the terrible situation existing at JMFIG and that by tonight he and Mr. Carr would have to make a decision about whether to restrain by force the members of the Revolutionary Council. He said that several members of the RC were talking of taking their own lives...Ambassador Stevenson felt himself to be in a very awkward position in the U.N. and that certain things had occurred in our liaison with him which required that the Revolutionary Council members not be permitted the opportunity to make statements which could in any way require him to deviate from positions he has taken." (See 180-10145-10210: "Willard Carr may be Peter Licari.")