had put down in Boca Chica onpril followingtrike at Campo Libertad. Apparently there were more problems with Garcia's aircraft than he realized at the time that he put down. The factthe switch in aircraft was confirmedable to Headquarters from JMWAVE which noted that3 had departed on1or TIDE. Onpril, in an OPIM cable, TIDE advised Headquarters3 had not arrived, and asked for the location of the aircraft and the pilot, Garcia- Atnpril, TIDE went to Headquarters again, specifying3 had not arrived andheck with Boca Chica to determine if it had actually departed. TIDE requested full details if the plane was still missing.
Onpril,, TIDE again went to Bell requesting information about the aircraft and the crew, and came up with the interesting suggestion, that if Garcia and his navigator had re-defected, they were in possession of an aircraft which could approach TIDE with no trouble at all, and do serious damage. The follow up from Headquarters indicated that tho whereabouts of the aircraft and the pilot
- 3iu
were not known, but that there had been no(apparently in COMINT)c-defection;noted that traces would be made.apparently was dropped at this point insofarBay of Pigs operation waseadquarters:
6 with Cuban markings numberound deep in jungles Jinotega Department, few miles from Bocay River-Remains of two men in aircraft.
said that: he was about to depart forsite with General Somoza and il it turnedthe aircraft was inastrowas considering laying the case before Ifastroinstruc-
tions regarding disposition of the remains. At this
point Securityanother Agency employee were sent to Nicaragua to become involved in establishing the identity of the
* JMWAVE which had been requested to provide the identities of the crew which flewut of Boca Chica was unable to penetrate the alias identification under which the mission crews had operated.
The additional cable traffic which followed concerned the status of the deceasedis both the Government of Nicaragua (GON) and also the familics. The GON, represented by General Somoza, preferred that the bodies quietly be buried in Nicaragua and nothing more to be said of the matter. In discussions with Jose Miro Cardona, he also indicated that hiswasuiet burial, inasmuch as the Cuban families probably had already given up on the possibility of their family mombers still being alive, and that if it wore revealed that the bodies had been found in tho crash, he could forsoe all kinds of difficulties,resurrection of discussions of the April invasion.
The following paragraphs taken fromovember
the crash site indicates what had happened to Garcia
and Gonzales:
Plane apparently crashed approximately midnightr Directional gyro indicated impact possibly on. Plane hit sideoot ateep incline in almost impenetrably dense jungle. From almost totally demolished condition,n high speed dive. Wreckage strewn over pathards downdegree incline on. From -position of fuel selector, possibly on
one engine. Added to crash damage, locals have scavenged many pieces of airframe and equipment. To complete destruction, party obliterated few remaining identifiable markings and insignia.
Of crew, found only three shoes, parts of parachutes, and one sheath knifebearing bugle tooled incal who buried remains, states bodies headless* limbless, barely recognizable as human remains. No clothing or identity papers oxcept few items investigating party will return to Headquarters. are buried at crash site. animals, and insects have allto total destruction anyremnants. Have arranged through local liaison have Catholic missionary in area hold appropriate religious rites.
Have photographed entire crash site. Will hand carry film on return. Unless otherwise directed, planoveniber via PAA
* Trying to ostablish the identity of the second man in the cockpit with Capt. Crispin Garcia proved to be somethingask. The Mission Review Summaryby Gar Thorsrud identified the second man asame which did not appear on any of the membership rolls of the Cuban Brigade, or among the lists of air trainees, pilots, or navigators; nor were any of the heirs to those killed in the course of Project JMATE identified with anyone named Nabel. Similarly, the cable traffic concerning this episode, failed to make any mention of the name of the co-pilot with Crispin Garcia. By processes of elimination of those killed in action against Air Force Registers for the Brigade, pilots and crewmen, it was established that the second man in the cockpit was Juan M. Gonzalez; and this was subsequently confirmed by Kduardo Ferrer'sPuma. References for this episode arc listed in Source 7.
Original document.
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: