OROSTES DEL RIO, CAPTAIN, AIR FORCE; ANTI-- CASTRO

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06841329
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: April 21, 2020
• Case Number: F-2020-00655
• Publication Date: November 4, 1960

e .saPCE., . e , , :' � f, it
, ...., i. .tr.
' SOM.= Is a 23 year pa ex-Marine who npent the period frpm February 1959. . .,. ..., ,�,.
,,.... .d. � 1
� . thrwah. July 19604erving in the Cuban Army and the Cuban -Air Force.' Be : �
17,3 .' ' . � -e- '
"
to the US via Mexico City on 30 Aug 60. According to sourcei he had been
� ie
...
Ir.'. '� e. nominated by the Marine Corps to enroll in the Naval Reserve Officer Train-
: c. � � .pas Corps at a US university, even thoush he had not finished his high-school
,.
e
, e e'oducation. Ha reportedly .did not accept this offer because he was much more
' e, ei..:ntereeted In Special Farces type activity, and this led' to his decision to �
�:,. - � ave the Marine Corps and a short time later to .enlist in the Cuban Army. r
.....p appears to' be a keen observer. While source's ..plans are indefinite, he� 1,
I:I ' '� Jee should be available for further interview during'the-next few
1;'�
..,.));:t �
I ' _ � ,.- ,..
t
II
1. I . n . ':' � e � 1 � October. .i. November 1960).
. - 7 � zr
: . . .
4 .ii,' During�my tour. of duty.. in the Cuban Air Force (December 1959 - June'1960),.i
wne stationed at San anlian Air Force Base in western Einar del.Bio provinces.'
� ee
� served there as flleenominal second in contend (although my actual, rank was ,: �T .
that!of eergeant)Vder Capt Orestes Del Rio) Chief of the San:Julian Air Base, ',.. .
.41 V.--, e. In view of the.incermal relationships existing in the Caen Air_Forces,./: .�' :.
� t. v...l
I � - 3. ) :�.�
.. .. , . . ... _. - .....,:. ...-1 . rr'..
.:ejecame quiteeclenete Capt Del Rio.. - � - . . e -. ,
. � ,
, �al'ir 4 � � � �� � � ' � � 1
1 � .:5 ' �
'� i'� .. i
, '5 � i .2.!:This man. vas, and .I believe still Is, a captain in the Cuban Air Force. Re
� ,, . ,. .:.,.,�-�.,-. 1.� . ...;
-4 qualified teeny 41%.33, 70.47, F-51 and AT-6 aircraft. When redro Diaz Lanz
pecame Chief of the Air Force, Del Rio wee named Commander of the San Antonio-. .,�'''. -
:ske.l.q...lorl Balm Air Force Base. go is a very intelligent man, but he does not 7.,:..:
��-.-4-14.ite routine work and has a tendency to "goof off". An a consequence, he'waq . �:. se.
�r';':'''.f, transferred and became"ebief of the San Julian Air Base it04estern vinar�delvIrlo.:
':e.� - .:!;F: � _ . - ...: ,
3. �While located at San Julian he befriended three Nicaraguan pilots, all 1st �-::,'. :,
.. � ,... . ,.� .
Lts Cuban Air Force, Ernesto Guerrero, Pedro Ullea and. FNU Cab, and'jl ;
; . .
. e, , ....
. � '
., became intereeted in a movement to overthrow the re-- .'-. gavernment of '.
p eeene
Ricaragua. Del Rio protested vigorously to Mai Sergio Dell'alle, 'present i ,. � ?
1 , -�. � Chief of the Air Force when the Nicaraguan pilots Ulloa'and Guerrero were . 'I
6,
/ # .' � detained in January 1960. These two Nicaraguans allegedly were involved in
t :, 1
'. � - . a conspiracy.with theselocal.Captain of the San Julian militia [not further '
1 i e . , ; � . �
identified] in a plarined expedition to invade Nicaragua; Del Rio
11 � ' e!,- transferred in February 1960 to the new airport then under construction at
,
Santa Clara, in LasTillas province. � - .
1.) .:4�.. f; � � � ' Iri.�June 1960 Capt Del Rio again was transferred, this time
.ta the' 33 training squadron at San Antonio de los Bafibs. 'There he cola.
re. .geted a nuMher of weeks of instruction under Capt Martin Klein; a US trained
e �'iiilot who was sent to the US for trainimer Iv.- +11n Ilki+4,n ta regime, and Cant ,
Approved for Release: 2020/04/21 C06841329 - . ,
. �
REPORT 'NO. .
3,170,5P
� :v.-. ��.;- � �
DATE'DISTR. I. I.191; rst .3.p(10 '
� *NO. PAGES i� �
. . . ,
.�
. �
'4FERENCES
t.
�
, Approved for Release: 2020/04/21 C06841329_ �, �,
� 1'0 1-117,1.rk?X.V .1,RtAllt-,(2)Pakvf,i.11,1),.il.:,'N,IL.-1;:drilYi..,,.."Zit,41� 1' 7.
V CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ACIOICY . ; . �
;.. -
�
�
�
� .�
i
� a material contains infortnntion affecting the National Defense of the United Stoles within the meaning of the Esp.onage Laws, Title
z � �
. )� .13; U.S.C. Socs..793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to on unauthorized, person is prohibited by law. ,t �
�,,
�
51
t ' .1
� I ,. .
., ..< � ..COUNTRi. Cuba Alfgaro.gua ' : :' � , . , ....
! ...", �
. :7 : � . , . ..--
,:i ..::t.13,.:1E,o-, Orostee Del Rio; Captain, Mr Force;
'�, �., . . 7' Anti-Castro. . ' � ���� �
�
,
- CONrr12"ENTIPI
�� .1
� 7
"a � ,� � . � ; r;
�
Na'� � . � � .,� . .
;J. '� �� � a
1 -..e � z- � . p ' , � '
pATF OF:. rib, mid-kla b() � ,
...7NFp. '.... : , .. ..: � . .
l.'s', ,. DATE ACO.
, . �
..''.1 ,...' PLACE &.'.;
Thrbughout Cuba/Tg Mid-Aug 60
., ..`" THIS is UNEVAWATED 11.11eAMMION
' -:.:.., �. .c.-r.....�......._:. � �_
, . �
� e
,�
.
- US national; former nbn-commiesioned officer in the US Marine Corps. � . � ,
� �
:1 4 � ootained his discharge from 'the Cuban Air Fordo in June 1960 and returned , ed
'::�
Approved for Release: 2020/04/21 C06841329
E-'31
.
� . ,
'
:
C-O-111-D-2-11-11-1-A-L .00-B 3,170,529 ,
:
.t
� ,
i � �
� ',,
� ;
� .'., �'. 1,i: : FRU Carreras Squadron Chief... He was arrested along with 23 �� :�.
: other Cdhan Air Force pilots in mid-July 1960.. _These men ware involved, .
in an anti-Castro conspiracy to bomb thelhvana, Santiago and Guantathme'' �
,-.
;t1 � 'areas, and some of than wore involved in an expedition to invade nicaragua.
,� ,: 5
..
.'Capt Del Rio want released in August 19C0 with a number of other pilots, ,
1 .4.: � ,.',. and ho remained. close-mouthed at the Zan Antonio Air Bane. I tried. to :
-1..,*::,question him after his release, but he would tell me nothing. ' � ,..
. ot � .
. � -, "� � � . . . . , . . . ..
. . .
Capt Del ?do reads only English language books on aviation and.var, but'
he speaks very little English. lib is extremely dissatisfied with the ..i: �
� ...%:,,.::.:1T. Castro regime. He became even more incensed with the present Caen
, c'i,*.!',!4: ':1,.- Government When he learned Of the arrest of a good friend who was the
. � ., .4,, -., orcler,.. e --;�'': :::. f Chief of the Rural Police Officers School at San Julian Air reset
1 ti�� :,f, '�'1. �'� : ��: .. -
. ,�c ' k �
i' � � - � � ..
:
�� , . �
. '� Impoitt,/
1-1-mc.rm
Approved for Release: 2020/04/21 CO6841329� -
����� , )
'