FUERZA AEREA REVOLUCIONARIA (FAR): HAJ DEL VALLE, CHIEF; DIAZ LANZ MEN ROTAIN KEY POSITION; FLYING PERSONNEL; COMBAT AIRCRAFT

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06841335
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: April 21, 2020
• Case Number: F-2020-00655
• Publication Date: October 28, 1960

Approved for Release: 2020/04/21 C06841335 - --,
, � CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.
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. ., Thiso.nptatietconioins information affecting" n of
Defense of tho United'States within th fling of the Espionogo Laws, Title .
113. U.S.C. ,Secs. 793 oncl.79.1, the transmIss t revelatiof which in any monnet to .on once. =feed .porson is prohib �
ited by ',low. ;�,',:
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'" � 133 national, US *rine 'Corps non-cemmlbsioned officer.
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I'. ..-.., '. ';oirca 1..S�a 23-year-old ex-Marine .who spent the period from February.1959 .
1 t.;'-�;-,.; thretrah July 1960 serving in the Cuban Army and. the Cuban Air Force. He � ',.
, .4..7. ,:obiiii...zcd. his discharge from the Cuban Alt Force in June 1960 and returned...,
to Vi Oa. US via Mexico City on 30 Aug 6o. According to source, he bad. beept ��:.:�'.:
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1: ���"*.-t =7.' ..... : !".'"'��:.: ' -4�� ......
itomIn4ted 'by the U
SMarine Corps to en -- roll in the Naval Officer It' � ..,.41-:���
! -.. 4.�:��., '741-4iy.lina,�Corpa at a ps university, even though he had in not fished: his
.hliqachOol�edncation He reportedly did not accept this Offer because
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. :abe.yas much�more interested in Special Forces type sactivity, and this led ."':. �.'77-;
I
, '' � � ai � la , >-...
' 1.4.'':�;ta'alis decision to leave the
Marine Corns and. a short time later tO eilist ''.'" - - -
... . ''..1.n.:the.Cubaa Army. 'Ile appears. to be a keen observer. %While source's plans
re indefinite, he should be available tor further.interview during the,
1 ne,�t' few .weeks (mid-October... -�11ovember 1960). � - ' �� '- -..- � .i,..,! . a :: i.,' �;'' '�-:" ;:..5....
1 .c1.2..1;�.71::,.`::����'�,..: :, ...... :4 : .' . �'. ..- ..?" . �r r ' '� . .... � '.." . . � . . � .. ... , . . ...,.
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. ., 3.'. ;The Cuban Air Force ,Fuerza Acres. lievolucionaria (FAN)) as In a State of '
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t,�,-oil citiririg my tonr...of duty, from December 1959 to mid-:June 1960. - Al-
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� ��������athotIgh.X�was �sts.tioned at an Julian Air Force Base (this field was not -
1, � . � ,
ati.tnei'ations4 Air Force :Nese, but it served as the training base for � ,
1 ...*"...',I;the..militia Of Pinar'deq."-Hlo Province and also handled the patrol fligh�ts
i� � �t;... .-t,.--
! .: ,�:!dae.;� the ,aest.ern half' ,of �;the province), I flew throughout Cuba and was able::
-�� : 4.
I r., to ...Pbt:Ain a fairly accukate picture of Air Force hanpeninga. 1,1y .prior duty,- �L -:
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- �j�.1:1 the Paratroop F.egimej.it of the Cuban Army also threw we in contact with
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I , agrzba,r 'of Air Force personnel. In addition, I maiatained close 'conte.ct
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I .'� -e.i.t4�:;0.7Ome of the Nicaraguan pilots in the Air Force. , ,_ �'_' .� .:'. . -
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;.�.i: �;The'comreander of. the Cuban Air Ford . .- �-o during the time i served with the ' , .
' -'....or-'7etsizatiortyllo Maj Sergio Del Valle, an I�D) with no military aviation � '' ''�
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I r � VtemY,rience . He was reported to be a good organizer and administrator, � , .
tand: it 'also was alleged .the.t he had l'remier Castro's confidence. He knew.. - -,
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1 .��,,.....(��notliinra, however, about running an Air Force. Hie predecessor; Mail Juan - c
4 7 'C .:11,�-, .r.�t1 . left the Air Torce to become �Chief of the Cuban. Army. The Air �
' i.,� . ,..14croe chief .prior to Almeida, or course, was Maj Pedro Daz -.Ulna, .who de- .,;�,.
a's. Lfected to the US. The significant point. of this is that most of the key . �,- ���
people in the Air Force are D.42 Lanz men, and. since the defection of � � 1:�;�*:;.'
-�': 4their- chief. 'they have, rather erZectively 'pabotaaad the effeetive operation"�
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�e? the Air Force. This has been done through 'a. -slow dawn in the purchaaa.s.
1 : �� .o�'" apare parts, snarl-ups in logistic. support to aircraft,-.and improper ,�. i :�'. ...����-�
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� � � � , �!.` 1..r. :�-i--� ! -� 14'N aa,�,sitrameat of personne..1. �� .; � a � � � . " ' :� .... � � ���...,���� .-,� ,';��......7.- ',.,- .
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v-laar Air Force, had a total'ef 3.1. aus,lified pilots when I was discharged in ���� ',�-�: !...17:.�
'. o� " Jun; 160. I heard that 23 of these, were locked up on or about 10 Jul 60' ':.:-
i � ,'; terte,1 an abortive plot to bomb Havana and. other areas of _Cuba including �-� ,a. � '.1.'-..������ ,.
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,tApproved for Release: 2020/04/21 C06841335 '. ,1;
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