URGED U.S. JET COVER OVER BAY OF PIGS, EX-ENVOY TESTIFIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000100230013-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 23, 1998
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: October 3, 1962
• Content Type: NSPR

Sanitized - Approved IFor Release :
.5-it SUN
Urged U.S. Jet Cover'
;Over Bay of Pigs,
Ex-Envoy Testifies
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-A
former diplomat has testified
that as "senior partner" in
an Eisenhower administration
team planning the 1961 Cuban
jet plaits be used to provide
air covet., for refugee beach-
heads.
William Willauer said In tes-
timony made public today he
a month after President Ken-
nedy took office and two
months before the abortive;
Bay of Pigs invasion of April
1 17, 1961, and never got a
chance to "go firm on what I
Willauer testified July 27,
1961. before the Senate inter-
nal security subcommittee
.
Spedal Aide to Herter
. He served as ambassador to
Honduras from 1954 to 1958,
the great weaknesses of thel
Invasion plan was the lack of;
provision of top air cover." i
Recalls Problems
Willauer said there, were
problems about getting jets!'
and "there were also problems'
shout the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
not having been cut in until 1??
Willauer said that on Jan.!
36, 1961, after President Ken-',
nedy took office, Secretary of.
State Dean Rusk asked him to'+
continue "in the same fun.
tions as I had been perform.,
ing...."
But Willauer said that In[
late February when he sought F
to see CIA officials, hey got ai
call from "Tracy Barnes. my`
Junior partner, ..." He said.
Barnes told him, "We can't:.
then as ambassador to Costa'
Rica until. 1960. He was cred-
ited by former Central Intelli-,
genre. Agency Director Allen"
Dulles with playing a key role'
In. the United States-backed::
revolution that overthrew the',
Communist regime In Guate-1
mala.
Willauer became a special'
assistant to former Secretary'
of State Christiatl Herter on k,
anitized - Approved For Release : CIA DP75-00001 ROaO002,30013=8