CUBA MISSION OF LOST FLIERS WAS 'PRIVATE'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000700410028-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 11, 2006
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: March 30, 1963
• Content Type: NSPR

By Stanley Mettler,
Government source: indicat-
ed today that filers Robert
Thompson and Robert Swan-,
ncr were on a private mission
not an official one--when
they disappeared over, Cuba.
I iii December, 1961.
That would explain vyhy:
the tarnilies of the ntissing
men, who told friends they'
were going tit a leaflet.(irop-
ping flight, }rave received no;
l Government )enefits.
The C e n t a 1 Tntelligence-A
'Agency repca?:edly has denied
to Sen. Gec,r,;* Smathers (D-
Fla.) that tci men had been
in its emp]cs?.
Smathers and two other
members cf Congress have
been asked Ii,1 the families for
some help, at least for Social
Security hi g i,sf ts. But the Con-
jirc"srnen f A +e been unable to
deterrnirr t lit the families
are eligd, t !ca these benefits. % The i tt.l' it lra\ e not been
rf ceivir." am r( :`uiar compen-
sation -or, )r:vate sourcrs,
either, `'hi i ii s their plight
apar-,'? : t!tt of th%widows Th?,-r+p;nn, who had made
of ftc.r +metl!ans shot down each (!u-his before, had tr let-
o,,ff v'5i]e flying B26 ter from the State Depart-
hcf,'rin tl r, Bays of Pigs ir,- mcci 'orbidding him to fly
i!.on ill ..-1pi II, lafil. ag
't'he widows receive regular "'1'!ro torn were w?el] paid
c'hecks from it `l:;it fund set for .;!rat they were doing,"
IL-1, by the T (1l-ile ''lick Corp. I! rite said.
rc T liami. :Ac--'rrding to li'iorini, Thopip-
ll e farts iurroundinH the ,on and Swanner? !oft the Ba.
rn atcl Swanner ra,r? :a:na; has(- and heaed for
mater ar if confirserl, hot the Cuban city of Matanzas
,_hr Iit-l o '11~rrr?r: Mir-re the"' were to ch'o,, ]cat-
1 r,: :!.l. or Ch:ulc~t:ui. et> and retuitr. But they r,eve:
1 a -imr c~.?ri;mr?l', 2(i, -um, haek.
i,-ti cit T,;urdcrcialc. e'er 1laranras rem Dec. in. 1961.
i),: 11 1!' 1. it. a tum For 13 nr,r.t!.s, the wives of
n~, r r .Pto, l ant'. i rarr!. I'tronri,son and Swanner have
Finrin: (1' 11ia r i aecornparried both: tr'.'intt To collect private.:
tire;tr. Insurance and Sn:!.rl Sccurv'%
1' r nt s i ! the two were beer-iris. Art aic!: it! Smather's
,?.t a Jr atHe'-urntrp:nt* mis' ion, office said tire pr'rh]ent is cote
ernt lit: e'companied there to pourrh'ei by the difficulty t,i
~;hclr fist stop. a se(-et base pro; rep whether the two tree
L the Baaanias at, dead or alive.
ASJ 4(; c,LV :V
Approved For Release 2006/10/11 : CIA-RDP75-00149R000700410028-3