INTELLIGENCE COVERAGE OF THE DOMINICAN REVOLUTIONARY EXPEDITION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-01034R000200190001-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Sequence Number: 1
• Content Type: MEMORANDUM FOR

Ariprored For Release 2006/12MLFJDP83-01034R000200190001-9
M! 0RANDUM FOR MR. ARMSTRONG
QXNVAL CRA B RLI11
L M INDUS
CSNEEAL McDONALD
Subjects Intelligence Coverage of the Dominican Revolutionary
Expedition
1. With the and of the abortive Dominican Republic revolutionary
expedition in Cuba, I should like to take this opportunity to bring
to the attention of the directors of the various agenoies some corn-
wants on the intelli;;eence ooverae of that affair, These comments
are not offered in any sense of destructive criticism or fault-find-
ing with any agency but only in the hope that In any future, similar
task all of us can do better. My own personal opinion Is t-1iat this
was not a very praise wort %y how, and the CIA is equally implicated
with the other a enoies. I have brougk'st this subject to the atten-
tion of the responsible branches of CIA in order that we may avoid
something similar the next time, and I hope that the individual
agency chiefs will see nothing personal in this but may be able to
take the necessary steps to avoid our being caught out on a limb.
2. It is submitted that the intelligence covera;e in the field
was inadequate and inaccurate in the following respects:
There was a lack of coordination between a j envies in
the field, both in Cuba and in the Dominican Republic
resulting in inaccurate reports. uncoordinated between the field
agencies. Beginning on 20 July,, the following messa;es were
received in Yashingtons
(1) On 20 July 1947 ALUSNA Havana reported that "150
Dominican exiles and Communists due to leave from Santiago
do Cubs by schooner for Haiti within day or two."
(2) On 24 July 1947 USMILATTACHE Havana (Nr10168)
cabled Washington convinced Dominican revolutionaries
will attempt to overthrow Trujillo Covermmeent between
Aug I and 15th."
(3) On 26 July 1947 ALUSNA Havana cabled that "ship
now reported Antilla Cuba. ready depart on mission."
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SET
to There appears to have been insutfioiont oouaterintel-
ligenca in the field in that in the embassies in Ciudad
Trujillo and iiavana there appear to have been information leaks
which reached the agents of the Dominican Republic.
(1) 17 July 1947 (129) i to US ]embassy Ciudad
Trujillo *There is an influx of Venezuelans, Cubans and
Dominica= into Ciudad-fru to in connection with the
alleged mass movement against Venezuela,"
26 July 1947 (139) DOS to US Embassy Ciudad
Trujillo. When Dominican Ambassador called on Assistant
leeretary of State Armour he *mentioned large influx of
suspicious looking persons into Puerto Rico." "mouse
of same word "influx" and recall that FBI, when it inves-
tigated Dominican Arbasaadorfs charge, found no evidence
of "influx" into Puerto Rico.
The Anbaaay in Has-&= failed to :Hake any report
of the activities of President Trujillo's principal secret
operative in 13avax whose job it was to cover the activities
of Dominican revolutionaries in Cuba as well an those of
the United States Embassy. The Embassy's first and only
mention of th, presence of this agent in Cuba was after he
was shot by the revolutionaries, an event fully covered by
the Cuban press.
(2) Ahen United States iutelligeeuce agencies were
having difficulty in locating the base of the Dominican
revolutionaries in Cuba, the Trujillo goverment apparently
toured that they were able to get this information and
informed the Department of State where the revolutionary
activities were centered.
a} Secret Naval message COMCAR.IBSEMO3 5 Aug
1-49 060220Z)s "Our evaluation search 4 Aug negative.
Search 5 Aug eases as 4 Aug, except obtaining photos
all vessels Cuban search section."
(b) Secret Naval message CSO 13 Aug 1947
(1331613); "State Department received following....
inforeaation Dominican 1rabassy....revolutionariea
and arms now believed located at Cayo Grande do o&."
3. In spite of the poor coordination and liaison among intelli-
gea agencies in shimzgton, indifferent reporting by field intelli-
gence, operatives and the known preoccupation of the fthitae House with
the revolutionaries' activities, no machinery had been set up either by
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which the affair was viewed in the highest govorxental
13 c st 194T until the fi.,l collapse and roundup of
utiona forces by the Cuban Arm and vY, accuracy of
. ,.,,..
rsporttng and coordination in .the field improved to a degree which
mi t be t sd not only satisfactory but excellent. The Imbassies
in 1Eavana and Ciudad Trujillo and in Port-au.-Prince were in touch
with each other and with 'NOR ant&n&mo. The latter bass furnished
.ly, air ooverage of the revolutionary base on Cayo Grande de Mon,
a . the Cc n crd*r in C .i:ef , Atlantic Fleet, weds aria g e n nts to
a eguard United States lives and property in the Dc ni .u Republic
in the event of a successful landing on that island. It is primarily,
therefore, with the period from 20 July to 13 August that this report
is aaern+d.
Distribution:
Director
Zzecut~ive Registry
Central RRqords (2)
Approved For Release 2006/12/08: CIA,-RDP83-01034R000200190001-9