LETTER TO WILLIAM J. CASEY FROM CARL LEVIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01370R001602020046-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 17, 2008
• Sequence Number: 46
• Publication Date: December 17, 1984
• Content Type: LETTER

STAT
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CARL LEVIN
MICHIGAN
'Unfeb ,sfates Zenafe
Ch ro in r.),
December 17, 1984
The Honorable William J. Casey
Director of Central Intelligence
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
Dear Director Casey:
Attached are several articles recently published in the Detroit Free Press
which raise many questions about whether U.S. military personnel have been engaged
in activities in Central America to a far greater extent than the public and the
Congress understand to be the case. Among other allegations, these articles
included a claim that a menber of the United States Armed Forces:
"...flew a bunch of trips into Nicaragua... He'd go somewhere and
pick up a group of people in a clearing in the jungle--arnwd troops,
speaking Spanish--and take them to another clearing in the jungle
somewhere."
I would like to request that the Central Intelligence Agency investigate
all of the allegations contained in these articles to determine whether they are
true and whether, if so, the activities described were illegal, were in violation
of the intent of Congress with respect to American activities in Central America,
and/or were in violation of any Executive Branch regulations or Executive Orders.
I also would like to be informed whether any funds and/or personnel of the
Defense Department and/or of the Central Intelligence Agency are being used to
provide, directly or indirectly, military assistance, non-military aid, personnel,
training, logistical support, coordination, and direction to contra forces in any
way, publicly or privately, and/or through any other governmental or non-governmental
department, agency or entity of any type.
In addition, I would like to be informed whether any U.S. personnel have at
any time since January, 1982, crossed the borders of Nicaragua into that nation
and/or violated the airspace or territorial waters of Nicaragua, and if so,
under what conditions and authority and in what capacities.
My thanks in advance for your assistance.
Sinoerel
4a
CL/sss
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Seerecy followed -tae for~e
members to their graves
Motto, `Death waits he dark,' came true for some
t Secaasi of twe parts
DIerTR1011 f ne. Pit ":33 " WAWM , snna PRANK QVVE
Nm We"
I a J I lI8'' WASHINGTON - Near the end. Army helicopter plot
I Tom Crosson was scared, starting to feel that be wouldn't
live forever after an.
Pint. It was his near Was. Then, It was watching one of
the huge, hnnberlnt chooppppaenn didategrate In the Atlantic
with five of Ids buddies. aboerd. He had awakened to what a
~anteroua bwiars he was In.
i "I couldn't believe that am ep ople do this," Cresson
left In his last letter to his beat trend after s perdw>?rly
h Ica peratIoa. 9 was awaiting like & cartoon character?'
onttliee later. ON Wsmsi Officer Thomas
Crosson M, 3g, was dmd- $4.2 MINION-40
machine he was a` into South Fo
near Travers Cl, 1Wcb.,the Army said.
Lett behind a father, a wife, an pz4ft two kids.
seven dop, four art a nodeat white house
that he'dl~ved Infer I y islys. OO.p00llte lassranoe pokicy
and the best friend, Bob cartels, who cried after Crowsa
died -
In. Isis. Crashes and is of his cotands died.
Croasaa was among the finest a"- by all accounts --
the most ~ Tupow k f Force, called the 9 hht
t>u Atwy'a rest
' Stalkers" The story of Crosson, his comrades and their unit
was pieced together from Interviews with relatives, friends,
mlNiS sources and records.
t helicopter flight is risky. Flying In icy weather and
storms can be Sut?wro . Flying as low as possible,
with treetopi brushing the belly of the helicopter, or choppy
sees blasting It with saltwater, severely tests pilots and their
aircraft.
The 180th Task Force routinely flew missions In dark.
new and In storms, using the night and bad weather for
cover and surprise.
One pilot at the unit's Pt. Campbell, Ky., base compared-
it to driving down "strange streets In the deal of night as
fast as you could So with no lights."
it is not for everyone. perhaps not for anyone. One of the
nation's to military helicopter safety rts, who euaam-
heed partial reports of the a it's tour IM fatal aoddeau-
calls the 1/w& maintenance program "atrodous" and is
highly critical of the hf$h.pressure trtloing.
"Aces, daredevils, barnstormers. guys who flaw by the
seats of their punter, hot reddens, pilots who could pick It up,
turn it around on a dime and put It back down with a flair."
Thnt's what retired Army Col. Charlie Beckwith, then
commander of the eat. Delta Force. said he was looking for
to transport has commandos. The 1S0tb Is beat known for
-See TASK POKE. Pope 23A
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mret U 9 i 9 Kole 0
Central America
Dead soldiers' families tell of unit
DE1ROIT FREt: PRE.