◆ SpookStack

you've got to picture this situation -- the PBY had already taken off. It had to take off at midnight to get there by daylight. The 46's were lined up to go -- they were the next slowest, so they were launched next. We had firepots and lights. We had all kinds -- three quar- ters of them didn't speak English, so we couldn't cancel it by an English order. We were launching the 26's by the distance that they had to go -- to Santiago and to Havana and all the other places by their elements. All the aircraft were started. They were all taxied in posi- tion. It was almost like a World War II movie of a strike -- there were over 30[?] aircraft on that one strip, getting ready for takeoff when that message came in. The lead aircraft -- the lead B-26's -- were loaded with napalm for that line up of tanks that we had; and the guys had photos of those tanks there. Fresh, a few hours before. They would have wiped out that tank force. Do you know what it means to de-arm an armed aircraft of napalm -- the problems and all? Unbeliev- able. When it was called off, it was bad enough. There was enough gloom around that place when someone came up with that assinine defector's operation. But that morning ~ .. In fact, we said .•. that's in the cable traffic too ••. I forget my exact words ... but it was either a •.. I think ..• I sent one personally to the Director, and I think the Cubans came in and asked to send one personally to John F. Kennedy ••• Villafana and his group •.• and I said, "Of course you can. I will send it to Headquarters, and I am sure that it will be relayed to him." Everyone knew that the operation didn't have a prayer. So, we launched those six guys in the morning, and I think four of - 280 -