◆ SpookStack

TOp SECRET in Project PBSUCCESS, the operation which had resulted in the overthrow of the Communist-dominated government of Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala in 1954. Esterline was the choice of J. C. King, Chief, WH Division; and to the best of Esterline's recollection, toward the end of his two year tour in1: II ~~ he had been queried by King about remaining in t I' J or coming back to Headquarters to work on the Cuban problem. It was shortly after his return to the States in January of 1960 that Esterline became Chief,WH/4. 3/ In addition to his participation in the Guatemalan episode and his extensive guerrilla warfare experience in World War II with the OS5, Esterline thinks that he got the job because J. C. King "had pretty much confidence in my judgment."* 4/ The relationship - bet.ween Esterline. and J. C. King-, Chief, WH Division and the rel~tionship between King and Richard Bissell, , Deputy Director for Plans (DDP) during the course of * The author had heard that Esterline had been directly selected 'by the DDP, Richard Bissell, to be the head of WH/4. Bissell made no mention of this, and it is con- trary to the story noted above, as told by Esterline. - 33 -