◆ SpookStack

the committee meetings and these are on file in the collection of the Robert Kennedy papers at the John F. Kennedy library in Boston. * The full flavor of the committee meetings is lost in the official memorandum of the first meeting when compared with the verbatim transcript of the meeting. The latter indicates the constant and continuing interruptions for operational personnel to respond to incoming calls concerning the on-going efforts to locate survivors in the Bahia de Cochinos area, questions con- cerning the vessels still at sea with troops and supplies, and the need for senior personnel who were involved in the com- mittee meetings to make decisions regarding the handling of personnel and materiel.** * At this writer's request, Dr. Henry J. Gwizada at the Kennedy Library examined the collection of memorandum in the Robert Kennedy papers and reported that there were no significant notes, corrections, or questions apparent on the copies that ~r. Kennedy retained. Arthur Schlesinger's book on Robert Kennedy quoted extensively from a lengthy classified memo- randum Kennedy wrote during the course of the investigation, and the memorandum clearly identifies many of the points where the Attorney General was asking questions or makingcomrnents. At the writer's FOIA request, this Kennedy memorandum was de- classified 23 August 1982.~/ ** The author has been unable to ascertain how the copy of the verbatim transcript of the first meeting came into the Agency's possession--it was found among the many miscellaneous files on the operation. Neither Col. Tarwater nor' likely CIA prospects (whether still in the employ or retired from Agency service) could shed any light on the origin of the transcript. .~I~ ...... . . ..•~ '; I ..~• .., ~