◆ SpookStack

1960, he had been assigned as Acting Chief of the Air Section when Lt. Col. George Gaines was relieved as Chief, Air Section, DPD and assigned as the DPD Project Officer for JMATE (e.g., JMCLEAR).84/ Thorsrud's responsibilities were principally outside of the JMATE Project area until the Letter of Instruction. In the cable to the Base at MADD, announcing Thorsrud's imminent arrival, there were two or three items of interest. Concerning the ongoing problem of obtaining an adequate number of air trainees, the cable contained the following comment: Request Villafana be contacted to determine any knowledge Cuban trainees or pilots presently in Cuba who might be defected. Event potential defectors known, expedite names, positions occupied, etc. 85/ Perhaps this was an unintentional reflection of the suggestion in the~amecable. that Thorsrud be briefed on "all facets air activities, including , idiosyncracies/attributes personnel involved air mission. " More interesting to the recipients on the MADD end of the cable, however, was the request MADD paint white stripe, 36 inches wide completely across runway, five hundred feet from normal approach end. Measure four thousand feet down - 155 -