◆ SpookStack

On 6 April 1961, it was reported that there was some doubling up in the training effort -- four of the C-54 captains were reported to be qualified to fly B-26's or C-46's in addition to the C-54's which were their primary responsibility. 104/ The situation was com- pounded by the fact that at this same time, JMTIDE was reporting Review aircrew capability TIDE reveals critical shortage C-54 and C-46 aircraft commanders due loss trained personnel various causes. Trained pilots ... [Miami area] should be dispatched immediately TIDE order to provide better indigenous crew air drop capability. All three personnel [in Miami] are A/C commanders in C-46 or C-54. 105/ Where both George Gaines and ~ar Thorsrud were of the opinion that this last minute flurry of activity regarding the acquisition of the additional Cuban pilot personnel would have made no difference at all -- had the initial air operation plan been carried out -- Col. Stanley Beerli, who was Acting Chief of DPD at ~he time, went a step further and suggested that the supply of Cuban pilots who were really qualif~ed to go into the air operations training program of JMATE had already been put into the program: The ones that were screened ... that had any sort of potential, were taken - 168 -