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, _TOP SECftE I D. Personnel and Training From the time of the official approval of the anti-Castro policy by President Eisenhower until the collapse of the effort at the Bay of Pigs the question of personnel and personnel management for Project JMATE was of constant concern. Even though the Director of Central Intelligence "emphasized the significance of the Project, by saying that he would recall Agency personnel from any station in the world if the individual's abilities were required for the successful achievement of JMATE objectives," some of those who were closest to the personnel problem be- lieved that DCI Dulles failed completely to keep that promise. 113/ Jake Esterline, Chief, WH/4 has re- marked as follows: It'was obvious that as the operation began to increase in size that the Divi- si~ didn't have the personnel, the senior personnel, to staff out the organ- ization; or if they did have them, they weren't about to release them from the LSD (Landing Ship Dock) which was to carry the landing craft to the area of the Bahia de Cochinos was ready to load at the naval base at Vieques for the invasion. As the text above confirms, however, the Admiral was read into the act relatively early in the game and should have had plenty of time to make preparations for the activities of April 1961. - 126 - 1"'OP SECRET