◆ SpookStack

6? 6-6 intention of requesting funds to pursue the program, and no objections were.raised by the group. 15. The project to unseat Castro had thus become a major Agency activity with the highest policy sanction, engaging the full-time activity of the personnel of a rapidly expanding operat- ing branch, requiring a great amount of detailed day-to-day atten- tion in higher Agency echelons and entailing frequent liaison with other agencies and departments of the Government. 16. The activities described to the President contimued at an accelerated rate, but the financial approach to the project: was relatively cautious in the early weeks. Financial Preparations 17. On 24 March 1960 the project was approved by the Director of Central Intelligence in the initial amount of $900,000 for the rest of Fiscal Year 1960. However, only two weeks later, on ~ 7. April, WH/4 Branch reported that 85% of the $900,000 had been obligated. By 30 June an additional $1,000,000 was obligated. 18. In April the Director of Central Intelligence told a meeting of WH/} personnel that he would recall people from anywhere in the world if they were needed on the project. From January 1960, when it had ho people, the branch expanded to 588 by 16 April 1961, becoming one of the largest branches in the Clandestine Services, larger than some divisions. Its Table of Organization did not include the large number of air operations personnel who worked.