◆ SpookStack

mention should also be made of another interesting deception operation which never materialized. Shortly after noon on 14 April 1961, Headquarters received a cable from TIDE, originating with Col. Hawkins which read as follows: Request large scale sonic booms over Capital [sial night following JMFURY and over other major cities if feasible same night. Suggest arrange with Col. Clarke, USAF, at Pentagon, through/Gen. Gray. 34/ Based on the author's interview with Richard D. Drain, who was Chief, Operations from WH/4 at this time, the rationale for the sonic boom was that: We were trying to create confusion, and $0 on. I thought a sonic boom would be a helluva swell thing, you know. Great ... Let's see what it does ... break all the windows in downtown Havana •.. dis- tract Castro. I .remember briefing the appropriate authorities in the Department of State about this, because they had to know about it -- I don't quite know why --, and "yes, Gen. LeMay, I can tell you exactly who turned that down -- Department Assista,nt Secretary of State Wymberly Coerr" .•. and LeMay said, "Thank you very much, young man. Now can you tell me why that sonofabitch turned it down?" I said, "No sir, General, the reasoning was unclear to me, but it had something to do with Berlin." LeMay said, "Jesus Christ!" and slams the phone down; and frankly that was typical of the Department ... So I told LeMay in answer to his question ... "Sure, I know who turned it down in - 205 - ~ET