◆ SpookStack

support the attack. The reason for the use of US B-26 pilots was given as follows: Due fact Guat pilots have had no prac- tice this type op and Cuban pilots have not yet participated in combined air/ ground exercises plus need for precise timing and coordination air strike with air assault landing, request authority use us volunteer pilots to insure success this op. Request authority use one AEDEPOT volunteer with each assault transport aircraft to provide best leadership available. 40/* The Headquarters reaction to this request is best explained in the words of the then Deputy Direc- tor of Plans, Richard M. Bissell who said: I remember with some vividness that I was called up by the Watch Officer at about 2:30 in the morning and a cable had come in, I think from Egan, and Ydigoras had asked to borrow some of the Brigade to put down an uprising in Puerto Barrios. Egan wanted an answer within an hour or something of that kind. I-did, at that hour in the morning, get in touch with Tom Mann; but I could get no decision out of Tom Mann. He said he couldn't possibly act on a matter of that kind until he could * AEDEPOTS were defectors from the USSR who had been trained initially by the Agenc: for various types of I loperations I ~ Because their prlmary mlSS10n was phaslng ou , some 26 of them volunteered and were used as training officers at JMTRAV. See also, pp. 66-67 of this volume. - 38 - TOP r~ET