◆ SpookStack

Sherman Kent, Director of the BNE, told one interviewer that neither he nor anyone on the BNE had been "officially" consulted about the Bay of Pigs operation; however, a Memorandum for the Reco~d of 3Q January 1961 highlights details of the briefing Colonel Jack Hawkins gave to DDCI General Cabell and BNE membe~s ~dmiral Jeruald Wright and Generals Earl Barnes and Harold B\lll on the planned operation. It \-las reported that these "senior Agency officials critiqued the plan at some length." §../ Also in late January 1961 at the request of Director Dulles, Kent's Office of National Estimates prepared an internal memo- ;randurn on "Proba.ble International Reactions to Certain Possible US Courses of Act:kon against the Castro Regime." One of those courses of US action was to "provide active support~ of varying degrees of magnitude and overtness, to an attempt by Cuban opposition elements, internal and in exile, to overthrow Castro." As with both DDS White and DDI Amory, Kent was a participant in the DCIls morning meetings; and he did indicate that "in general" attendees at these sessions were aware of the anti-Castro project. One of the strangest oversights, however, was the Taylor Committee's failure to question Colonel "Red" White, the Deputy Director tor Support. Even before the establishment of WH/4, U.e January 19.60)., \fuite's Directorate had been involved in sup- porting the Agency's activities I linclUding Cuba. Unlike the. Clandestine Services which ignored its own Contingency Task Force Plan, Colonel tvhite insisted that 235