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Roberto A1ejos.* Ferrer reported that there were 44 pilots included in the 'first group.. Arriving in Guatemala in late August 1960 they were joined on 9 September by 14 additional· pilot trainees -- bringing the total number to 58.19/** They spent roughly two weeks living in very primitive conditions in a coffee warehouse at Finca Helvetia while waiting for comp1e- tion of the BOQ and other facilities at Reta1hue1u.*** The infantry Brigade was being trained at JMTRAV base about 10 miles away from Helvetia -- also on property owned by Robert Alejos. * Alejos was a confidante of President Ydigoras and the brother of the Guatemalan Ambassador to the United States. ** The only explanation for the difference in the reported number of Cuban pilot trainees between the 58 indicated by Ferrer and the 39 mentioned previously in the JMADD ca~le of 23 September 1960 is that Ferrer must have included ground crew and maintenance person- nel in his pilot total. *** Some discussion of the construction of the air base facilities at Reta1hu1eu appears in Volume II of this history. A full description of the construc- tion effort is contained in Support Services Historical Series OL-11, Agency Engineering Activity, 1947-66, Feb 72, Vol. I, pp. 53-67, Vol. II, pp. 131-193. s. For photos of JMADD, see' Figures 1-23, pp. 455-478 of this volume. Eduardo Ferrer has some interesting vignettes of daily life of the trainees at both Hel- vetia and MAnD in Operacion Puma, pp. 50-73. - 110 -