◆ SpookStack

February 1961 when JMTRAV complained that the base was receiving trainees and supplies with little or no prior notice. JMTRAV requested Miami/Opalocka or Eglin Air Force Base to provide them with details concerning the ETA of passenger or cargo flights, and they asked for an advance notice of 24 hours. Similarly any outgoing flights from MADD for CONUS were to be brought to their attention so that they could plan movements of passengers, cargo, or whatever from TRAV to the other bases. 57/ The push for air drop operations antedated the opening of JMADD when as early as I September 1960 a strong pitch was made to provide an arms drop to sup- porters of Manolo Ray in the Escambray region of Cuba. One of the first suggestions, apparently, had been to use the OSTIARY crews out of Eglin Air Force Base to fly the mission; but recognizing the difficulties of using these particular pilots, the second suggestion, since the Cuban crews were not yet ready, was to use an HBILKA crew. Although discussed with the Special Group, the plan was rejected by the DCI. 58/ In the interval between the Mexican disaster and the completion of the training of the Cuban pilots and the initiation of operational flights, the DDP, Mr. - 135 -