◆ SpookStack

they knew exactly from what compass head- ings they were to arrive at the base and when they switched from 50 calibers to bombs and when they switched from bombs back to 50 calibers ••• Which direction they pulled up in .•. Whether they made a 90 or 270[?] degree turn to come back in on their second run. They could do it in their sleep, they had done it so many times on photographs •.. aerial photo- graphs. We got an unexpected amount of damage because they had followed their briefing right down to the "T" ••. I think if we could go back and look at the training that they had received and the job that they did ... they did a job on those three air bases that our first line American fighter pilots would have been proud to claim as their own handi- work. 19/ The crews were served their meals within this isolation compound; and if they had to leave the area, they were accompanied by their operations advisers and security personnel. A cable going back to Headquarters from TIDE on 13 April 1961 at 0953Z made the following comment about the Cuban air ~rews: Concensus [sic] here that crews were highly motivated and appear eager for strike. Morale could not be higher. Selection of crews was very competitive, as all 17 crews volunteered. As for combat readiness, believe this group could compete with any comparable se- lection USAF pilots. 20/ This cable was probably prepared by Lt. Col. George Gaines, and it is interesting to note that there - 194 -