◆ SpookStack

see the Secretary in the morning. So here again, you have Ydigoras levying a request on an Agency representative locally, under circumstances and with a time schedule that, as it turned out, made effective reference to the State Department just impossible. The State Department was not equipped to decide something like that within an hour .... r know that r sent a cable to Egan saying "Yes" on my responsibility; and my reasons for doing that -~ very definitely at the time -- were that r didn't think that de- cision ought to be left to Egan. 41/ There seems to have been some confusion as to what actually happened following the request which Mr. Bissell approved. The initial cable reporting the action stated simply that: Upon Ydigoras's instr~~tions through Alejos, aircraft and troops launched on schedule. However, when planes at Puerto Barrios, order countermanded as it dis- covered majority rebels had evacuated base during night. All aircraft and TRAV troops returned JMADD. 42/ On 17 November however, in an after action report it was stated: MADD B-26's commenced airstrike against Puerto Barrios air base at 0607 hours local, strafing area with rockets and .50 cal. As first C-46 started to land, B-26's strafed in front landing C-46. C-46 made successful -landing encountering sporadic small arms fire. Cuban trainees aboard aircraft re- turned fire through ports during landing. Recall order given before C-46 completed landing. Therefore, pilot did 180 degree - 39 - TOPfRET