16. Editorial Note
According to a chronology of JCS participation in planning for operations against Cuba, maintained in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations, working level officers on the Joint Staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were informed on January 11, 1961, for the first time of the plan being developed in the CIA for an invasion of Cuba by a Cuban exile force:
“Mr. Willauer and a CIA representative briefed Gen Bonesteel and Gen Gray on the general concept, in Gen Bonesteelʼs office. This was the first time the JCS at the working level had knowledge of this project. At this meeting, Gen Gray pointed out the necessity for the establishment of a special interdepartmental working group and suggested this matter be brought before the 5412 Group at their next meeting the following day.” (Chronology of JCS Participation in Bumpy Road; Naval Historical Center, Area Files, Bumpy Road Materials)
The chronology indicates that the 5412 Group reviewed the planning on January 12, and arranged for the establishment of a State-Defense-CIA-JCS working group to evaluate the additional measures that might be required; see Document 17. On January 13 the Interdepartmental Working Group held its first meeting at the Department of State; see Document 18. Brigadier General David W. Gray, the JCS representative at the meeting, was given the mission of preparing an evaluation of the possible military courses of action necessary to overthrow the Castro government in the event the currently planned political and paramilitary operations were determined to be inadequate. The evaluation prepared in the Department of Defense for General Gray is printed as Document 19.