Background
Frank Anthony Sturgis
[Reference:
RIF 124-10289-10325. FBI file number BUFILE 2-1499,
Miami Field Office 2-192]
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION
1-INS, Miami (RM)
1-U.S. Border Patrol, Miami (RM)
1-U.S. Customs, Miami (RM)
LEMAN L. STAFFORD, JR.
Date: September 22, 1961
Office: Miami, Florida
Field Office File: 2-192
Bureau File: 2-1499
Title: FRANK ANTHONY STURGIS
Character: NEUTRALITY MATTERS
Synopsis: MM T-1 on 9/5/61 described subject as "braggart,
liar whose
every utterance is subject to question". PEDRO DIAZ
LANZ,
one-time head Cuban Revolutionary Air Force, described
subject as
ardent anti-Communist but interested in having good
time. DIAZ
said all newspaper stories which have been printed re
subject have been
grossly exaggerated. Said subject accompanied group on
trip to
Cuba in 1961 but unsuccessful in landing. Described
subject as
"stupid". LARRY de JOSEPH said he contacted subject in
4/61, at
which time subject interested in organizing educational type
operation
concerned with distributing propaganda to those interested
in combating
communism. After demonstration at Davie, Fla. in 7/61,
subject
gave up his ideas of forming organization because of
unfavorable
publicity. ORLANDO BOSCH, leader anti-Castro
organization, MIRR,
said subject, among others, made trip with destination Cuba,
but
unsuccessful. Described subject as soldier of fortune
and, in his
opinion, publicity seeker, absolutely valueless in
combat. On
9/14/61 WILLIAM JOHN JOHNSON, JR. furnished signed
statement; said in
Jan. or Feb., 1961, he proceeded with others in plane from
Ft.
Lauderdale, Fla. to Norman Cay, Bahamas. Thereafter
aircraft flew
group of five persons, including subject, on two
unsuccessful attempts
to fly into Cuba. Denied ever seeing subject
attempting recruit
anyone into his organization. Subject interviewed
9/19/61.
Denied recruiting activities, claimed during early 1961 he
conceived
idea of forming International Anti-Communist Brigade.
Declined
answer questions re his participation on expedition for
purpose joining
anti-Castro units in Cuba. Said many of things said
about him in
"Parade" article written by JACK ANDERSON were exaggerated
and not
true. Denied having anyone in combat training, claimed
to be
making plans to open private detective office in Miami with
ALAN
McDONALD; denied office to be used for recruiting
purposes.
GERALD PATRICK HEMMING denied knowing subject attempting to
recruit
anyone into his organization. JERRY BUCHANAN,
acquaintance of
subject, turned himself in to Fla. State Probation
authorities, Miami,
7/28/61, sent to Fla. State Prison, Raiford, to serve three
years for
forgery.
-P-
DETAILS
[NONE LISTED]
-2-
[begin page 4 handwritten
"-4-". No page 3. At bottom the following was
typed:
On
9/5/61 of Miami, Florida File# Miami 2-192
by SA LEMAN L. STAFFORD, JR.:mgw Date
dictated: 9/7/61]
Date September 11, 1961
PEDRO LUIS DIAZ LANZ, 120 S. W. 71st Avenue, Miami, Florida,
telephone
CA 6-3142, was interviewed and furnished the following
information.
DIAZ, one time head of the Cuban Revolutionary Air Force
under FIDEL
CASTRO, fled from Cuba and denounced FIDEL CASTRO and
presently resides
in exile in Miami with his family.
DIAZ said he has been acquainted with FRANK ANTHONY STURGIS
for several
years and, in fact, STURGIS was an officer in the Cuban
Revolutionary
Air Force when that organization was headed by DIAZ.
DIAZ
described STURGIS as an ardent anti-communist but an
individual who is
primarily concerned with having a good time in life.
DIAZ said
that all of the newspaper stories which have been printed
concerning
STURGIS have been grossly exaggerated.
He said he knew that STURGIS, during the early part of 1961,
had
accompanied a group on a boat which was going to Cuba,
however, the
group was unsuccessful in landing in Cuba and he knew for a
fact that
the leader of the expedition, one VICTOR PANEQUE, known as
Comandante
DIEGO, had told him the expedition was unsuccessful in
landing.
DIAZ said an article had appeared in a newspaper or magazine
in which
STURGIS had said the landing had been successful; however,
DIAZ said
that after the admission by PANEQUE he had confronted
STURGIS with this
information and STURGIS admitted the group had not gone
ashore.
DIAZ described STURGIS as an individual who has always
wanted to appear
to be a hero, has sought and gained a lot of publicity which
has helped
STURGIS to accomplish one purpose and that is to be popular
with the
female sex.
[end page "-4-" begin page
"-5-"]
DIAZ stated he had read the article which had appeared in
"Parade"
magazine written by JACK ANDERSON and whereas the article
referred to
STURGIS as an individual who had participated in the Cuban
invasion of
April, 1961, he DIAZ knew that STURGIS had not participated
in this
invasion. DIAZ reported that some weeks ago he had
learned
through various individuals in Miami that STURGIS was
attempting to
form a group of anti-CASTRO fighters. He said that for
a while in
Miami there were perhaps 20 or 30 individuals who claimed to
be members
of STURGIS' group, however, they had no money, were not
organized,
became hungry, disbanded and, to the best of his knowledge,
all of the
individuals who had come from across the country to join
STURGIS'
organization had returned to their homes. DIAZ said he
knew of no
recruiting activities on the part of STURGIS; that he did
not even know
the name of the organization which STURGIS had previously
attempted to
organize and, to the best of his knowledge, the organization
had never
really developed but had failed almost simultaneously with
an attempt
to organize.
DIAZ continued he felt that STURGIS is "stupid" and that he
had been
"used" by people such as columnist JACK ANDERSON in printing
the gross
exaggerations of claims attributed to STURGIS in his
anti-CASTRO
campaign.
DIAZ said that several days previously STURGIS had come by
his
residence and visited with him for a short while and stated
he had been
working for a dry cleaner but that he had quit his
job. He said
STURGIS did not mention anything about income and that
he does
not know how STURGIS is managing to live. He said
STURGIS is
living with a girl who has been working as a stripper on
Miami
Beach. He identified her as JANETTE, whose last name
he did not
know.
DIAZ said that MAX VILA, who had been a member of STURGIS'
group at one
time, participated in the unsuccessful invasion of Cuba in
April, 1961;
however, he was seized by Cuban authorities after
parachuting from an
airplane during this unsuccessful campaign.
[end page "-5-" begin page
"-6-"]
Date September 11, 1961
LARRY DE JOSEPH, 3521 S. W. Third Street, Miami,
Florida, telephone Highland 4-5378, furnished the following
information.
DE JOSEPH resided for approximately ten years in Havana,
Cuba, prior to
the downfall of FULGENCIO BATISTA on January 1, 1959.
DE JOSEPH
had a sculptor business in Havana and also worked as a
cashier at the
gambling casino at the Sans Souci Night Club.
DE JOSEPH first met FRANK STURGIS a few days after the
unsuccessful
Cuban invasion which occurred on or about April 17,
1961. He
learned through an individual whom he could not identify
that an
organization called the International Brigade was being
formed to
combat communism throughout the world. He heard that
the
organization was headed by FRANK STURGIS. DE JOSEPH
contacted
STURGIS and STURGIS told him that he thought it time that
the people of
this country and peoples of the free world should take an
active
interest in fighting communism. STURGIS told DE
JOSEPH that
he had no intention of forming a military organization at
the
time. STURGIS said this was an educational type of
operation
which would primarily be concerned with the distribution of
propaganda
type material to those individuals who would be interested
in combating
communism. STURGIS spoke of the organization
developing and
becoming widespread throughout countries of the free
world.
STURGIS explained that citizens of the United States could
not actively
participate in combat in other countries but he felt they
could be used
in other ways.
DE JOSEPH said he learned many people had always regarded
STURGIS as a
man of action and when he began to talk of combating
communism in ways
other than through physical force, they began to think that
he was
getting soft.
[At the bottom of this page is handwritten "-6-" with blanks
filled in as follows:
On 9/6/61 of Miami, Florida File# Miami 2-192
by SA LEMAN L. STAFFORD, Jr.:mgw Date dictated 9/7/61]
[begin page "-7-"]
DE JOSEPH said STURGIS was interested in having people join
his
organization which he called the International
Brigade. He had a
form printed in the Spanish language, however, copies of the
form were
subsequently thrown away. DE JOSEPH said there were
individuals
who wanted to join the organization, however, the
organization "never
got off the ground". DE JOSEPH stated STURGIS
did not have
the know-how to organize the group and subsequently sought
legal
advice. After getting legal advice STURGIS began to
tell people
that he was not interested in a combat organization as he
had had
previous experiences involving encampments, uniforms and
weapons;
furthermore, that the had almost lost his United States
citizenship as
a result of his participation in the Cuban Revolutionary
Army, and he
did not want to place himself in peril any more.
DE JOSEPH said an individual named GERALD PATRICK HEMMING
heard about
STURGIS' organization. He came and wanted to unite his
group with
that of STURGIS. DE JOSEPH understood that the two
individuals
talked about a survival type of program similar to that
sponsored by
Civil Defense. STURGIS, according to DE JOSEPH, told
HEMMING to
forget about camps and uniforms as well as weapons.
DE JOSEPH said that in July, 1961, there was a demonstration
at Davie,
Florida, sponsored by a group of United States citizens as
well as
Cubans interested in anti-CASTRO activities. STURGIS
was present
with DE JOSEPH. GERALD PATRICK HEMMING was also
present with
approximately 20 - 25 men from his organization.
STURGIS did not
actively participate nor did DE JOSEPH participate in any of
the
activities of the day. STURGIS was interviewed by
members of the
press and there was subsequent publicity which appeared in
the "Miami
Herald" and actually, according to DE JOSEPH, the
information
attributed to STURGIS had been so exaggerated and distorted
that even
STURGIS complained. DE JOSEPH said he knew this to be
true
because he accompanied STURGIS to the "Miami Herald" offices
where
STURGIS
[end page "-7-"]
talked with DOM BONAFEDE, a "Herald" reporter who had talked
to STURGIS
at the Davie Airport. STURGIS protested concerning the
above
described distortions, however, BONAFEDE said it would be
resolved at
some future date.
Approximately one week after the demonstration at Davie,
STURGIS
completely gave up the idea of forming an organization
because of the
unfavorable publicity. DE JOSEPH said HEMMING and
STURGIS are not
on speaking terms now because of their differences.
STURGIS
claimed the only way to participate in combat is to wait
until the
United States Government authorizes a group to do something
and at that
time the group could accomplish a goal.
DE JOSEPH recalled that some individuals had heard
about STURGIS'
organization after the newspaper and magazine publicity;
that they had
come to Miami from different parts of the country, and he
had
personally heard STURGIS tell these individuals to "Forget
it" and go
back home and go to work.
DE JOSEPH advised STURGIS is doing no recruiting, that he
has no
organization and that he could not identify anyone who is
united with
STURGIS.
DE JOSEPH said STURGIS claims he is in contact with someone
in the
United States Government who counsels and advises him,
however, DE
JOSEPH does not know the identity of this individual.
DE JOSEPH stated STURGIS made a trip recently to New York
and
Washington, D. C. and it was believed that STURGIS had
contacted ALEX
RORKE, a freelance photographer and writer who had been
preparing a
documentary film on activities of STURGIS. It was DE
JOSEPH's
belief that RORKE had been planning to release this film;
however, DE
JOSEPH was unable to furnish any specific information
concerning this
matter.
[end page "-8-"]
DE JOSEPH related that STURGIS has been consulting a Miami
attorney
whose name he did not recall; however, STURGIS has stated he
has been
recently getting advice and counsel from GINO
NEGRETTI. STURGIS
had also told DE JOSEPH he was giving consideration to
incorporating
his organization within the State of Florida and he was not
certain but
felt that STURGIS had sent certain forms to the State of
Florida at
Tallahassee concerning this matter.
DE JOSEPH also said that he does not know where STURGIS
resides but he
has Miami telephone number MU 1-5864. He said STURGIS
had visited
him a few days before and told him he was in need of money
and talked
about organizing a private detective agency in the Miami
area.
During this interview Mr. DE JOSEPH said he had been injured
in an
accident several years ago, at which time he suffered a
concussion
which had caused him at times to have a lapse of
memory. He
indicated he is presently under the care of and receiving
treatment
from a Miami psychiatrist, MICHAEL M. GILBERT, 316 N. E.
14th Terrace,
Miami, Florida.
[end page "-9-"]
[Bottom of page the
following:
On
9/8/61 at Miami, Florida File #Miami 2-192
by Special Agent LEMAN L. STAFFORD,
JR.:GK Date dictated 9/11/61]
Date September 12, 1961
ORLANDO BOSCH, 65 S. W. 28th Road, Miami, Florida, was
interviewed and furnished the following information:
BOSCH identified himself as head of the Movimiento
Insurrectional
Recuperacion Revolucionario, which is the Revolutionary
Insurrectional
Recuperation Movement (MIRR), an anti-CASTRO
organization. At the
outset of the interview, BOSCH was advised that he did not
have to say
anything, that anything he said could be used against him in
a court of
law, and furthermore, that he could consult an
attorney should he
so desire. Dr. BOSCH, a Medical Doctor, said he
realized this,
but that he had never withheld information from the FBI and
wished to
furnish any information desired.
In November, 1960, VICTOR, PANEQUE, a Cuban revolutionary,
also known
as Comandante DIEGO, led a small group of anti-CASTRO
revolutionaries
on a trip destined for Cuba, however, the group was
unsuccessful in
making contact in Cuba and Dr. BOSCH very frankly said the
group did
not go ashore.
Dr. BOSCH stated that ALEX RORKE, a free lance photographer
and
newspaper writer, had accompanied PANEQUE and a small group
of Cubans
on this expedition; that RORKE subsequently wrote an article
which
appeared in "Argosy" magazine which was greatly exaggerated,
full of
untruth, in that statements were made that a successful trip
had been
made into Cuba when it was not so.
A subsequent trip was made in February, 1961, by VICTOR
PANEQUE with a
small group, including SANDALIO CARDENAS EVELIO GUTIERREZ
and one
individual named PAZ, whose first name was unknown to
BOSCH.
BOSCH claimed the MIRR had a following of 500 men in Oriente
Province
of Cuba, and it was the purpose of this group to join and
lead this
group of revolutionaries in assaults on CASTRO forces.
At that
time FRANK ANTHONY STURGIS, also known as FRANK FIORINI,
[end page "-10"-]
[pages 11 and 12 not
released with this RIF]
[begin page "-13-".
At bottom of page the following is typed:
On
9/14/61 at Miami, Florida
File
# Miami 2-192
by
SA LEMAN L. STAFFORD, Jr.:mgw
Date dictated 9/15/61]
September 19, 1961
WILLIAM JOHN JOHNSON, Jr. furnished the following signed
statement.
Miami, Florida
September 14, 1961
"I, William John Johnson, Jr., make the following voluntary
statement
to Leman L. Stafford, Jr., who has identified himself to me
as a
Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
I have been
told that I do not have to make this statement, that
anything I say can
be used against me in a court of law, and if I so desire, I
can consult
an attorney.
I was born in New York City, New York, on February 11,
1931. I
presently reside at 1271 Northwest 180th Terrace, Miami,
Florida.
I am a United States citizen.
In about January or February of 191, I was a passenger on an
Aero
Commander airplane, which was flown from Fort Lauderdale,
Florida, to
Nassau, and which was piloted by Willie Wall, who is a
licensed
pilot. We were accompanied by Alex Rorke and Chester
'Chet'
Maier. From Nassau, we flew to Norman Cay,
Bahamas. Is
There the two of us met a group which had arrived on board a
ship
called "The Jolly Roger". As I recall, the individuals
on this
ship were Frank Fiorini, one Diego, whose correct name is
Victor
Paneque, another individual with the last name of Nimmo, and
another
one with the last name of Paz. There was another one;
who was
known by the nickname of Guajiro.
From Norman Cay; the five individuals
[end page "-13-" begin page
"-14-"]
above, with myself and Wall, departed at 4:00 AM in the
airplane and
flew to Holguin Province, where we had planned to make a
landing and
discharge our passengers; however, Diego, the apparent
leader of the
group, was reluctant to land, and therefore, we returned to
Norman Cay
without doing so.
"I recall that Alex Rorke took photographs of Fiorini as he
entered the
airplane prior to our departure from Norman Cay, and I
personally took
some photographs of Fiorini while we were en route to our
Cuban
destination.
"After returning to Norman Cay, Wall and I, Maier and Rorke,
returned
to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with the airplane. Three
days later,
Wall, Maier and myself again departed from Fort Lauderdale
in the
airplane and returned to Norman Cay. We again took the
same group
of five individuals identified above in an attempt to make a
landing in
Cuba; however, Fiorini advised against it, feeling that the
Cuban
Government had been alerted to our possible landing.
We could see
what might happen, and therefore, returned immediately with
our
passengers to Norman Cay. After discharging our
passengers at
Norman Cay, Well Maier and I Chet
went back to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I do not recall
the exact
address, but Maier lives at an address on Northeast 177th
Street,
Miami, Florida; however, he has taken a job at a bank in
Jackson,
Mississippi.
"I recall that the group of five indicated there were fifty
to seventy-five people waiting for them in Cuba.
"I first met Fiorini on the above-described occasion.
I have talked with him on
[end page "-14-", begin
page "-15"]
infrequent occasions since that time. I understand
that he is a
leader of an anti-Castro group; however, I do not know the
name of this
organization. I recall seeing Fiorini on one occasion
in
Walgreen's Drugstore on West Flagler Street, Miami, Florida,
at which
time he had in his hand some printed forms, which I
understand were for
the purpose of recruiting people into his organization;
however, I
never saw anyone being recruited, and I do not know the
identities of
anyone who might be in his organization.
"I have talked with Fiorini on occasions, and learned that
he had
recently gone to New York City and Washington, D. C., in
order to
obtain financial support for an anti-Castro
organization. He told
me he had been unsuccessful in raising funds.
"I have read newspaper articles concerning Fiorini,
identifying him as
an anti-Castro leader, giving data concerning the strength
of his
organization, and to my knowledge, these figures are
completely
false. I wish to furthermore state that I have read
articles in
which Fiorini said he had made landings in Cuba, and I
personally know
of no landings whatever having been made by him on any
occasion.
"After observing Fiorini on the two airplane trips described
above, I
feel that he gave good, sound advice to the group not to
land on the
occasion of the second try in Cuba, and that he actually
prevented the
group from losing their lives. In my opinion if I were
to be in
trouble or participate in any type of revolutionary
activity, I would
want to be accompanied by Frank Fiorini, as I have seen him
display a
lot of courage under extremely hazardous conditions.
[end page "-15-" begin page "-16-". The last and final
page]
"I have read this statement consisting of this and four
other pages,
have initiated each one, and wish to state that it is true
and correct
to the best of my knowledge.
"/s/ WILLIAM J. JOHNSON, Jr.
"Witness:
/s/ LEMAN L. STAFFORD, Jr. Special Agent,
FBI, Miami, Florida, 9/14/61
/s/ ROBERT JAMES DWYER, Special Agent,
FBI, Miami, Fla. 9/14/61
In addition to the above signed statement, JOHNSON said he
had been
arrested on September 12, 1961, by U. S. Customs and charged
with
possession of an automatic weapon. He said WILLIE WALL
was with
him at the time and WALL was also arrested. Both
JOHNSON and WALL
were released after posting $1,500 bond each after a hearing
before U.
S. Commissioner ROGER EDWARD DAVIS at Miami.
The following is a physical description of JOHNSON as
obtained from interrogation and observation:
Sex: Male
Race: White
Date of Birth: 2/11/31
Place of Birth: New York City
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 240 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Brown
Occupation: Used car dealer
Residence: 1271 N. W. 180th Terrace
Miami, Florida
End of Page
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