Gerry Droller
Encyclopedia
Gerard "Gerry" Droller was a CIA officer involved in the covert 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état and the recruitment of Cuban exile
s in the preparation of the abortive Bay of Pigs Invasion
in April 1961.
(OSS) and the Maquis
in France during World War II
.
In September 1949 he was recruited into the Central Intelligence Agency, and became the CIA desk officer for Switzerland. One unspecified report said he was responsible for the reorganization of West Germany "and the consequent strengthening of German-American relations". Later he worked in Formosa where he helped Chiang Kai-Shek "organize his government and army".
In 1954 Droller helped organize the CIA operation to overthrow Guatemalan president Jacobo Arbenz. Others involved in this project code-named Operation PBSUCCESS
included Frank Wisner
, Richard M. Bissell Jr., Tracy Barnes
, E. Howard Hunt
, David Atlee Phillips
, David Sanchez Morales
, Jake Esterline
, William "Rip" Robertson and William Pawley.
On 21 April 1959, Droller had a three-hour meeting with Fidel Castro in a hotel room in New York after the latter's visit to Washington.
In early 1960, Droller became involved in Operation 40
, formed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
to eliminate Fidel Castro.
In June 1960, Droller was sent to Miami, as Political Affairs officer (C/PA/WH/4) under Jacob Esterline
to help organize the overthrow of Fidel Castro
in Cuba. Adopting the name Frank Bender, he posed as a wealthy steel tycoon. His main task was to recruit and organize the political leaders of anti-Castro Cuban exiles in the Miami area, assisted by E. Howard Hunt
alias "Eduardo". He recruited Manuel Artime
who became the leader of Movimiento de Recuperación Revolucionaria (Revolutionary Recovery Movement), (MRR), and later Brigade 2506
. During 1960 and 1961, Droller organized the setting up of training camps for Cuban exiles at Useppa Island
, Florida, and at Retalhuleu
, Guatemala by arrangement with Guatemalan president Miguel Ydigoras
. He helped recruit Cuban exiles into a paramilitary force subsequently named Brigade 2506 that, with considerable finance from the CIA, carried out the abortive invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs on 17 April 1961. He did not speak Spanish, and he was not universally liked by the Cuban exiles.
Cuban exile
The term "Cuban exile" refers to the many Cubans who have sought alternative political or economic conditions outside the island, dating back to the Ten Years' War and the struggle for Cuban independence during the 19th century...
s in the preparation of the abortive Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
in April 1961.
- Alias Frank Bender (For Frank Bender, the facial reconstruction artist, see Frank BenderFrank BenderFrancis Augustus "Frank" Bender was a world-renowned autodidact forensic artist and fine artist. His job was to make facial reconstructions of the dead and of fugitives, many of whom had, or still have, been on the run for a long time...
) - Alias Gerry Drecher'
- Alias Mister B
- Alias Don Federico
Biography
Gerard Droller was born in Germany. He worked with Office of Strategic ServicesOffice of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
(OSS) and the Maquis
Maquis (World War II)
The Maquis were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. Initially they were composed of men who had escaped into the mountains to avoid conscription into Vichy France's Service du travail obligatoire to provide forced labour for Germany...
in France during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In September 1949 he was recruited into the Central Intelligence Agency, and became the CIA desk officer for Switzerland. One unspecified report said he was responsible for the reorganization of West Germany "and the consequent strengthening of German-American relations". Later he worked in Formosa where he helped Chiang Kai-Shek "organize his government and army".
In 1954 Droller helped organize the CIA operation to overthrow Guatemalan president Jacobo Arbenz. Others involved in this project code-named Operation PBSUCCESS
Operation PBSUCCESS
The 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état was a covert operation organized by the United States Central Intelligence Agency to overthrow Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán, the democratically-elected President of Guatemala....
included Frank Wisner
Frank Wisner
Frank Gardiner Wisner was head of Office of Strategic Services operations in southeastern Europe at the end of World War II, and the head of the Directorate of Plans of the Central Intelligence Agency during the 1950s....
, Richard M. Bissell Jr., Tracy Barnes
Tracy Barnes
Charles Tracy Barnes was a senior staff member at the United States' Central Intelligence Agency , serving as principal manager of CIA operations in the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état and the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion....
, E. Howard Hunt
E. Howard Hunt
Everette Howard Hunt, Jr. was an American intelligence officer and writer. Hunt served for many years as a CIA officer. Hunt, with G...
, David Atlee Phillips
David Atlee Phillips
David Atlee Phillips was a Central Intelligence Agency officer for 25 years, one of a handful of people to receive the Career Intelligence Medal. He rose to become the CIA's chief of all operations in the Western hemisphere...
, David Sanchez Morales
David Sánchez Morales
David Sánchez Morales was a Central Intelligence Agency operative who worked in Cuba.-Biographical highlights:...
, Jake Esterline
Jacob Esterline
Jacob Donald 'Jake' Esterline was a CIA specialist in guerrilla warfare.-Early life:...
, William "Rip" Robertson and William Pawley.
On 21 April 1959, Droller had a three-hour meeting with Fidel Castro in a hotel room in New York after the latter's visit to Washington.
In early 1960, Droller became involved in Operation 40
Operation 40
Operation 40 was a Central Intelligence Agency-sponsored undercover operation in the early 1960s, which was active in the United States and the Caribbean , Central America, and Mexico. It was created by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in March 1960, after the January 1959 Cuban Revolution, and was...
, formed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
to eliminate Fidel Castro.
In June 1960, Droller was sent to Miami, as Political Affairs officer (C/PA/WH/4) under Jacob Esterline
Jacob Esterline
Jacob Donald 'Jake' Esterline was a CIA specialist in guerrilla warfare.-Early life:...
to help organize the overthrow of Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
in Cuba. Adopting the name Frank Bender, he posed as a wealthy steel tycoon. His main task was to recruit and organize the political leaders of anti-Castro Cuban exiles in the Miami area, assisted by E. Howard Hunt
E. Howard Hunt
Everette Howard Hunt, Jr. was an American intelligence officer and writer. Hunt served for many years as a CIA officer. Hunt, with G...
alias "Eduardo". He recruited Manuel Artime
Manuel Artime
Manuel Francisco Artime Buesa, M.D. was a Cuban-American who former took part to the rebel army of Fidel Castro, later was the political leader of Brigade 2506 land forces in the abortive Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in April 1961.-Biography:Manuel Artime was the nephew of popular Cuban poet José...
who became the leader of Movimiento de Recuperación Revolucionaria (Revolutionary Recovery Movement), (MRR), and later Brigade 2506
Brigade 2506
Brigade 2506 was the name given to a CIA-sponsored group of Cuban exiles formed in 1960 to attempt the military overthrow of the Cuban government headed by Fidel Castro...
. During 1960 and 1961, Droller organized the setting up of training camps for Cuban exiles at Useppa Island
Useppa Island
Useppa Island is a barrier island located in Lee County, Florida. It has been known for luxury resorts since the late 19th century, and it is currently the home of the private Useppa Island Club. On May 21, 1996, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, due to its...
, Florida, and at Retalhuleu
Retalhuleu
The city of Retalhuleu is in south-western Guatemala. It is the departmental seat of Retalhuleu department as well as the municipal seat of Retalhuleu municipality....
, Guatemala by arrangement with Guatemalan president Miguel Ydigoras
Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes
General José Miguel Ramón Ydígoras Fuentes was President of Guatemala from 2 March 1958 to 31 March 1963. He took power following the murder of Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas....
. He helped recruit Cuban exiles into a paramilitary force subsequently named Brigade 2506 that, with considerable finance from the CIA, carried out the abortive invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs on 17 April 1961. He did not speak Spanish, and he was not universally liked by the Cuban exiles.
See also
- Bay of Pigs InvasionBay of Pigs InvasionThe Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
- Brigade 2506Brigade 2506Brigade 2506 was the name given to a CIA-sponsored group of Cuban exiles formed in 1960 to attempt the military overthrow of the Cuban government headed by Fidel Castro...
- CIA activities in CubaCIA activities in Cuba-Cuba 1956:In June, 1956, Lyman Kirkpatrick, a senior Central Intelligence Agency figure, traveled to Cuba to offer President Batista aid and assistance in the development of the Bureau Para La Represion de Actividades Comunistas , a Cuban agency established to combat the growing anti-government...
- CIA activities in GuatemalaCIA activities in GuatemalaSeveral hundred records were released by the Central Intelligence Agency on May 23 1997, on its involvement in the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état.They reflected Truman administration feeling that the government of Arbenz, elected in 1950, would continue a process of socio-economic reforms that the CIA...
- Cuban ProjectCuban ProjectThe Cuban Project was a program of Central Intelligence Agency covert operations developed during the early years of the administration of President of the United States John F. Kennedy...
- Operation 40Operation 40Operation 40 was a Central Intelligence Agency-sponsored undercover operation in the early 1960s, which was active in the United States and the Caribbean , Central America, and Mexico. It was created by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in March 1960, after the January 1959 Cuban Revolution, and was...
External links
- Gerry Droller (Frank Bender): Biography http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKdroller.htm
- Gerry Droller/Frank Bender - The Education Forum http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=3188
- The Trujillo Conspiracy http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/cuban-rebels/trujillo-conspiracy.htm
- Bay of Pigs, 40 Years After: Chronology. The National Security Archive. The George Washington University http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/bayofpigs/chron.html