Update on the Heath Memo
- Fred Litwin
- Mar 28
- 7 min read
Historian Larry Haapanen has done a fair bit of research on the Heath Memo, providing important context which is not visible in the memo itself (or in Jefferson Morley's analysis). Larry notes that the 1976 Church Committee Report on the Performance of the Intelligence Agencies, said that the Miami Station failed to fully utilize its capabilities to gather information possibly related to the JFK assassination.
CIA officers, including the IG's office, took note of this criticism. Larry notes that while it's impossible to know what was in Heath's mind when he wrote his memo, it might have been part of an effort to shore up Ted Shackley's standing in the Agency by describing a more robust response by JMWAVE after the assassination, or to distance himself from the criticism in the Schweiker-Hart report.
The JMWAVE Chief of Station was Theodore Shackley. From May 1976 to December 1977, Shackley was the CIA's Associate Deputy Director of Operations, which was the No. 2 position in clandestine affairs. In late 1977, Ted Shackley was relieved of his job by President Carter in an effort to dismantle Cold War spy networks, and he retired from the CIA in 1979.
Shackley tried to explain that "he had no access to the sort of people that Schweiker wanted, i.e., those few who would have known (if Castro had a plot) about assassination plans."
The text reads as follows:
This does not mean that such assets (CIA sources in Cuba) as there were did not have reporting requirements levied on them, in fact, there was considerable activity in this respect. In the course of the present review a number of case officers at the Station (JMWAVE) during that period have described the frenetic activity in this respect. The characterization by the Chief of Station as to passive collection by CIA inside the United States should not be extended to apply to what was done with reporting assets outside the United States as the SSC Final Report attempts to do at the bottom of page 58.
It does appear that a lot of the effort by JMWAVE related to Cuba as opposed to anti-Castro Cubans. This might have reflected the fact that most anti-Castro Cubans were sure that Castro was behind the assassination.
Here is a handwritten note about what five case officers said about investigating the assassination.
Robert Wall does not recall any requirements; Jack Barry did support Heath; Evalena Vidal said there might have been a request, and Tom Clines does not remember.
It is important to note that Evalena Vidal was asked by the JFK Assassination Task Force if she knew of any requirements to investigate. She was also asked to provide written comments for the Inspector General's office. She remembered that her assets "generally speculated that it was a Soviet plot, perhaps partially in retaliation for Kennedy's strong stand on the Cuban missile crisis and the Soviets' consequent loss of face."
John Barry wrote that "all the reports I remember receiving were negative ones indicating no previous knowledge of the assassination plot or of the individuals that had been connected to the assassination at the time." He concluded that the Station did not develop "any information of a positive nature regarding the President's assassination."
If Jefferson Morley and Rep. Luna's Task Force are interested in more SITREPS, they can start by searching all of the JMWAVE cables. Here's one of interest:
Given that JMWAVE was started to help with Operation Mongoose and to oppose Fidel Castro's Cuba, it would be not surprising if most of its anti-Cuban assets would have felt that Castro was behind the assassination. If there was no conspiracy, as I believe, than these assets would have nothing to tell them but rumors and feelings.
The Heath memos do not prove that the CIA repudiated the lone-assassin theory nor do they prove that the CIA gathered and suppressed evidence of a plot.
Larry Haapanen supplied most of the research for this article. Paul Hoch helped edit the article and provided some important comments. Thank you, Larry and Paul.
Update
Previous Relevant Blog Posts on Jefferson Morley
Morley claims that Agustin Guitart was spying on pro-Castro Cubans in New Orleans for the CIA.
Morley claims that there is some connection between the suicides of Gary Underhill, Charles Thomas, George de Mohrenschildt, and the overdose death of Dorothy Kilgallen.
Morley believes a document proves the CIA did not believe that a lone gunman killed JFK.
Morley misreads Angleton's testimony before the HSCA.
An FBI memo that quoted James Angleton is used by Morley to reach an unwarranted conclusion.
Several months ago, I posted an article, in association with several researchers, that showed what was contained in the redacted section of Schlesinger's memo.
Morley somehow knows what is in the supposed 2,400 recently-discovered FBI files.
Morley discusses Israel with Tucker Carlson.
Morley believes that the United States can never be great unless it solves the JFK assassination.
An analysis of the 13 documents Morley wants to see.
Morley claims I am a CIA apologist and then misquotes me.
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Morley wrote that there are two redacted memos on CIA reorganization, but there is only one. He wrote about Goodwin's copy as if it was a different memo, rather than a copy of the Schlesinger memo.
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There are no redactions in the Operation Northwoods document.
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An underwhelming interview of Marina Oswald.
Morley often repeats stories and changes their meanings.
Chad Nagle claims there was an assassination plot against JFK in Chicago in November 1963. One problem: There is no evidence of such a plot.
A response to Morley's Substack post alleging that I am a CIA apologist.
A rebuttal to Morley's response to my post Was Bill Harvey in Dallas in November of 1963?
There is no credible evidence Harvey was in Dallas in November of 1963.
Morley repeats the claim that Dulles was at a CIA training center during the weekend of the JFK assassination. He wasn't.
Morley's claims about Efron are all wrong.
Morley responded to my article "The Truth about Operation Northwoods." Here is my reply.
W. Tracy Parnell is one of the best JFK assassination researchers out there. Here is his look at Jefferson Morley with several important articles.
Operation Northwoods can only be understood as part of the Kennedys' war against Cuba and Operation Mongoose.
And a response from me.
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There is absolutely no evidence that Dr. Louis Jolyon West interfered with Jack Ruby's case.
Jefferson Morley used a fake Oswald handbill in his press conference for the Mary Ferrell Foundation.
An examination of redactions in the JFK collection of documents.
Morley doesn't understand Alecia Long's arguments about homophobia and Jim Garrison.
Jefferson Morley asks why "what the CIA knew about Herminio Diaz is still off limits."
Morley misses that a lot of redactions are actually available.
Jefferson Morley's press conference presents evidence that belief in a conspiracy has dropped.
