What was the purpose of JMWAVE in 1961?
JMWAVE opened as a secret United States covert operations station to overthrow Fidel Castro's Communist government in Cuba. It served as the operational center for Task Force W and Operation Mongoose.
Questions about JMWAVE
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who commanded JMWAVE from 1962 until 1965?
Theodore Shackley took command of the station from 1962 until 1965 and oversaw massive expansion. Under his leadership, JMWAVE became the largest CIA station in the world outside Langley, Virginia.
Where did JMWAVE operate its facilities during the Cold War?
JMWAVE operated from Building 25 at the former Naval Air Station Richmond about 12 miles south of the main University of Miami campus. The facility also maintained safe houses and cover businesses across South Florida through front companies like Zenith Technical Enterprises.
When did Look magazine expose JMWAVE activities?
Look magazine published an exposé by David Wise and Thomas B. Ross on the 26th of June 1964 revealing that Zenith Technical Enterprises was a CIA front. Following this scandal, JMWAVE changed its main front company name to Melmar Corporation.
How many personnel worked for JMWAVE at its peak?
The facility employed between 300 and 400 professional operatives while estimates suggest another 100 personnel were based inside Cuba itself. An additional 15,000 anti-Castro Cuban exiles worked on its payroll receiving training in commando tactics and espionage.