On 23 December (1998) I received the following e-mails concerning my book
"The Murder of Allende and the End of the Chilean Way to Socialism",
as published in RRojas Databank. Dr. Róbinson Rojas.

E-mail number one:

Send reply to:    <cruefli@erols.com>
From:             "cruefli" <cruefli@erols.com>
To:               <rrojas@rrojasdatabank.co.uk>
Subject:          NASA SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PLANE COORDINATES 73 COUP? 
Date sent:        Tue, 22 Dec 1998 21:02:40 -0500


Dr. Rojas,

I read your web page concerning the 1973 Golpe and the murder of Salvador Allende. I have read several books on the subject and have a B.A. in international politics from Willamette University (Asian emphasis). My present career as an officer in the armed forces and extensive knowledge of, in particular military hardware, as well as my duties here in D.C. give me insights into some of the issues you have addressed.

Your posting asserts that a "WB-57S" was used as a means of coordinating the coup and implies in several places that the Sep plan was hatched in the Pentagon. Several realities contradict this assertion as well as the assertion that the Pentagon planned or even knew of the plan before hand.

1.The WB-57 was a NASA atmospheric research version of the RB-57D high altitude reconnaissance aircraft, a two seat bomber conversion equipped in several versions with optics, SLAR (side looking airborne radar) and some capability to gather SIGINT. The RB-57 was a cheap lower performance alternative to the U-2 and used in areas where the extreme altitude capabilities of the U-2 were not necessary (countries not equipped with SA-2/ SA-4/ SA-5 strategic surface to air missiles). The WB-57 took advantage of the long wing version of the RB-57 to conduct high altitude experiments for NASA in the mid to late 1970's (after the RB-57 had been retired from the USAF). Neither the WB-57 nor the RB-57 are equipped to act as in an ABCCC RADREL (Airborne Command Control Communications/Radio Relay) capacity.

2. I suspect that your source confused the WB-57 with the EB-57 electronic warfare version that was in service in the late 60's and early 70's. I also have a feeling that your source confused the term "electronic warfare" as well. The EB-57 and its modern counterparts act as flying vacuum cleaners with various nodes that intercept and record HF/ VHF/ UHF communications as well as various radar signals. In the 1970's the signals were recorded on tape and then analyzed by cryptologists and linguists on the ground. The EB-57 only has a crew of two and was not equipped to transmit and could to interface with ground control or other aircraft on a single channel basis. The pilot would concern himself with flying the optimal track to gather the COMINT (communications intelligence) while the flight officer in the back seat would adjust the intercept gear to get accurate recordings and attempt to ascertain locations of relevant emissions. The EB-57 did have some jamming capability but mostly against radar emissions and not as much against communications.

3.The USAF does have ABCCC capable aircraft with flight crews of around 20 with dozens of send and receive UHF, HF, VHF, radios capable of coordinating communications from the air. During this time-frame the C-130 AII (later designated the EC-130A) as well as the EC-121 were both used in the ABCCC role along with versions of the EC-135 (Air Force One in the 70's and Strategic Air Command flying command posts) were capable of fulfilling this role. Further the EC-130, EC-135 were and remain long range aircraft capable of flying from bases in the U.S. anywhere in the world with the use of in-flight refueling. During the Gulf War an EC-130H COMPASS CALL was airborne at all time to coordinate air and ground forces. During the cold war at least one EC-135 was airborne at all times in the event that a Soviet nuclear first strike knocked out the National Military Command Center in the Pentagon and NORAD in Colorado.

4. The aircraft mentioned was certainly an EB-57 collecting COMINT on the Chilean government AND the military. Through the use of HF ground stations the coup leaders could have had secure, constant, redundant communications throughout the country without the use of landlines or the involvement of U.S. aircraft. It is clear to me that while nor suprised that Pinochet launched the coup in 73, the U.S. establishment was not iformed before hand either. Why involve a bunch of snot nosed Ivy League CIA and State Dept guys unless absolutely necessaary?

5. The real issue here is that the assertion that Chilean (or any nation's) General's take orders from the Pentagon is just not realistic. I'm sure that members of the Chilean military did the ages old song and dance with the Embassy and DAO (defense attaché office) in Santiago and Valpariso. That is to find out if the US government/ military/ intelligence community will oppose the coup without being too obvious about giving up the element of secrecy. I have no doubt that the CJCS was probably briefed on cocktail banter and whispers of a probable coup but let's face it. Anyone in Santiago in the Summer/ Fall of 1973 knew both the MIR ("Fundamental is the use of violence to propel the working class to power") on the left and the military and Patria Y Libertad were both preparing to use violence in light of the political impasse. While armed and very idealistic and motivated the MIR cadres were not soldiers and were in a reactionary mode since the Spring Coup attempt (I agree plan ZETA, if it ever existed, was pie in the sky and not really a plan at all). The military acted first and with decisive force. The MIR might have had a shot had they jumped first and seized the media and was able to isolate the moderate military officers from the right wingers.

Dr. Rojas the idea that Coup leaders in Vietnam, Chile or anywhere else ask the DAO or the Pentagon or CIA for permission or to coordinate an internal action they are capable of doing on their own is just not how things work. The murderous rampage of 1973 was about Chileans killing other Chileans with the TACIT consent of Washington (we had our own problems i.e. the cold war). The CIA, DoD and DOS stirred the pot and supported the political opposition but there is neither proof nor any evidence of anything more.

The concept that there is a room in the Pentagon or CIA Langley or DIA at Bowling AFB or anywhere else where the leaders of industry, the military and governments of the Imperialist running dogs meet to decide the fate of this country or that one is a myth. I work in the deepest darkest depths of the Pentagon and can say this with certainty. I'm sure some CIA, DIA, NSC, NSA analyst has asserted at some time Castro, Salvador Allende, Ho Chi Mihn or Nyguen Giap were puppets of Moscow. They may share a similar ideology but they had their own priorities, goals and methods. Just as Pinochet kept his plans to those that needed to know (basic intelligence operations common sense) and thumbed his nose at D.C., Allende cursed Moscow for lack of support and for internal meddling. Monolithic Imperialism is as silly an idea as monolithic Communism. If you want to write the real story rather than a left wing rant about the evils of the Pentagon and Kissenger look for declassified documents or heaven forbid, find out who the U.S. DAO in Santiago was and ask for an interview.

I'm glad to hear Pinochet was arrested and I hope he is brought to justice. He is a murderous bastard and while I distrust of Allende's socialist economic ideology I find Pinochet a truly repugnant villan.

All this information is unclassified and can be found in various open source publications.

Very Respectfully

Lieutenant Junior Grade C. Ruefli USN

E-mail number two:

Send reply to:    <cruefli@erols.com>
From:             "cruefli" <cruefli@erols.com>
To:               <rrojas@rrojasdatabank.co.uk>
Subject:          WEATHER PLANE COORDINATES 1973 COUP?
Date sent:        Tue, 22 Dec 1998 21:19:23 -0500


Dr. Rojas,

I read your web page concerning the 1973 Golpe and the murder of Salvador Allende.

Your posting asserts that a "WB-57S" was used as a means of coordinating the coup and implies in several places that the Sep plan was hatched in the Pentagon. Several realities contradict this assertion as well as the assertion that the Pentagon planned or even knew of the plan before hand.

1.The WB-57 was a NASA atmospheric research version of the RB-57D high altitude reconnaissance aircraft, a two seat bomber conversion equipped in several versions with optics, SLAR (side looking airborne radar) and some capability to gather SIGINT. The RB-57 was a cheap lower performance alternative to the U-2 and used in areas where the extreme altitude capabilities of the U-2 were not necessary (countries not equipped with SA-2/ SA-4/ SA-5 strategic surface to air missiles). The WB-57 took advantage of the long wing version of the RB-57 to conduct high altitude experiments for NASA in the mid to late 1970's (after the RB-57 had been retired from the USAF). Neither the WB-57 nor the RB-57 are equipped to act as in an ABCCC RADREL (Airborne Command Control Communications radio relay) capacity.

2. I suspect that your source confused the WB-57 with the EB-57 electronic warfare version that was in service in the late 60's and early 70's. I also have a feeling that your source confused the term "electronic warfare" as well. The EB-57 and its modern counterparts act as flying vacuum cleaners with various nodes that intercept and record HF/ VHF/ UHF communications as well as various radar signals. In the 1970's the signals were recorded on tape and then analyzed by cryptologists and linguists on the ground. The EB-57 only has a crew of two and was not equipped to transmit and could to interface with ground control or other aircraft on a single channel basis. The pilot would concern himself with flying the optimal track to gather the COMINT (communications intelligence) while the flight officer in the back seat would adjust the intercept gear to get accurate recordings and attempt to ascertain locations of relevant emissions. The EB-57 did have some jamming capability but mostly against radar emissions and not as much against communications.

3.The USAF does have ABCCC capable aircraft with flight crews of around 20 with dozens of send and receive UHF, HF, VHF, radios capable of coordinating communications from the air. During this time-frame the C-130 AII (later designated the EC-130A) as well as the EC-121 were both used in the ABCCC role along with versions of the EC-135 (Air Force One in the 70's and Strategic Air Command flying command posts) were capable of fulfilling this role. Further the EC-130, EC-135 were and remain long range aircraft capable of flying from bases in the U.S. anywhere in the world with the use of in-flight refueling. During the Gulf War an EC-130H COMPASS CALL was airborne at all time to coordinate air and ground forces. During the cold war at least one EC-135 was airborne at all times in the event that a Soviet nuclear first strike knocked out the National Military Command Center in the Pentagon and NORAD in Colorado.

4. The aircraft mentioned was certainly an EB-57 collecting COMINT on the Chilean government AND the military. Through the use of HF ground stations the coup leaders could have had secure, constant, redundant communications throughout the country without the use of landlines or the involvement of U.S. aircraft.

5. The real issue here is that the assertion that Chilean (or any nation's) General's take orders from the Pentagon is just not realistic. I'm sure that members of the Chilean military did the ages old song and dance with the Embassy and DAO (defense attaché office) in Santiago and Valpariso. That is to find out if the US government/ military/ intelligence community will oppose the coup without being too obvious about giving up the element of secrecy. I have no doubt that the CJCS was probably briefed on cocktail banter and whispers of a probable coup but let's face it. Anyone in Santiago in the Summer/ Fall of 1973 knew both the MIR ("Fundamental is the use of violence to propel the working class to power") on the left and the military and Patria Y Libertad were both preparing to use violence in light of the political impasse. While armed and very idealistic and motivated the MIR cadres were not soldiers and were in a reactionary mode since the Spring Coup attempt (I agree plan ZETA, if it ever existed, was pie in the sky and not really a plan at all). The military acted first and with decisive force. The MIR might have had a shot had they jumped first and seized the media and was able to isolate the moderate military officers from the right wingers. Dr. Rojas the idea that Coup leaders in Vietnam, Chile or anywhere else ask the DAO or the Pentagon or CIA for permission or to coordinate an internal action they are capable of doing on their own is just not how things work. The murderous rampage of 1973 was about Chileans killing other Chileans with the TACIT consent of Washington (we had our own problems i.e. the cold war). The CIA, DoD and DOS stirred the pot and supported the political opposition but there is neither proof nor any evidence of anything more.

6.The concept that there is a room in the Pentagon or CIA Langley or DIA at Bowling AFB or anywhere else where the leaders of industry, the military and governments of the Imperialist running dogs meet to decide the fate of this country or that one is a myth. I work in the deepest darkest depths of the Pentagon and I can say that we just aren't that organized. I'm sure some reactionary CIA, DIA, NSC, NSA analyst has asserted at some time Castro, Salvador Allende, Ho Chi Mihn or Nyguen Giap were puppets of Moscow. They may share a similar ideology but they had their own priorities, goals and methods. Just as Pinochet kept his plans to those that needed to know (basic intelligence operations common sense) and thumbed his nose at D.C., Allende cursed Moscow for lack of support and for internal meddling. Monolithic Imperialism is as silly an idea as monolithic Communism. If you want to write the real story rather than a left wing rant about the evils of the Pentagon and Kissenger look for declassified documents or, heaven forbid, find out who the U.S. DAO in Santiago was and ask for him an interview.

I'm glad to hear Pinochet was arrested and I hope he is brought to justice. Despite my distrust of Allende's socialist economic ideology I find Pinochet a truly repugnant villan.

All the previous information is unclassified and can be found in open source publications in any library.

Very Respectfully

Lieutenant Junior Grade C. Ruefli