Part Two
The information below comes from declassified CIA files.
On August 26, 1952, Alfreds Riekstins, Edvins Ozolins, and Nikolay's Balodis were dispatched by air to Latvia. They were dropped SE of Liepaja, directly at the center point between Macit and Trekni. The operational plane, a C-47, left the Wiesbaden airbase at 4:44 pm on August 26, 1952, and returned on August 27, 1952, at 04:14 am. Each agent carried an average of 120 lbs of equipment.
Operational Plan: Immediately after being parachuted, the agents were to proceed due NE until they reached the Venta river near Nigrande, approximately 25 kilometers from the drop zone. It was expected that they would reach this point on their 5th night in Latvia. Upon arriving at the Venta, they would await the beginning of a new night on the western banks to enable them to cross the river, make the original W/T contact (to be made by Balodis on Riekstins’ W/T set), and separate, with Rriekstins and Ozolins going northward while Balodis proceeds eastward.
Riekstins and Ozolins were to proceed to the Meki area where most of their gear was buried. They would take the 100,000 Rubles for British Intelligence Service-supported partisans and bury them at a suitable burial place. Upon their return to their equipment, Riekstins was to make radio contact and report the location to the partisan money cache. The plan then called for a move to the Tukums area where Ozolins would separate from Riekstins at the earliest opportunity and proceed to Riga, after first having arranged a dead letter drop with Riekstins.
Balodis was to proceed from the Venta river to within 25 Km of Renge, where he would cache his equipment then board a train for Riga at the Renge or Auch station. He was to take whichever departed first; time permitting, he would eat and procure a food supply for his trip. From his destination, be that Valk or Gulbene, he was to proceed to look up numerous prospective contacts whom he has previously known and who were scattered all the North East corner of Latvia. In addition, he would attempt to establish contact with the Catholic resistance in Latgale. It was rumored that the headquarters of this resistance was in Rezekne, on the southern fringe of Balodis’ operational area. He hoped that one of his contacts in Vilani would lead him to this resistance movement.
It was estimated that Riekstins would reach his operational area (Tukums vicinity) within 15 days: Ozolins would reach Riga a day or two later, and Balodis would reach his area within 15 days.
According to the .jump master, the agents' morale was good; they had been eager to jump and had shown no unusual emotional tension. They did not cry, shout, or sing during the trip; they did not eat, though they drank some coffee. They jumped in numerical order. Just before Balodis left the plane, the jumpmaster noticed that his static line was around his neck. Balodis was held back by the jumpmaster, who quickly flipped the line over C-3's head. The delay caused Balodis to jump approximately 4 seconds later than Ozolins. The delay should have caused him to be dropped between ½ to 1 mile from Ozolins.
One CIA officer commented, “The entire operation was well-conceived and quite sound. Based on the fact that the agents were well trained, well briefed, of good spirits, and were dropped without serious complications, it could be said that the operation has, so far, been very successful, when it is considered how comparatively well the agents stood the prolonged holding stage and how successful the unprecedented dispatch in the dark of the moon has been.”
Next: How everything went wrong.
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