Adventurer’s Tale

An American adventurer who claims he went on a bombing raid over Cuba said today that an underground radio in Havana directed the plane to its target.

Alexander Rourke, a freelance reporter-photographer, said the plane maintained radio contact “with underground people in the Havana area” as it flew towards Cuban oil refineries Thursday night.

Mr. Rorke, 36, refused to identify the amphibian plane or the three men he said accompanied him on the raid. He said the plane “was launched from an island south of Cuba” and picked him up in the Caribbean.

The State Department is checking his story today and had no comment.

“Other raids have been going on, and others are planned,” he said. “I will participate in more of them.”

When the plane was about 150 feet over the refineries, hey said, they dropped a 100-pound high explosive bomb and four napalm bombs.

“I think the 100 pounder went off, but we couldn’t see the others because we were flying out to sea.” Havana radio said none of the bombs went off.

Mr. Rorke is here to address a group called the “Anti-Communist Liaison.” Other scheduled speakers included retired Maj. Gen. Charles A. Willoughby, Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s former intelligence chief.

Mr. Rorke said he attended Georgetown University in 1943 and 1944, then enlisted in the Army. Following his service, he said he graduated from St. John’s College in New York. Since he has been freelancing. (UPI)