Cuba Archive - Case 3166

Case ID: 3166

Title: N/A

First name: Nels Jennings LaVerne

Last name: Benson

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: Benny

Name also reported as: N/A

Age: N/A

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:13 / Month:4 / Year:1961

Citizenship: United States

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: N/A

Last known province-TOD: N/A

Last known province current: N/A

Last known country: United States

Location death-address: N/A

Location of death - city: Retalhuleu

Location of death province - at TOD: N/A

Location of death province - current: N/A

Location of death - country: Guatemala

Trial held?: N/A

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: No

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion

Case description:

Chief of testing for the CIA's Directorate of Plans’ Technical Services Division, "Benny" was a highly respected and experienced instructor in sabotage, special warfare, and counterinsurgency. While he was training Cuban exiles for the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, he was disassembling military ordnance items to construct a utility explosive charge, when the material caught fire. To keep anyone else from getting hurt, he attempted to move the burning mixture away from other highly volatile materials. While doing so, Benny suffered severe burns that proved fatal. He clung to life for a few weeks before dying.
Reportedly, one of 117 stars carved into the marble of the CIA Memorial Wall of CIA employees who died while serving their country (as of May 2017).
"Benny" was a native of Eagle Bend, Minnesota. He attended Hamline University in St. Paul, where he studied chemistry and math. He was a veteran of the Office of Strategic Services(OSS) and a WWII war hero.
=============================================================================
Jefe de pruebas de la División de Servicios Técnicos de la Dirección de Planes de la CIA, "Benny" era un instructor muy respetado y experimentado en sabotaje, guerra especial y contrainsurgencia. Mientras entrenaba a los exiliados cubanos para la invasión de Bahía de Cochinos, cuando se encontraba desarmando elementos de municiones militares para construir una carga explosiva, el material se incendió. Para evitar que alguien más fuera herido, intentó alejar la mezcla ardiente de los otros materiales altamente volátiles que estaban cerca. Mientras lo hacía, sufrió quemaduras graves que resultaron fatales. Se aferró a la vida durante unas semanas antes de morir. Según se informa, es una de las 117 estrellas talladas en el mármol del Muro Memorial de miembros de la CIA que murieron mientras servían a su país.
"Benny" nació en Eagle Bend, Minnesota. Asistió a la Universidad de Hamline en St. Paul, donde estudió química y matemáticas. Era veterano de la Oficina de Servicios Estratégicos (OSS) y un héroe de la Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Accidental: friendly fire & deliberate actions

Occupations: - N/A - Protective Service Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Armed Forces: of another country

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Nels Jennings LaVerne Benson