Feb. 17, 1962 - John A. McCone (pictured), the new director of the C.I.A., has begun to rebuild the agency’s high command by putting a career intelligence man in charge of covert operations. He has chosen Richard M. Helms, an assistant director, to succeed Richard M. Bissell as deputy director of plans. Mr. Bissell’s long-rumored resignation and the prospective appointment of Mr. Helms were confirmed today by a C.I.A. spokesman. Mr. Bissell was in charge of the failed invasion of Cuba last spring. The C.I.A. post that he is vacating and that Mr. Helms is taking over ranks third in the agency’s hierarchy, along with that of deputy director for (overt) intelligence. The No. 2 job — deputy director — has been vacant since the retirement Jan. 31 of Air Force Gen. C.P. Cabell. Mr. McCone is expected to pick another military man as his successor. Both Mr. Bissell and Allen W. Dulles, then C.I.A. Director, were reported to have submitted their resignations shortly after the failure of the Cuban invasion. The acceptance of Mr. Dulles’ resignation was delayed until Sept. 27 and of Mr. Bissell’s until some months later.
