Heathrow Harry
26th Nov 2016, 09:13
Bay of Pigs
Invasion day (17 April 1961)
During the night of 16/17 April, a mock diversionary landing was organized by CIA operatives near Bahía Honda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%ADa_Honda,_Cuba), Pinar del Río Province (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinar_del_R%C3%ADo_Province).
At about 00:00 on 17 April 1961, the two CIA LCIs Blagar and Barbara J, each with a CIA 'operations officer' and an Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) of five frogmen, entered the Bay of Pigs (Bahía de Cochinos) on the southern coast of Cuba. They headed a force of four transport ships (Houston, Río Escondido, Caribe and Atlántico) carrying about 1,400 Cuban exile ground troops of Brigade 2506, plus tanks and other vehicles in the landing craft.
At about 01:00, the Blagar, as the battlefield command ship, directed the principal landing at Playa Girón (code-named Blue Beach). The Barbara J, leading Houston, similarly landed troops 35 km further northwest at Playa Larga (code-named Red Beach). Unloading troops at night was delayed, due to engine failures and boats damaged by unforeseen coral reefs. As the frogmen came in, they were shocked to discover that the Red Beach was lit with floodlights, which led to the location of the landing being hastily changed. As the frogmen landed, a firefight broke out when a jeep carrying Cuban militia happened by. The few militia in the area succeeded in warning Cuban armed forces via radio soon after the first landing, before the invaders overcame their token resistance.
Castro was woken up at about 3: 15 am to be informed of a landings, which led him to put all militia units in the area on the highest state of alert and to order airstrikes
At daybreak at about 06:30 AM, three FAR Sea Furies, one B-26 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_A-26_Invader) bomber and two Lockheed T-33 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_T-33) fighter jets started attacking those CEF ships still unloading troops. At about 06:50, and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of Playa Larga, Houston was damaged by several rockets from a Sea Fury and a T-33, and about 2 hours later captain Luis Morse intentionally beached it on the western side of the bay. About 270 troops had been unloaded, but about 180 survivors who struggled ashore were incapable of taking part in further action because of the loss of most of their weapons and equipment................................................
At about 09:30, FAR Sea Furies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Sea_Fury) and T-33s fired rockets at the Rio Escondido, that 'blew up' and sank about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Girón. The Rio Escondido was loaded with aviation fuel and as the ship started to burn, the captain gave the order to abandon ship with the ship being destroyed in three explosions shortly afterwards. The Rio Escondido carried not only fuel, but also enough ammunition, food and medical supplies to last ten days and the radio that allowed the Brigade to communicate with the Liberation Air Force. The loss of the communications ship Rio Escondido meant that San Román was only able to issue orders to the forces at Blue Beach, and he had no idea of what happening at Red Beach or with the paratroops.
Despite heavy losses on the part of the Communist forces, the shortage of ammunition forced the brigadistas back and the T-34 tanks continued to force their way past the wreckage of the battlefield to press on the assault. The Communist forces numbered about 2, 100 consisting of about 300 FAR soldiers, 1,600 militiamen and 200 policemen supported by 20 T-34s who were faced by 370 brigadistas. By 5:00 am, Oliva started to order his men to retreat as he had almost no ammunition or mortar rounds left.
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no doubt it would have been different if he USN had intervened but even so an object lesson in trying to land from the sea against any aircover - however ancient.....
Invasion day (17 April 1961)
During the night of 16/17 April, a mock diversionary landing was organized by CIA operatives near Bahía Honda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%ADa_Honda,_Cuba), Pinar del Río Province (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinar_del_R%C3%ADo_Province).
At about 00:00 on 17 April 1961, the two CIA LCIs Blagar and Barbara J, each with a CIA 'operations officer' and an Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) of five frogmen, entered the Bay of Pigs (Bahía de Cochinos) on the southern coast of Cuba. They headed a force of four transport ships (Houston, Río Escondido, Caribe and Atlántico) carrying about 1,400 Cuban exile ground troops of Brigade 2506, plus tanks and other vehicles in the landing craft.
At about 01:00, the Blagar, as the battlefield command ship, directed the principal landing at Playa Girón (code-named Blue Beach). The Barbara J, leading Houston, similarly landed troops 35 km further northwest at Playa Larga (code-named Red Beach). Unloading troops at night was delayed, due to engine failures and boats damaged by unforeseen coral reefs. As the frogmen came in, they were shocked to discover that the Red Beach was lit with floodlights, which led to the location of the landing being hastily changed. As the frogmen landed, a firefight broke out when a jeep carrying Cuban militia happened by. The few militia in the area succeeded in warning Cuban armed forces via radio soon after the first landing, before the invaders overcame their token resistance.
Castro was woken up at about 3: 15 am to be informed of a landings, which led him to put all militia units in the area on the highest state of alert and to order airstrikes
At daybreak at about 06:30 AM, three FAR Sea Furies, one B-26 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_A-26_Invader) bomber and two Lockheed T-33 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_T-33) fighter jets started attacking those CEF ships still unloading troops. At about 06:50, and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of Playa Larga, Houston was damaged by several rockets from a Sea Fury and a T-33, and about 2 hours later captain Luis Morse intentionally beached it on the western side of the bay. About 270 troops had been unloaded, but about 180 survivors who struggled ashore were incapable of taking part in further action because of the loss of most of their weapons and equipment................................................
At about 09:30, FAR Sea Furies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Sea_Fury) and T-33s fired rockets at the Rio Escondido, that 'blew up' and sank about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Girón. The Rio Escondido was loaded with aviation fuel and as the ship started to burn, the captain gave the order to abandon ship with the ship being destroyed in three explosions shortly afterwards. The Rio Escondido carried not only fuel, but also enough ammunition, food and medical supplies to last ten days and the radio that allowed the Brigade to communicate with the Liberation Air Force. The loss of the communications ship Rio Escondido meant that San Román was only able to issue orders to the forces at Blue Beach, and he had no idea of what happening at Red Beach or with the paratroops.
Despite heavy losses on the part of the Communist forces, the shortage of ammunition forced the brigadistas back and the T-34 tanks continued to force their way past the wreckage of the battlefield to press on the assault. The Communist forces numbered about 2, 100 consisting of about 300 FAR soldiers, 1,600 militiamen and 200 policemen supported by 20 T-34s who were faced by 370 brigadistas. By 5:00 am, Oliva started to order his men to retreat as he had almost no ammunition or mortar rounds left.
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no doubt it would have been different if he USN had intervened but even so an object lesson in trying to land from the sea against any aircover - however ancient.....