Tribute, remembrance, commitment, future are words that came to my mind during a commemoration ceremony for the Bay of Pigs’ fighters and heroes by the Cuban Radio National Management, in which six comrades who played a leading role in that glorious heroic deed were present.

The fighters Andrés Mazorra, Joseph Mayo, Rene Martinez, Cesar Rodriguez and Antonio Beltrán shared their emotions and anecdotes. On the 10th floor of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT), they told the new generations about those days – 50 years ago- when the people,  dressed in olive green uniforms, fought against US imperialism, which became the first defeat for the US Empire in Latin America. 

With his usual loquacity, the announcer and journalist Andrew Mazorra acknowledged the role played by the Radio and Television during those days in April, 1961 which was aimed at mobilizing the masses. He explained every step taken by the revolution leadership and by those radio workers who although were not directly involved in the fighting, worked for many hours in the media to guide, inform and report those events with detailed information, that became well-known, by the announcer Antonio Cepero Brito.

Mazorra recalled that April 15, 1961, when airports in San Antonio de los Baños, Santiago de Cuba and Havana, were bombed and eight fighters were killed in action; one of whom, the young Eduardo García Delgado, wrote with his own blood: “Fidel.” He also referred to the funeral rites and that platform put up on 23rd and 12th streets, were leader Fidel swore to defend “This revolution by the humble people and for humble people, and declared the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution.

The young heroes of Girón

During the meeting, the journalist José Mayo referred to the role played by the Cuban youth and outlined the heroic acts on the part of those brave young people, heirs of the ideals of our national Jose Marti, who was only 16 years when he was imprisoned for defending the independence of Cuba.

Marti was an example of heroism for those youngsters, whose ages ranged from 14 to 18 years and played a leading role in those heroic deeds, which are compiled in the book “The young heroes of Girón.”

Mayo stated that Commander in Chief Fidel Castro’s military strategy, who had created the National Revolutionary Militia composed of thousands of young soldiers and had given them the possibility of learning and getting a professional training according to their skills and vocations. That way, the antiaircraft artillery was created with youngsters who were under 20 years old, while the older ones joined the nucleus of land artillery.

The mercenaries were astonished by the actions of those youngsters, who responded to the air invasion and faced the bombardment and attacks on the Cuban territory. They also brought down that aircraft that crashed into the areas near to the Australia Sugar Mill.

Cesar Rodriguez: the pilot of the helicopter.

Cesar Rodriguez’s testimony, who works for Radio Rebelde station, was another little-known story of the Bay of Pigs fighters by the Cuban radio workers. He recalled that at the age of 23, he had the mission to provide small caliber ammunition and food for the troops scattered throughout Cienaga de Zapata municipality.

Cesar stated that he witnessed the arrest of several groups of mercenaries that were hiding in cliffs and small islands surrounding the bay and in areas near to the Playa Larga and Playa Giron areas. He also told us about the lack of courage of those men who had come to Cuba for the money, while the Cuban militia, soldiers, young people and veterans defended their land the integrity of the Cuban soil with determination.

A translation by: Silke Paez Carr

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