Pictures recalling crucial times in the history of Cuba express much more than hundreds of texts and volumes recalling those past times.

The very beginning of the Cuban Revolution is marked by plenty of outstanding people, who went beyond their time due to their work as emerging photographers.

Pictures of key moments of the Bay of Pigs invasion in April, 1961, were taken, when US imperialism suffered its first great military defeat in Latin America.

Artists such as Alberto Korda, Raul Corrales and Sergio Canales revealed -to the world- the real territorial ambitions of thw White House under President John F. Kennedy.

Another professional who excelled himself at work in that momentous and historic epic guided by Commander in chief Fidel Castro, wasTirso Martinez. He was a reporter for Revolution newspaper and collaborator for several newspapers in past times, who was born in Havana, on July 15th, 1915.

Tirso, was also an exceptional witness of the assault on the Presidential Palace, on 13 March, 1957, led by student leader José Antonio Echeverría, had taken pictures that became transcendental.

But the picture that went beyond those and toured all the world, belonged the epic of the Bay of Pigs and was that taken by Martinez when Fidel climbed down from the T-34 tank at Playa Larga Beach, accompanied by an infantry squad and several photojournalists.

Tirso´s intuition and experience has made it possible for the younger generations to remember this important time of Cuban history. The picture was printed in relief on the commemorative medal for that heroic deed.

According to his own words, an event of particular significance was that meeting with Fidel in Buenaventura Bay with the participation of other photographers and combatants.

When the leader of the revolution came to that place and heard of Cecilio Diaz Miranda´s death by enemy forces, he immediately asked Tirso Martinez for the jeep he drove.

Clapping Tirso on his shoulder Fidel said: “I will give it back in 10 minutes", and after that time passed the Commander in Chief appeared driving the tank.

"At that moment when Fidel was getting out the tank, I took a picture of him,” said this photojournalist over two decades ago, who died on November 11, 1990.

The pictures of Giron taken 50 years ago are still a force. Meanwhile, the imperialist thirst keeps alive today and it is like a warning call to the peoples all over the world.

A translation by: Silke Paez Carr

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