Air Operations Bay of Pigs

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History s t a f f

September 1979

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PERMANENT HISTORICAL DOCUMENT

DO NOT DESTROY

PHOTOS

(pages 507-541)

OFFICIAL HISTORY

OF THE

BAY OF PIGS OPERATION

VOLUME I

AIR OPERATIONS,

MARCH 1960 - APRIL 1961

APPROVED FORRELEASEL DATE:25-Jul-2011

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III



VOLUME I

Contents

525

524

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517

518

514

515516

512

511

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510

513

508

507etalhuleu Cont ro l Tower\

Re ta lh u le u Se rv ic e and

Maintenance Area • . .

Re ta lh u le u Se rv ic e andMaintenance Area

Re ta lh u le u Se rv ic e andMaintenance Area . • • • • .

Retalhuleu Maintenance andServ ice Area and Fuel Bunker

Reta lhu leu Maintenance andServ ice Area and Fuel Bunker

Retalhuleu Maintenance andServ ice Area and Fuel Bunker

B-26 Spare Par t s Inventory a tRetalhuleu • . • . • • . • •

Reta lhu leu Mess and Kitchen Area•

Retalhuleu Outdoor LivingReta lhu leu Barracks - Exter io r

View . . . . . . . . . .

Reta lhu leu Barracks - In t e r i o r

View . . . . . . . . . .

Retalhuleu Barracks - In t e r i o r

View . . . . . . . . . . . .

Retalhuleu Barracks - In t e r i o r

View . . . . . . . . . . . .

Reta lhu leu Sup ply A re a . • . •

Retalhuleu Supply Area • . • .

B-26 Prac t i c i ng Low Level Attack

a t Retalhuleu . . . . . . . •B-26 Prac t i c ing Low Level Bomb

Run a t Reta lhu leu . . . .

B-26 Prac t i c ing Low LevelBomb Run a t Reta lhuleu . • .

Figure 19 .

Figure 18 .

Photos

Figur-e 14 .

Figure 15 .Figure 16 .F igure 17 .

Figure 13 .

Figure 8.

Figure 3.

Figure 9.Figure 10 .Figure 11 .

Figure 7.

Figure 6.

Figure 5 .

Figure 1 .

Figure 2.

Figure 12 .

Figure 4.

Figures 1-23 - Air Tra in ing Base, Reta lhu leu , Guatemala



Figure 34-35 - Photos of Air Str ip a t Playa Giron, Cuba

• 527

• • 526

• • 528

529

. . .

B-26's Practicing Leader &Wing-man a t Reta1hu1eu •

Paradrop Practice a tReta1hu1eu • • •

Paradrop Pract ice a tReta1hu1eu • • •

Paradrop Pract ice a tReta1hu1eu • • • • • • • • •

- Photos of Forward Operations Base,Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua

C-46 and C-54 Parked Off Runwaya t Puerto Cabezas • • • • • • • 530

Puerto Cabezas View of Air

Str ip • • • • • • • • • • • • • 531Puerto Cabezas Bomb DumpAdjacent to Air Str ip ••• • • 532

Puerto Cabezas Bomb DumpAdjacent to A ~ Str ip ••• 533

. Puerto Cabezas Bomb DumpAdjacent to Air Strip. • • 534

Puerto Cabezas Armed B-26 • • • • 535Puerto Cabezas Armed B-26 • • • • 536Puerto Cabezas Underwing DetailBrigade B ~ 2 6 • • • • • • • • • • 537

Puerto Cabezas Underwing DetailBrigade B ~ 2 6 • • • •• • • • • 538

Puerto Cabezas PBY Air-SeaRescue • • • • • • • • • •• 539

Figure 34. Air Strip a t Playa Giron,Cuba . . . . . . . . . . 540

Fiqure 35. Air Strip a t Playa Giron,Cuba .• . . . . . . . . . . .

·. 541

Figure 20.

Figure 21.

Figure 22.

Figure 23.

Figures 24-33

Figure 24.

Figure 25.

Figure 26.

Figure 27.

Figure 28.

Figure 29.Figure 30.Figure 31.

Figure 32.

Figure 33.

, ,



AIRFIELD, SAN JOSE, G U A T R ~ L A

- - - - - -



FIGURES 1-23

AIR TRAINING BASE,

RETALHULEU, GUATEMALA



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- = - ~ = - =

FIGURE 2RETALHULEU SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE AREA

- = : - = _ ~ " " , = : - - : : __ . L ' = - , , ~ . _ ~ : - = - ~ _ , _ _ _- _ _,. _1 l L - _ ~ _ . _ ..- - ~ . ~ , . "-_. ._ ~ ~ . c . . : . ~ .





- - - - - - ~ - ----::=-::.;==.:,:-:;=:::.........-

FIGURE 4RETALHULEU SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE AREA



FIGURE 5RETALHULEU MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE AREA AND FUEL BUNKER

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FIGURE 6

RETALHULEU MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE AREA AND FUEL BUNKER

• __ __ • ~ ~ _ . __ •• _ ••• • 0. __ ••• I

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FIGURE 8

B-26 SPARE PARTS INVENTORY AT RETALHULEU

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FIGURE 11RETALHULEU BARRACKS - EXTERIOR VIEW

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FIGURE 12RETALHULEU BARRACKS - INTERIOR VIEW



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FIGURE 14RETALHULEU BARRACKS - INTERIOR VIEW



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FIGURE 17

B-26 PRACTICING LOW LEVEL ATTACK AT R E T A L H U L ~



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FIGURE 18

B-26 PRACTICING LOW LEVEL BOMB RUN AT,RETALHULEU(NOTE: BOMB BAY OPENS FROM FIGURE 18 to FIGURE 19 )

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FIGURE 19B-26 PRACTICING LOW LEVEL BOMB RUN AT RETALHULEU(NOTE: BOMB BAY OPENS FROM FIGURE 18 TO FIGURE 19 )



FIGURE 20

B-26's PRACTICING LEADER &WING-MAN. INSTRUCTOR-OBSERVER AIRCRAFT TO RIGHT

(AT RETALHULEU)









FIGURES 24-33

PHOTOS OF FORWARD OPERATIONS

BASE

PUERTO CABEZAS, NICARAGUA



. - ' ' - ' = ~ ~ - - - = ~ ..=-o. ~ ~ . . . .. - - - - - ~ . ~ = . : _ _ _ _ _ _' ~ - - ; - ' - - = - ' ; : ' . : : . ~ - - = - : : . . - = = - " : . . : : = - - = = = - = - - - -- Of '65' - ' - - - ' : : ; ~ ' " - - - ~ . - - ~ - ...---.---.-.------ ..--"

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FIGURE 24

C-46 AND C-54 PARKED OFF RUNWAY AT PUERTO CABEZAS

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THEHOTO SHOWS NOSE OF

C-46 ON RUNWAY.

--FIGURE 25

VIEW OF AIR STRIP.

3 PARKED B-26 ' s .

.. ~

CABEZAS.PBY AND

,

PUERTO

.,. ' "

• •• ' . '" tI... ~ ..~ _ 1 . : - : : _ ~ ~ ; r : ' > . ... ' . " r . : ? ; - ~ ~ ; ; , ' • ,.... .. ~ : ~ ' - .. . . ~ : ~ .. ' "_ •. ,. . . , , ~ ~ - . . . " _ , , , ~ ' . . k l .• ~ .' . . . : , . . . ". ' ~ " " " , , ' " ............0.:.0:. _ ~ . : _ . ._. " . .•.• , . , . ¥ A . ~ ; Z r : ~ ' .

, , .• ._.'. J _ ~ .• '. ' ,....,. ~ . .' . . . ~ , . . . . _ . : ; ; . , fJ· ., .' --- ~ . . ; : ; ( .. ' ~ <- ••• .' _ _ ...... ' .5,;. •• -,.,.".,,,, ""'1".;_ . . . . ,r" . ~

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FIGURE 27

PUERTO CABEZAS, BOMB DUMP ADJACENT TO AIR STRIP



CABEZAS. TO AIR

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STRIP.

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FIGURE 28BOMB DUMP ADJACENTUERTO

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FIGURE 29

PVERTO CABEZAS. ARMED B-26. SIGNS OF BATTLE DAMAGE VISIBLE ON FUSELAGE

BELOW COCKPIT AND ON BOMB BAY DOOR. NOTE SOLID, 8-GUN NOSE.



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FIGURE 30

PUERTO CABEZAS. B-26. TAIL ASSEMBLY DETAIL. CUBAN INSIGNIA, FAR,AND TAIL NUMBERS IDENTICAL TO CASTRO'S B-26 ' s .



FIGURE 31

PUERTO CABEZAS. UNDERWING DETAIL BRIGADE B-26. PYLON FUEL TANK,ROCKETS, WIDE (BLUE) BAND AROUND WING TO DISTINGUISH FROM CASTRO B-26's.

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., ~ ~ . i t ~ : I ' ~ , : . .. ~ , ~ ~ ~ '\" '..' ~ ; . C # 8 . ' I I I ! I ' l l ' l ~" ~ -, ,,-,• ....., ~ - . : : : - ' ~ " l " ' ..

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FIGURE 32

PUERTO CABEZAS. UNDERWING DETAIL BRIGADE B-26. PYLON FUEL TANK, ROCKETS, WIDE

(BLUE) BAND AROUND WING TO DISTINGUISH FROM CASTRO's B-2SYs .





FIGURES 34-35

PHOTOS OF AIR STRIP AT

PLAYA GIRON, CUBA

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CUBA COCHINOS, BAHIA DE 22 05 N

NEW AIRSTRIP AND CONSTRUCTiON ON

453036 FOR SIMILAR VIEWS. SEPT.

81 08 wSOUTHEAST COAST OF BAY.

60. CONFIDENTIAL (2,31)

SEE CIA 4 5 3 C ~ 2 4 ~ ~ o : ~J , .J-' - - ' . - I '

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FIGURE 34

AIR STRIP AT PLAYA GIRON, CUBA



CUBA COCHINOS, BAHIA DE 22 05 N 81 08 WNEW AIRSTRIP AND CONSTRUCTION ON SOUTHEAST COAST OF BAY. SEE CIA 453932 ,453034,453036 FOR SiMILAR COVERAGE. SEPT. 1960. CONFIDENTIAL (2,31) CIA 453035

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FIGURE 35

t.rR STR.IP AT FLAYA GIRON; CUBA

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