April 17, 1961 · Latin America Theater
April 17, 1961
The CIA's plan to overthrow Fidel Castro using 1,400 Cuban exiles trained in Guatemala collapsed catastrophically on the beaches of the Bay of Pigs on April 17, 1961. President Kennedy, inheriting the plan from Eisenhower, cancelled the essential air support at the last minute, fatally exposing the landing force. Within 72 hours all 1,400 Brigade 2506 fighters were either dead or captured; 1,189 were ransomed back two years later for $53 million in food and medicine.
Commanders