Air Commando!: 1950-1975 - Twenty-five years at the Tip ... - AFSOC

2 airstrikes as a tactic to mask U.S. involvement; to make the airstrikes "look Cuban." 54 A
subsequent decision by the same political advisors using the same rationale cancelled a
second airstrike intended to finish off the Cuban fighters not eliminated by the first, curtailed
strike.
Castro's remaining T-33 jet and propeller-driven Sea Fury fighters were waiting overhead
for the Alabama Guardsmen on D+2 as the B-26s attempted to drive home attacks against
the advancing Cuban ground forces. In the day-long combat that ensued, four Alabama
Air Guard aircrew 14 in two B-26s were shot down by Cuban fighters. 55 Agonized U.S.
Navy fighter pilots flying over the beachhead from the aircraft carrier Essex watched the
fighters attacking the B-26s below, but were prohibited from defending the Guardsmen.
The invasion collapsed the following day.
After the collapse of the exile
landing force, Fidel Castro
views wreckage of a B-26
downed by Cuban fighters
during the invasion.
AFTERMATH
Immediately following the collapse of the invasion, the Captain of the Essex was
ordered to personally burn all orders and ship's logs covering the period of the
invasion. 5 6'fhe remaining Guardsmen returned from Central America to Alabama with
strict orders not to divulge their involvement in Operation Pluto.
The probable response of the Cuban public to a successful invasion in 1961 is still
a matter of debate. Lost in the political finger-pointing that swept through Washington
and other world capitols was just how close to success Operation Pluto actually came.
And President Somoza's prophetic warning was to haunt successive U.S.
administrations to this day.
13
At the Puerto Cabezas airfield, Lt Col ·shannon was told the reduced sorties would keep the air
attack "from looking too spectacular ... too much like a U.S. operation."
14
Shot down by Cuban T-33 fighters on April 19th, the second day of the invasion: Riley Shamburger,
Wade C. Gray, Willard Ray, and Leo F. Baker.
37